GENERAL MANAGER – RETAIL OPERATIONS
Help Lead the Next Chapter of One of America's Premier Destination Garden Centers
Full-Time, Exempt | $45,000–$60,000 Base + Performance Bonus
For more than forty years, Antique Rose Emporium has inspired gardeners through beautiful display gardens, exceptional own-root roses, educational programming, and authentic Texas hospitality. Thousands of visitors travel to our Independence, Texas property each year — not just to purchase plants, but to learn, be inspired, and experience something they can't find anywhere else.
As we grow both our destination garden center and our nationwide e-commerce presence, we're looking for a collaborative, people-focused leader to serve as our next General Manager – Retail Operations.
This is not simply a retail management position. It is an opportunity to help steward a legacy while helping build the future.
The Role
The General Manager leads the Retail Division as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Owner. This position provides leadership across:
- Destination Garden Center & Specialty Gift Shop
- Display Gardens, Venue Operations & Guest Experience
- Green Goods & Gift Shop Buying and Merchandising
- Garden Services Department — a new fee-for-service revenue line in active build-out
- Retail Team Development, Seasonal Staffing & Financial Performance
This role requires balancing daily operational excellence with strategic thinking — developing future leaders, managing financial performance, and continually improving the customer experience.
The Leader We're Looking For
We're looking for someone who builds people as readily as they build businesses — just as comfortable coaching a supervisor as reviewing a P&L, and just as likely to notice a rose bush in need of attention as a margin trend that needs correction.
Experience & Qualifications
- 7+ years of progressive leadership experience in retail, horticulture, hospitality, agritourism, or destination business
- Experience leading multiple departments or managers
- Strong financial literacy — budgeting, margin management, and P&L ownership
- Experience with merchandising, inventory management, and purchasing
- Horticulture knowledge preferred; genuine willingness to learn is equally valued
- Background launching a service-based business line a strong plus
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Horticulture, Hospitality, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered
The Right Fit
Our ideal candidate:
- Leads with integrity, humility, and consistent follow-through
- Develops people before developing processes
- Thinks strategically while remaining actively engaged in day-to-day operations
- Believes leadership is measured by the success of the team — not personal recognition
- Appreciates horticulture, destination retail, or experiential businesses
Why This Opportunity Is Different
Many General Manager roles ask you to maintain an operation. This one asks you to help build something lasting.
You'll work directly with Ownership, collaborate with an experienced Leadership Team, and help shape the future of a nationally recognized organization that is actively growing. You'll influence:
- The experience of thousands of visitors each year
- The development of future leaders
- A brand-new Garden Services revenue line — built by you, from the ground up
- The future growth of Antique Rose Emporium — on-property and nationwide
No two days are exactly alike. And that's part of what makes this opportunity so rewarding.
We recognize that exceptional leaders are often thriving where they are. If this opportunity sparks your interest — even if you're not actively searching — we encourage you to start a conversation.
Join us in helping write the next chapter of Antique Rose Emporium.
