A growing dealer of wireless equipment and communications services is plugging into the fastest-growing market in the state.

Simply Wireless, a Lawrence-based exclusive dealer for T-Mobile, plans to open a store Dec. 4 in Manhattan to meet the needs of the expanding Junction City area.

The store will occupy 1,000 square feet in Seth Child Commons, a shopping center that includes a Target store and is just north of Fort Riley Boulevard on Manhattan’s southwestern edge.

Kathy Gretencord, Simply Wireless co-owner, said the company was looking to tap into the same market muscle that already has drawn dozens of developers, hundreds of contractors and thousands of workers to the area in recent months: the promise of 30,000 military personnel and their families based out of Fort Riley, an installation restored once again at the home base for the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division.

“T-Mobile’s been talking to us about expanding out to Manhattan, and we just decided that the troops moving back and the rapid growth out there, that now’s the time,” Gretencord said. “With the troops coming in, most are from Germany. T-Mobile is a Deutsche Telekom company, and it’s based in Germany. :

“They’re very familiar with the brand.”

T-Mobile already has a company-owned store in Manhattan, a kiosk in Manhattan Town Center. But Gretencord said T-Mobile was more than willing to face increased competition for selling its products and services.

“We hope it’s a win-win,” she said.

Simply Wireless already has appointed two full-time employees to handle the new store.

Mike Hill, a full-time sales representative from Ottawa, will manage the new store. He has worked for Simply Wireless for the past four years.

Phil Williams, a full-time sales representative in Lawrence, will handle similar responsibilities in Manhattan.

Simply Wireless, which started in 1997, has two stores in Lawrence and one each in Ottawa and Emporia. Last year the company had more than $2 million in sales, Gretencord said.