General Manager – Gourmet Retail
Location: Reston, Virginia
About the Role:
We are seeking an entrepreneurial, commercially minded General Manager to lead and grow a premium gourmet retail business based in Reston, Virginia.
This is a highly hands-on, customer-facing leadership role with responsibility for the overall performance of the business. The General Manager will own the P&L, drive sales and profitability, manage day-to-day operations and inventory, lead and develop the team, oversee marketing and e-commerce, and ensure an exceptional customer experience.
Because this is a small gourmet shop, the General Manager will be highly visible and actively engaged with customers every day. We are looking for someone who genuinely enjoys people, builds relationships naturally, creates loyal customers, and understands how exceptional service and strong selling work together.
The ideal candidate thinks like an owner. They are resourceful, decisive, commercially driven, and comfortable taking full responsibility for results. This is not a traditional back-of-house or culinary leadership role; we are seeking a business operator who is passionate about exceptional food, quality, customers, and growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Take full responsibility for the overall performance and day-to-day operation of the business
- Own and manage the P&L, with accountability for revenue, gross margin, labor, operating expenses, and profitability
- Set and track sales and financial goals, identify performance gaps, and take action to improve results
- Use sales, customer, inventory, and financial data to make timely, commercially sound decisions
- Identify and pursue new opportunities to grow revenue and improve profitability
- Operate with an owner’s mentality, taking initiative and solving problems without waiting for direction
Sales & Customer Experience
- Be a highly visible, customer-facing leader and create a warm, personal, and memorable experience in the shop
- Build genuine relationships with customers and turn first-time visitors into loyal regulars
- Lead from the floor and personally model exceptional selling, service, product knowledge, and storytelling
- Understand customer preferences and use those insights to improve the product assortment and overall business
- Develop strategies to increase traffic, conversion, average transaction value, and repeat business
- Build relationships within the local community and identify partnerships and opportunities that drive awareness and sales
Inventory & Operations
- Own inventory planning, ordering, forecasting, product movement, inventory turns, waste, shrink, and perishability
- Ensure inventory levels meet customer demand while protecting cash flow and minimizing waste
- Identify slow-moving products and take action through merchandising, promotion, pricing, sales efforts, or assortment changes
- Maintain the highest standards of food safety, cleanliness, product quality, presentation, and operational execution
- Ensure compliance with all applicable health, safety, and food-handling requirements
Team Leadership
- Recruit, train, coach, and develop a high-performing team
- Build a strong sales and service culture in which every team member understands the products, knows how to engage customers, and contributes to the success of the business
- Set clear expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and hold the team accountable for performance
- Lead by example and step into any area of the business when needed
Marketing, Social Media & E-Commerce
- Develop and execute local marketing initiatives that drive awareness, customer traffic, and sales
- Use social media to tell the brand and product story, connect with customers, and support business growth
- Develop and grow the e-commerce business, including online merchandising, promotions, customer experience, fulfillment, and sales performanc
- Identify creative, cost-effective ways to build the brand and attract new customers
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required
- Proven experience leading a retail, specialty food, gourmet, hospitality, or other customer-facing business
- Demonstrated experience managing a P&L and driving sales and profitability
- Strong understanding of inventory management, margin, labor, waste, and operating costs
- Exceptional customer-facing presence and a genuine enjoyment of building relationships with people
- Strong sales instincts and the ability to teach others how to sell and engage customers
- Experience with marketing, social media, and e-commerce
- Proven ability to recruit, train, develop, and lead a team
- Highly entrepreneurial, resourceful, decisive, and comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- ServSafe Food Protection Manager certification or another recognized Certified Food Protection Manager credential required, or ability to obtain promptly
- Availability to work a flexible retail schedule, including weekends and holidays as needed
The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate approaches the business as if it were their own.
They know the numbers, know the products, know their team—and, importantly, know their customers. They enjoy being on the floor, talking with people, making recommendations, building relationships, and creating an experience that keeps customers coming back.
They notice when a product is not moving and take action. They see a sales opportunity and pursue it. They understand how inventory, labor, marketing, customer experience, and financial performance connect. They are willing to roll up their sleeves, solve problems, and step into whatever area of the business needs attention.
Above all, this person is a builder and an owner-operator at heart. They are excited not simply to manage the shop, but to take responsibility for the business and grow it.
Pay: $80,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year
Work Location: In person
