Pros
The atmosphere in the stores is fun and hip. The relationships you develop with your staff will last far beyond the job. The employee discount is competitive with any retailers in the market. There are also kind gestures given at Christmas time for all store employees.
Cons
What you are sold on in the beginning is later found out to be half truths or full of "technicalities". There is no support from higher management and the corporate office. Which is very strange seeing as how everyone is envoy ex on the smallest in store operational functions from how many paper towels are to be ordered to filling an entry level position. The buying department doesn't listen to store managers in respects to what items aren't selling, therefore the product sits in the store and takes up space. There is little room for upward mobility. There haven't been raises issued in 3 years, but stores are consistently pressured to beat LY numbers so District Managers can earn their bonuses. In addition to not giving raises, the company has done pay cuts (a new pay structure is what they call it) that have caused some managers to see a $200 monthly reduction in earnings! There is no work-life balance and no matter what the individual store needs are, it is almost impossible to get more hours to have the extra man power to keep store functions under control.