Job Overview: Lead Barista (Wrangell, AK)

Barnes & Noble Booksellers is seeking a high-energy, full-time Lead Barista to join their café team in Wrangell. In a Barnes & Noble environment, the café serves as a vital community gathering space. As a Lead Barista, you are a “hands-on leader” and a trusted expert, responsible for both technical coffee craft and the professional development of your team.

This role is designed for someone who views coffee service as a career path, offering opportunities to master retail operations, merchandising, and team leadership within a globally recognized brand.

Key Responsibilities & Leadership Duties

Team Coaching & Support

Best Practices: Model and coach baristas in drink making, food preparation, and the use of all café tools.
Conflict Resolution: Act as a primary resource for addressing staff concerns and de-escalating challenging customer situations or problematic behaviors.
Growth: Use training tools to help baristas broaden their experience and advance their own skills.

Operational Mastery

Merchandising: Lead the team in creating vibrant bake cases and retail displays, ensuring the café looks “full and vibrant” at all times.
Inventory Management: Place accurate food and beverage orders, submit monthly inventory reports, and manage waste logs to ensure the café stays in-stock.
Efficiency: Drive speed of service at the registers and guide the team through accurate receiving, unpacking, and stocking using FIFO (First-In, First-Out) practices.

Safety & Loss Prevention

Standards: Maintain strict adherence to hygiene, sanitation, and safety guidelines.
Security: Actively coach the team on loss prevention procedures and remain vigilant in spotting and addressing potential theft.

Qualifications & “Good Behaviors”

Core Requirements

Availability: Flexible and responsive to store needs, including early mornings, late evenings, weekends, and most holidays.
Physicality: Ability to handle prolonged standing, repetitive bending, lifting, and extensive walking.
Leadership: A proactive, “lead-by-example” approach with a positive and energetic attitude.

Desired Attributes

Ambition: A genuine desire to develop a career in bookselling or café management.
Supportive Nature: Consistently goes out of their way to help colleagues and create a supportive environment.
Customer-Centric: Naturally cheerful and proactive in assisting customers and making product recommendations.

Why This Role?

A Lead Barista position at Barnes & Noble offers more than just coffee preparation; it provides a comprehensive education in retail management. You will learn the backend logistics of ordering and inventory while honing the “soft skills” of team leadership. Furthermore, as part of a “Cluster,” you may have the opportunity to work in and support other stores, broadening your professional network and experience across the region.

Application Information

Interested candidates should apply through the Barnes & Noble Careers portal. Your application should emphasize your ability to mentor others and your excitement for the intersection of books and café culture. Referencing Job ID #J-18808-Ljbffr may be helpful.

Retail Bookseller / Department Lead

Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Inc. • Wrangell, AK, United States Salary: $16.00 – $21.00+ per hour (Varies by experience and role)

Full Job Description

Barnes & Noble is the largest retail bookseller in the United States. In a unique setting like Wrangell—part of the remote Alexander Archipelago in Southeast Alaska—the role of a Bookseller extends beyond simple retail; you act as a community curator for literature, local history, and educational resources. Staff members are expected to be “book lovers” who can navigate a vast inventory while providing a warm, inviting atmosphere for both locals and seasonal visitors.

Typical Responsibilities:

Customer Engagement: Greeting customers, providing thoughtful book recommendations across various genres, and assisting with the “B&N Membership” program.
Merchandising: Shelving new arrivals, maintaining alphabetized sections, and creating visually appealing displays for seasonal promotions or local Alaskan authors.
Café Support: In locations with a B&N Café, cross-training to prepare Starbucks-brand beverages and light food items while maintaining health safety standards.
Digital Assistance: Helping customers use the NOOK e-reader and navigating the online inventory for ship-to-store orders.
Operational Tasks: Processing incoming shipments from the ferry or air freight, handling cash transactions, and performing nightly recovery to keep the store organized.

Qualifications:

Passion for Reading: A genuine interest in books and the ability to speak knowledgeably about different authors and genres.
Adaptability: Comfort working in a remote Southeast Alaska location where shipping schedules (via Alaska Marine Highway or barge) can impact inventory flow.
Communication: Strong interpersonal skills to assist a diverse customer base, including students, retirees, and tourists.
Physicality: Ability to spend long periods walking the sales floor, climbing ladders to reach high shelves, and lifting boxes of books (up to 40-50 lbs).
Availability: Flexibility to work a retail schedule that includes evenings, weekends, and holidays.

Company Benefits:

Employee Discount: A significant discount (often up to 40-50%) on books and a 20-30% discount on café items and toys/games.
Paid Time Off: Accrued vacation and sick time for eligible part-time and full-time associates.
Growth Potential: Opportunities to move into specialized roles such as Children’s Lead, Merchandising Lead, or Management.
Community Connection: The opportunity to host local events, such as storytimes or book signings, that enrich the Wrangell community.

To apply for this job please visit careers.barnesandnoble.com.