Pros
It is a job when the economy does not offer much. Since it is not owned privately, at least the company can't be sucked dry by a few individuals as Bill White & his family did and then escape without much personal consequences through bankruptcy. It does provide a lot of items geared to people struggling to make ends meet. There are some good people working in the store who try really hard to do a good job despite poor pay and benefits.
Cons
The corporate management does not listen to employees who know what local customers want. They stock items that do not always sell very well. Their management style is confusing and they do not reward good employees. They keep changing the rules. They tell employees they will have vacation when they took over and then changed it to after they have been in their employment a year. Then they say it is only salaried employees. They continue as the previous owner to shift to part time employees where there are not enough hours to perform all responsibilities. I am not sure what the "employee owned" means to the employee.