Store Manager

Topdrawer International Corp.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous Employee Discount

Vacation and Sick Leave

Paid Holidays

Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for H

Job summary

Topdrawer is seeking a Store Manager in Chicago to lead a high-touch, community-focused retail experience. You will manage daily operations, drive sales, and mentor a team to deliver a thoughtful, design-driven customer journey with exceptional presentation and energy.

You will collaborate on product storytelling, local partnerships, and seasonal events, ensuring brand standards and sustainable practices. Join a mission-driven company where creativity and leadership matter.

Qualifications

• Minimum 2+ years of retail management experience.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills.
• Detail-oriented with operational strength and visual merchandising eye.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-touch, educational customer experiences that build loyalty.
• Share authentic product storytelling and follow up to deepen relationships.
• Cultivate partnerships with local businesses and communities to expand reach.
• Recruit and develop store team, set clear expectations and delegate effectively.
• Oversee opening/closing, inventory flow, cash management, and compliance.
• Uphold visual standards reflecting Topdrawer’s refined assortment.
• Lead product launches, seasonal stories, and in-store events to drive engagement.
• Monitor performance metrics and adapt strategies to seize opportunities.

Skills

Retail management

Customer relationships

Leadership

Merchandising

Job description

We make objects for people who are curious about the world. We make fountain pens, notebooks, watercolors, leather goods, house shoes, sunglasses, and other tools that help people think, create, travel, and live with greater attention. We believe the most important moments rarely begin with certainty. They begin with a question, a blank page, a wrong turn, or a thought not yet fully formed.

To be lost is not always a problem to solve. It is often where discovery begins. We make tools for those moments.

A pen to discover what you think. Paper to give shape to an idea. Watercolors to slow down and see more carefully. Objects to carry through the world. House shoes that mark the transition from the outside world to the sanctuary of home. As a Japanese company, many of these rituals are inspired by Japanese life, where simple acts are elevated through repetition, attention, and care. Designed between Boston and Tokyo, our products are developed with exceptional makers, craftspeople, and industrial designers around the world. We seek lasting materials, enduring construction, and timeless utility not because objects are meant to be admired, but because they are meant to be used.

Our shops are found in some of the world’s great creative neighborhoods. More than stores, they are places to discover tools, exchange ideas, attend workshops, and spend time with others who share a love of making, writing, drawing, and thoughtful living.

The best tools earn their place quietly and become more valuable with time.

Role Overview

As Store Manager, you bring the Topdrawer story to life through leadership, creativity, and operational excellence. You’ll run your store like a creative studio, delivering an inspiring, community-centered experience for both customers and your team. You serve as both brand ambassador and cultural steward, connecting people to our products, purpose, and philosophy of quiet design.

Key Responsibilities

• Customer Experience & Community: Deliver a high-touch, educational, and personalized customer experience that builds long-term loyalty.
• Share authentic product storytelling and follow up consistently to deepen relationships.
• Cultivate partnerships with local businesses, creative hubs, and community leaders to expand reach and traffic.
• Team Leadership & Development: Recruit
• Set clear expectations, delegate effectively, and maximize productivity on every shift.
• Foster a culture that is inclusive, kind, performance-driven, and purpose-led.
• Store Operations & Merchandising: Take full ownership of daily operations: opening/closing, inventory flow, cash management, and compliance.
• Uphold visual standards that reflect Topdrawer’s refined, purposeful assortment while optimizing sell-through.
• Partner with leadership on product launches, seasonal stories, and in-store events that drive engagement.
• Sales & Business Growth: Drive
• Monitor performance metrics and quickly adapt strategies to capture opportunities.
• Ensure the store is always guest-ready with exceptional presentation, merchandising, and team energy.
• You are a hands-on leader with 2+ years of retail management experience
• Passionate about creativity, sustainability, and intentional living
• Detail-oriented and operationally strong, with an eye for beautiful, functional tools
• Warm, dependable, and energized by building lasting customer relationships
• Curious, adaptable, and committed to continuous growth
• Skilled or interested in visual merchandising and product storytelling

Why Join Topdrawer?

Be part of a global creative community rooted in timeless, functional design. Work for a mission-driven company that values originality, sustainability, and meaningful connections. Join a team where your creativity, leadership, and ideas truly matter.

• Benefits Full-Time: Full-time
• Generous Employee Discount
• Vacation and Sick Leave
• Paid Holidays
• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care
• Company-Paid Short-Term Disability (STD), Long-Term Disability (LTD), and Life Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (IRA) with Company Matching
• Monthly Sales Commission Opportunities
• Salary $60K-$85K based on experience and location

Additional Information

Topdrawer is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is proud to promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, military status, or any other applicable legally protected characteristic.

Physical Requirements: This role may require standing for extended periods and regularly lifting or moving items up to 50 lbs. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or hiring process, please [e-mail].

Topdrawer will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Illinois Human Rights Act and the City of Chicago Fair Chance Ordinance.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Topdrawer does not provide visa sponsorship for this position.