The area’s newest Super Wal-Mart quickly is taking shape in Patterson, with the construction crew “working like crazy”, as City Manager Rod Butler put it.

He also said the megastore is getting some company, with other retailers signing on to the center at Sperry and Ward avenues.

As it prepares for its January opening, the retail giant is hiring. Wal-Mart is operating a temporary hiring center downtown to take applications for the roughly 330 full and parttime positions the company expects to fill.

The hiring center, at 11 Plaza Suite B in Patterson, is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Prospective employees also can apply online at www.careers.walmart.com.

Joining Wal-Mart will be a couple of smaller but popular retailers, Butler said. Panda Express, a Chinese eatery, and GameStop, a video game outlet, will open in the center as well.

Several other sites have not yet been spoken for, Butler said.