Wiping Shelves at Blockbuster

Blockbuster Video. Once a major video rental chain in North America with over 9,000 stores at its peak, now down to its last store in Oregon after Netflix and other online streaming platforms put it out of business. Despite its downfall, Blockbuster holds a dear place in my heart. Not only because I used to rent videos from there all the time but because I also used to be an employee at one of their stores! Blockbuster was the first real job that I landed on my own and I spent the last year and a half of my high school years working there part-time. I'm guessing many people would rather forget about their days working in retail. My experience, on the other hand, was surprisingly positive.

Sure it was mortifying to wear the uniform. Nothing screams sexy like a blue and yellow golf shirt with a giant Blockbuster logo stitched into the front pocket. And yes, some interesting characters frequented the store (but make for great stories) including: customers that returned Rogers videos to our store; teenagers who skipped school and used our back aisles for make-out sessions; and a socialite who didn't mind racking up and paying us hundreds of dollars in late fees every month (which is impressive because the daily rental rate was $4.85).

Although it wasn't glamorous, the job was fun and the perks were great for a 17 year old kid. I also learned a great deal about managing a team and operating a business: 

• Teamwork: The store manager (Lisa) and the more senior staff (Elliot, Rakhi, Mikhaela) were amazing people. They were friendly and frequently cracked jokes, never taking themselves too seriously. There were a set of duties that needed to be fulfilled during each shift and they let the staff choose and complete it at our own pace. If you were late or didn't perform a task properly, they were constructive in their feedback and clarified their expectations. Once in a while, HQ would ask the stores to pre-sell a movie (e.g. Titanic). It turned into a friendly competition between the staff for a small prize. Overall, they promoted a fun and fair atmosphere and the result was that we were one of the best-performing stores in the region.
• Customer Service: Customer service is key at every retail shop, although I never quite witnessed a team do it so well and so consistently. All staff were required to greet customers as they entered and exited the store. We were expected to approach them on the floor and recommend movies. If we were missing a video or merchandise that the customer wanted, we called other stores and put it on hold for them. The check-out time for the customer was extremely quick. We kept the store clean at all times by cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming, mopping, and wiping down all 1,000 shelves with soap and water.
• Accountability: During each shift, we ensured that all the videos returned were rewound, logged into the system, and placed back on the shelves so that they would be available to our customers. At the end of each shift, we needed to ensure that the cash or credit charges in our till matched the number in the system. Once every other month, the team would conduct an inventory check of all videos in the store to ensure there was no theft. We also used a tracking sheet to ensure we completed all our duties before closing to ensure the store was left in good condition for the next shift.  

While it was some time ago, I often reflect on my experience at Blockbuster and try to employ some of what I learned in my current role. Do you also have a positive high school job experience that you want to share?