General Manager

Love struck Books & Cafe is a fast‑growing, romance‑focused independent bookstore and community hub in Cambridge, MA, now a ~$3M business entering its next chapter. We’re seeking a hands‑on General Manager to lead daily operations, drive team performance, and build the systems that support our continued growth.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and mentor a team of ~25, including Assistant Managers across Buying, Visuals, and Customer Experience.
• Oversee scheduling, HR workflows, training, and staff development.
• Build and optimize SOPs, operational systems, and POS/Inventory tools (Bookmanager).
• Manage daily operations, facility needs, and regulatory compliance.
• Guide curation, merchandising, and promo alignment; collaborate with Events and Café teams.
• Own retail P&L drivers including sales, margin, labor %, and shrink.

What You Bring

• 2–5+ years retail General Manager experience (independent retail a plus).
• Proven leadership and coaching skills; ability to develop managers.
• Strong prioritization, organization, and operational execution skills.
• Expertise in merchandising, inventory cycles, promotions, and customer experience.
• A systems‑builder mindset and comfort in a fast‑paced startup environment.

Role Details

• Full‑time, exempt; onsite in Harvard Square.
• Salary: $80k–$90k, based on experience.
• Includes mix of weekdays, weekends, nights, holidays, and events.
• Benefits:
  Medical, dental, vision, PTO, employee discounts, ARCs, and professional development.