Assistant manager Anna Allen adds her creative flare to The Work of Our Hands

Two years ago, when Anna Allen saw The Work of Our Hands assistant manager ad in the Town Crier, she said to herself, “That’s my dream job. I must go after it.” She got the job—she was well-qualified. She had a major in fashion merchandising and design and a minor in business administration. Anna has held a variety of retail positions including visual merchandising manager for a variety of retailers, from high-end department stores to family-run toy stores. 

At The Work of Our Hands, she arranges the visual displays, oversees merchandising, and emphasizes excellent customer service. She also assists with social media, online order processing, and data entry. She especially enjoys selecting new products for the store. “I want to make sure customers can always find something unexpected when they visit,” she said. She also wants them to have an enjoyable shopping experience.

And working for a fair-trade store puts her job over the top. “I absolutely love fair-trade principles, and I love working for a non-profit,” she said. “I especially like the fact that we carry product lines that are made by women artisans who are receiving a fair wage in developing countries, so that they can provide for their children.”

Her enthusiasm for the store's values sparked her father’s interest. He is now one of our volunteers.

When she is not at The Work of Our Hands, she enjoys flipping through magazines and Instagram, looking for the newest trends. She also enjoys exploring cities. She hopes to someday tour one of the workshops that make The Work of Our Hands products. She said, “I would love to visit Papillon in Haiti or production groups in Guatemala.”