Sales Associate

Yarn Farm Kingston is a creative community space for fiber artists and a wine bar welcoming to all. It is an arts and crafts shop offering a thoughtfully curated selection of beautiful, high-quality materials products for fiber artists with an emphasis on small batch or locally produced yarn, fiber, fabric and accessories. It is also a wine bar offering delectable wines and local craft beer paired with simple fare such as pre-made sandwiches, soups, cheese and charcuterie boards, and baked goods.

Requirements

The Sales Associate must love a high-energy, creative environment and have a fun, engaging personality that brings customers back again and again. A Sales Associate is responsible for all sales activities and sales associate job duties, including:

  • greeting customers

  • answering questions 

  • providing assistance 

  • suggesting items 

  • lending opinions and 

  • providing product information

Essential Skills:  

  • Intermediate to advanced knitter and at a minimum, basic crochet

  • Ability to demonstrate knitting and/or crochet skills to individuals

Individual Responsibilities as a Sales Associate include:

  • demonstrating outstanding customer service and selling skills 

  • managing yarn shop inventory including regular inventory counts 

  • keeping the selling floor stocked with merchandise 

  • assisting in display of merchandise

  • organizing the selling floor and stock areas

  • opening and/or closing the shop for the day including light cleaning and tidying of the shop and rest room

  • teaching beginner knitting and beginner crochet, ability to teach other fiber arts/crafts a plus

  • preparing/hanging décor and displays throughout the shop and in the exterior of the shop and

  • providing views on products to restock and new products to offer with consideration of both classic/timeless styles and also current trends and in the context of the target Yarn Farm customer and what makes Yarn Farm distinctive from other yarn and craft stores in the area

The Sales Associate must process payments by totaling purchases; processing cash and credit cards through YFK’s Square platform, currently not connected to a bar code scanner, and managing physical cash responsibly as received (fairly infrequent).

The Sales Associate will maintain a professional attitude with sincerity and enthusiasm reflecting YFK’s commitment to our customer. S/he develops product knowledge by staying current with trends through social media, reading current vendor tags and pamphlets and attending staff meetings (scheduled as necessary; paid time) in order to communicate information accurately and confidently to the customer.

The Sales Associate may or may not take on customer-facing or back-of-house wine bar duties as a significant aspect of her/his scope; this is subject to discussion and mutual agreement between the Sales Associate and YFK management. However, s/he is expected to lend assistance to support the operations and success of the wine bar – greeting/serving customers and busing glasses/plates – particularly if the retail yarn shop activity is low or well managed at a given time. Yarn Farm will pay for the Sales Associate to take a two-hour online NYS Alcohol Awareness training (course fee and time).

Desired Skills 

  • Understanding of sales principles and customer service practices

  • Knowledge of trending market dynamics

  • Solid communication and interpersonal skills

  • Ability to read, write and effectively communicate with customers, peers and shop management via text, email and occasionally notes

  • Excellent telephone etiquette

  • Ability to multi-task, while being attentive to customers and remaining flexible to the needs of the business

  • Operate computer, manage financial transactions and balancing cash box

  • Process gift certificates and store credits efficiently

  • Ability to work as part of a team and take initiative independent of direct supervision

  • Physical demands: This position involves constant moving, talking, hearing, and standing for most of the day

  • Excellent customer service focus

  • Enthusiastic, friendly and energetic with a genuine desire to provide outstanding service to every customer

  • Available to work a variety of hours, which may include early mornings, evenings, and weekends; otherwise, mutual agreement on hourly commitment at time of hiring

  • Desired: Sales Associate to bring an active project to work every day that uses current yarn from YFK

  • Monitor fiber social media for trends and share with shop owner and other staff

  • Follow the shop on Instagram and shop website including newsletter; encourage others to do the same

  • Timely communication with shop owner with time-off requests

  • Timely preparation for classes, if teaching

Desired Schedule

We are open Wed-Sun. The candidate will ideally be available Wed, Thur and Fri and one weekend day. During the week the target working hours are 30 min before shop opening until the evening for approx. 30 hours per week. We can try to be flexible in scheduling for the right candidate(s).

Compensation

$15/hr. In addition, Sales Associate will have an employee discount on yarn shop purchases and a revenue share for teaching classes.

To Apply

Please complete and submit 1) the job application and 2) your resume that highlights your relevant skills and experience. For the Sales Associate position, please also share photos of your fiber arts finished objects. 

Send your attachments to hello [at] yarnfarmkingston [dot] com. We will confirm receipt and review all submissions thoughtfully. Following the initial receipt confirmation, we will only contact those applicants who we would like to interview, as Yarn Farm Kingston is a small business with limited resources. Thank you for understanding!

Yarn Farm Kingston is an equal opportunity employer. We offer a welcoming and inclusive environment and do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. All employees and contractors of Yarn Farm Kingston are responsible for maintaining a work culture free from discrimination and harassment by treating others with kindness, empathy and respect.

Posting updated April 23, 2024.