Career Path: 

There’s No Place Like Home
Jennifer Gardiner, store manager
Lake Grove, New York

Jennifer Gardiner took her first part-time job selling coats at the A&S department store in the Smith Haven Mall on Long Island.  Little did she know 15 years ago that, today, she’d be working in the exact same spot.  The Lake Grove, NY, store opened in early 2008 and took over the space that A&S once occupied. 

“It’s like coming full circle – I shopped this mall as a teenager.  This is my home.  It’s exciting to see my neighbors shopping in the store everyday,” says Jennifer, who is the store manager. 

Having joined Barnes & Noble in 1996 as a part-time bookseller, Jennifer has risen through the ranks.  She worked in everything from the store’s Reference Section to the Home Office’s Author Promotions Department.  Jennifer credits her growth with the company to “hard work, enthusiasm, the ability to embrace change and great timing.” 

Jennifer says of her experiences, “I have incredible memories of Author Promotions, but what I enjoyed most about it was being in stores for the events, and not being in my office.”  This encouraged her to get back in the field, helping the Carle Place, NY, store as an intern manager, which essentially acted as training to run her own store.  From there, she managed the Manhasset, NY, store and when she heard about the new store in her hometown, she knew she had to go for it. 

Jennifer now focuses on helping others grow by speaking about the core service principles with booksellers everyday and coaching them individually, while always remembering to thank them for their exceptional work.  “We receive compliments about our booksellers on a daily basis – customers cannot believe that we will take them up an escalator and to the section just to find their book.  We post the compliments in our break room,” Jennifer comments. 

Bookseller Sarah Lueck says, “Jennifer gets us to focus on customer service without making it seem like it’s something we have to do, but rather it’s something that we should want to do.  Customers can really sense that when they come into the store.” 

“Through building relationships with and supporting every bookseller, Jennifer truly makes everyone feel at home in the store,” adds Sarah.