Rowland: Workers wanted for store at mall

By Marijke Rowland
mrowland@modbee.com

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The new, soon to be greatly expanded Forever 21 store in Vintage Faire Mall is looking for a few good employees.

More than a few, actually.

Forever 21 is upgrading from its approximately 6,500-square-foot space to Gottschalks' enormous 154,500-square-foot anchor spot in Center Court.

(VINTAGE FAIR MALL) - Forever 21 job fair in June drew quite a crowd to Vintage Faire Mall.

Last weekend, the retailer held its first open job fair and hundreds of applicants turned out.

This weekend, the company will continue open interviews from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday near Center Court, in the site of the former Hallmark store.

Forever 21 is hiring retail managers, visual merchandisers, stockers, security people, head cashiers and sales associates.

Company officials could not be reached for comment, so it is unclear how many employees the company plans to hire.

The move will mean the store, which has been in the mall since 2001, will grow to more than 20 times its current size.

Janice Curtin, Vintage Faire senior manager of marketing, said Forever 21 is expected to take over the Gottschalks lease in August, but was unsure how long afterward it would open for business.

It's also unclear how the retailer will use all the additional space. Gottschalks occupies three floors and includes a restaurant on its top level.

The Los Angeles-based, privately held company has quadrupled in size since 2001. Last year, revenue topped $1.3 billion.

As with soon to be mall neighbor H&M, Forever 21 sells a line of fast, cheap, fashionable clothing that copies the latest trends. Most styles sell for less than $40.

The new, larger store is expected to carry its current line of women's clothes and expand to include shoes, accessories, menswear, as well as its Faith 21 line of larger size clothes and Love 21 line of contemporary workplace wear.

For more information on Forever 21 jobs, e-mail vincent.d@forever21.com.

Elsewhere around the Business Beat:

Get your kicks at Robinson's Taekwondo.

The new martial arts studio opened a month ago in downtown Modesto and will celebrate its grand opening with an open house Saturday.

The studio is part of a chain of Northern California martial arts schools founded by Clinton Robinson, an eighth-degree black belt and vice president of the United World Taekwondo.

Close to a dozen classes for children, adults and families are being offered Monday through Saturday. Instruction is available in taekwondo, weapons training, tournament sparring, Olympic sparring, mixed martial arts and aikido.

Assistant instructor Joseph Galloway said the grand opening, from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, will feature student demonstrations, music, free introductory classes and free barbecue.

For more information, visit the studio at 1538 J St. or call 544-1515.

Have an item for Business Beat? Contact Marijke Rowland at The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352; 578-2284 or mrowland@modbee.com.