Was contacted day after submitting application for a face to face interview with department lead. Had an excellent interview, did my research, and felt really good going into final interview with store director. Was not given an offer but ended positively saying I'd hear back in a few days. Two weeks later I did a third follow up phone call where I finally learned that they promoted someone from a different store. They apologized for not telling me sooner.

Following the phone call, candidates who performed well were then scheduled for an in-person interview at the store location. This in-person interview aimed to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of the candidate's capabilities and potential as an employee. The interviewers likely consisted of the hiring manager, a human resources representative, and perhaps other team members involved in the selection process.