Help Wanted

We're looking to hire PT help starting this spring, and we'd love to hire someone in the barefoot shoes community. If you know anyone who would be a great fit, please forward the info!

About Cool East Market: 

We are a small, independent retailer of minimal/barefoot shoes, movement
accessories, and Japanese Tabi split-toe footwear in Toronto's East End.

Our values include transparency, education, and top-notch service. 

Our company culture is unusually horizontal and fairly progressive, with everyone able to explore and grow while lending a hand and playing to their strengths. We take each other's ideas and feedback seriously, and have a supportive, friendly team.

Position: 

Retail Customer Service, Part-Time Hourly

Required Qualifications:

• Excellent attention to detail and follow-through
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Computer and tablet proficiency
• Can take initiative and/or direction to assist with specific tasks
• Up to date with COVID-19 vaccines

Additional Qualifications (bonus but not required):

• Retail / customer service experience
• Familiarity with Shopify for POS, online sales, and inventory management
• Enthusiasm for minimal footwear
• Interest in physical health and movement

What To Expect:

• Lots of training in the niche products we offer and the kind of education customers may require (shadowing, guided, and self-guided)
• Greeting customers, chatting to find out their needs, fetching them shoes to try on, suggesting sizing and fit advice, offering resource suggestions for more nuanced or professional advice
• Helping multiple customers at once on busy days
• Repackaging tried on shoes and reshelving them by size and model
• Cleaning try-on accessories and sandals
• Answering the phone
• Checkout for in-store customers and occasionally over the phone
• Processing product returns and exchanges, filing warranty claims
• Inventory management: verifying inventory quantities, organizing products to allow more efficient access, helping process shipments
• Taking part in team discussions and decisions to improve processes and better serve customers
• Light store cleaning

Accessibility and Equity: 

The best fit for this position would be comfortable wearing minimal/barefoot shoes during their shift, can stand, walk, squat, and step over to navigate the store and demonstrate sizing/movement tips to customers, reach above their head for stock on higher shelves, carry up to 40lbs for short periods of time, clean and package products, use a store laptop, iPad and keyboard, and answer phone calls.

Our staff washroom and some stock are only accessible via a narrow flight of stairs. There is one step from the main floor to behind the front desk.

We have an equity mindset when it comes to hiring, so you are welcome to disclose anything you find relevant, and any accommodations you would require (we employ a variety of accommodations within our current team already). We encourage applications from BIPoC, the queer community, disabled and neurodiverse folks.

Representation can make a big difference to our customers and help us cultivate a welcoming environment for all to explore functional movement health.

Compensation: 

Starting at $16 per hour with potential increase after 6 months and ongoing yearly evaluation for increase adjustments.

You will receive a free pair of minimal/barefoot shoes to wear at work, and after the first pair you can use our generous employee discount to purchase more if desired.

Paid vacation days accumulate, and an allowance of paid sick days each year.

Schedule:

Starting 2 days a week in spring, likely increasing as we go into summer, our current store hours are Tuesday to Saturday 11-6.

We tend to have fixed weekly schedules that only change a few times a year due to school schedules etc.

We are considering adding Sundays as we get busier approaching summer, so Sunday availability is a big bonus.

To Apply:

Send a resume and cover letter stating why you would be a good fit to
info@cooleastmarket.com

We will contact promising applicants for a video chat to start, and we're hoping to begin onboarding by mid to late March.

Questions about the position, company, or our products? Feel free to reach out!