Kohl's opening creoles 150 new jobs
NEA Business Today
Paul Holmes
10/16/2006
The Jonesboro Kohl's store opened Oct. 5, bringing 68,000 square feet of retail and 153 new jobs to Jonesboro.
The store, located at 2117 Fair Park Blvd., was one of 65 new Kohl's stores to be opened across the nation Oct. 5. That represents the largest store-opening event in Kohl's history; said Trent Rachel, manager of the Jonesboro store.
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl's is a specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and homeproducts. The stores offer both name-brand and their own private label merchandise. By the end of 2006, Kohl's will operate 817 stores in 45 states.
In addition to opening the 65 stores simultaneously on Oct. 5, the company plans to open three more stores in October. Part of a five-year strategic growth plan that includes store expansion, I differentiation in marketing land merchandising initiatives, the 68 new locations continue to build on the company's goal of operating more than 1,200 stores by the end of 2010.
The company began in Milwaukee, Wis., in 1962. It expanded into Florida in 2005 and this year's expansion included locations in the Northwest.
Last week, the company opened a Kohl's design office in the heart of New York's Garment District. The 23,000 square-foot facility, located at 1359 Broadway, is the company's first product-design presence in New York and is expected to open in January.
When the Jonesboro store opened Oct. 5, Rachel said, "Traffic was very good. We've had a good continuous flow of people into the store." Many Northeast Arkansas customers were looking forward to the store's opening, Rachel said. They were familiar with Kohl's because they are accustomed to shopping in Kohl's stores in MemphiS and Little Rock, he said.
Rachel said he was employed with another retailer before going to work for Kohl's three years ago, so "1 know success is possible in this market." The Jonesboro store opening was the first Kohl's opening he has experienced, Rachel said.
Store hours are from 8 a.m.-l0 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.11'L-8 p.m. on Sunday.
back to top