Amid the backdrop of still-sluggish economic growth, a new eatery and cafe set to open near the end of the month in the Arizona Center is holding all-day hiring fairs in hopes of filling 63 full- and part-time positions, restaurant officials said.
Corner Bakery Cafe, a franchise chain started in Chicago, will be opening its doors to the downtown Phoenix community on Oct. 24. Open interviews took place Wednesday afternoon, and hiring will continue through Oct. 15, said Jami Roger, general manager of the new location. Three managers will be on site every day from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., except on Sunday, to hold interviews, Roger said.
Rogers said 10 percent of the applicants seen during the first half of the Wednesday fair looked promising, and most positions had yet to be filled.
“We want people with passion in their lives,” Rogers said. The bakery is hoping to hire some Downtown students, she said, as the campus is adjacent to the Arizona Center.
The downtown location of Corner Bakery is the second to appear in Arizona, after the first site opened in Peoria three years ago.
Abe Imani, director of operations for WKS Restaurant Corporation, the company that oversees both Arizona locations, said Corner Bakery works to be involved with the community. During the first week the Arizona Center location is open, 20 percent of sales from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. will be donated to St. Mary’s Food Bank, Imani said.
Imani said he hopes the bakery will become a favorite lunch spot for business professionals and students looking for a meal after class. He cited free Wi-Fi, low prices and a laid-back atmosphere as amenities expected to bring in customers.
A steady trickle of applicants came to the hiring fair Wednesday, which was held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both Rogers and Imani said they expect more ASU students to apply.
Many unemployed area residents searching for work turned out for the fair.
Marie Hamilton, 42, found out about the fair from a friend who had interviewed two hours prior to her own interview. Hamilton said she has been unemployed for four months and uses the bus and light rail for transportation. Health issues caused her to lose her last job at a 99₵ Only Store in Tempe, she said.
Another applicant, Peggi Rasp, has been unemployed for two years and said she is tired of doing temporary work. She said she was excited Corner Bakery is looking to hire over five dozen employees.
“Anything that generates a job is positive,” Rasp said.
Andy Ramirez, 48, caught the tail-end of interviews after heading straight over to the Arizona Center from the Goodwill of Central Arizona Career Center. Ramirez found out about the job fair from a sign posted near the fax machine at Goodwill, where he was faxing his resume to other potential employers.
Unemployed for a month now, Ramirez spoke of the many odd jobs he has worked to get by.
“I’m willing to wash pots and pans, take the graveyard shift,” Ramirez said. “I need steady employment.”
Ramirez said he has worked previously for Motorola, the government and in telemarketing, and he hopes his work ethic will help him land a job with Corner Bakery.
“If they give me a shot at it, they won’t regret it,” he said.
Contact the reporter at mpado@asu.edu
