Two new chains opening in Anchorage next year are promising to inject hundreds of jobs into the local economy.
In an announcement this week, outdoor retailer Cabela's said it expects to "mass-hire" 250 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees before the spring 2014 opening of its South Anchorage location. The store, a 100,000-square foot operation, will be located near the intersection of W. 104th Avenue and C Street.
The company said it hopes to draw most of the new hires from Anchorage and surrounding areas.
Meanwhile, restaurant Texas Roadhouse announced Wednesday plans to hire 150 full- and part-time employees for its store in the Tikahtnu Commons shopping center. The restaurant is slated to open in February 2014, and construction began in the fall.
A claustrophobic labor market will greet the hiring efforts for both businesses. In October, Anchorage's unemployment rate measured at 4.7 percent, a slight uptick from September but still well below the national average of 7 percent, according to the most recent employment report from the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation.
Federal statistics show fewer than 7,000 people actively seeking work in the area.
"We view this as more of a 'labor puddle' than a labor pool," said Bill Popp, director of the Anchorage Economic Development Corporation.
Popp said the corporation advised both companies to post job applications as early as possible.
Reach Devin Kelly at dkelly@adn.com or 257-4314.
By DEVIN KELLY