One day last week, Laura Randall, assistant manager at Family Dollar on Lexington Road had a typical day in the retail store. She said there’s a lot more work to do than just checking out customers at the cash register; it can be a physical job.

For example, cashiers, as well as the manager and assistant manager, unload the weekly delivery semi-truck of merchandise.

“That’s the hardest day,” Randall said — and only two people are usually on the clock.

Huge boxes packed with toilet paper, coffee, dog food, laundry detergent, cat litter, diapers, juice and candy are carried off the truck and systematically loaded onto large iron “U-boat” carts.

“You have to be organized when you unload the truck and load the U-boats,” Randall said. “You have to have a plan.”

She said it’s kind of like working a puzzle.

Not only do you have to load the carts so boxes don’t fall off, you have to organize them so that all the items on a cart are located in the same general area of one aisle.

Once the long carts are loaded, they’re ready to be maneuvered through the doors and around narrow aisles so merchandise can be placed in empty spots on the shelves.

Randall said in between rounds of stocking shelves throughout the week, she breaks down empty boxes takes them to the back of the store; helps customers locate particular items; answers the phone; and checks out customers and bags their purchases.

Randall said the part of her job she likes the most is “working with the people” who shop at the store.

Like most retail stores these days, Family Dollar started playing Christmas music on Nov. 1, and she said she pretty much ignores it now. When asked if she listens to it on the radio when going home from work, Randall shook her head and said, “No! I listen to country.”