for some time now, i have been contemplating making this post about my experience at Second Image Thrift Store. I contemplated talking about the shit I dealt with and the rumors spread about me and my coworkers. I realize that I have to voice myself, especially because this was a privately owned business.
So I started working at thrift sometime in April last year and it was a good experience at first, I had fun, and got to do pretty much what a lot of corporate jobs wouldn't allow. but after I got covid, it went downhill and I started to notice how toxic the environment was.
when I returned to work after I recovered from covid, my higher ups were just overworking us like a bitch. ON TOP OF working with customers all day, being short-staffed and working our asses off with the 2-4 people running the front of the store, we were asked to do a ton of extra shit that was taking away from the regular things we had to do already; putting new racks and inventory out, ringing customers, helping customers find stuff, etc. and although we worked very hard to get stuff done that was asked of us, IT WAS NEVER ENOUGH. so with all of our hard work being extremely unnoticed, and pretty much the only thing being noticed was the numbers we made at the end of each night, I noticed how extremely unappreciated we were for all the stuff we were doing, whether it was extra work or regular work.
music was complained about EVERY SINGLE DAY i would go into the shop and it had to be music choice from ONE person, when not everyone likes 60s, 70s, 80s music. LIKE EVEN THE MUSIC WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO MAKE A BIG DEAL OUT OF AND TO BE COMPLAINED ABOUT. music is so diverse and people love all kinds of music, not just one kind.
i was THE ONLY PERSON called out for being on my phone, when EVERYONE else at the front did the same thing. I was called out for reading a book during a non busy day, with all tasks being done.
I even took the time to make cute jewelry bags for the customers because I didn't want their jewelry getting lost in their big bags of clothing and I was told to stop making them "because I was sitting at the counter too long making them", BUT I WAS BENEFITING THE STORE AND THE SERVICES TO THE CUSTOMERS OUT OF MY OWN CHOICE.
After realizing the amount of work we kept receiving and the lack of appreciation and acknowledgment, I quit the store. i did a no call no show on my next day to work and only let one of the front-end managers know I would no longer show up to Second Image.
the reason i did a no call no show was because witnessing how they treated my other coworker put their two weeks in. they wanted them to stay at the shop for ONE day on the weekend, aside of working their NEW and regular-based job. THEY WANTED TO KEEP WORKING THEM - even though the pay was not worth the one day. They attempted to make them feel bad for leaving the store, as we were already short-staffed. so i did that for my sake because i knew myself and that they would do the same for me and i am not good with dealing with a guilt trip. they tried to keep them, although there should have been an excitement for them to move on and get a bigger job that will actually provide for their rent, their food, school, etc.
a few other coworkers left the same week and they were mocked and laughed at for leaving for THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. I knew then that they would laugh at me if i told them i was leaving for my mental health and sanity as well.
after i did my no call no show, i was texted that i backstabbed them. but is it really backstabbing when i was taking care of myself and my own mental health?????
I recognized that the overworking, lack of appreciation, mockery of mental health, and toxicity of the entire environment was not good for me, especially for the amount i was being paid there.
so after i left, there were rumors that were being passed around, spreading like a wildfire at the shop, AND MIND YOU, i was not working there anymore. GROWN ASS PEOPLE, 50-60 years old, were spreading rumors, talking shit behind our backs. this obviously was out of spite for us leaving the shop, and again, leaving to save ourselves. rumors were spread that i and another coworker were having some sort of entanglement JUST BECAUSE we picked up our checks at the same time, and that the coworker they accused me of having some sort of relationship with, and their wife were getting a divorce????
now is it EVER cool to talk about someones marriage? no its not! its wrong as hell.
so after hearing about all this, i was sparked and filled with so much anger, because WHY is my name even being said and WHY am i SOOOO relevant for them still to keep talking about me? about us? WE LEFT SO LET US BE AT PEACE. the ones involved in these rumors confronted our old group chat and no one responded to us.
At this point, i was so tied between not canceling the thrift store because i wanted to be a bigger person, but i realize i needed to voice myself because THAT PLACE IS EXTREMELY TOXIC. read more