Retail Intern - Spring 2026

Job Type Internship Description

Why Cheekwood?

Working at Cheekwood Estate & Gardens offers you the opportunity to work for one of the most beautiful places in Nashville. Formerly the home of Mabel and Leslie Cheek, Cheekwood now serves the public as a botanical garden, arboretum, and museum with period rooms and art galleries. At Cheekwood, you'll have the opportunity to explore a wide range of roles tailored to your skills and interests. Whether you're passionate about horticulture, art curation, historical preservation, or one of our many other career opportunities, you would have the chance to thrive and make a meaningful impact here. Working in such a place that cherishes its rich history, vibrant art scene, and serene gardens offers a unique blend of fulfillment and inspiration. You'll find yourself in a supportive environment where every day brings new opportunities for personal and professional growth, amidst the backdrop of picturesque setting.

Internship Description

The Cheekwood Retail Internship offers a dynamic, hands-on opportunity for students or recent graduates to immerse themselves in the fast-paced world of seasonal retail. This internship is designed to provide a comprehensive, behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to plan, launch, and operate a successful retail experience in a non-profit environment. Interns will play a key role in the creation and execution of our Spring Retail initiatives. From organizing incoming merchandise, assisting with innovative spring themed pop-ups and/or utilizing your marketing skill set, interns will gain valuable experience across all phases of retail operations.

The Cheekwood Retail Internship enables students to contribute meaningfully to our Spring 2026 kick off, collaborate with a creative and supportive team, and build a professional portfolio that showcases skills in merchandising, marketing and event planning. Designed for those interested in retail management, marketing, event planning, or entrepreneurship, this internship offers a unique platform to grow your knowledge and make a real impact.

About Cheekwood’s Retail Department 

Cheekwood Estate & Gardens is the 3rd highest-attended destination in Nashville, welcoming 400,000 visitors annually. At Cheekwood, the retail team oversees the operations of two gift shops on the property, The Garden Shop and The Museum Shop, along with seasonal pop-ups and the e-commerce store. From children’s toys, home décor, souvenirs, jewelry, art, and books, Cheekwood’s retail offering spans a diverse audience and has something for everyone. In addition to normal operation hours 9am-5pm Monday-Sunday, Cheekwood retail operates when the gates are open in the evening for various seasonal events throughout the year.  

Primary Responsibilities May Include

Creative Marketing & Design

• Design and create marketing materials: Use graphic design software (like Adobe or Canva) to produce eye-catching social media posts, email banners, and in-store signage for promotions in partnership with our marketing department.
• Produce visual content: Take and edit high-quality photographs of plants and products for all digital platforms and print ads.
• Manage social media: Write engaging content and schedule posts to promote the spring products and increase customer excitement.

Retail Initiative Execution

• Merchandise displays: Help plan and set up appealing in-store displays for the spring merchandise and garden items, ensuring they look great and are clearly priced. 
• Brainstorm and initiate innovative spring pop-up shop ideas to engage our visitors
• Analyze trends: Research seasonal trends and competitor activities to help us make smart marketing and product decisions.

Customer & Store Operations

• Customer Service & Sales: Provide excellent service to customers, assist with sales transactions, and share product knowledge (especially about the plants).
• Inventory Support: Assist the team with receiving, organizing, and stocking new merchandise, focusing on the seasonal inventory.
•  Administrative Tasks: Support the manager with basic organizational tasks and help run simple sales reports to track campaign success. 

General

• Other projects as may be assigned
• Knowledge of basic photography principles, lighting, and basic photo editing (Photos will be taken using digital camera and/or smartphone.) Interns are welcome to use their own camera if preferred. 
• Excellent written communication skills
• Eye for design and attention to detail
• Familiar with SharePoint, OneDrive and able to work on a PC

Requirements

Hours/Time Commitment

15 hours/week for 12 weeks. (January 19, 2026 – May 1, 2026)

Education

Sophomore or above at the undergraduate level, or graduate student from an accredited university.

Areas Of Study

Retail Management, Business Management, Marketing, Finance, Merchandising, E-Commerce, Digital Marketing

Part-Time Benefits

• Membership & Discounts: As an employee, you receive a Cheekwood membership, which entitles you to unlimited admission during regular Garden hours and a limited number of free tickets to special events. Members also receive discounts for classes, ticketed events, and purchases at the Gift Shop. Your Cheekwood membership also include reciprocal admission for named members to more than 300 gardens though the American Horticultural Society.
• Reciprocal Admission: As an employee of Cheekwood you have free general admission access to many local cultural, historical, and art institutions as part of the employee admission program.
• Application Requirements: Interested applicants should submit a letter of interest with their resume, and a list of 2 references, at least one academic. 

Salary Description $16.00 per hour.