The signs, they are a-changin'

The incoming C-A-L Ranch store made its presence known over the weekend with the installation of a sign overlooking North Carson Street.

The store will be going in at the former home of the Safeway, 2035 N. Carson St., with plans to open in May. The chain sells ranch goods, Western gear, lawn and garden supplies, power equipment and more.

"It's kind of the first step, letting folks know we're here," store manager Gus Mohr said of the new sign.

He is looking for 30 to 35 hourly employees from a variety of backgrounds to cater the store's variety of wares.

"We try to hire people with real niche experience," Mohr said, adding that he also needs general clerks.

A job fair, planned in conjunction with Nevada JobConnect, is tentatively scheduled for early March, he said.

"We're ready to rock and roll and get going here," he said.

Mohr is moving from Spanish Fork, Utah, to help open the store. He said it's exciting to be in the area for the new challenges and experiences.

C-A-L Ranch was founded in 1959 in Idaho Falls, Idaho, and operates stores in Idaho, Utah, Arizona and Elko. This will be its second location in Nevada.

In a press release announcing the new location, the company boasts of "continuing to grow despite the slow economy," and says, "The company has found that they have what people need when the economy is down and what people want when the economy is up."

It replaced the Safeway, which lost its lease after about 40 years in the location and closed Nov. 23. A spokeswoman for the store said then that it was looking for a more favorable lease but could not come to terms with the property management company.