Projected retail job growth in eastern Idaho

The Idaho Department of Labor said eastern Idaho is expected to see an increase in retail jobs. The department said in just six years the region should see an increase of more than 3,000 jobs at retail stores, motor vehicle and auto parts stores.

“I have got a pretty good stable occupation. I’ve worked in it for over 30 years,” said Duffy Miller, employee at Dan’s Collision Repair in Idaho Falls.

“It is something that this industry needs, we need more people to get into it,” he said.

Dan Plaizier is the owner of Dan’s Collision Repair. He has 16 employees and hopes to expand.

“The shop is very big and I didn’t think I would ever be able to fill it and most of the time our parts room stays pretty darn full,” Plazier said.

“We have been able to not only maintain our workforce but put on additional people,” he said.

The Department of Labor said from 2010 to 2020 motor vehicle and parts dealers will grow almost 30 percent. Compare that to about a 10 percent increase in electronics and appliance stores. One local store owner says the reason is online shopping.

“We basically match all of the online prices on anything that is new,” said Mike Doggett, owner of Mike’s Music.

Doggett’s shop sells sound systems and electronic instruments. He hopes his strategy against the web will make his shop successful.

“We do have the advantage of being able to exactly show people what they are looking at, not just a picture,” he said.

The Department of Labor said while auto parts are also sold online, the demand for purchasing them on the web is much less than other products. Regions where the recovery from the recession has been slower are expected to have a smaller growth in retail. Those areas are in north and central Idaho.