Palmetto Superfoods
Shop Manager
Houston, Texas•Full-time
$24+ hourly
$24+ hourly
About the Job
About Palmetto
Founded in San Francisco in 2019, Palmetto Superfoods brings Brazilian açaí and customizable superfood bowls to the communities we serve. Following our first Texas location in Austin, we’re opening our second in Houston Heights.
We’re looking for a hands-on Shop Manager to help launch the shop, build a great team, and take ownership of daily operations. You’ll work closely with the owners and Palmetto team, with room to make decisions and improve how the shop runs.
You should be comfortable identifying what needs to happen, organizing the work, and following through. Previous experience opening a café, restaurant, or similar business is a strong plus.
Your first priorities:
- Lead a successful soft and grand opening. Build and manage the opening readiness plan, covering staffing, training, equipment, supplies, inventory, and operating procedures. Use the soft opening to identify and resolve issues before the grand opening.
- Hire and train a team of 10–12 employees. Partner with the owners on recruiting and hiring, lead onboarding, and prepare the team to deliver consistent products and welcoming service.
- Coordinate permits and inspections. Work with the owners, contractors, and relevant agencies to track requirements, prepare the shop, schedule inspections, and follow through on outstanding items.
- Establish reliable processes. Adapt Palmetto’s existing standards and Austin learnings into clear Houston routines for opening, closing, prep, cleaning, ordering, inventory, cash handling, and shift handoffs.
- Support the launch locally. Coordinate with the owners and marketing team on opening events, community outreach, and guest experience.
What you’ll own after opening:
- Lead daily operations while working alongside the team during service.
- Train staff on recipes, ingredients, presentation, order accuracy, food safety, and guest communication.
- Build schedules that match demand, manage coverage, and keep payroll inputs accurate.
- Develop shift leaders who can confidently run the shop when you’re away.
- Set clear expectations, provide regular coaching, and recognize strong performance.
- Maintain accurate inventory, plan replenishment, and coordinate ordering to prevent stockouts and reduce waste.
- Track sales, labor, food costs, and service times; use those insights to improve performance with the owners.
- Use digital tools, checklists, and practical automation to simplify recurring work.
- Maintain cleanliness, equipment readiness, food safety records, and inspection readiness.
- Resolve guest concerns thoughtfully and support local partnerships, catering, and marketing initiatives.
What we’re looking for:
- At least two years of management experience in a café, smoothie or açaí shop, bakery, fast-casual restaurant, or similar business.
- Experience hiring, training, scheduling, and coaching a team.
- Strong organization, sound judgment, and dependable follow-through.
- Comfort with inventory, ordering, labor planning, and basic operating reports.
- A warm, hands-on leadership style and high standards for product quality and hospitality.
- Confidence working independently, communicating progress, and raising issues with proposed solutions.
- Availability for opening, closing, and weekend shifts, plus training at our Austin location.
- Current Texas-recognized Food Manager certification, or willingness to obtain it before independently managing shifts.
- Ability to work on your feet and lift up to 40 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Experience with new store openings, inspections, or building operating processes is especially valuable.
Pay and perks:
- $24/hour base pay, paid biweekly, with applicable overtime.
- Full-time, 40 hours per week.
- Paid time off and sick time: Combined accrual of seven hours per biweekly pay period, capped at 150 hours annually, available for use after 30 days.
- Free shift item: One bowl or smoothie each day worked.
- Friends and family discount: 15%.
- Gym reimbursement: Up to $40 per month with a receipt.
- Food-handler training: Company-paid or reimbursed upon completion.
- Hands-on training in Austin: Learn directly from our existing shop, with preapproved travel expenses covered.
Benefits are subject to company policies and eligibility requirements.
How to apply:
Submit your résumé and a short note about your management experience and why you’d like to help bring Palmetto to Houston Heights. If you’ve opened a location, built a team, or improved a shop’s operations, tell us what you owned and what you accomplished.