With the new Kohl’s location in Bend scheduled to open on March 3, newly hired managers at the store are sorting through piles of applications in an effort to hire more than 100 new employees.

About 20 management-level Kohl’s staffers are working their first week on the job, said Sonny Pooni, Kohl’s district manager for Oregon and Vancouver, Wash. The company received about 1,000 applications online and over the phone, and Pooni said they plan to interview more than 200 people a day at a job fair being held this week at the Shilo Inn Suites Hotel on O.B. Riley Road in Bend.

The Kohl’s store will be located in the Bend River Promenade at 3188 N. U.S. Highway 97.

More applications — about 45 on Sunday and more than that on Monday — continue to roll in.

“The application flow is good,” Pooni said.

The department store management will hire more than 100 full- or part-time employees for positions ranging from cashiers, customer service representatives, merchandise stockers, truck unloaders and others.

Pooni said that whether new employees receive full-time or part-time positions will depend on their experience.

All of the employees, whether they’re part time or full time, will have access to Kohl’s employees benefits, such as health insurance and the employee discount, Pooni said.

People lined up around the corner of the Shilo Inn on Sunday, the first day of the job fair, to drop off applications and interview with Kohl’s managers. And the job fair remained busy on Monday.

Derek Moore, 18, of Prineville, is looking for his first job away from the farm that he grew up on. Because he has experience working on a ranch, Moore thought night work unloading freight would be a good fit for him.

“The way the economy is right now, I’m just trying to find work where I can,” Moore said.

Jim Kerr, 64, moved to Oregon from California about four years ago to retire, but took a job at Brasada Ranch more than two years ago because he got tired of retirement. He was laid off from Brasada two months ago.

“I’m just looking for something to keep me interested,” Kerr said.

Kohl’s job fair

Shilo Inn Suites Hotel, 3105 O.B. Riley Road, Bend

Today: 12:15 to 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday: 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday: 12:15 to 7:30 p.m.