Retail Sales Associate

The Spice & Tea Exchange®; Gatlinburg (TN); On-site; USD 732,000 - 773,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee discounts

Free uniforms

Flexible schedule

Free parking pass

One free product each week

Schedule posted four weeks in advance

Occasional performance bonuses

Some daily cash tips

Job summary

The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Gatlinburg is seeking a friendly Retail Sales Associate to join our team. This full-time role offers about 36–38 hours per week with flexible scheduling and opportunities for occasional bonuses. You will greet customers, assist with selections, and handle transactions with care in a welcoming shop environment.

We provide training, employee discounts, uniforms, and a supportive team. Weekend and holiday availability is important in a tourism-driven location.

Qualifications

• Be able to communicate clearly in English with customers and coworkers.
• Be comfortable interacting with customers throughout the workday.
• Be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Be able to stand and walk for extended periods during a shift.

Responsibilities

• Greeting customers and providing friendly, knowledgeable service
• Helping guests select spices, teas, salts, sugars, and other products
• Learning our products and making recommendations based on customer needs
• Operating a cash register and accurately handling cash and card transactions
• Packaging spices, seasonings, salts, sugars, and loose-leaf teas
• Restocking shelves and maintaining inventory
• Checking product labels, pricing, and displays
• Keeping the sales floor, work areas, and equipment clean and organized
• Opening and/or closing the store
• Performing keyholder responsibilities after training
• Completing other normal retail duties as needed

Skills

Customer service

Cash handling

Communication

POS system

Job description

Approximately 36–38 hours per week Benefits & Perks

• Flexible scheduling

Benefits

• Employee discounts
• Free uniforms
• Flexible schedule

Retail Sales Associate – Full Time The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Gatlinburg Starting at $14.75/hour (higher starting pay may be considered based on relevant sales or retail experience)

Approximately 36–38 hours per week Benefits & Perks

• Free employee parking pass, if needed
• One free 1 oz. product each week
• Employee discount
• Flexible scheduling
• Schedule posted approximately four weeks in advance
• Occasional performance bonuses
• Some daily cash tips

Attention Foodies!

Do you love experimenting with flavors, cooking, tea, or trying new recipes? Do you enjoy helping people and learning about unique products?

The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Gatlinburg is looking for an enthusiastic, dependable Retail Sales Associate to join our team.

This isn't your typical retail shop. Our shelves are filled with gourmet spice blends, loose-leaf teas, salts, sugars, herbs, and other specialty ingredients. Our team helps guests smell, taste, explore, and discover new ways to make food and drinks more flavorful.

You don't need to be a chef or already know everything about spices and tea—we'll teach you! We're looking for someone who is friendly, dependable, comfortable talking with customers, and willing to learn.

What You'll Do

• Greeting customers and providing friendly, knowledgeable service
• Helping guests select spices, teas, salts, sugars, and other products
• Learning our products and making recommendations based on customer needs
• Operating a cash register and accurately handling cash and card transactions
• Packaging spices, seasonings, salts, sugars, and loose-leaf teas
• Restocking shelves and maintaining inventory
• Checking product labels, pricing, and displays
• Keeping the sales floor, work areas, and equipment clean and organized
• Opening and/or closing the store
• Performing keyholder responsibilities after training
• Completing other normal retail duties as needed

Schedule

We are primarily looking for a full-time employee working approximately 36–38 hours per week.

We commonly schedule four approximately 9-hour shifts per week, but a five-day schedule may also be available. We try to be flexible and can often work with employees who have a second job or other regular commitments.

Our schedule is normally posted four weeks in advance, making it easier to plan ahead.

Weekend and holiday availability is important, as Gatlinburg is a tourism-driven destination and these are often some of our busiest days.

Minimum Qualifications

• Be dependable and arrive to scheduled shifts on time
• Have reliable transportation to and from work
• Be able to communicate clearly in English with customers and coworkers
• Be comfortable interacting with customers throughout the workday
• Be able to accurately count money and make change
• Be comfortable using a point-of-sale/register system and performing basic math
• Be able to follow written recipes, measurements, procedures, and instructions
• Be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
• Be able to stand and walk for extended periods during a shift
• Be able to bend, reach, squat, and perform normal stocking and retail tasks
• Be comfortable working around and smelling strong aromas from spices, herbs, teas, and other food products
• Be willing to learn about our products and make recommendations to customers
• Be willing and able to perform opening and closing responsibilities, including working independently when scheduled
• Maintain a clean, professional appearance appropriate for a customer-facing retail environment
• Be willing to come to the Gatlinburg store for an in-person interview as part of the hiring process

Previous retail, sales, food-service, or customer-service experience is preferred, but not required. We are happy to train the right person.

J-1 Students Welcome

J-1 students are welcome to apply provided they are legally authorized to work for us and already have a Social Security Number (SSN) required for payroll.

Applicants must also be able to meet the position's scheduling requirements for the period they are available to work.

About The Spice & Tea Exchange®

We create and share the experience every day! Life is better lived with a little spice.

The Spice & Tea Exchange® was founded in 2008 by people with a passion for food, flavor, and creating memorable experiences. What began as a small shop in St. Augustine, Florida, has grown into a nationwide franchise of independently owned shops.

Our mission—“Creating & sharing the experience of a more flavorful life”—is at the heart of what we do.

Our shops offer a diverse assortment of high-quality spices, handcrafted seasonings, loose-leaf teas, salts, sugars, and other flavorful ingredients in a unique sensory shopping environment. Guests are encouraged to open jars, experience the aromas, discover recipes, and talk with knowledgeable team members about food and flavor.

At The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Gatlinburg, we’re committed to creating that experience every day. If you enjoy helping people, learning new things, and working in a unique retail environment, we’d love to meet you.

Compensation: $14.75 - $15.00 per hour

We create and share the experience every day! Life is better lived with a little spice.

The Spice & Tea Exchange® was founded in 2008, by a group of talented individuals with a passion for life and food. What started as a small shop St. Augustine, Florida, has quickly grown into a nation-wide franchise powered by flavor, passionate franchise owners, and a desire to bring flavorful ingredients to your kitchen. Our franchise owners are the #1 REASON for what we do, and our team is a close‑knit family you’d enjoy sitting with around the dinner table.

“Creating & sharing the experience of a more flavorful life,” is the mission and cornerstone of our business, in which we strive to provide guests with quality products and flavorful memories. We offer a high-quality, diverse assortment of products in a sensory shopping experience. One step into our shops will kick your senses into high‑gear as you open the jars and smell, explore recipes, and speak with our knowledgeable staff about your culinary interests.

At The Spice & Tea Exchange we are committed to our mission. If you have a desire to inspire coworkers and customers, we may have a place for you at the table!

This franchise is independently owned and operated by a franchisee. Your application will go directly to the franchisee, and all hiring decisions will be made by the management of this franchisee. All inquiries about employment at this franchisee should be made directly to the franchise location, and not to The Spice & Tea Exchange Corporate.