Jobs at Neighborly
Neighborly is an ethically sourced, design-driven shop offering home goods, artwork, and gifts for urban Midwesterners. Neighborly sources many of its products from small, independent craftspeople and takes care to find products that fit our particular aesthetic style, are affordable and functional. It began in 2012 and currently operates two brick and mortar locations in Wicker Park and Lincoln Square, as well as a seasonal mini-shop on the Chicago Riverwalk. It is local and woman owned. Please visit our "About" and "Mission" pages to learn more about Neighborly.
Neighborly is currently hiring for the following positions:
> Wicker Park Seasonal Retail Assistant
> Wicker Park Location Manager
> Freelance Visual Merchandiser
Wicker Park Seasonal Retail Assistant
PT 6-30 hrs/wk
Neighborly is looking to hire a seasonal part-time Retail Associate to work primarily at our Wicker Park location but also at Lincoln Square from time to time.
Retail duties include opening and closing the shop, greeting customers in the shop and creating a welcoming customer experience, checking customers out, restocking shelves, cleaning, and maintaining shop appearance. They will also have the important task of representing Neighborly and sharing the shop's story, as well as acting as an ambassador for the independent artists and makers whose products we carry.
Saturdays are required, and Sunday and evening weekday availability in November and December is preferred.
Availability on Saturday, Nov 29 and Dec 21-24 is required.
Requirements:
> prior experience in retail, hospitality, or a customer service role
> demonstrated interest in independently made products and/or the arts
> will excel in a small business working environment (the ambition to wear many hats and help out in any way)
> enjoy talking to strangers and have a great attitude, especially when providing customer service
> are a quick learner and can think on your feet
> are organized and pay attention to details
> physical requirements include ability to be on your feet the majority of the work day, lift boxes up to 25 lbs, and carry boxes up and down stairs. This is a retail environment during the busiest time of year, candidates should expect to be moving their entire work day.
Responsibilities:
> Independently staff the retail shop, offer exceptional customer service - greet customers, assist them with product information and recommendations, provide an easy and pleasant shopping and checkout experience.
> Thrives in a fast paced, busy work environment, where there is always a customer to assist or a task to be completed. This is much more than a "cashier" role, you'll be making our customer's days, shaping the look and feel of our store, and contributing to the success of our small business.
> Learn in detail about our products, where and how they’re made and who they’re made by.
> Learn and become a wizard at using our POS system, Shopify, to checkout customers, perform returns, and look up product information and inventory.
> Basic merchandising tasks like folding Tshirts, towels, and blankets, rearranging out of place products, etc.
> Restock shelves when items sell, similarly, replace artwork on wall/display as needed. Restock supplies for checkout. Establish checks to notify location manager when inventory of a product is low.
> Unpack product; check products for damage or defects, check quantities packed or received against packing list (this is where attention to detail comes in!), tag and prep for display, merchandise on display or put in storage as needed.
> Assist with keeping the shops clean and organized, including dusting, vacuuming, mopping, disposing of trash and recycling.
Compensation:
> Starting at $17.50/hr commensurate with experience
> Annual bonus based on company performance
> PTO and sick pay each earned at 1 hr per 35 hours worked
> Employee discount on all merchandise
To apply
Please no calls or drop-ins. Email your résumé and a short note about why you want to work at Neighborly to getajob [at] neighborlyshop [dot] com and use subject “Seasonal Retail Assistant”.
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Wicker Park Location Manager
FT: 32-40 hrs/wk
Neighborly is looking to hire a Location Manager for our growing Wicker Park location at 1554 N Milwaukee Ave. As a Location Manager, you’ll serve as a leader of our retail team, keeping the shop looking organized & adhering to visual merchandising and cleaning standards, but above all else, keeping the customer experience front of mind. The Location Manager will be responsible for continued oversight, development, and motivation of the retail team while creating an environment of positivity, creativity, and collaboration.
They will also have the important task of representing Neighborly to our community - sharing the shop's story, as well as acting as an ambassador for over 200 independent makers and small businesses whose products we carry. They are an integral participant in the success of our small business.
Please note weekend days (Saturday and Sunday) are required. These are our busiest days of the week and provide the best opportunity to connect both with customers and with the retail team. However we are open to flexible schedule arrangements including 4 x 8-10 hr days/week and/or every other Sunday off.
Requirements:
> 5+ years retail experience with 2+ years in a management role, preferably at a small business
> excellent communication and customer service skills, ability to confidently approach people and naturally create conversations with a genuine and warm personality
> experience in development and management of a retail team - providing continual support, coaching, and feedback in meeting operational standards and encouraging excellent customer service
> ambition and initiative to jump in wherever needed to help our small business grow - employee management, customer service, merchandising, inventory management, constant creative problem solving, and so much more
> ability to prioritize, multi-task, and excel during high traffic times & seasons, while still working calmly, efficiently, and with purpose
> physically able to be on your feet the majority of the day, as well as lifting and carrying boxes up to 25 lbs on a frequent basis as well as up and down stairs. Candidates should expect to be standing and moving their entire work day.
> interest in independently made products and/or the arts with an eye for style trends and Modern design
Responsibilities:
> Maintain a very high quality of customer experience through genuine customer interactions and store presentation. Detail focused and steadfast in keeping things organized across multiple systems.
> Offer exceptional customer service - confidently greet and initiate genuine interactions with customers, assist them with product information and recommendations, provide an easy and pleasant shopping and checkout experience. Role model and provide ongoing training to retail team to do the same. Constantly look for ways to improve our service and offer customers an experience they can’t get anywhere else.
> Create a plan and communicate to the retail team to ensure execution of all operational standards. Manage all day-to-day procedures. Monitor results and completion of delegated tasks - celebrate successes and provide constructive and respectful feedback for areas requiring improvement. Maintain consistent communication with shop Owner and Retail Director about daily happenings, inventory needs, customer or staff issues, and more.
> Manage visual merchandising guidelines and directives. Constantly adjust how products are merchandised to incorporate new products, fill in and adjust when products sell out, identify weak sales performance based on product placement and adjust accordingly, and coach retail team to do the same. Delegate tasks including cleaning, restocking, and re-merchandising for optimal customer experience.
> Manage inventory, including maintaining optimal inventory & staffing levels, assessing & optimizing as needed to meet the needs of the business and customer experience. Assist with receiving new product and inventory transfers. Monitor e-comm sales, carefully pack items, and ship online orders.
> Recognize both the small details like labeling backstock boxes and the big picture like holiday staffing needs. Take initiative and bring creative ideas to improve all aspects of the business. Ability to prioritize and perform tasks with accuracy in a busy environment that brings unique challenges every day.
> No task too small attitude is required in the management of a small business’ day to day operations - cleaning, receiving, tagging etc. are tasks that every team member takes part in. Love to be on your feet and "on to the next task" your entire day.
....and much more! This is an ever-evolving role that requires a genuine love of retail and customer service, and a whole lot of adaptability in order to support the needs of the shop and the team as they arise. We expect this role to prepare you for owning your own retail business and/or a Regional or Retail Director role in your professional future.
Compensation:
> $60-$75k commensurate with experience
> Annual bonus based on company performance
> 64-80 hrs PTO/year + floating holidays
> Healthcare Premium Reimbursement Arrangement
> Employee discount on all merchandise
To apply:
Please no calls or drop-ins. Email your résumé and a short note about why you want to work at Neighborly to getajob [at] neighborlyshop [dot] com and use subject “Location Manager”.
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Freelance Visual Merchandiser
PT: project based
Neighborly is looking to hire a freelance visual merchandiser and creative consultant to assist with merchandising our two brick and mortar locations and seasonal location on the Chicago Riverwalk.
The visual merchandiser will primarily assist with installing seasonal product and window displays on a monthly or every other month basis, but also potentially consult on store layout optimization, fixture and furniture planning, and signage systems depending upon candidate's expertise. They will have the important task of enhancing the customer shopping experience while reflecting Neighborly’s Modern and elevated, yet approachable aesthetic.
Weekday morning or late evening availability is preferred to accommodate merchandising outside of store hours (11a-7p).
Projects are more frequent in Nov and Dec, availability throughout the holiday season is required.
Requirements:
> extensive past experience in retail merchandising, preferably in small boutiques
> knowledge of product display optimization techniques and demonstrated expertise in a customer-focused approach to merchandising
> strong eye for Modern design, color coordination, and attention to detail that aligns with Neighborly’s existing aesthetic
> up-to-date on current retail trends, particularly those in gift and home decor
> creative problem solver
> comfortable with physical tasks such as lifting boxes, climbing ladders, and moving fixtures
Responsibilities:
> execute seasonal and thematic merchandising displays to highlight new products, bestsellers, and thoughtful gifts
> create visually appealing window displays that attract foot traffic and reflect Neighborly’s style, yet work within our small business budget
> collaborate with the store owner/retail director on creative direction, as well as to ensure displays align with marketing plan and inventory purchasing
> track display performance and make adjustments as needed, keep an image journal and log of successes and failures for future installs
Compensation:
> candidate will be responsible for quoting an hourly or project based pay rate
To apply:
Please no calls or drop-ins. Email your résumé, examples of past work, and/or portfolio site, and a short note about why you want to help shape the look and feel of Neighborly to getajob [at] neighborlyshop [dot] com and use subject “Visual Merchandiser”.
Neighborly is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, age, citizenship status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.