Roses Discount Stores: Hiring, Background Check & Employment Verification FAQs

Roses traces its origins to 1915, when Paul Howard Rose opened a store in Henderson, North Carolina, after an earlier partnership in the five-and-dime retail business dissolved. Originally known as Rose's 5¢ 10¢ 25¢ Stores, the chain grew into one of the first major discount store operations in the Southeastern United States, expanding to roughly 250 stores across 11 southern states by the 1980s. Rising competition from Walmart, Kmart, and other national chains led to serious financial difficulties beginning in the late 1980s, and the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 1993, emerging successfully by May 1995.

In December 1997, brothers Art and John Pope, owners of Variety Wholesalers, Inc., purchased the remaining 106 Rose's stores for $15.3 million. Variety Wholesalers itself traces its roots to a family retail business started by the Pope family, with John William Pope taking over operations in 1949 and expanding through acquisitions of chains including Roses and Maxway starting in the 1970s. Roses Discount Stores remains headquartered in Henderson, North Carolina, operating today as a division of Variety Wholesalers alongside the Roses Express, Maxway, Super 10, and other Variety Wholesalers retail banners. In late 2024, Variety Wholesalers also acquired a substantial number of stores and distribution centers from the bankrupt Big Lots chain.

Roses' workforce includes cashiers, stock associates, department staff, and store managers supporting its discount retail format across stores that today number well over 150 locations in 15 states. As part of the larger, privately held Variety Wholesalers organization, Roses employees are part of a workforce of roughly 7,000 across the parent company's various retail banners.

Company culture and employee programs: Roses positions itself around affordable, everyday discount shopping, competing directly with larger national chains in the value retail segment. As part of Variety Wholesalers, one of the largest privately held companies in the country, Roses employees may have access to broader corporate resources and career paths across the company's various store banners. Benefits, scheduling, and advancement opportunities can vary by location, so candidates should confirm specifics with a recruiter during the hiring process.

Yes. Employers in the discount retail industry, including Roses Discount Stores, are legally permitted to conduct pre-employment background checks on job candidates, provided they comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws. In the United States, employment screening is governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), which requires employers to obtain written consent, provide disclosures, and follow adverse action procedures.

Roses Discount Stores is generally reported to conduct background checks as part of its hiring process, which is standard for discount retail employers handling cash transactions and store inventory.

The hiring process for store-level positions at Roses typically includes an application, an interview with a store manager, and a background check prior to a final offer.

Background check timelines can vary based on the type of screening requested and how quickly records can be verified. Learn more about typical background check turnaround times to understand what factors can affect the process.

A typical pre-employment background check for a discount retail role may include:

Under the FCRA, criminal history reporting is generally limited to seven years for most background checks, though state laws may extend or restrict this timeframe depending on the type of record and jurisdiction.

Hiring decisions involving candidates with criminal records are generally made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the nature of the offense, how much time has passed, and its relevance to the role. Some states have adopted "ban-the-box" laws that restrict when employers can ask about criminal history during the hiring process.

Candidates can generally expect to provide personal information such as full legal name, date of birth, and Social Security number, along with signed consent authorizing the background check, in compliance with FCRA requirements.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is a federal law that regulates how employers can use background check information in hiring decisions. It requires employers to notify candidates before running a check, obtain written consent, and follow specific adverse action procedures if a decision is made based on background check results.

Running a personal background check with Checkr lets you preview what Roses Discount Stores may see during the hiring process, helping you address any concerns before you apply. A personal background check can include:

Learn more about Checkr Personal Background Checks and explore your Checkr Profile to see what information may appear in your own background check.

If you're a candidate with a background check in progress through Checkr as part of your application to Roses Discount Stores or another employer, you can check your status through the Candidate Portal. For additional support, visit the Checkr Help Center.

The information provided in this article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice. All information is for general informational purposes only. Checkr does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information and is not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This article may contain links to other third-party websites. Such links are only for the convenience of the reader. Checkr does not endorse the contents of the third-party sites and disclaims any affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article unless otherwise stated.