Pros
The Container Store always makes Fortune's 'Top 100 Companies to Work For' list, and it's well-deserved. If you are going to work in retail, this should be your mecca. It's prestigious for good reason. Most full-time employees (Sales or Visual), really feel like they're part of a caring family. Many companies may say that they have a family atmosphere in the workplace, but none of them make the grade. The optimistic company culture that TCS manages to instill into it's employees in mind-blowing. TCS says they only hire the best - statistically they hire only around 10% of the candidates that they interview. If you can make the leap to Middle- or Upper- (store-level) management, your peers will be competent, resourceful, and overall POSITIVE, something I have yet to encounter at another employer. You can also look forward to a full 2 weeks of ongoing training every year, which has some great upsides. People that stick around learn all aspects of the business. You could swap any seasoned full-time employee with the GM for a day and things would probably run pretty smoothly. The benefits offered are also great, dollar-for-dollar 401K matching, paid vacations, etc. The dress code (or lack thereof) is nice; no suit required, even district managers come to work in a T-Shirt and Jeans. Also, you can definitely advance quickly if you work hard and persevere, not that you'll get paid for those promotion, but I digress...
Kontras
The hiring process is grueling - If you're looking for a full-time position, you can expect: a group interview, followed by two or three 1-on-1 interviews, followed by an interview with a General Manager, followed by a drug test, followed by an offer. And good luck finding a full-time opening advertised, TCS prefers to hire part-time (or 'prime-timers' as they call it) and make you earn your salt. And that's just fine, unless you want to be able to pay your rent. Also, the aforementioned company culture can get to be a bit much. Sometimes positivity prevails good business sense, and this might become aggravating to like-minded ambitious coworkers who want to see the company succeed, not wear a rubber bracelet that says, "Front and Straighten" (not joking!). Additionally, in late 2008 word came down the pipeline that a company-wide 'raise-freeze' was going into effect and would stay in place until the economy stabilized; which gives you no reason to work hard at what you do as you know you'll never get the raise you deserve. Lastly, it doesn't matter who you are (prime-time, full-time, sales, visual, manager, AC, IC, GM, whoever), get ready to clean the bathrooms each and every night. TCS does not outsource bathroom cleaning - I am not joking. Enjoy your daily dose of humility, as everyone pitches-in to keep the TCS family afloat.