Work there if you have no life. - Store Manager Music & Arts Employee Review

1.0
Jun 30, 2011
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

The job itself is great. You get to meet great musicians, and help bring music to people's life's. The environment inside the stores can be really nice, specially with the re-designed look.

Cons

The company does not care for your life outside your work place, or your personal goals. They expect you to be available all the time, no matter what kind of weather, or personal issue you have. If you want to take vacation time the District Manager is allowed to use guilt and other coercive techniques to talk you out of your desired schedule. The hours are outrageously higher than they tell you at first. In an hour by hour comparison the Full Timer Position is significantly more rewarding economically than managing the store. The turn over rate is unbelievable. There is no way you can build a successful team if more than 80% of all new hires quit within a year due to the constant changing of rules and procedures besides the monumental pressure to complete all the projects and sell their initiatives, within their timetables,

Explore other reviews about Music & Arts

5.0
May 18, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Perks and hours were balanced

Cons

Commission structure could be better

2.0
May 14, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Teachers and sales employees who actually work in retail locations tend to be passionate & knowledgeable about music. Stores open later in day (11am-8pm weekdays) which is nice if you're a night owl or hate waking up early. Good employee discounts on products.

Cons

Inflexible corporate policies & attempts to standardize procedures across stores in wildly different markets makes it impossible for store-level management & employees to deliver well on expectations of upper management & customers. Store managers who work in store full time have no real authority, influence, or decision-making power, whereas district managers (who visit each location once a month at best) have to pass on orders from even higher level management that may have never even stepped foot in the store. They will start you at as close to legal minimum wage as they can get by location, and even the hourly pay for store managers is absolutely criminal compared to the amount of work & complexity of operations required. Commission structure is also highly flawed.

1
See reviews by: Helpful|Rating|Date|All