The Acadia Shops
The Acadia Shops
Currently recruiting for the season from April 1st, 2024 to November 7th, 2024.
The Acadia Corporation is a privately held company that operates seven retail shops and an ice cream shop downtown Bar Harbor, as well as one shop in neighboring Southwest Harbor. We relish the opportunity to serve both our guests and employees and have been doing so for over 90 years.
Bar Harbor is nestled into the beautiful coastline of Maine and enjoys being a destination in itself and is the main service center on the doorstep of adventures into Acadia National Park. With free bus shuttle into the park, quaint 'down east' atmosphere and amenities usually found only in larger towns Bar Harbor is a unique place to live and explore.
- Location
- Maine
- Season
- Spring, Summer, and Fall
- Staff size
- 50
- Housing
- Whether included in the compensation package or provided at a cost, housing is provided for staff.
- Meals
- None
- Cell phone service
- Yes, most carriers
- Internet access
- Good
About The Acadia Shops
Locally owned and operated, our shops offer a broad selection of quality products to help guests enjoy their trip to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. Whether looking for a new pair of hiking boots, a memento of the experience or just want to cool off with some homemade ice cream, guests will find what they need in one of our shops.
During our operating season, which runs May through the end of October, we hire about 60 people.
Most positions do not require specific prior experience, but you should be prepared to work in a busy and sometimes hectic work environment, but don't worry, we'll be right there working with you!! We're a company that enjoys helping both guests to our establishments as well as our employees. Our shops and housing are within 2 blocks, which helps build the important team atmosphere.
The Employee Experience
Ideal Candidate
We are committed to providing excellent service to our guests. All our jobs involve visitor service whether behind the scenes or directly serving the visitor. Our employees must be friendly, neat, and take pride in serving our visitors. A positive attitude is essential.
The work in the retail shops can be very fast paced throughout our operating season; from July through Labor Day, the number of visitors and tour groups increases dramatically.
Some jobs finish at Labor Day, but we need many people who can work August, September, and October.
August Help: we hire a few people to work just the month of August, our busiest time of the year. These positions require someone flexible who can fill in wherever needed.
Fall Help: Autumn is one of our most beautiful seasons. We often need employees to work 6 to 8 weeks in September and October.
Room and Board
We operate apartment-style housing in Bar Harbor, which are shared by 4-5 employees per apartment (2 persons per room). Apartment rates are $155/week per person and includes complete kitchen facilities, laundry, and internet. Our Company Housing is within walking distance of all Bar Harbor Shops.
All Acadia Corporation housing is supervised. All housing residents are required to sign a housing agreement including the length of stay and agreeing to all housing rules.
You must be at least 18 years of age to live in Company housing.
All company housing is designated as non-smoking. Those who wish to live in company housing must sign an agreement indicating their willingness to comply. Violators of the housing smoking policy may be subject to immediate eviction from company housing.
Unfortunately, we do not offer RV spaces.
Limited housing is available on Mt. Desert Island. It tends to be difficult to find and quite expensive. Should you desire your own accommodations, we can provide only limited assistance.
Employee Perks
Here's just few additional treats enjoyed by our hardworking team:
- 40% discount on all our merchandise.
- Monthly functions, including a lobster and steak feast!
- 50% reimbursement of Acadia National Park Annual Pass
- Many tours are discounted or free, offered by other local businesses. Whale watching tour, Acadia NP, and more!
Getting Here and Getting Around
There are several options available to get to Bar Harbor and Mount Desert Island.
The easiest method is to fly into Bangor, Maine and then we can help arrange transportation from the airport. You might find it less expensive if you fly to Boston, MA and take Concord Trailways to Bangor. The Bar Harbor Shuttle is available for transfers from the Bangor area to Bar Harbor, Maine. Or we'll be happy to transport you from Bangor during normal business hours.
Transportation around Bar Harbor and the surrounding area during the summer without a car is possible thanks to the free Island Explorer.
Employees are welcome to bring a car, but please note that parking is extremely limited, especially in the busy summer season.
For Fun
Bar Harbor is a busy resort community of 5,000 people with a number of restaurants and shops. Outdoor activities abound. Hiking, biking, canoeing, swimming, fishing, and sailing are just a few of the pursuits which visitors come to Acadia to enjoy.
There are many cultural activities in the area, including music festivals, theatrical performances, and movies. However, if you come from a major urban area or a large college campus, please bear in mind that the number of sporting events, concerts, and similar activities is very limited in our local area - these activities are generally several hours away. The employees who are happiest here are those who enjoy outdoor activities more than nightlife.
Current Job Openings
- Profit Share
- Health Insurance
- 401k
- Employee discount
Retail Shop Manager
The ideal candidate has retail management experience, is self motivated and desires to learn and grow everyday. We’re looking for the right individual to join the management team to help continue providing outstanding hospitality to visitors of this area. There is a good team in place to work beside help learn the position hopefully for many seasons to come.
The Retail Shop Manager is responsible for all the day to day activity of the shop. Scheduling and working with a team toward the common goal of doing the best that we can for the people we’re working with and the people who visit our shops. Training and working with staff to become a team with everyone finding best fit and improving upon all the daily tasks. Merchandising and updating displays is a good creative outlet that helps a shop really stand out. This position is hands on requiring working on the point of sale, lifting and moving bins of merchandise and keeping cash and transactions secure.
Our season typically runs from May through October, though there is preparation to be done before the season and ramping down once the weather turns chilly. Our shops are open from 8:00am to 11:00pm and a variety of shifts seems to work best and give the best understanding of the shop’s needs. We have apartment housing available downtown Bar Harbor.
Thank you for considering this position and I hope you choose to explore this opportunity.
Apartment Housing is available.
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: From $21.00 to $24.00 per hour.
Benefits:
Retail Clerk
Duties include cashiering, assisting with purchases, unloading and stocking merchandise, folding clothing, regularly scheduled cleaning duties including floor cleaning, and park visitor orientation. Must be able to lift 20 lbs. up to 20 times a day. Shifts may require standing for more than 4 hours at a time. All shop positions include weekend, evening, and holiday work. Shops are open as early as 8:00 AM and as late as 11:00 PM.
($16.00/hr plus $1.00 to $1.50/hr upon completing your work agreement)
Distribution Center Clerk
Working in the Distribution Center Clerk has 3 main aspects. The receiving process of merchandise which involves verifying, counting and tagging of items that arrive. Picking Merchandise using orders generated for each shop to replenish their stock. The final aspect involves Delivering the merchandise to the shops via delivery van (Ram ProMaster 4500). The ideal candidate is able to perform all 3 aspects of the position but we're also looking for individuals who can do parts of this position as well.
This position requires lots of lifting and moving of boxes of 40lbs sometimes more. Using pallet jacks, hand trucks and platform carts. To deliver a valid drivers license is required. Our Distribution Center is located in Town Hill, 15 minutes from downtown Bar Harbor, this is also where our administrative offices are located.
Base rate is $18.00/hr
($17.00/hr plus $1.00 to $1.50/hr upon completing your work agreement)
Retail Shop Supervisor
In addition to Retail Shop Clerk responsibilities, a Retail Shop Supervisor operates the shop when the shop Manager is not present. This includes supervising employees, assigning projects, counting the money at the end of the shift, printing reports at the end of the shift, helping clerks if they have a problem, helping customers with problems, training new clerks, locking the doors at the end of the night or opening the doors at the start of the day and getting the cash registers ready for the day. You will work closely with the shop manager, communicating any problems with an employee, product, or customer. Shop is open as early as 8:00 AM and as late as 11:00 PM. Also includes scooping ice cream cones, weighing fudge, and washing dishes.
Base rate is $17.50hr
($16.50/hr plus $1.00 to $1.50/hr upon completing your work agreement)
How to Apply
Your dates of availability affect your chances of employment. In general, the later you can stay, the better your chances will be for receiving an offer of employment. Be realistic and specific about the exact dates you will be available, as these dates will become part of your employment agreement.
We look forward to hearing from you. An online application is available, linked below.
* Once an application makes it through the initial screening process we rely on phone interviews to give us additional insight before making and employment offer. We try to have many of our employment decisions completed by April. You will be notified by mail on the status of your application.
The Acadia Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and hires without regard to race, color, ancestry, sex, religion, national origin, age (except where age is a bona fide occupational qualification), physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, disabled veteran or Vietnam era veteran status.
Contact Info
- Matt Hiestand
- jobs@acadiashops.com
- (207) 288-1204
- www.acadiashops.com
