A Chicago-area family with multiple members already working for Mariano's is about to add to their presence within the local grocery store chain.
Six members of the Hayes family now work at Mariano's stores, with floral specialist Leeann Hayes saying the experience has been nothing but positive.
"They say sometimes you shouldn't work with your family, I've had nothing but positive experiences with it," Hayes told NBC Chicago.
Leeann is a regional floral specialist who ended up calling her mother, also a florist, when in need of a position to fill.
Soon after, Teresa Hayes began working in the floral department at the Aurora Mariano's location.
Leeann also recruited her sister, Samantha, to work in the bakery, who will soon be joining Teresa at the Aurora store. Samantha currently works at the Naperville location.
"I have really big shoes to fill so I like to push myself further. Every time I meet someone who knows my family, they’re like, 'We love your sister, she’s so funny," Samantha Hayes said.
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Samantha's aunt is Jennifer, who oversees human resources at all of the Mariano's locations.
"It gives me family pride. Not only as HR manager, but knowing they’re growing and becoming our next leaders," Jennifer Hayes said.
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The family affair began at the top of the family tree.
"My dad started working in the grocery business when he was 15, and it just grew in all of us. Our first jobs all in the grocery business, in our family you either work in grocery or you’re a nurse, and so we all followed in his footsteps," Hayes said.
Hayes added that family holiday discussion often involves their lives working at the grocery store, discussing different people they have crossed paths with along with the fast-paced holiday business.
"It may have started as a part-time cashier job, but it's turning into careers for all of us," Hayes said.
