Store Opening Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Position Type: Full-Time
Reports To: Director of Operations

Hometown Coffee & Juice is a growing café company built around hospitality, quality food, and community connection. Our cafés are neighborhood gathering spaces where guests feel known, teams take pride in the details, and every interaction matters.

Hometown is entering an exciting growth phase, with several new cafés planned. We are building our leadership bench now to ensure each new location opens with strong, experienced leadership.

We believe exceptional guest experiences begin with how we treat our team. Our leaders create environments where people feel supported, challenged, and proud of the work they do every day.

As the General Manager, you are the primary leader responsible for the success of the café. This role owns the day-to-day operation of the location — leading the team, driving financial performance, and ensuring every guest experiences Hometown’s standard of hospitality.

This is a hands-on leadership role. The GM works alongside the team during service while also owning the systems, financial performance, and team development that keep the café running smoothly.

You will set the tone for hospitality, build a strong leadership bench, and create a culture where people take pride in their work and guests feel it the moment they walk through the door.

• Recruit, hire, and onboard team members using Hometown’s structured training program
• Build and mentor Shift Leads and key team members, developing future leaders
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings and performance check-ins with direct reports
• Foster a high-energy, accountable team culture rooted in Hometown’s core values
• Lead daily pre-shift meetings to align the team on priorities, specials, and service standards

• Own the execution of both front-of-house and back-of-house operations
• Ensure food quality, ticket times, cleanliness, and hospitality standards are consistently met
• Maintain strong floor presence during peak hours, coaching the team in real time
• Manage daily workflows including staffing coverage, prep execution, and shift transitions
• Maintain a clean, organized, and inspection-ready café at all times

• Manage the location’s P&L, including labor costs, food costs, and controllable expenses
• Track daily, weekly, and monthly sales and labor targets and take action on variances
• Forecast labor and inventory needs to optimize margins and efficiency
• Use systems such as Toast POS and Restaurant365 to monitor performance and identify opportunities

• Oversee product ordering, inventory counts, and vendor deliveries
• Monitor product quality and ensure proper storage and shelf-life adherence
• Minimize waste through careful inventory management and operational oversight
• Implement and maintain systems that drive operational consistency

• Set and maintain the standard for guest hospitality across every shift
• Build relationships with regular guests and members of the community
• Resolve guest concerns with empathy and sound judgment
• Ensure the café environment reflects Hometown’s brand standards in every detail

• Serve as a leader and ambassador for the café within the local community
• Support local marketing initiatives and community partnerships
• Champion the Hometown loyalty program and guest engagement initiatives

• 3+ years of management experience in hospitality, café, fast-casual, or restaurant environments
• Proven experience managing P&L performance and operational metrics
• Experience leading teams of 15–25+ employees in a fast-paced environment
• Strong leadership, communication, and decision-making skills
• Strong operational instincts and the ability to quickly identify opportunities for improvement
• Experience with POS systems and restaurant management platforms (Toast preferred)
• ServSafe Manager Certification (or ability to obtain within 30 days)

• Ability to stand and move for extended periods (up to 10 hours)
• Comfortable lifting up to 40 pounds

Salary: $75,000 – $90,000 annually (total compensation based on experience and unit volume)
Schedule: 40–45 hours per week

Our cafés operate from 7 AM – 5 PM. This role requires a flexible schedule and strong presence during peak business hours, including weekends.

This is a leadership position with full ownership of the café’s performance and team development.

• Company stipend for health insurance (BlueCross BlueShield)
• Dental insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Performance-based quarterly bonus opportunities
• Meals included on work days and employee discounts on food
• MacBook laptop

Uptown and Hometown Coffee & Juice is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion or belief, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, military/veteran status, genetic orientation, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws.

We are committed to creating a work environment that values diversity, inclusion, respect, integrity, and exceptional hospitality.