Shop Associate

About Cultivate

Cultivate is a tasting room and shop for rare tea, matcha, and ceramics on Main Street, Vancouver — sourced directly from small producers across China, Taiwan, and Japan since 2014. We are looking for someone to join our team.

Pay and growth

Starting pay is $19/hr, with a defined progression to $25/hr. Each stage has written standards — increases are tied to demonstrated mastery, not time served — and the full progression plan is shared with you before you accept the role. You always know where you stand, what the next stage asks, and what it pays. There is a clear path from this role toward a supervisor or manager position for the right person. Team members also receive a health spending account covering dental, vision, and medical care.

The work

Roughly 70% of this role is operations — packing teas for wholesale and online orders, processing and shipping, receiving stock, and keeping the space organized. The other 30% is customers: when someone walks in, you stop and help — making recommendations, preparing matcha lattes, and guiding them through our collection. You are the face of Cultivate to every person who walks through the door. The role requires someone who can balance the discipline of repetitive operational work with a genuine interest in tea.

Hours: 32–35 per week (32 guaranteed), 4–5 shifts, daytime only — the shop closes at 6pm (5pm Sundays). No late nights. Training takes about two months.

Day-to-day

- Packing teas for wholesale and online orders

- Processing and shipping orders

- Receiving, labelling, and organizing stock

- Helping customers and making tea recommendations

- Making matcha lattes and preparing teas

- Restocking and maintaining the shop floor

- Opening and closing the shop

As you develop

- Deep product knowledge across our full collection

- Hosting tea tastings

- Operational ownership — inventory, ordering, shop management

- Managing the shop independently

Who this is for

Someone with a genuine interest in tea. You do not need to be an expert — but you should care. You are comfortable with physical, process-driven work and equally comfortable helping customers. This is a self-directed position — you will often be the only person in the shop. We are looking for someone who intends to stay and grow with us for at least two years.

To apply, send a resume and cover letter to ***email_hidden***.