New Discount Retailer Brings 200 Jobs To West Chatham

CHICAGO (CBS) -- In most neighborhoods, the opening of a new store is not a huge deal.  But in one South Side community, the Forman Mills clothing store represents new opportunity.

The new location is on West 79th street in the West Chatham neighborhood.

CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot explains what the excitement is all about.

Forman Mills is known for buying closeout items from factories and manufacturers around the world and passing the savings on to the consumer. 

A round of applause followed the ribbon cutting on Friday.

"It's a good opportunity for the people here and me, too, today. I love coming to spend money when it's a deal. Other than that, I hate spending money," shopper Alfred Barnett said.

In tough economic times, 200 new jobs were created with the Forman Mills opening. Among those now employed is Julius Hemphill, who had been out of work for several months.

"Now I've got enough money. I have a kid. I can take care of her. I can get myself back to where I used to be at," he said.

Richard Forman, owner and founder of the retail chain, said it's not uncommon for employees to rise through the ranks.

"It's about opportunity, and it's about exposure," he said. "Now, we've taken people from all of the different areas, moved them down to south Jersey and New York and they become buyers, managers. Because it's a fairly small company, we do a lot of volume, but we'll take people and make them into something else."

Another community will get a Forman Mills location in less than two months. The new store will be in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Some 150 jobs will be created.