Store Manager

STORE MANAGER

(for homewares, lifestyle and wine)

LIFE & WINE | WANSTEAD, EAST LONDON

About Us

Life & Wine is an independent lifestyle store located on Wanstead’s thriving high street in East London.

We bring together a carefully curated selection of contemporary homewares, natural wines, design-led objects and everyday essentials, celebrating independent makers, thoughtful design and ethically minded products from both local and international brands.

We’re a small, creative business with a strong connection to our local community, and we’re looking for someone enthusiastic, confident and full of ideas to help take Life & Wine into its next chapter.

Working closely with the owners, you’ll play an important part in shaping the store’s identity, discovering new brands and products, developing our online presence and creating a welcoming, engaging space for our customers.

This is a hands-on, varied and social role, perfect for someone who loves independent retail, has an eye for design and enjoys bringing fresh ideas to the table.

The Role

We’re looking for a dynamic, organised and creative Store Manager who can confidently oversee the day-to-day running of Life & Wine while helping us grow and develop the business.

You’ll need to be equally comfortable chatting with customers, curating a beautiful retail space, creating engaging Instagram content and managing the practical side of running an independent store.

As Life & Wine shares its space with our sister business, Buller & Rice hair salon, the role also involves some light front-of-house responsibilities. The two businesses work closely together, creating a friendly, sociable and collaborative environment.

Key Responsibilities

Store Management & Customer Experience

• Oversee the daily running of the store, including opening and closing.
• Create a welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable shopping experience.
• Manage stock levels, deliveries, replenishment, stocktaking and general inventory.
• Maintain excellent visual merchandising and presentation throughout the store.
• Keep the space clean, organised and consistently looking its best.
• Manage customer enquiries, purchases, returns and after-sales communication.
• Build relationships with our regular customers and wider local community.
• Support seasonal displays, launches, promotions and in-store events.

Buying, Curation & Product Development

• Work closely with the owners to develop and curate our product offering.
• Research and discover exciting new brands, independent makers and emerging trends.
• Bring ideas and inspiration to the table, helping shape the direction of the store.
• Communicate with suppliers, coordinate orders and help manage product availability.
• Develop an understanding of our existing brands, their stories and what makes them special.
• Help identify opportunities to grow the business through new products, collaborations and events.

Social Media & Content Creation

Social media is a significant and creative part of this role.

We’re looking for someone who genuinely enjoys creating content and understands how to build an engaging, authentic online presence.

• Take an active role in managing and developing our Instagram account.
• Plan, photograph, film and create regular content, including posts, Stories and Reels.
• Work alongside the owners to develop content ideas that reflect Life & Wine’s personality and creative direction.
• Showcase products, new arrivals, brands and the everyday life of the store.
• Engage with our online community and help grow our audience organically.
• Stay informed about relevant social media trends, while maintaining our own individual identity.
• Bring confidence, consistency and initiative to our digital storytelling.

Website & Online Store

• Manage and update our Squarespace website.
• Upload new products, including images, descriptions, pricing and stock availability.
• Process, pack and coordinate online orders and deliveries.
• Manage online customer enquiries and communication.
• Ensure the website remains accurate, engaging and visually consistent.
• Work with the owners to explore ways of improving online sales and developing our e-commerce offering.

Salon & Front of House

Life & Wine operates alongside Buller & Rice hair salon, and the two businesses share a friendly, collaborative environment.

Alongside your store responsibilities, you’ll also provide light reception support, including:

• Welcoming salon clients and creating a positive first impression.
• Supporting occasional appointment bookings, enquiries and customer communication.
• Working closely with the salon team to ensure both businesses operate smoothly.
• Helping maintain a welcoming and professional shared space.

These duties form a supporting part of the role, with the management and development of Life & Wine remaining the main focus.

About You

We’re looking for someone with personality, initiative and a genuine passion for independent retail.

Ideally, you’ll have:

• Previous experience in retail, hospitality or another customer-facing, social environment.
• A genuine interest in contemporary homewares, interiors, design, natural wine and independent brands.
• Experience creating social media content, particularly for Instagram.
• Confidence using Squarespace or a similar e-commerce platform.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage several responsibilities independently.
• A creative eye for visual merchandising, photography and product presentation.
• Excellent communication skills and a natural ability to connect with people.
• A proactive attitude, with the confidence to suggest ideas and take ownership of projects.
• An appreciation for sustainability, thoughtful consumption and ethically minded brands.

Previous management experience would be beneficial, but we’re equally interested in someone with the right experience, creativity and ambition to grow into the position.

Why Join Us?

Life & Wine is an independent business with plenty of personality and room to grow.

We’re looking for someone who wants to become a genuine part of the business, not simply manage a shop floor.

You’ll work directly with the owners, have the opportunity to contribute to buying and creative decisions, discover exciting independent brands and help us develop our online presence.

Most importantly, you’ll be part of a welcoming, creative team and a business that values individuality, good design, meaningful customer relationships and our local community.

We’re excited to find someone who shares our enthusiasm and wants to help shape the future of Life & Wine.

Location: Wanstead, East London

Salary, working hours: To be confirmed

Benefits: Access to generous instore discounts with our store and salons. Visit ‘Design and Lifestyle’ work events within the U.K. and abroad. Part of a very social team, with lots of wellbeing events and social activities.

To apply: Please send us your CV and a short introduction about yourself, your experience and why you’d love to work with Life & Wine. We’d also love to see examples of any social media content you’ve created at [email protected]

Pay: From £26,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company events
• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Pay rise
• Sick pay
• Store discount

Work Location: In person