Barista - Temporary

About the role

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 help maintain the attractive presentation and efficient running of the Café, unpack and stock deliveries, tidy the bake case and dining area, and work the registers quickly and fairly. As you gain experience, you should expect your barista knowledge and skills to develop, increasingly contributing as you build expertise in café products, merchandising, and sales objectives, and you may advance to a Senior Barista role. Above all, we expect you to enjoy being a barista at Barnes & Noble.

Responsibilities

• Welcome customers cheerfully, answer questions, and connect readers with appropriate beverages and café items.
• Maintain café presentation and cleanliness, including tidying the bake case and dining area.
• Unpack and stock deliveries, ensuring efficient and accurate stocking.
• Operate registers quickly and friendly to provide professional service.
• Use varied technology (registers, computers, tablets, programs) comfortably and efficiently.
• Develop strong merchandising skills to maintain café presentation and cleanliness.
• Develop effective visual merchandising skills for counter and floor retail fixtures.
• Run a register competently to serve customers quickly and reliably.
• Support receiving and unpacking of deliveries and follow‑through stocking.
• Make food and drinks properly with ease and accuracy, using knowledge, colleagues, and reference guides.
• Maintain café cleanliness through reliable execution of daily and weekly cleaning tasks.
• Follow and execute First In First Out (FIFO) practices and date products correctly.
• Support the bookfloor team willingly and effectively when needed.
• Understand loss prevention procedures and de‑escalation techniques; identify theft and seek support for problematic behaviors.
• Perform physical activities including prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking.
• Work in other stores as needed to support the wider cluster.

Requirements

• Demonstrate reliable and punctual attendance for scheduled shifts.
• Be flexible and responsive to scheduling gaps, willing to work early mornings to late evenings, weekends, and most holidays.
• Approach work with positivity and energy, performing assigned tasks purposefully.
• Be supportive and considerate of colleagues, helping others and showing kindness.
• Always be cheerful with customers, going out of your way to assist them.
• Show aptitude and willingness to learn new skills and acquire new knowledge in the store.
• Enjoy being a barista and maintain a passion for the role.
• Ability to handle the physical demands of the job (standing, bending, lifting, walking).

Benefits

• For employees scheduled to work <20 hours per week: Employee Discount, EAP, Sick Pay.
• For employees scheduled to work 20–29.99 hours per week: Employee Discount, EAP, Sick Pay, Paid Time Off (including paid Maternity and Parental Leave, Company Paid Holidays, Transit, 401(k) with Company Match).
• For employees scheduled to work ≥30 hours per week: Employee Discount, EAP, Sick Pay, Paid Time Off (including paid Maternity and Parental Leave, Company Paid Holidays, 401(k) with Company Match, Comprehensive Health Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision), Healthcare and Dependent Care Spending Accounts, Healthcare Spending Account, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Transit, Tuition Reimbursement).

Pay

Hourly rate starting at $16.00, depending on experience, seniority, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law.

Schedule

Store open early mornings to late evenings every day, including weekends and most holidays; flexibility to fill scheduling gaps as needed.