Shop Manager

City & State is an over ten-year-old specialty café and curated goods shop on Broad Avenue in Memphis. We're known for exceptional coffee, a thoughtful (and intentionally edited) selection of retail goods, and a space that brings people together. As we continue to grow, we're looking for a talented leader to help us run it well. This role is for someone who genuinely loves hospitality and operations — someone who finds energy in a well-run shift, a motivated team, and a space that feels alive. You don’t need to be a coffee expert on day one; you will be before long. What matters most is your ability to lead people, manage daily operations with confidence, and bring curiosity and care to everything you touch.

Oversee daily café operations at City & State, ensuring the shop runs smoothly, the team is supported, and every customer leaves better than they arrived. As Store Manager, you will work closely with ownership to uphold service standards, manage staff, maintain operational excellence, and help bring our in-store activations to life. This is a hands-on leadership role for someone who leads by example and takes pride in the details.

• Deliver an exceptional café experience — from the quality of the coffee to the warmth of the environment.
• Lead and develop a team that is skilled, motivated, and aligned with our values.
• Keep daily operations running smoothly, consistently, and with minimal friction.
• Support the planning and execution of in-store events and activations that drive community engagement and traffic.
• Maintain a welcoming, well-organized store environment that reflects the City & State brand.
• Foster clear communication between the team and ownership.

Café Operations

• Oversee daily café operations, ensuring consistency in service, quality, and environment across every shift.
• Monitor inventory levels for café supplies and recurring items; coordinate reorders as needed.
• Maintain a clean, safe, and welcoming shop environment in compliance with health and safety standards.
• Address customer concerns promptly and professionally, modeling the standard you expect from the team.

Team Leadership

• Recruit, hire, onboard, and manage staff in partnership with ownership.
• Conduct regular one-on-ones and annual performance reviews, providing clear and actionable feedback.
• Build and maintain staff schedules; assist with payroll as needed.
• Set a strong, empathetic, and professional example for the team every day.

Events & Activations

• Participate in activation planning conversations with ownership, contributing ideas and helping shape the monthly calendar.
• Own the execution of in-store events once approved — including logistics, staffing, scheduling, and hosting.
• Support a recurring cadence of approximately two activations per month, ranging from evening events and pop-ups to community workshops and collaborative programming.
• Ensure events run smoothly and reflect the quality and character of the City & State experience.

Retail & Merchandising

• Keep the retail wall fully stocked, tidy, and visually well-presented throughout the week.
• Stay active in the inventory feedback loop — confirm receipt of incoming orders, verify accuracy in our systems, and flag sell-through observations to inform ownership’s buying decisions.
• Coordinate directly with leadership on retail ordering and receiving.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Outstanding hospitality instincts and customer service skills
• Excellent problem-solving capabilities, with the ability to stay calm and focused under pressure
• Superb organizational and time management skills
• Confident leadership with an empathetic approach to managing people
• Comfort working across both café operations and a curated retail environment

• Experience managing a café, restaurant, or hospitality environment
• Experience in specialty coffee, preferably in a leadership role
• Familiarity with event coordination or community programming
• Entrepreneurial mindset and working knowledge of small business operations
• Knowledge of financial planning and basic office management

• 3 years of experience managing and leading a team
• Familiarity with online collaboration and organization tools, including Google Docs/apps

• PAID TIME OFF: 1 week paid vacation
• PAID SICK LEAVE: 40 hours of paid sick leave per year
• Yearly holiday bonus consideration based on shop and individual performance
• Your daily dose of quality coffee
• Discounts on merchandise