Pros
Physically demanding Engaged management Ongoing training Friendly, smart employees Opportunities to engage with customers Organized, well-developed company structure Excellent employee discount
Cons
Micro-management in some departments and inconsistent management in other departments. In the year and a half I worked there, the store was often under-staffed or very tightly staffed so that everyone was always tense and under a lot of pressure. I loved the opportunity to work extra hours, and the constant physical and mental demands, but many employees seemed stressed and unhappy with the constant, over-the-top work for too few employees. A lot of cross-departmental training and scheduling is done, which is great for efficiency, but conversely, keeps everyone separate and unattached to any one job or group of peers. Not really any opportunity for vertical advancement unless you work there for many, many years. Most employees are part-time.