Cookeville’s Retail Growth Highlights Strength of Local Workforce

Cookeville is preparing for a significant addition to its retail landscape as Home Depot and Target prepare to open at The Willows in October, bringing hundreds of new positions to the local labor market.

Home Depot is scheduled to open Oct. 8, followed by Target on Oct. 11. Target alone is expected to employ more than 150 people, adding a substantial number of new retail opportunities for workers in Cookeville and throughout the surrounding region.

The Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce says the local workforce is positioned to support the new businesses. Chamber President and CEO Amy New pointed to Tennessee Tech as an important source of workers, particularly because of the university's large student population. Workers from throughout the Upper Cumberland are also contributing to the labor pool, including people who were recently displaced by the closure of the Perdue plant in Monterey and the O'Charley's location on Interstate Drive.

The new retailers have also attracted workers from communities outside Putnam County, including Fentress and Van Buren counties. While many of the available positions are part-time jobs that can appeal to high school and college students, the openings also include full-time and management positions.

According to the Chamber, Target and Home Depot were already nearly fully staffed as their openings approached, with relatively few employees leaving other local retail businesses to take the new positions. That suggests the new stores are adding opportunities without creating a major disruption for existing employers.

The growth at The Willows also demonstrates the importance of having a workforce that can support new businesses as they enter a community. Employers need access to reliable workers across a range of positions, while job seekers benefit when new businesses create additional opportunities close to home.

Workforce Connections helps employers and job seekers across the Upper Cumberland navigate those workforce needs. Through business services, recruitment assistance, training programs and American Job Center resources, Workforce Connections works to connect businesses with talent and individuals with career opportunities.

As Cookeville continues to attract major retailers and other businesses, the ability of the local workforce to support that growth will remain an important part of the region’s economic development.