Jobs report shows business is booming in Lowcountry, across county

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCSC) - Even though the country saw massive layoffs from technology companies last month, the absence of layoffs from small and medium-sized local businesses mean that business is booming in the Lowcountry.

Steve Stanec is getting ready to open Stones Throw Brewing Company in Goose Creek. He’s hiring 30-40 cooks, servers, bartenders and dishwashers. He said hiring is going better than expected.

“We’ve had a great turnout,” he said.

The January jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statics shows the economy added 517,000 jobs nationally. Only 187,000 were expected.

“It means that it’s a good time to be a worker, both nationally and in South Carolina,” Bryan Grady, the Labor Market Information Director for the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce, said.

Leisure and hospitality drove last month’s gains.

“You’re seeing hiring rates for small and mid-sized businesses continuing to be at a very high rate,” Grady said.

He added while there is still a risk of a recession, the current numbers look good.

Berkeley County’s Economic Development Director Kristen Lanier said she’s receiving two to three project inquiries in the area each week.

“A lot of people are still bullish on the industrial developments right now,” Lanier said. “That’s a good indicator in the short run of what we’ve got going on.”

SCDEW said they’re prioritizing bringing more people into the workforce. South Carolina has the fourth lowest labor participation rate in the country.

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