After FOREVER...

After 17 years, today was my last day of JCPenney.,.

My beautiful flowers from today 

The summer before my sophomore year of high school, my friend Nicole's mom was pressuring her to go to the mall and fill out applications for a job. I just wanted to go to the mall to shop, I was working at a Doctors office part time and I was happy with my tedious job of filing papers. I agreed to go with her and when she got up to the counter, I took an application too. As I was not actually looking to find a job, I was not very prepared... I had no idea what my Social Security number was, so I left that blank and said that I would get back to them, cause after all I was only 16 years old, and what 16 year old knows their Social?  My friend got the job in the men's department a week later. I never thought of going back and actually putting my SS number on there. The Catalog manager called about two week later and wanted to know if I was interested to come in for an interview,...and to bring my social security number too.

Peggy and I

After not a very gruesome interview, she asked me to come in for training for the catalog department. I had no idea what catalog was, or was required to do there, but I took the job. I did have to take trip with my mom to get some "dressy" clothes, after all we were required to wear dresses and nylons when I first started there! I ended up loving the catalog department, I learned how to be a perfect gift wrapper, and me and my fellow catalog employees would have a great time racing to see who could gift wrap the fastest. I still use this gift wrapping skill to this day. The best part of all about my start at JCP, was that I had about five friends from high school that worked in the store, so I never felt like work at all! High school breezed by and they were always very flexible with my soccer and high school commitment schedules. It was the perfect job!

During college, I found the nearest JCPenney and worked there for one year, but I always made it back to Dundee for summers and Holiday breaks. It was something I knew, I felt comfortable there. I didn't get to work in the catalog department always, but I got to try the home departments, dresses, shoes and  juniors. This is where I truly learned about working with customers and the ins and out of retail. Folding clothes, ringing customers, cleaning dressing rooms were all of the things that I learned now to appreciate as an adult and a shopper. After all of the years there, the only department that I did not work in was Mens!

After I came home from college for my student teaching, I realized that I needed something else besides putting clothes away, and that is when I asked Kathy Van Horn if she had any openings in the Salon. She said that she would get back to me and the rest was history. The salon was so different than the store, it was not work at all. It was chatting with clients and stylists, reading about products and fashion, helping customers find products, tracking our goals and productivity. It taught me a ton about business. The best part was, that a customer never left angry or mad. Sometimes there were tears, but luckily they were rarely directed at me (sorry girls...).

The saddest day was when we got the news that the Dundee store was closing. I had just gotten married a few months before, and I was 8 months pregnant with Reagan and I should have seen that as a sign to just quit and move on with my brand new family. But I truly loved my job and I did not want to give it up yet! I was fortunate enough to be offered a job at the Algonquin store and I was suppose to start right away after the Salon closed. Reagan had other plans, and was born two weeks early...not a great way to start off a relationship with a new manager, by taking an 8 week maternity leave. BUT it all worked out!

Ugly Christmas Sweater!

I thought for sure after we had our second baby, Braelyn, that my "career" at JCP would be over, as Tony, my husband, got offered a manager position an hour away from home.  But I was still not giving up! Many times I would get asked, "Why do you have two jobs? Being a teacher full time is a lot of work." It IS a lot of work, but making coffee, sweeping hair, filling product, cleaning shampoo bowls, ringing customers, making appointments, answering phones; that is not the pressure of lesson plans, or assessments, or parent phone calls, or kids that don't understand. It was my "get away" from that part of my life. Plus, who wouldn't want to hang out with a bunch of wonderful woman all day!

Our Beautiful Baby Shower for Braelyn

There are too many things to name that made me who I am because of this job. Patience for retail workers, restaurateurs, mechanics, phone operators, and any other person that has to work with the public. A confidence that with enough customer service, and patience, that you can relate to people on a personal scale; a skill that I use every day as a teacher and as a human being! Problem solving and multi-tasking, the "rush of a Saturday" in the salon will be missed, but I am sure that I will continue to use as a Mom and as a teacher. An understanding of keeping my own money and using it wisely. With my "JCP" money, I was able to pay and keep my first car, to keep gas in that car (so that I could drive down to U of I to visit Tony), to help save for our first house, to pay for our wedding, to feel comfortable having our first baby (and after that, babies), and to save up for our beautiful new house.

The Dundee Salon all empty!

I bet you are asking, "Why quit then, if you love it so much?". Well, a few reasons...but mainly it because it is not about me now. Reagan is to the point that she is understanding that I am going to work: she wants to be with Tony or I. As Tony also works in retail, he has to work Saturdays too. She is having birthday parties, and play dates, and I am having to say "no" because of my "selfish" reason to want to go to JCPenney and be with my friends. So, I just had to, I just couldn't DO this job to them anymore. As I have heard many times over that past few days "they are only this young once".

A few people that I have to thank for this journey! My friend Nicole, for bringing me to fill out applications. It's because of YOU!  Our parents, if not for them, this 17 year accomplishment would have been cut by 5, and they were always more than willing to spend their Saturdays with my darlings, so that I could go and "hang out" with my friends and do a job that I adored. My patient husband, who knew that he needed to be there for me today and came to the salon at 3 when I had to say goodbye to everyone. To all of the clients that we service, because you have been such a joy to work with, and make working with the "public" a wonderful experience for me. My wonderful "boss", Sheila, who has been so patient with my insane schedule and allowing me to continue on with this "hobby" of mine. She is an inspiration to this working Mom of two girls and I do hope that mine end up just like yours. To all of the amazing stylist in the salon that have not only been my co-workers, but my friends for many years. You have taught me to be a great wife, friend, co-worker, daughter, and Mom. You are all amazing at what you do and I will be honored to be a lifetime "client" at your salon now.

As, I shed my crocodile tears, I always remember one my favorite managers Jothie, saying "they always come back... they leave us to try new things and they always come back." Maybe that will be me...maybe one day I will come back. So it may not be "Goodbye, but,see you later"? I guess I will cross that bridge when I come to it.

A brick from the Old JCP