Folding Parties and Other Gap Horror Stories

from Unified Conception

name: Elana Schachter
age: 19
job description: part-time salesperson at “The Gap”
favourite piece of gap clothing: Gap jean shirt
how long have you been working at the gap? Since June 1st, 1994

why did you apply to the gap?
I had been working at Roots for over a year and I really needed some new jeans to go with all my Roots t-shirts and sweats.

was it what you expected?
Well, the jeans didn’t fit as well as I had hoped they would. On the other hand, the staff was really friendly.

how much do you make an hour?
$6.15 (a whopping 15 cents over minimum wage, even though I have experience and have been working for over 6 months).

is the gap what Reality Bites and SNL make it out to be?
YES! We have seminars on folding and greeting customers. Everything has to be folded in a certain way. We have folding parties (staff work after hours until early in the morning refolding the store) before important visitors arrive.

you really have jean folding seminars?
and t-shirt folding seminars. I think that they’re such a waste of time, yet some newer staff still can’t get it right.

what unusual experiences have you encountered with gap customers?
I once had a man come in and ask me the size of the inseam on standard pants. (This is the area where the fly is..) I opened a pair of GAP khakis, he proceeded to remove a tape measure from his pocket and said, “I need a really long and roomy inseam,” nudge, nudge, wink, wink. I almost died. 

how much of a discount do you get?
30% of everything, and every month we receive selected items at 50% off.

why is it called the gap?
no clue.

why are there warped clothing sizes at the gap?
To make people feel thinner

why does everyone at the gap wear jeans and khakis?
These are considered basics, along with any black, grey or white item, and with the exception of weekends when we are allowed to wear basics that are from previous collections. This greatly reduces employee spending. However, some employees only work for the discount and not for actual money. They spend everything they earn on clothing, some must have closets the size of the Grand Canyon.

are you looking for a new job?
YES and No. I actually like the employee discount, however I hate having to wear current clothing, this reduces the amount of earnings that make it to my savings account. I also have made friends with some of my fellow employees. Then again the hours are crap (folding parties till midnight) and the pay isn’t anything too exciting either. A lot of the work is boring and many customers are rich snots, at least in my mall. I’d love just to be a cashier in a pharmacy.

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