Hundreds seek jobs at new Carrollwood burger joint
By MICHELE SAGER | The Tampa Tribune
Job seekers hungry for employment are hoping a new burger restaurant will bring opportunity in a bleak economy.
Hundreds have flocked to the new Carrollwood restaurant BurgerMonger the past two days seeking to land the 32 positions. The restaurant, opening May 21, is holding a job fair this week.
Applicants wrapped around the building Monday morning, long before the store opened its doors.
“I was shocked when I arrived and saw all the people,” said Melissa De Oleo, a recently hired employee who helped with the job fair. “I had no idea they were all here for jobs.”
The restaurant received more than 500 applications the first day. Applicant Ben Shinn had to return Tuesday to apply because the line was too long.
“This is typical out there,” said Shinn, who has looked for work the past two months. “Sixty to 70 people show up for every open job out there. People are taking whatever they can get.”
Applicant Jeremy Honaker has a job cooking at a nursing home but wants something full time.
“No one wants to hire full time; so even if you’ve got a job you still are always looking for a better one,” he said.
Jake Hickton, general partner for BurgerMonger, is hoping the restaurant can be good for the Carrollwood area for many reasons. He said they already added more jobs based on initial interest in the restaurant.
He also hopes to help his surrounding business neighbors.
“I think restaurants are good for retail in general,” he said. “They bring a new visibility to the area. I know the retail in this shopping center is excited about our opening.”
In fact, Hickton is counting on some help from the masters of burgers, McDonald’s. His place is next to the Golden Arches, but doesn’t seem it as rival.
“I think they bring visibility and traffic to the area and we offer a different type of product,” he said.
BurgerMonger, at 10412 N. Dale Mabry Highway, offers made-to-order burgers that come from Akaushi beef. The store will host two more days of interviews Wednesday and Thursday from10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 to 7 p.m. Applicants should come prepared to interview.
Hired employees will begin training this weekend. For information, visit www.burgermonger.com.