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With limited desk space, Krystal Allegretto of Zephyrhills, left, uses wall space to fill out an application that she hopes lands her a part-time job at Tampa Premium Outlets.
Mall job fair draws thousands By Kathy Steele
ksteele@lakerlutznews.com
At 6:15 a.m., the first applicant showed up at USF Embassy Suites in Tampa, ready to hand out resumes and secure a job at the Tampa Premium Outlets. The sight brought a smile to Stacey Nance. “I think this is a true testament of what the entire day is going to be,” said Nance, the outlet mall’s general manager. As the hours passed, the crowd swelled by hundreds as job seekers waited outside the hotel’s ballroom for the doors to open at 10 a.m., for the Tampa Premium Outlets Job Fair. By the time the doors closed — at 7 p.m. — mall representatives estimated more than 3,000 people had dropped off resumes and met with recruiters from the nearly 70 shops that participated in the job fair. More than 800 jobs were on the line for what is the most anticipated mall opening in Pasco County in years. The outdoor mall, with 110 brand name outlet stores, is expected to be a shopping mecca that will be a regional attraction on what was once pasture land, off State Road 56, near an Interstate 75 interchange. The grand opening is a weekend celebration from Oct. 29 through Nov. 1. Details on special events and celebrity appearances are pending. But on Aug. 27, the focus was on employment opportunities. The job fair day brought out an eager pool of applicants, freshly dressed to step right into their hoped-for new jobs. Land O’ Lakes resident Javier Perez said he wants to pursue an art degree at the Savannah College of Art and Design. A fulltime mall job could make that dream happen. “I’m going to apply to as many stores as I can,” he said, noting he sought advice on his resume from his mother, who works as a counselor. Wesley Chapel resident Cherish Suddith is a pharmacy supervisor for a health care company. She hopes to work nights and weekends at her favorite store — Vera Bradley. “I’m a fan,” said Suddith, who is a University of Phoenix graduate. And she added,“I’m used to working lots of hours.” She is excited to see the mall move into the area, and looking to her future. “I think it’s a good thing. It will drive the market,” she said. “I’m looking to purchase a home soon. I think it (the mall) was needed.” It was a battle at times to find a place to fill out an application. People sat in rows of chairs and hunched over countertops. Some elbowed their way to get wall space. Matthew Holleran plopped to the floor
FRED BELLET/PHOTOS
Gerardo Gonzalez, of Wesley Chapel, registers at the Tampa Premium Outlets Job Fair where he hopes to land a management position at one of the new outlet mall’s 110 shops.
by the registration tables. The recent Wesley High School graduate works seasonally as a referee in youth lacrosse. But, his mother thought it was a good idea for him to look for full-time work, as he plans for college. Most of his applications were for jobs at sports stores. “I don’t want to do something I’m not interested in,” Holleran said. Wesley Chapel resident Giovanni Velasquez was looking for part-time work, also preferably at a sports store. “I’m big into sports,” said Velasquez, who is a junior at the University of South Florida. Gerardo Gonzalez moved from Chicago to Wesley Chapel about a year ago. His work experience is in management, but he had a
non-compete clause at his last job. Now, he said,“I need to go back to work.” Gonzalez was looking over the list of outlet shops and mall positions, deciding on his selections as he walked toward the ballroom. He expected the process to be competitive. Brandon resident Winona Beates registered at the sign-up table as a recruiter. She declined to say which shop she represented. But said the store will need a broad range of positions, including sales and management. “You always have to interview more people than you need,” she said. “If you want 50, See MALL, page7A
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Local business adds a little fun at the doctor’s office By Michael Murillo
mmurillo@lakerlutznews.com
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B MICHAEL MURILLO/STAFF PHOTO
INSIDE,PAGE 1B
Katy Gabriel came up with the idea for Squirrely Scrolls after a frustrating office experience with her son, Christian. He now helps design the activities, which come in rain forest and Caribbean themes.
A child’s trip to a doctor’s office often includes anxiety, frustration and tears. And if the child refuses to behave, that can be the parent’s reaction as well. “I’ve been exposed to the long wait times, and the distress of the patients and the parents while they’re waiting for the doctor,” said Wesley Chapel resident Katy Gabriel. Gabriel has experienced that distress from both sides of the pediatric office. As a mother, she knows what it’s like to wait with upset or bored children who don’t want to be there in the first place. And as a nurse for more than 20 years, she’s seen pediatric doctors try to heal unhappy children and deal with unhappy families. It’s a setting that could use a little creativity and fun. And, Gabriel has invented something she thinks will provide just that. Her company, Squirrely Scrolls, provides a different type of exam table paper, the crinkly sheets that get replaced with each new patient. Normally a simple white, See OFFICE, page7A