Store Manager

Store Manager

Since 1978, Big Tool Box has been the family-owned hardware haven where "all the expertise is under one roof," putting customer service at the heart of everything it does. Spanning five powerhouse categories-Ace Hardware and Tools for every nut, bolt, and power tool imaginable; the Rental & Repair Center to keep projects moving without breaking the bank; the Highlands Garden Center bursting with plants, soil, and green-thumb guidance; the Lawn & Sprinkler Center for flawless outdoor irrigation and landscape solutions; and the Grillin and Chillin Center stocked with premium BBQ grills and all the accessories for perfect backyard cookouts-Big Tool Box remains the go-to destination for contractors, gardeners, grill masters, and DIYers alike.

Job Summary

• Lead the entire store as the top on-site leader of a locally owned Ace Hardware location, driving sales, profitability, customer experience, and operational excellence across all departments.
• Own full responsibility for ensuring the store is always retail ready - clean, organized, fully merchandised, planogram-compliant, and visually compelling - while maintaining exceptional in-stock levels so customers can find what they need every time they visit.
• Own full P&L responsibility, team development, inventory integrity, and the consistent delivery of Ace's "Helpful Hardware Folks" culture.
• Full-time salaried leadership role with full keyholder authority, budget ownership, and direct accountability to the District Manager and/or owner.
• Praise worthy customer service is our goal in every customer interaction.

Key Responsibilities

• Overall Store Leadership & Performance
  • Own the store's sales, gross margin, labor, shrink, and expense performance against budget and prior-year results.
  • Analyze weekly and monthly P&L, sales trends, and inventory reports; develop and execute action plans to hit or exceed targets.
  • Set clear expectations and accountability for all department leaders with a relentless focus on retail readiness and in-stock performance.
• Retail Readiness & In-Stock Leadership
  • Ensure the entire store (Hardware, Garden Center, Rental/Repair, and front-end) is retail ready at all times: fully stocked, faced, clean, organized, priced accurately, and planogram-compliant.
  • Drive high in-stock levels (98%) through disciplined cycle counting, timely freight processing, accurate ordering, and aggressive follow-up on out-of-stocks.
  • Personally walk the store daily to identify empty shelves, incomplete displays, and presentation gaps - then immediately coach and correct.
  • Hold the team accountable for pulling product from the backroom same-day and keeping endcaps, sidekicks, and promotional displays full and impactful.
• People Leadership & Talent Development
  • Hire, train, coach, schedule, and develop the entire store team.
  • Write or approve schedules, conduct performance reviews, manage progressive discipline, and build a strong succession pipeline.
  • Create a culture where every associate understands that full shelves and a retail-ready store are non-negotiable.
• Customer Service & Experience
  • Personally model impeccable customer service behaviors every day.
  • Continuously monitor service levels and ensure customers never leave empty-handed due to stockouts or poor presentation.
  • Coach the team to proactively solve "we're out of that" situations with rain checks, substitutions, special orders, or will-call solutions.
• Operations & Department Oversight
  • Oversee Hardware, Garden Center (including Live Goods), Receiving/Warehouse, Lawn Sprinkler Center, Rental/Repair, and Cashier operations for accuracy, efficiency, and presentation standards.
  • Ensure high inventory accuracy, strong planogram compliance, timely freight processing, and excellent in-stock levels across all categories.
  • Drive merchandising excellence, seasonal resets, ad execution, and promotional displays that look full and ready to sell.
• Financial, Inventory & Compliance Management
  • Manage store expenses, labor hours, and shrink reduction initiatives.
  • Oversee receiving accuracy, vendor credit recovery, cycle counts, physical inventories, and BOPIS fulfillment.
  • Ensure compliance with all safety, cash-handling, propane, pesticide, and regulatory requirements.
• All other duties as assigned by store management

Required Qualifications and Skills

• Education
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Retail Management, or related field preferred; equivalent experience accepted.
• Experience
  • 5+ years of progressive retail management experience, including multi-department or full-store leadership.
  • Prior experience in hardware, home improvement, or garden center retail strongly preferred.
  • Proven track record of driving sales growth, controlling costs, reducing shrink, maintaining high in-stock levels, and developing high-performing teams.
• Skills & Abilities
  • Strong P&L ownership and financial acumen.
  • Exceptional leadership and coaching skills with a relentless focus on retail readiness and in-stock performance.
  • Deep understanding of retail operations, inventory control, merchandising, and customer experience.
  • Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities under pressure.
  • Proficiency with retail systems (POS, inventory, scheduling, reporting tools).
• Physical Requirements
  • Ability to walk and stand for extended periods and move throughout the entire store (including outdoor Garden Center).
  • Lift and carry up to 50 lbs as needed.
  • Flexible schedule including early mornings, evenings, weekends, holidays, and peak seasonal periods.
• Other
  • Full keyholder status with highest-level override and cash office authority.
  • Strong alignment with Big Tool Box core values of helpfulness, integrity, teamwork, and community focus.