SANDPOINT - Around 250 people jammed the Department of Labor office Thursday in an attempt to land one of the 100 jobs being offered at the new Super 1 Foods grocery store.

The store is set to open June 16 - several weeks earlier than what was previously announced, said Steve Furin, store director.

Furin and five other senior Super 1 Foods department heads were greeted with potential employees filling the Department of Labor office lining the stairs and out the door when interviews began at 9 a.m.

The pace didn't slow down all day.

In fact, the overwhelming number of applicants forced Super 1 to hold interviews Friday as well.

Furin, who has been in the grocery business since 1987 and has worked in all four Super 1 stores in Kootenai County, was hopeful he could whittle down the prospects in a series of abbreviated interviews.

This is the first new store he has opened and it is his first shot at being a store director. The store is located at the corner of Larch and Boyer.

Jeff Meredith hopes he will be one of the new hires.

A laid-off construction worker who helped Wal-Mart open back in the 1990s, Meredith told Furin in an interview that he would "do anything" Super 1 would ask of him to get the job.

"If you need help laying out the store, I can do that like I did for Wal-Mart," he said. Furin said Super 1 has its own staff for that but then asked if Meredith was opposed to working nights.

He wasn't. Furin nodded in approval.

Furin also asked if Meredith would be opposed to shaving off his facial hair. Again, Meredith said no problem.

"Thanks, we will notify you between tomorrow and the next 10 days," he said to Meredith as they shook hands.

"Next," Furin said. Short, sweet, polite and professional... but Furin was in a hurry to talk with the next applicant.

The line in front of the office started forming at 8:30 and was quickly absorbed into numerous offices that doubled as makeshift interview rooms.