- Employment Type: Full-Time, Non-Exempt (Includes evenings, weekends, and late-night events)
- Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Partner, Operations & Sales. Supervises the Sales Manager and indirectly oversees Lead Sales Associates and Sales Associates. Final personnel authority for the store ecosystem resides with the Partner, Operations & Sales.
The Role
Game Corner is seeking a Store Manager to serve as our operational heartbeat and strategic anchor. You will elevate our entire storefront ecosystem, drive omnichannel revenue, and mentor our leadership team. This role bridges the gap between high-level ownership strategy and floor execution, ensuring a clean, inclusive, and professional home for casual players and competitive tournament enthusiasts alike.
Core Responsibilities -
Leadership & Staff Development
- Manage Store Leadership: Provide direct oversight, performance coaching, and mentorship to the Sales Manager and Lead Sales Associates.
- Cultivate Talent Pipelines: Oversee the recruiting, onboarding, and training programs for all incoming sales floor staff.
- Audit Workplace Culture: Enforce professional boundaries, evaluate staff labor efficiency, and ensure store-wide policy compliance.
- Oversee Management Handoffs: Review daily operational notes, inventory variances, and employee performance logs to align with ownership.
Strategic Operations & Financial Oversight
- Execute Enterprise Systems: Secure total accuracy across Square POS workflows, vault cash management, and daily financial reconciliations.
- Drive Omnichannel Revenue: Maximize profitability across sealed products, card singles, graded collectibles, and accessories.
- Manage Distributor Relations: Coordinate with ownership on commercial distributor ordering, set allocations, and margin optimizations.
- Enforce Loss Prevention: Establish and audit strict asset protection workflows, security protocols, and inventory counts to mitigate shrink.
TCG Market Mastery & Trade-In Compliance
- Govern Buy/Sell/Trade Guardrails: Set the store standards for fair collection buy-lists and profitable margin thresholds.
- Enforce Grading Standards: Standardize raw card conditioning audits across the entire staff to safeguard high-value inventory.
- Trend Forecasting: Monitor real-time market pricing and industry shifts to optimize in-store singles pricing and showcase curation.
Organized Play & Community Strategy
- Champion Flagship Events: Partner with the events team to scale premier competitive events, prereleases, and community trade nights.
- Maintain OTS Metrics: Ensure total store compliance with publisher metrics for Wizards Play Network (WPN), Konami OTS, and Play! Pokémon.
- Retain the Community: Ensure local play spaces and digital channels (Discord) remain safe, highly inclusive, and structured for all skill levels.
Success Metrics (What Success Looks Like)
- Day 30: Master store opening/closing procedures, audit cash flow configurations, and evaluate the current staff's grading consistency.
- Day 60: Optimize weekly staff scheduling, independently manage distributor ordering cycles, and drive a measurable reduction in inventory variance.
- Day 90: Execute high-level strategic changes to visual merchandising, hit store target profit margins, and scale overall tournament retention metrics.
Position Requirements -
Minimum Qualifications
- Proven Experience: Minimum of 3 years of retail store management or specialty hospitality leadership experience.
- TCG Enterprise Literacy: Elite market familiarity with multiple major hobby systems (e.g., Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon, Lorcana, One Piece).
- Inventory Management Fluency: Deep experience handling specialized retail inventory systems, POS hardware, and cash reconciliation.
- Advanced Appraisal Knowledge: Confident history evaluating high-value singles, vintage card collections, and bulk buyouts.
- Conflict Resolution Mastery: De-escalate high-level customer disputes, floor friction, and competitive rules enforcement escalations calmly.
- Physical Capability: Ability to lift, carry, and move heavy inventory cases or event supplies weighing up to 30 lbs.
- Stamina & Mobility: Ability to stand, walk, and remain highly active on the sales floor during packed weekend events.
Preferred Attributes (Bonus Points)
- Industry Experience: Prior employment within a hobby, comic, or tabletop gaming retail ecosystem.
- Data Analytics: Background tracking and analyzing store KPIs, e.g., AOV, trade ratios, labor percentages.
- Tournament Credentials: Experience operating official tournament software or acting as a certified judge.
- Advanced Appraisals: Background evaluating high-value singles, vintage cards, or large bulk collection buyouts.
- Offsite Event Execution: Experience organizing or running offsite community events, conventions, or pop-up shops.