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JOBS Willingness to spend means more local jobs By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted May. 27, 2015 @ 5:59 pm By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted May. 27, 2015 @ 5:59 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Retail hiring in Jackson County is on the upswing. Bureau of Labor Statistics figures released Wednesday show 130 new positions were added by local retailers in April and 310 jobs have been added in the past year. Hubbard Bros. Hardware store owner Bob Seus is less than certain the economy is running on all cylinders, but he's noticed customers are opening their wallets more readily than in recent years. When that happens, more help is needed. "Generally, people feel a little better this year, we have seen a difference," Seus said. "I don't know if this is going to be sustained, but we're selling a lot of big-ticket items this year. Some of our larger tractors go for $10,000 to $15,000 and people seem to be getting out there and willing to spend the money this year." Of the 88,722 people employed here during April, nearly 14 percent were in retail, accounting for one in five private-sector Jackson County jobs. The seasonal unemployment rates dipped to 6.4 percent from 6.5 percent in March and 8.6 percent a year ago. Seus said he expects demand to continue well into summer. "Somewhere in March the sun comes out and the grass starts to grow," he said. "From sometime in March or April we get busy, and we're at top force in May, June, even July." With summer vacations just around the corner, travel-oriented businesses began gearing up last month, creating 300 of the county's 450 additional jobs. Guy Tauer, a regional economist with the Oregon Employment Department, said gas and service stations, personal care stores, building supply stores, electronic and appliances stores, along with auto parts stores and dealerships, have shown gains, although clothing retailers haven't necessarily kept pace. "When you read profits reported by auto sales companies like Lithia, you see that people are traveling more, and all these things are related," Tauer said. "Things do wear out. During tough times people put off maintaining or replacing things. So, when they are better, people buy new things that weren't maintained as well as they should've been when times were leaner." Online competition remains a specter haunting small retailers. Gary Pendergast, office manager at Cascade Athletic Supply on Biddle Road, said his firm has remained on an even keel the past four or five years. "In retail, its an Internet world, and there are more and more people out there all the time," Pendergast said. "We haven't hired additional help. People come and people go, we replace them as needed." Jeremy England, manager at Batteries Plus Bulbs on Crater Lake Highway in Medford, said his store last added staff six months ago. "We haven't necessarily added more bodies, but we have seen sales growth," England said. "The number of transactions dictate how many we have on staff. What I've heard out and about is that one of the pain points is that people are so busy (running stores) that they can't find help." Tauer said local manufacturing, which picked up 50 jobs, has seen employment grow 6.7 percent during the past year, doubling the overall industry average in the county. Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at  www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at  https://www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31 , and read his blog at  www.mailtribune.com/EconomicEdge .   By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Posted May. 27, 2015 @ 5:59 pm » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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