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by Cassie Laurell (Author)
After her 10-year marriage in Europe ends, Cassie Laurell returns to the U.S. with her two children. A staffing agency labels her as not marketable, due to her age and lack of experience in most work settings. She accidentally finds and accepts a part-time cashier job at Linens 'n Things. For the next 20 years, she works in a large number of stores, including major companies like Macy's, Lord & Taylor, and Neiman Marcus. Through a series of anecdotes, she uncovers the drama that takes place behind the glitzy façade of retail stores. Some salespersons steal sales, shoppers argue throwing hangers at each other and steal merchandise. There are good managers who give their employees the tools to succeed, and bad managers who abuse their power, expect employees to break the rules or fire them without a legitimate reason. She describes the exciting opening of a new store and the dramatic closing of multiple stores. Most of all, Cassie gives voice to millions of struggling retail workers, who organize their life around their shifts, frantically change jobs and accept multiple jobs to pay their bills and survive, and have health problems caused by continuous standing. Cassie follows the evolution of retail during the 2008 recession, the Covid pandemic and post-pandemic years, when many stores fail, many retail workers lose their jobs and their loved ones, and confront the growing role of AI. Cassie offers an insight into the world of retail that will shock you, make you laugh and even shed a few tears.
