Store Manager

Store Manager District Candle Lab + Fawne Washington, DC Job Details Full-time $53,046.07 - $55,000.00 a year 1 hour ago Benefits Health insurance Dental insurance 401(k) Paid time off Vision insurance Employee discount Flexible schedule Qualifications Teamwork Workflow management (operations management method) Merchandising Staff scheduling Managing hospitality teams Team development Team management Decision making Retail management Delegation Full Job Description

STORE MANAGER

— District Candle Lab + Fawne WE ARE District Candle Lab + Fawne is an experiential retail brand blending craftsmanship, creativity, and hospitality. Our candle bar and jewelry brand invite guests to create something personal in a warm, polished, and highly curated environment. We value strong leadership, operational excellence, innovation, and memorable guest experiences.

THE ROLE

The Store Manager leads all aspects of store operations, team management, production workflows, merchandising, event execution, inventory management, and customer experience across both concepts. This role ensures the store runs smoothly, consistently delivers an elevated guest experience, and maintains high brand standards. The Store Manager is responsible for the performance, culture, and overall success of the location. YOU ARE Confident, organized, proactive, and an exceptional communicator. You excel in fast-paced experiential environments, lead by example, delegate effectively, hold teams accountable, and make clear operational decisions. You take ownership of outcomes and act as the driving force behind store excellence.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership, Delegation & Team Development Recruit, hire, train, coach, and develop all staff across candle, jewelry, and retail responsibilities. Delegate tasks efficiently and ensure employees understand goals, expectations, and priorities. Lead by example in professionalism, guest engagement, and operational execution. Conduct performance reviews and provide ongoing feedback, coaching, and accountability. Maintain a collaborative, positive team culture aligned with DCL + Fawne brand values. Address team conflicts promptly and professionally while encouraging constructive communication. Customer Experience Excellence Ensure every guest receives an exceptional, consistent experience across candle-making, jewelry assembly, and retail. Step in during peak times to guide scent selection, pour candles, assemble jewelry, or manage guest flow. Resolve escalated guest issues with professionalism, empathy, and authority. Oversee private events, workshops, corporate experiences, and birthday groups to ensure smooth execution and high satisfaction. Store Operations Oversee daily opening and closing procedures across both concepts. Maintain a clean, organized, fully stocked, and visually appealing retail floor and bar areas. Lead seasonal resets, merchandising updates, and new product displays. Ensure back-of-house systems, storage, and production spaces remain organized and efficient. Develop, refine, and uphold operational checklists, safety standards, and store protocols. Production & Fulfillment Oversight Lead candle production workflows including wholesale orders, collaborations, corporate gifting, and in-house replenishment. Oversee batching, scent mixing, pouring, curing, wicking, labeling, and packaging to maintain quality and consistency. Delegate production tasks while maintaining accuracy, timelines, and brand standards. Conduct quality control checks to ensure all products meet expectations before tagging or shipping. Inventory Management & Ordering Maintain accurate, up-to-date inventory counts across fragrance oils, wax, wicks, vessels, charms, chains, packaging, and supplies. Track usage patterns and submit timely, accurate order requests to prevent stock-outs. Communicate vendor issues, supply delays, or shortages to ownership quickly. Maintain BOH organization systems for easy access, efficient production, and accurate restocking. Event Management Coordinate logistics, staffing, preparation, and product needs for on-site and off-site events. Ensure all events (private parties, charm activations, corporate functions) run smoothly and meet brand standards. Support setup, guest flow, breakdown, and quality of experience for all event types. Sales, KPIs & Business Performance Track weekly, and monthly store KPIs including AOV, conversion, upsell performance, event bookings, and production output. Identify trends, opportunities, and performance gaps and develop action plans for improvement. Prepare and share performance updates and recommendations with ownership. Drive product engagement, storytelling, and merchandising strategy to support sales goals. Administration & Communication Maintain clear and consistent communication with staff regarding updates, procedures, expectations, and schedules. Build weekly shift schedules that optimize coverage and labor efficiency. Ensure compliance with store policies, safety standards, and brand guidelines. Serve as the primary point of contact between store staff and ownership. Strategy, Trends & Innovation Monitor customer feedback, retail trends, fragrance trends, jewelry trends, and experiential design trends. Identify opportunities to elevate store operations, guest experience, merchandising, or product offerings. Present thoughtful, data-informed ideas and improvements during meetings with ownership. Stay proactive in recommending operational adjustments based on seasonal trends and business patterns. Content & Merchandising Support Capture or delegate high-quality photos and short videos of displays, new products, events, and in-store moments to support marketing. Maintain strong visual merchandising standards and brand consistency across both concepts. Lead seasonal merchandising resets, display improvements, and product storytelling.

REQUIREMENTS 1-2

years of retail or hospitality management experience required. Experience leading teams, scheduling, and managing operations. Strong leadership presence with excellent communication and customer service skills. Ability to manage multiple workflows simultaneously in a fast-paced setting. Comfort with candle-making processes, jewelry assembly, and experiential guest engagement. Strong problem-solving abilities with calm, confident decision-making. Comfortable lifting up to 45 lbs and standing for extended periods. Reliable, proactive, and highly organized.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Tasks may shift as business needs evolve and do not change the role level or pay rate.

Pay:

$53,046.07 - $55,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Employee discount Flexible schedule Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person