Store Manager

Woander World is a specialty toy and game shop in the heart of Mill Valley, curated for curious kids, creative families, and lifelong players. We stock thoughtfully chosen games, puzzles, plush, STEM kits, and imaginative play items—and we're the retail home of Wylding Woods, our immersive children's entertainment brand. We are a small, tight-knit team where every person has real responsibility and real impact. Role Summary We’re looking for a Store Manager to take ownership of the day-to-day operation of Woander, our independent toy and game store in downtown Mill Valley. This is a hands-on role for someone who loves specialty retail and wants real responsibility for a small store—from the team and customer experience to inventory, purchasing, merchandising, and store performance. You’ll work closely with the owner, but our goal is for you to truly own the store’s daily operation and grow the business as we look to expand. Core Responsibilities Sales & Store Performance Take ownership of the store’s sales performance and work with the owner to achieve revenue and profitability goals Monitor sales trends and identify opportunities to improve product mix, merchandising, promotions, and customer experience Understand what is—and isn’t—selling, and use that information to make smart purchasing and merchandising decisions Help develop ideas to increase traffic, average transaction value, repeat visits, and overall store performance Inventory & Purchasing Own the reorder process: monitor stock levels, identify low-stock and out-of-stock items, and place purchase orders on a consistent cadence Maintain accurate item records in Square POS, including cost, category, vendor, and reorder thresholds Receive and process incoming shipments: check against purchase orders, enter into POS, tag, and stock efficiently Build and maintain vendor relationships, discover promising new products, and track product availability and lead times Track COGS and shrink and investigate discrepancies Store Operations & Merchandising Take responsibility for smooth day-to-day store operations, including opening and closing procedures Create and maintain compelling visual merchandising that keeps the store fresh, inviting, and easy to shop Ensure shelves are well stocked, organized, and seasonally relevant Handle cash reconciliation, weekly deposits, and basic POS troubleshooting Resolve customer service issues with empathy and sound judgment Ensure a safe, welcoming environment for all guests Lead and support the retail team, setting clear expectations and providing ongoing coaching and feedback Build and publish staff schedules, ensuring appropriate coverage while staying within labor targets Proactively manage shift swaps, call-outs, and coverage gaps Onboard and train new team members on store systems, products, customer service, and expectations Create a positive, accountable team culture where staff feel supported and customers receive consistently excellent service Qualifications Required 2+ years of specialty retail experience, including experience in a lead, supervisory, or management role Experience with inventory management, purchasing/reordering, and retail POS systems Demonstrated ability to independently run store operations and make sound day-to-day decisions Strong organizational and communication skills Comfortable working weekends and occasional evenings Preferred Experience in toy/game, children’s products, books, gifts, or other specialty retail Comfort with basic spreadsheets and reporting for inventory and sales tracking Genuine enthusiasm for games, puzzles, creative play, or children’s media An eye for merchandising and discovering products customers will love What Success Looks Like The store consistently meets or exceeds its sales and performance goals Customers receive knowledgeable, welcoming service and leave excited about what they discovered Inventory is healthy: bestsellers stay in stock, purchasing is disciplined, and slow-moving products are identified early Merchandising feels fresh and gives customers reasons to explore and return Labor is appropriately scheduled and stays within target Receiving and inventory records are timely and accurate The retail team is well trained, supported, and accountable The owner can confidently step away from day-to-day store operations knowing the store is in good hands Full-time, approximately 40 hrs/week $27 to $30 / hour, commensurate with experience Health insurance reimbursement PTO Performance bonus eligibility tied to store performance goals Employee discount on all Woander World merchandise Opportunity to grow with a small, mission-driven team at the intersection of specialty retail and immersive entertainment #J-18808-Ljbffr