DENTON, Md.- After years of uncertainty and delays, a new Wal-Mart is almost ready to be opened in Denton.
Plans for the new store dates back to June of 2005. However the ground for the facility was not broken until October of last year.
And after almost a year of hard work the super store is expected to open for business this October.
Sean Masten of Greensboro said the talk of the new addition is good news for Caroline County because it is helping a lot of people find work.
Masten, who is a newlywed, said that even with a college degree and experience in construction and sales, he has not been able to find a steady job for a while.
"As you can see I don't have a wedding ring and neither does my wife because we just simply can't afford one," Masten said. "It's really a numbers game. The more you apply, the better the chances of you getting a job. But if you never apply, then you won't get a job. So I am fairly confident in my abilities."
Denton Wal-Mart manager Bill Duffy said nearly 600 people have applied for jobs within the store, which has 300 jobs listed for hire.
"There are a lot of people who have been looking for a job for a long time," Duffy said. "And then there are people who are looking for a job, where it's their first job. We've had many high school students come to the hiring center."
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Caroline County has the third highest unemployment rate on the Eastern Shore
Pam Mcbee was one of those job seeks who applied. Tuesday was her orientation day. It is a day she said she's been looking forward to after being out of work for four years.
"I just feel very, very lucky," she said. "I pretty much begged for a job and said I would do anything. I've been hired as a cashier, which I have done in the past so I hope my experience helps me with the position."
Masten said he hopes with the right opportunity that he also can put his skills to work.
"If I can't get a job in produce or sales, then maybe I can stock in the back," Masten said.
A job fair for the new store will be held Wednesday at the Caroline County Department of Social Services from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Shown is the new Wal-Mart in Denton. (Photo: WBOC)
