Kohl’s, a large retailer that offers affordable clothes and home decorations, announced its plans today to open 21 stores in 15 states and will be recruiting for retail jobs in Vegas.

The new stores are located in Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The announcement is a bright spot amid dismal jobs news and signals a possible recovery in the retail industry. Kohl’s already has 1,089 stores in 49 states.

Heightened consumer confidence seems to encouraging other retailers. Rival JCPenney announced yesterday that it also is opening stores, approximately 3 new ones, as part of a long-term plan to boost sales.

In addition to the new stores, Kohl’s is opening a customer service hub in San Antonio to service online and credit card orders. About 200 workers have already been hired, and an additional 1,000 are expected to be brought in over the next few years.

Kohl’s also invested in its current store base and remodeled 85 stores this year, a 66 percent increase from 2009.

“We’re pleased to be in a position to create more than 4,000 jobs as Kohl’s continues to build market share in a challenging economy,” said Kevin Mansell, Kohl’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. “We continue to bring customers new stores where they can enjoy Kohl’s great brands and tremendous values. Additionally, we have invested in our existing store base by remodeling 85 stores, 66 percent more stores than last year, to keep the customer experience fresh and exciting.”