JENKINS TWP. - Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus has about 50 positions still available at its new distribution center opening in April in CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park, company officials said Friday.
The company has invested about $12.5 million renovating a 198,400-square-foot building at 400-450 Centerpoint Blvd. it is leasing from Mericle Commercial Real Estate Services to accommodate its East Coast operations, said Greg Shields, senior vice president of distribution, fulfillment and logistics for Neiman Marcus.
Mr. Shields, Mike Schlink, director of operations, and Denise Nazarenko, human resources manager, led a tour of the facility on Friday and showed areas where apparel, shoes, purses and cosmetics will be wrapped, packed and shipped through FedEx to stores east of the Mississippi as well as Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury goods department store and a subsidiary of Neiman Marcus based in Manhattan, N.Y.
"In 24 to 48 hours, everything through this building is on its way to one of our stores," he said.
A job fair was held at the building Thursday and a number of people were offered positions, but interested candidates can still apply at neimanmarcuscareers.com, company officials said. Candidates who don't have access to computers could use the computers at the building.
Four employees relocated from a New Jersey distribution center and the rest of the hires are local. Company officials filled 20 management positions and are still looking for merchandise processors. Pay is based on experience and starting salary is about $10 an hour, Mr. Shields said.
There are no plans for a Neiman Marcus retail store in the area now, he said. Its closest store is in King of Prussia.
Neiman Marcus received an $895,950 funding offer from the state Department of Community and Economic Development to move to the area. That included a $375,000 Pennsylvania First grant, $67,950 in job training assistance and $453,000 in job creation tax credits.
The company reviewed several locations, including Delaware, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia, before deciding to locate in CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park, Shields said.
"When we came through, we liked the area," Shields said. "We really thought the highway intersection logistics worked well. We liked the building. We liked the park."
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