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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As a new Cash Saver grocery in South Memphis holds a job fair, locals see the job opportunity as a beacon of hope for residents.

Tuesday, more than 100 job seekers lined the Southgate Shopping Center on South Third Street in hopes of getting a job at the Cash Saver, located where a Kroger recently closed. Some got in line hours early.

“We thought it’d be a crowd, but not as many as this,” store manager Jeff Hoker said. “We’re having it for two days. We thought maybe 200, but this exceeded that.”

Tevin Ursery, who has a family of three and was applying for a job, said a new grocery in the neighborhood was important because locals often don’t have transportation to get to jobs further away.

“It’s an important event for our community because every job opportunity is further out,” Ursery said. “Here it’s like people don’t have reliable transportation every day, so for something to be close like this in our community is actually helping us instead of hurting us.”

Despite waiting in line for more than an hour Ursery believes the possible job opportunity could really provide him and his family a new beginning.

“I can be able to do things that I want to do, and create an opportunity for me and my family,” Ursery said.

Many of the job seekers had to face high heat before even getting through the doors.

Others in line, like Romello Ware, said being able to find a job in the area is difficult. That’s why people were lined up for the opportunity Tuesday.

Ursery and other job seekers said it would be nice to see more companies provide job opportunities in the area.

The new Cash Saver will have a soft launch the first week of August.