Terminis operated in a way that consistently prioritized control, image, and hierarchy over basic organization, legality, or employee wellbeing. Scheduling was not simply disorganized it was routinely handled with a level of disregard that made it clear staff availability, school obligations, and even age were irrelevant. Working 6–7 consecutive days and well over full-time hours was treated as the baseline expectation, not an exception. Time off was something you felt guilty asking for, not something built into a functional system.
The leadership style from upper management often came across as overtly narcissistic in practice, decisions appeared to be driven by ego, optics, and the need for authority rather than by what would make the business run effectively or sustainably. Communication was reactive, inconsistent, and frequently delivered in a way that discouraged questions or feedback.
The ownership dynamic created an especially uncomfortable environment for younger staff. Interactions with the brothers regularly felt less like professional supervision and more like power being performed for its own sake. Their tone and approach toward teenage employees, particularly young women often came across as intentionally intimidating and unnecessarily harsh, as if respect was something to be extracted rather than earned. It fostered a workplace where people stayed quiet, kept their heads down, and counted the hours until they could leave.
There was a constant narrative about the business being exceptional and unmatched, yet the day-to-day reality behind the counter was disorganization, chronic understaffing due to high turnover, and product consistency that did not reflect the level of self-congratulation. The slightly above-average pay functioned less as a benefit and more as a justification for excessive hours, minimal support, and a complete lack of work-life balance.
What could have been a strong local workplace instead became an environment defined by burnout, intimidation, and the sense that employees particularly the youngest were valued only for how much labor could be extracted from them.
