A store employee at HomeGoods is winning hearts after turning the nightly “closing time” intercom announcement into a performative moment of cheer and warmth.
The woman at the center of the story is 38-year-old Amber Renae, a former theater teacher turned retail worker.
After relocating with her family from Texas to Pennsylvania this summer — and losing her job as a theater teacher — Renae found herself looking for stability while waiting on auditions and other creative opportunities. She took a job at HomeGoods to stay active and engaged.
But Renae didn’t intend to blend in. On her weekend evening shifts, she began delivering the store’s closing announcements with style, sometimes even singing.
One of her “Jingle Bells” sign-offs has already racked up over 500,000 views on TikTok.
She told PEOPLE the inspiration came from her past: “No matter what job I’ve ever had … you better believe I’m gonna find a way to perform.”
Renae treats the intercom not merely as a functional retail tool, but as a stage where she can uplift people — even in the small, routine act of announcing store closing time.
For many customers and coworkers, the difference is tangible. What might usually be one more background announcement becomes a moment of light, a small surprise at the end of a shopping trip.
Her coworkers say they now look forward to hearing her voice. It’s become a shared highlight.
In a retail sector often criticized for impersonal interactions, Renae’s choice to “perform” injects humanity back into everyday work.
She believes every job — even one considered by some a “small-time job” — deserves dignity and effort.
“You never know when something could change someone’s day for the better,” she said.
