Yesterday my nephew, who works at a leading competitor for my current workplace, called me with an offer for a similar position where he works. It was for a little over twenty-five percent more than I make these days.

Without even thinking much about it, I turned the offer down.

Looking back, I just realized how right that decision was, on so many levels. Along with the many new hires with whom I work today, we helped open our current store. It would be painful to transfer to another location within the same company at this point. From unloading trucks through to stocking shelves and setting up our “office,” we were all in it. We took lunches together, went out after work together, shared lewd jokes and even got into petty fights with each other.

For many among us, we have made friends out of the people we see everyday at work. How many people can say that about the places they work? For many of us, we enter into a pre-existing work environment: new fish in an already populated pond. We enter into an evironment where everybody has already gone through what we are about to go through. There is already a pecking order that we have to get used to. Opening a new location takes that uncertainty away. It brings with it all the excitement of starting your own business, only, with less worries—at the same time fewer rewards—but the experience is nevertheless similar.

When I got that call that started with “hey, are you happy where you work now,” I knew the answer was a firm yes. I am part of something here. And while we all know that in retail, it’s never really for long, this is one ride i’m taking for a while.