Barista - PT

Job Summary

A Barnes & Noble bookstore is a gathering place for readers and the community. As a Barista, you are an integral member of the team at the heart of our Cafés. You welcome customers in a cheerful and helpful way by saying hello, answering questions and consistently going out of your way to connect readers with the right beverages and café items.

You are also essential in maintaining the café’s attractive presentation and ensuring the efficient running of the Café, unpacking and stocking deliveries, tidying the bakery case and dining area, and working the registers in a quick and friendly manner to provide a highly professional service.

KS - Topeka - 2726

Part‑Time

You’ll make a great Barista if you have what we term to be good “behaviors.” Expect your colleagues to demonstrate these behaviors and hold each other to high standards, while Store Managers reinforce our expectations.

• Maintain reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts.
• Fill scheduling gaps when you can, being flexible and responsive to store needs—including early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and most holidays.
• Approach work positively and energetically, completing assigned tasks with purpose and reliability.
• Support and consider colleagues, going out of your way to help teammates and showing kindness.
• Remain cheerful with customers, consistently going out of your way to assist them.
• Show aptitude and willingness to learn new skills and acquire knowledge in the store.
• Above all, enjoy being a barista.

As a Barista, you are part of a busy team and will be required to master the operational competencies of a Barnes & Noble barista. You will be trained and expected to be proficient in:

• Using varied technology, including registers, computers, tablets, and other tools comfortably and efficiently.
• Developing strong merchandising skills to maintain the café presentation and cleanliness.
• Using effective visual merchandising skills to maintain counter and floor retail fixtures.
• Running a register competently to serve customers quickly and reliably.
• Supporting the receiving and unpacking of deliveries, and accurately stocking thereafter.
• Making food and drinks properly and accurately, using guidance such as drink recipe guides, product spec sheets, and other tools.
• Maintaining café cleanliness through daily and weekly cleaning tasks during your shift.
• Following FIFO practices and dating product consistently and correctly.
• Supporting the bookfloor team willingly and effectively when needed.
• Understanding loss prevention procedures and de‑escalation techniques, identifying theft, spotting problems and seeking support.

All this work requires physical activity—including prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and walking. You may be asked to work in other stores if needed to support the wider Cluster.

As you gain experience, you should expect your barista knowledge and skills to develop. Each Barnes & Noble Bookstore is the product of its bookselling and café team. You will increasingly contribute as you develop expertise. Opportunities include:

• Building café knowledge of products across beverages, bakery, savory options, and gifting.
• Using this knowledge to maintain an appealing presentation.
• Speaking about and supporting key sales objectives such as new LTO items or café promotions.
• Making effective food and beverage customization recommendations to customers.
• Building knowledge and engagement for café retail options.
• Using training tools appropriately.
• Applying café safety, hygiene, and sanitation guidelines to maintain all standards reliably.
• Supporting the success of key products and promotions.

Above all, we expect you to enjoy being a barista at Barnes & Noble. As you develop and demonstrate mastery of the outlined skills, you are expected to advance to the next step in the career path—Senior Barista—where you will take on new challenges and gain further opportunities for growth. You will, of course, comply with all company policies and procedures.