FAIRMONT - From shoppers who want another place to pick up groceries in Fairmont, to the unemployed looking for jobs, people are talking about Fareway.

"We've had numerous calls asking about the hiring process, numerous because they can see the activity happening at the store," said Garey Ferguson of the Minnesota Department of Economic and Employment Development business services.

Renovations of the former County Market building on State Street, purchased by Fareway this spring, should be complete early in 2010, according to Fred Greiner, company president and chief operating officer.

"Right now we feel it's going to be about a 12-week process, which takes us into the middle of February," Greiner said.

Fareway's internal construction team has been working inside the building since Nov. 16, making good progress, he said. Its to-do list includes cutting the concrete floor to install new refrigeration lines, as well as painting and setting up equipment, coolers and checkstands.

Hiring 50 to 75 workers likely will take place in mid-January. When interviews were held this fall for the opening of a Fareway store in Worthington, about 750 people were interviewed. The company hired about 75.

"Obviously with the way the economy is, there's a lot of people looking," Greiner said.

He anticipates fewer people turning up in Fairmont for the interviews - closer to 500.

The company is not encouraging applications ahead of time.

"Right around the first week of January, we'll put an ad in the paper with the interview date," Greiner said.

That open interview session will take place in a venue large enough to hold a crowd. Prospective employees can pick up and fill out applications there.

"We'll process as many as we can eventually, and then call people back for second notice," Greiner said.

Most of the jobs will be part time. The company will bring some full-time staff from other stores for management positions. The store manager has not yet been chosen.

"They'll move to Fairmont and be a part of Fairmont," Greiner said. "Everybody who manages came up through our system."

Fareway will be open Monday through Saturday, with hours typically ranging from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Fairmont will be the company's 97th store, and the third in Minnesota.