Just like anywhere, HPB had its ups and downs...
Pros
- You're around books all day. - The majority of customers were enjoyable to interact with. - 50% employee discount on used items. - Store manager at my location was fair when it came to HR matters as was the district manager.
Cons
- Working in a bookstore is a romantic proposition for some and HPB definitely takes advantage of that by offering low-pay and marginal benefits to their employees. The reality is you're going to need an SO or parent supporting your book store career because the pay is criminally low. As an example, a gentleman in his sixties at my location has been working for HPB for 27 years and still lives with a roommate. Wow! - Weekend hours but that comes with the territory in retail. - Ethically questionable organization as the business model that has allowed them to survive in the era of Amazon is hinged solely on ripping off unwitting customers selling their books and other media. Imagine paying pennies on the dollar for merchandise that is delivered straight to your place of business without charge and selling it at a 500% mark up! Combine that with slave wages and an ignorant customer base and you got yourself a nice little boondoggle. - Not a problem in itself but HPB is a standard corporate chain shop. They're not Amazon but they're definitely not an independent community-minded operation. - I can only speak for the location I worked at but the insecure and self-loathing employees with characteristics akin to a mop could really put a damper on the day. - Not at all environmentally conscious contrary to what HPB would have you believe. They like to market themselves as some sort of eco-friendly solution for repurposing used books but that sentiment is a superficial virtue-signaling tactic at best and not an operational concern for HPB whatsoever.
