Posting closes on Sunday, April 12, at 11:59pm. Applications submitted after this time will not be considered.

We’re looking to bring on one or two permanent part-time employees, with the potential to grow into full-time positions over the next few months.

Due to the very high interest (thank you!) we have a brief application process. Please follow these instructions carefully to apply.

What you’ll do

Here are some things that will be part of your job, but your responsibilities will change over time. We don’t expect you to be a master of all of these, but prior experience in some places is very helpful.

• Shelve books according to store procedures. This could be alphabetically, thematically, in series order, or by subject.
• Barcode and display books and merchandise to create a welcoming environment.
• Operate a cash register and process sales using Basil POS and Square credit card processing.
• Prepare and serve coffee, tea, espresso, and mocktail drinks and baked goods.
• Provide friendly, thoughtful, and professional customer service, including processing sales, wrapping gifts, answering the phone, placing special orders, and helping find items.
• Suggest books to add to our selection, based either on your personal interests or industry knowledge.
• Use Basil to process purchase orders, receive books, and add them to inventory.

Your experience

There’s no specific prior experience we’re seeking, though we do require a high school diploma or an equivalent combination of experience and education. Any experience that helps you complete the tasks above is a plus. Prior experience as a bookseller or barista is a plus but not strictly required. Here are some other things that could strengthen your application:

• Experience in any retail or food service setting
• Experience in a library or school
• Fluency in multiple languages
• An academic focus in literature or a related field, at any level
• A love of reading, especially across genres

Our offer

Here are some basic details of the offer:

• $14 – $16 per hour to start
• A raise schedule with goals will be established after hire
• Tips during shifts when you’re assigned to register or coffee
• 12-24 hours per week
• Potential to develop into a full-time and/or management position

How to apply

Please follow these instructions very carefully. Applicants who follow these instructions exactly can expect to hear from us within a few days after the posting closes. We won’t respond to applications that don’t meet these requirements exactly.

1. Send an email to apply at penningtonsbooks dot com. Use the subject line “[Your last name] application.”
2. Attach to the email a one-page résumé. I expect some applicants will need to omit some experiences to meet this requirement — please focus on your most relevant experiences. This attachment must be a PDF.
3. In the body of the email, write no more than 200 words explaining how your experience makes you a good fit for this job. Please focus on how it applies to Pennington’s, specifically, as a new and used bookstore, coffee shop, and art gallery.

If you have any questions, please send and email to the above email address with the subject line “Question” or stop in during store hours and ask for Spencer.

Thank you so much for your interest! If you submit an application, please drop in to introduce yourself and check out the shop.