Do you have a passion for pasta and Italian food in general, and also have a love for small business, local ingredients, working with a small group of great folks who are dedicated to quality and great customer service? Well then you may be a great fit for Mill Valley Pasta Co. and their highly lauded retail storefront in downtown Mill Valley!
Mill Valley Pasta Co. is hiring a Retail Store Manager to help lead and direct our very small retail team. The Retail Store Manager will be a key-holder responsible for all store-related processes from money handling, inventory, ordering, all staff-related issues (delegating, hiring, scheduling, etc), and other general duties regarding the day-to-day operation of the store. The Store Manager will possess a strong knowledge and/or passion for cooking in general as well as a desire to both help and educate our customers on the unique and delicious ingredients we carry. E-commerce will also be fulfilled from the store location, and the Manager will be responsible for executing or overseeing the fulfillment process and customer service issues from the Mill Valley location as well. Top candidates will have high internal motors and extrovert tendencies and strong communication skills and generally a hospitality-based and welcoming demeanor. An eye for merchandising and retail display is also highly important. Due to our small store size, the Retail Store Manager works independently solo probably 60% of the time, so we are looking for someone who is a self-starter and self-motivator.
Manager candidates should have a strong background in either retail or foodservice (front-of-house preferably more than back), ideally both (or at least a passion for food and a desire to provide excellent customer service to all ends). Candidates should have a strong proficiency with computers, and familiar with all aspects of MS Word, Excel, Google Sheet and Doc, as well as email, and general internet use. To be clear, this management position will be schooled and trained on how to make pastas for one day, but does not include food preparation as part of their job duties regularly.
Specializing in small-batch dried and fresh pastas, Mill Valley Pasta Co.’s storefront will feature not just pastas produced in our production facility in San Rafael, but also great ingredients used while cooking the best Italian-style dishes out there. Our small 700-foot retail space is filled with not just amazing locally grown and produced products and provisions, we carry the best imported ingredients that are just plain hard to find in Marin as well as stylish, fun, and quirky homegoods, art, tools, and tchotchkes. We want to be the stop for all the special dinner ingredients from bottarga to truffles and boqueróns to tinned fish (of which we have more than 2 dozen types!). With more than 90 pastas we produce regularly and a whole lineup of weekly rotating sauces, fresh pastas, and take-and-bake meals for our guests, you can start to see why our customers are so much like family since we are feeding many families weekly.
Our retail store also features a strong lineup of alcohol-free spirits and beverage options at opening, including micro-batch coffee, espressos, tea, Italian sodas, mineral waters, and more. A small cookbook collection centering both on pastas (obvi) and easy dinners featuring farm-fresh ingredients will be offered, as will a small spattering of tools, utensils, textiles, dishes, and more, often made by local artisans, authors, and artists.
The salary range for the Retail Store Manager is $27-29/hour to start, with quarterly bonuses based upon revenue and labor costs. Every employee of MVPCo. has a weekly pasta allowance, and we offer stipends for public transport or non-vehicular transport, toll reimbursement, and a discount for friends and family. Mill Valley Pasta Co. matches 100% of contributions to your 401k on the first 3% you decide to contribute, then 50% of contributions from 3% to 5% of your pay. We will offer management positions healthcare benefits by the end of 2025.
Candidates should forward a resume and/or cover letter to the email relay above, identifying the job posting you are interested in. We are a small company, and we will identify and reach out to top candidates over the course of the next week or so. Please do not make in-person visits to our store or factory.