sales associate

seasonal associate

associate manager

store manager

operations associate

Garage Clothing

Your typical day at work from what I have gathered is highly dependent on how Valuable  management deems you to be, therefore if management has already decided to not give u a chance to show your skills and who u are as a person, you will likely be in the background confused with no real tasks and no acknowledgement. The workplace culture is extremely cliquey and political it’s almost as if, if you’re not willing to be overly friendly with management and subservient you will not get hours or real tasks. Another major thing I’ve noticed is that garage definitely is fully staffed to provide great customer service but they do not utilize the staff they have efficiently to complete daily task as required per the company. There’s a lot of people standing around doing nothing then when it’s time to leave we are told we have to ask permission to leave in case there is anything for us to do, I’ve even witnessed individuals be inappropriately scolded for grabbing their things at the end of their shift, my question is if there’s specific task we must do everyday why are people not being allocated to those task at an appropriate time so that no one is forced to stay 30 min to two hours past their scheduled shift end time. I believe it dampens morale and shows a lack of care for your workers lives and commitments outside of work. The jobs itself is not hard whatsoever, but it becomes hard when management is not great, this is what I see from my experience. For that reason the hardest part of the job is navigating management and asking management for help. Last thing I will say is for the Garage Lenox location is that when you deny people the fair chance to prove themselves you also deny yourself from potentially finding workers that are equally good or better than the ones you’ve zeroed in on. You’re subordinates also see things you don’t the individuals you have given special opportunities may not be who they seem. For anyone applying your success will be more dependent on how well you can flatter or be friends with those above you, than your actual work ethic from what I’ve witnessed.

I chose to accept a position here (even after being offered higher pay elsewhere) because the team was solid and the manager AMAZING and actually knew how to run the store. Fast forward many many moons and I simply want to implode. The district manager is a bully, training is entirely inconsistent, the visiting managers meant to “train/help” only halfass their task at best, employees are completely undervalued, and you get raked over the coals if anything goes wrong. Everyone is basically expected to go by the unspoken rule of open availability, unless the store is in desperate need of warm bodies. The associate discount of 50% is nice, but it’s not enough to compensate for all the BS. Big box corporate doesn’t give a flying F about employees, only how much money they make, so associates only stay for each other and not the job. There isn’t actually “room for growth” either unless you’re butt buddies with your SM or DM, so Garage is only good if you need something part time.
The overall quality of Garage clothing is generally good, but there are a few things that they come out with every so often that must not have been thought up while sober. Some really ugly stuff, but few and very far between. It would be cool if their mom jeans ran longer, because a fair portion of the target demographic isn’t 5’3”. Some of us are adult sized.
If you ever feel like you’re being unfairly treated, don’t ever feel like you can’t go to HR. The call/email is entirely confidential and HR isn’t stuffy or biased like you’re imagining; they’re super chill and have a lot of great input to help work out whatever is going on. Don’t wait like we did.
A star for the decent clothing quality + discount and a star for my fellow sufferers out there. #corporateretaillife #staystrong

Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.

I really enjoyed the job in the beginning it was fun, I got along with all my coworkers, I loved the kind of people our store brought in it was easy to talk to them get them what they needed etc, but as time passed things changed, because management was not always the best, there was what seemed to be a lot of unprofessionalism, retaliation, and work drama that kinda revolved around the store manager. One time when I picked up a second job because I had planned to leave for better pay, the manager started to overlap my schedules even after knowing what days I could no longer work, I wasn’t able to balance two so I just stuck with the one and after that I was just immediately bombarded with hours and kind of being worked like a dog. All while still being part time so the more I worked the more taxes were taken, my manager actually wounded up getting in trouble for scheduling me and another employee with 60-70 hours biweekly. Then with all that when I’d be given tasks the manager would turn around and talk me down while I wasn’t around and try to find things to complain about. I left and immediately there was a bunch of talk and the manager was just super unprofessional trying to claim I was a gossiper and a mean girl, but I wasn’t ever like that and everyone there loved me as I did them.

Working as a lead at Garage gave me experience in leadership, customer service, and working in a fast-paced retail environment. I enjoyed my coworkers and learned a lot from the role.

However, leadership and upper management created a very stressful environment. Time-off requests and personal boundaries often did not feel respected, even when requests were submitted far in advance through StoreForce. There was also a heavy amount of pressure placed on floor leads, especially during periods where management positions were understaffed. Many leads were expected to take on additional responsibilities without proper support.

At times, employees felt more like replaceable bodies than valued team members. Communication from upper management could feel dismissive, and the pressure placed on store leadership created tension throughout the entire store. If you plan on having much of a life outside of Garage while being in management, it can be very difficult because the company’s needs are consistently prioritized first, regardless of personal circumstances.

Overall, the experience taught me a lot professionally, but the company culture at the management level could improve significantly when it comes to supporting and valuing employees as people, not just workers.

a normal shift consists of either working the fitting room, keeping the store tidy, helping customers, and/or cashiering; with the odd side task. side tasks include washing clothes, garbage runs, packing orders; typical clothing store things. although boring work, it’s easy. recent management changes have greatly improved the average work day, the team are all super chill and accommodating while still ensuring work is getting done efficiently. most of the girls are incredible, none are anything worse than great. the customers are actually pretty nice too. though they often don’t want to be bothered when shopping, it’s rare that a customer gets more disrespectful than a snarky tone. the only difficult part of the job is remembering people and the stores layout . it’s a small store, and when it gets busy it’s hard to remember 5 different faces and what items (and sizes) each of them want at once. the layout and products change often, as well as the ways we are meant to fold different items. the best part is easily helping friendly customers. it feels like helping a friend shop when a customer is chatty and open to suggestions. the time flies by and management is happy to see the great service

Working here has been a very challenging experience. The compensation does not align with the workload and level of responsibility expected. Although my title is Operations Manager, the role often feels more like a standard associate position without the appropriate support or authority.

The work environment can feel cliquey at times, which makes collaboration difficult. Professionalism on the sales floor could also be improved, particularly in terms of communication and conduct in front of customers.

Operationally, the volume of shipment and orders is consistently overwhelming, and staffing/support does not always match the demand. This leads to unrealistic expectations and a lack of work-life balance. It can be physically and mentally draining over time.

Additionally, benefits such as insurance are expensive relative to the pay offered. Communication with upper management can also be difficult, especially with teams located remotely, which can delay support when issues arise in-store.

Overall, this role may not be a good fit for someone seeking strong support, fair compensation for workload, and a balanced work environment.

Overall good place to work. I worked there for 5 years I started from the bottom and ended up assistant manager by the time I left. The only thing that made this job worth being there so long was my co-workers! I truly enjoyed going to work to chat with them. My store was like my home away from home. That being said the environment grew toxic over time. There’s little room for growth so you will be stuck in the same position for ever! Upper management plays favorites so if you aren’t one of them you’re pretty much done. You’re expected to bend over backwards and go above and beyond for mediocre pay and no recognition. You’ll work your butt off and when it comes time for raises, you’ll be lucky to get .25 cents. When your store makes your monthly target you get $50 as a bonus even though your store made almost 6 figures that month and the district manager and other higher ups get HUGE bonuses for your hard work.  The turnover is super high making the job very stressful. I could go on about all the things wrong with this place but this would turn into a novel. Word of advice if you do take a position no matter if it’s an associate or management stay for maybe a year and use it as a learning experience then leave.

The discount is nice, but it doesn’t compare to what you are paid. After working there for 2 years, I have realized that the clothes are cheaply made. I have had AT LEAST 10 items rip on me after the first wear. You are expected to make the company your entire life. You make minimum wage and can barely afford the clothes even with your 50% off discount. You are ridiculed for calling out sick or for taking time off (not paid). The favoritism is unbearable. All of the managers are between the ages of 18-28. and act like gossipy high schoolers. The hours are absolutely awful during the winter months. They over hire and then it screws over everyone else. it’s You have the responsibilities of 5 different people and if you do not fulfill such responsibilities, you will be “chatted to”. The managers talk bad about the employees in their manager groupchat. You will make great friendships, but otherwise, it’s not worth it. Not to mention the never ending drama that happens due to the entire store being teenage girls. I cannot name more than one of my coworkers that genuinely enjoys their job and that is because they are they favorite who receives all of the hours.

Garage was a great place to meet girls my age, a lot of which I've made friends with outside of work. Very flexible scheduling if you're a student, it was the easiest job I've had by far. Goals and expectations were always clear and very straightforward. That being said, these expectations weren't always realistic and didn't just come from the managers personally, but from the company itself. For example, we had a units per hour goal, which refers to the number of units we process per hour in shipments. Although nobody in the store could meet this goal, it was still heavily emphasized and felt like it was a disappointment every time to not have met. 

4-5 hour shifts are the standard, as I heard from the store manager. But ultimately, trying to get more hours than that depends on your sales. Everyone has a sales goal for each shift, which I thought was fairly valued, but a big issue I've noticed is that customers say they didn't receive help when the cashier asks if anyone helped them out. Unless you're trying to get more hours, this wasn't really made an issue (at our store). 

I've been working at Garage for several months, and overall, it's been a positive experience. The company culture is one of the best aspects of the job. The team is supportive, friendly, and genuinely cares about helping each other out. I’ve always felt welcomed and valued here.

The work environment is fast-paced, especially during sales or busy seasons, but it's manageable with the support of colleagues and management. Speaking of management, they are approachable and willing to listen to concerns or suggestions, which is a big plus. 

One thing I really appreciate is the emphasis on personal style and self-expression. We're encouraged to showcase our individuality, which makes the job more fun and engaging.

The only downside is that sometimes the hours can be a bit unpredictable, especially during peak times, and there could be more opportunities for advancement within the company. However, if you're looking for a part-time job with a positive work environment and great people, Garage is a solid choice.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Sales associate 229 salaries reported	$17.54 per hour
Seasonal associate 168 salaries reported	$17.71 per hour
Associate manager 96 salaries reported	$25.58 per hour
Store manager 42 salaries reported	$74,304 per year
Operations associate 63 salaries reported	$17.67 per hour

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