Pros
If recruited and store mgmt. takes a real interest in developing you, you could rise fast, as I did. If your store does well and you inspire, providing local leadership develops and promotes you - the life of Store GM awaits you. "The privilege"; annual conferences were big lavish parties,- if you can stomach surreal culture of rah rah, plenty of other late night drinkers and early am classes and seminars, great leadership training, involvement, exhaustion. Good memories. Good benefits, 401k with match
Cons
5 year vesting period on that 401. After gaining some tenure, it appeared that many of the rising stars they crown and glorify in their first two years or so, were later; systematically beheaded, by making life so difficult in the two years approaching the fifth, that many would leave the company, or were terminated due to something unmentionable- much on the down low. This is my observation and opinion, or suspicion based in part on a bizarre chain of events which made me have to be a hero- my own primarily. This fun played out until my eventual demise. In other words, it became a game- political and messy. Not having had experience working for a huge organiation, this was a circus to me, though this raised in me a resolve to be impossible to sway- they couldn't shake me until I vested (so I had a valuable goal to reach). The masters of manipulation (corporate commonplace I assume), eventually had their way- I learned a great deal, had so much fun and experienced..... I learned business like no other, but it disconnected me from my career contacts in the optical business at large- the network of extended family of independent offices. That was a big problem later. If you are an optician, not wanting to ride the management rollercoaster- don't be enticed by LC for an optician position, you will miss the finer points of the life of an optician, while the strictly profit-margin driven limitations on products available for your patients will make you feel dirty. The mall hours, special events, (in)voluntary extra projects, - will alienate you. The incrementally increasing- often overwhelming demands as a salaried manager at LC was to me, a short term ride by necessity. I can say I did it, and move on.