More Throwback Thursday memorabilia!
This was my last name tag from my very first job. I worked at the JCPenney at Echelon Mall through college. I spent most of the time in the Catalog/Credit/Customer Service department where I learned how to smile at people who were yelling at me and how to wrap gifts. I can still make amazing bows.
When I graduated college with my INCREDIBLY USEFUL* degree in radio and television, I needed a full-time job so I could have medical benefits. So I stayed with the store full time. To do that, I had to move into the Juniors department and become their merchandise assistant, which was Penney-speak for “department manager’s lackey.” I can still stack jeans like a champ and I sneakily straighten hangers on racks when I shop.
I was in Juniors for about a year, until my manager and I were slated to be transferred to the Audubon store. Upper management hated my department manager and thought we’d make a great team to revitalize the juniors department of a store that was 6 years away from being closed for good. Luckily my ship came in and I had landed a job to make TONS OF MONEY selling weight loss programs at Jenny Craig. The day before my last day at Echelon, JCPenney associate 401 marched into HR and quit.
I loved my time at JCPenneys. I was lucky enough to have met people there whom I still call friends. Unfortunately, “my” Penneys is gone now too – it was demolished to build swanky restaurants and retail outlets.
* Saracasm. It’s what’s for dinner.
