About the Role
Willowbrook Spirit Shoppe in Cromwell is looking for a Craft Beer Specialist to own our beer department. This is a hybrid role — you'll work the register and floor like the rest of the team, but you'll also be the person who curates the cooler, tracks what's selling, works with our reps, and helps customers find something they haven't tried yet.
If you're the friend everyone texts before a beer run, this is your job. We want someone who actually follows the category — knows which Connecticut and New England breweries are worth stocking, can talk a customer out of the same IPA they always buy, and gets excited when a good seasonal drops.
What You'll Do
- Guide customers through the beer selection and make genuine recommendations
- Manage cooler and shelf sets — stocking, rotating, facing, and pulling short-dated product
- Track what's moving and flag gaps, slow movers, and reorder needs
- Work with distributor reps on new releases, seasonals, and limited allocations
- Build displays and endcaps for new arrivals, holidays, and seasonal pushes
- Write shelf talkers and help with in-store signage for featured beers
- Run the register, handle cash and credit, and cover general floor duties
- Receive deliveries, including moving cases to and from the basement stockroom
- Verify customer age and comply with all Connecticut liquor laws
- Help with pricing, inventory counts, and general store upkeep
Schedule Requirements — Please Read
This is not a Monday-through-Friday daytime job. Availability for evenings, nights, and weekends is required, and Sundays are mandatory. Holidays and the weeks around them are our busiest periods. If you can't commit to this schedule, this position isn't the right fit.
Requirements
- Must be 21 years of age or older
- Genuine knowledge of and enthusiasm for craft beer — styles, breweries, and what's happening in the category
- Must be able to repeatedly lift and carry up to 40 lbs, including up and down stairs (cases and kegs are heavy)
- Must be able to stand, walk, bend, and reach for the duration of a shift
- Reliable transportation and consistent attendance
- Comfortable using a POS system and handling cash
- Outgoing, approachable manner — this role is customer-facing by design
Preferred (Not Required)
- Prior experience in a package store, bottle shop, brewery taproom, or beer bar
- Cicerone Certified Beer Server or similar certification (or interest in earning one)
- Familiarity with Connecticut and New England craft breweries
- Experience with ordering, inventory, or merchandising
Pay: $18.00 - $20.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
