It seems hard to believe, but November 6 marks three weeks until Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year and (depending on who you ask) the official launching point of the holiday season.
But retailers across Oklahoma are already starting to hire their seasonal workforce to keep up with the sharp spike in demand for goods and services.
Nationwide, big box retailers like Target say they’ll hire about 70,000 people, and Wal-Mart plans to bring on 60,000 new workers, according to Journal Record managing editor Adam Brooks.
“Only Wal-Mart had state numbers, and they told us to expect about 1,300 new jobs for the season,” Brooks said. “Local shop Blue Seven on May Ave. in Oklahoma City says they're going to hire eight new people, which is the same as last year.”
Brooks says he expect nationwide hiring to be about the same as last year, meaning demand will likely hold steady as well. But as more and more people avoid traditional brick-and-mortar stores and turn to online shopping, that means large, regional distribution warehouses are leading the way for hiring.
“That affects Oklahoma in Owasso where Macy's distribution is hiring 1,400 people for its first holiday season,” Brooks said. “Dollar General in Ardmore - their distribution center doesn't plan to add employees, but I think they have kind of a different model”
Doug Misak, the director of the Center for Economic and Business Development at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, told The Journal Record’s Molly Fleming even though many of these positions are temporary, the statewide seasonal jobs do boost Oklahoma’s economy:
“Holiday hiring always has an uptick for the economy based on where the year sets,” he said. “It’s either a minimized effect or a very large effect. This year, I think our seasonal hiring will have a little uptick for the economy.” He said most seasonal employees are not completely new hires, as they most likely have a second full-time job. “Any hire boosts the economy,” he said. “Even though it may be one month, it does have a positive impact for the state.”
PIGSKIN POTENTIAL?
A football league that barely exists wants to bring a professional team back to Oklahoma, despite the dominance of two top-ranked college teams and a history that’s little more than a radar blip in the sport’s 150-year annals.
Organizers of the new United States Football League – the spiritual successor to the 1980s version of the USFL that lured stars like Steve Young and Herschel Walker out of college to play in the spring league (now-presidential candidate Donald Trump briefly owned a team) – is trying to raise money to get the upstart league going.
“The league CEO said that he sees a lot of passionate football fans in Oklahoma, and thinks they may want more action. They don't have any plans to recruit players yet,” Brooks said. “They plan to look for cities that don't have Major League Baseball or NFL teams right now.”
But there may not be enough people or corporate sponsorship in Oklahoma to sustain a team, especially since most fans in the state have supported the University of Oklahoma Sooners or the Oklahoma State University Cowboys for more than a century. Brooks says when those fans do come together, they rally around the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder.
“It would also compete with Minor League Baseball, with soccer - which is growing in popularity in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa,” Brooks said. “And if you look back at the history, arena football, when we had it in Oklahoma City, didn't do very well either.”
The Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz were forced to vacate the Ford Center in 2008 when the Thunder arrived from Seattle. The minor league team ceased operations after the 2010 season. Oklahoma’s original USFL team, the Outlaws, played just one season in Tulsa’s Skelly Stadium before moving to Arizona.
Oklahoma State University economist Bryan Finch told Fleming the USFL could be successful in this state, but it’s not likely:
“USFL has potential with the interest in football,” he said. “But competing with OU and OSU is a quick way to close (the USFL) door. It would definitely have to be a spring alternative for football.” Bailey said he thinks there is a need for football in the spring gap between the end of the NFL season and the start of college football season. “I think there’s room (in Oklahoma),” he said. “There’s a passion about football that based on all our research the USFL can fulfill, particularly in places that have a demonstrated love for the sport.”
The Business Intelligence Report is a collaborative news project between KGOU and The Journal Record.
As a community-supported news organization, KGOU relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online, or by contacting our Membership department.
The Journal Record is a multi-faceted media company specializing in business, legislative and legal news. Print and online content is available via subscription.
