Summer Retail Internship at Creative Chaos Emporium

Creative Chaos Emporium is a thrift shop for arts & crafts supplies. We’re a social venture that collects donations of creative items and re-sells them to inspire new creative projects. We aim to create a fun, welcoming shop that provides a gathering space for all kinds of creatives in our community.  

As part of Project Pop-Up, we’re lucky to have a brick & mortar shop at 239 North Ave in Wakefield. We just opened at the end of January, and we are currently under contract to stay in the space through the end of September. We’re working on an extension through December (and hopefully beyond, if we are able to make it work financially and negotiate a longer term lease!) 

Position overview: 

For this summer internship, we are looking for high school (15+) or college students who would like to learn about the daily operations of a creative reuse shop. The position will provide a behind-the-scenes peek into a new business with a focus on sustainability, creativity and community. 

The responsibilities of this position include a combo of customer service, shop maintenance and donation sorting/organizing, including: 

Customer service: 

• Greet customers with a friendly tone of voice and eye contact 

• Answer questions and help customers find items in the shop

• Check out customers at register using point-of-sale (POS) system

• Accept donations from patrons during the first half of the month

Donation/inventory management: 

• Sort and organize donations of arts & crafts supplies 

• price items and restock the shop

• assist with merchandising & product displays

• Assist with keeping shop clean & tidy: wiping down donations as needed, re-setting Chaos Tables, re-folding fabric and neatening up yarn section

Hours:

• 8-12 hours per week, late June - August 2026 

• Schedule to include at least one 6-hour shift on a Saturday or Sunday each week,

  plus 2-6 additional hours within open hours (Wed - Fri 12-6 and Sat/Sun

Requirements: 

• High school (15+) or college-age students 

• Interest in learning about the daily operations of a creative reuse shop 

• Availability on Saturdays and/or Sundays throughout the summer

• Friendly, kind and helpful personality

• Enjoy organizing and keeping things tidy 

• Comfortable with some repetitive work (sorting, organizing, pricing) and light cleaning each day (dusting, vacuuming, wiping down donations as needed)

• Physical requirements 

  • able to lift 30-40 pounds several times a shift

  • able to stand for extended periods of time 

What we offer: 

• Compensation: $15/hour, up to 12 hrs a week

• 20% discount on all purchases 

• Early access to supplies before they are available in the shop

• Learning experience of working in a creative reuse shop/startup retail store

To Apply: 

Please complete the application at the link below, which will be open through June 28, 2026. 

Although a resume is not required, if you have one you’d like to share, you can drop it off at the shop or email it to hello@creativechaosemporium.com. 

Thank you for your interest!