Tongass Trading Company
Tongass Trading Company
Currently recruiting for the season from July 27th, 2026 to October 9th, 2026.
Tongass Trading Company, is the longest continually operating retail establishment in the state of Alaska. Since 1898, we've crafted one of Alaska's best shopping experiences. With over 125 years of history, we offer a selection like no other - from travel and convenience items to unique Alaskan gifts, curios, and souvenirs.
Ketchikan, Alaska is located on the beautiful, lush green mountainous island of Revillagigedo in Southeast Alaska
- Location
- Alaska
- Season
- Summer
- Staff size
- 60
- Housing
- Whether included in the compensation package or provided at a cost, housing is provided for staff.
- Housing details
- Completely furnished housing for $250/month for seasonal employees. Mostly private rooms.
- Family housing available
- No
- Single occupancy housing available
- Yes
- Pet friendly
- No
- Meals
- None
- Cell phone service
- Yes, most carriers
- Internet access
- Good
About Tongass Trading Company
We sell more than just souvenirs, we provide memories! Tongass Trading souvenirs remind visitors of the incredible vacation they had in the magnificent state of Alaska! At any one of Tongass Trading Company's three Ketchikan souvenir stores you will find the best selection of souvenirs and travel and convenience items, and the most happy, helpful, and energetic staff on the island. We pride ourselves in providing our time conscience visitors the ultimate shopping experience by having well stocked, easily shopped stores and fast, efficient cashiers. Visitors and locals alike love shopping at Tongass Trading Company!
The Employee Experience
Living and working in beautiful Ketchikan, Alaska is an experience all to its own. Even though we live on an island, you will have the opportunity to meet people from all over the world. You will have the opportunity to gain new skills and experience living in a culturally diverse, scenic, vibrant community. Making new friends amongst co-workers is one of the highlights of working at Tongass Trading Company.
We foster a T.E.A.M. environment where Together Everyone Achieves More. Each team member has a valuable role to play in the success of each store, whether it be cashiering, stocking, recovery, gathering merchandise in the warehouses, cleaning up or leading the charge. When the cruise ships are in port we are crazy busy, requiring all team members to be engaged in cashiering, customer service, and stocking. In between rushes or ships it's all hands on deck getting the store recovered, cleaned and fully stocked before the next wave of customers or ships arrive. There's never a dull moment in our high volume, fast paced environment!
Ideal Candidate
Our ideal candidate loves to keep busy, and finds fully engaging in work to be rewarding. They are confident, energetic, and eager to jump right in to help their store be successful. We count on our team members to be reliable, trustworthy, and able to be adaptable and multi-task in a fast paced environment. Having a positive attitude and customer friendly personality makes work more fun for the entire team! All positions require the ability to be on your feet for 8-10 hours a day, some require ladder work, and some areas of responsibility require regularly lifting up to 40 lbs.
Room and Board
Mostly private rooms in completely furnished housing are available for seasonal team members for the low rate of $250/month. All housing units include free laundry facilities, and kitchens stocked with dishes and cookware, full-size beds, linens, pillows, and towels. We have a few shared rooms at a discounted rate. Housing units are no pets, no drinking, no smoking or vaping. Must be 18 and over to live in housing. Our college students will be heading back to school soon, opening up a few spots in housing.
Employee Perks
Our team members enjoy...
An employee discount on merchandise
Competitive wages including an end of season bonus
Working inside out of the rain
Working right next to the cruise ship docks
Small town hospitality
Beautiful nature trails within walking distance
A seasonal bus pass ($125 value)
Return airfare to anywhere within the 50 United States with a completed contract (up to $500 value)
Getting Here and Getting Around
Ketchikan is served year round by Alaska Airlines for the quickest way to arrive. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry system can be accessed in Bellingham, Washington for a scenic ocean voyage to our island.
All of Tongass Trading’s stores and housing units are within walking distance of each other or on the borough’s bus system. Some drive, some bike but most find walking and the bus to be the easiest way to get around town.
For Fun
Our team members enjoy exploring one of the most beautiful places on earth through hiking the numerous trails in the Tongass National Forest, bon-fires on the beach and picnics at the lake. Ketchikan has a library, and a complete recreation center sporting a pool and water fun center. Of course an Alaskan experience would not be complete without doing some sports fishing in the “Salmon Capital of the World” from shore or by boat. Other activities our team members participate in are local tours, paddle boarding, game nights, hammocking, whale watching, shopping and jumping in the ocean.
Current Job Openings
Customer service
Upselling merchandise
Stocking sales floor merchandise
Sales floor recovery
Cashiering
Opening/closing cash registers
Communicating store needs with managers
Keeping the store organized, clean, and inviting
Processing merchandise in the warehouses
End of season inventory
A love for hard work and productivity
Customer service friendly personality
Reliable, Energetic, and Teachable
Ability to perform in fast-paced environments
Ability to quickly switch back and forth between tasks
Excellent communication skills
Organized, Mindful, and Respectful
Quick learner
Flexibility and adaptability to work hours and days as needed
20% off employee merchandise discount
Seasonal borough bus pass to get around Ketchikan ($125 value)
Return travel within the 50 US states after fulfilled seasonal contract (up to $500 value)
up to $1/hour bonus for regular hours worked with a fulfilled seasonal contract
Completely furnished housing for $250/month
Performing store operations of opening, closing, and cashiering
Ensuring floor stock levels are maintained
Assisting apparel and hardline go-getters
Doing mark downs
Communicating with managers concerning merchandise needs, and staff allocation
Supporting and communicating with team members about their zone assignments
Doing the weekly store work schedule
Performing operations training with team members
Keeping team productively engaged
Analyzing ways to increase sales
Promoting up-selling
Ensuring excellent customer service
Keeping the store and backroom neat, organized, and inviting
Ensuring that all company policies and procedures are followed
Performing inventory counts
Receiving and warehousing merchandise
Setting up and taking down sales floors
401(k)
401(k) matching
Bonus program
Health insurance
Paid time off
Employee discount
Parking pass
Relocation assistance
Retail management: minimum of 2 years
Retail Store Associate
Tongass Trading Company is comprised of three souvenir stores that serve over 1.5 million tourists that visit beautiful Ketchikan, Alaska each year. Having prime locations right on the cruise ship docks or right across the street; our stores are CRAZY busy.
Your responsibilities may include:
Skills/Abilities you need to be successful:
Pay: $16/hour with up to $1 an hour bonus
Perks:
Our college students are heading back to school, we have a few spots opening up in housing. Come work and experience Alaska for a few short weeks!
Retail Assistant Manager
Retail Assistant Manager - Store Manager Focus: Tongass Trading Company, the longest continually operating retail establishment in the state of Alaska, has an immediate opening for a full-time, year-round Assistant Manager – Store Manager Focus. Tongass Trading Company is comprised of three souvenir stores that serve over 1.6 million tourists that visit beautiful Ketchikan, Alaska each summer.
Our stores are crazy busy during the six-month summer tourism season, and we're nearly just as busy in the six-month off-season preparing for the following summer. Two days are rarely the same in this fast-paced, high-energy environment.
On any given day in the summer months, you may be…
While this is a year-round position the store manager’s role is only seasonal as all our stores close for the off-season. In the off-season our store managers assist the inflow team with…
The right candidate for this position has demonstrated in previous positions a love for work and productivity, the initiative to learn ‘tried and true’ successful business practices, and effective supervisory abilities. Organizational, time management, and the ability to switch between tasks quickly while maintaining priorities despite interruptions are highly valued skills. Professionalism, integrity, high-energy, accountability, follow-through, and excellent communication skills are required skills for this position. Must be able to lift to 50# repeatedly, do ladder work, and be on your feet for up to 10 hours a day.
Job Type: Full-time, Year Round
Pay: $60,000 - $70,000 per year DOE
Plus Benefits Package:
Experience:
How to Apply
Very limited housing opening up as our college students head back to school. Apply today!
Please email your resume to souvenirs@tongasstrading.com
No J-1 or H-2B visa positions are available at this time.
Contact Info
- Shellie Greaves
- souvenirs@tongasstrading.com
- www.tongasstrading.com
