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Volusia County’s job market continued to show some strength in August with the unemployment rate edging down and the number of jobs edging up.

The state labor agency reported Volusia County’s unemployment rate was 5.2% in August with 13,960 workers unemployed out of a labor force of 267,024, down from 5.3% with 14,227 unemployed out of a labor force of 266,441, but up from 4.9% with 12,953 unemployed out of a labor force of 265,910. The report is based on a household survey and other factors.

The agency reported the Volusia-Flagler area had 230,600 non-agricultural jobs in August, up 800 from July and up 2,000 from August 2025. The report is based on an employer survey and other factors. Healthcare continued to lead job growth, with hospitals alone adding 600 jobs from last year. Government hiring is up 300 jobs, while leisure and hospitality, construction and manufacturing jobs are all up 200 jobs.

The job growth is helping overcome higher prices, especially at the pump and in the grocery aisles. With the Federal Reserve raising interest rates, the Middle East conflict and the Trump administration continuing to raise tariffs, there is a lot of uncertainty that could damper the area’s economic strength.

Fortunately, Volusia has a leg up. As the baby boom retirement surge continues, the economy doesn’t have to produce a lot of new jobs since there are plenty of replacement ones left vacant by retirees. As a place that attracts a lot of retirees, Volusia gets a double boost.

*** A small update on the Aunt Catfish news: The new owner of Aunt Catfish’s on the River in Port Orange, Halifax Catfish LLC, bought the property under the name Arbuda LLC with the same officers for both entitiesPankajkumar, Ashokkumar, Vipulkumar Chaudhari and Gaurav Arora for $3.7 million (does not include parking).

In other commercial real estate news, land for a new AutoZone at 1932 LPGA Blvd. in Daytona Beach sold for $2.15 million. The City Electric Service building at 912 W. Beresford Ave. in DeLand was sold for about $1.15 million and the CES building at 4190 Dairy Court in Port Orange was sold for about $1.04 million, both to an entity titled NM Elec LP.

Jon Gegaj, a Winter Springs real estate investor and owner of Tomasino’s Pizza, has acquired the shopping center anchored by Genovese’s Italian Cafe at 116 Dunlawton Blvd. in Daytona Beach Shores, for $1.525 million. Karen Berger, owner of Don Kiki Cigars, has acquired the beach gift shop at 1310 S. Atlantic Ave. in Daytona Beach, for $1 million. A Casselberry couple bought the industrial property at 480 Old Daytona Road in DeLand for $945,000. Brown & Brown acquired the building housing Moxie Vintage at 114 N. Beach St. in Daytona Beach for $900,000.

*** Some notable business developments include remodeling starting for Las Olas Confections & Snacks, which now owns Zeno’s taffy, to put a manufacturing plant at 2 Sunshine Blvd. in the Ormond Beach Airport Industrial Park.

Signs are finally going up to rename Synovus Banks at 1120 W. Granada Blvd. in Ormond Beach and 4777 Clyde Morris Blvd. in Port Orange to Pinnacle Banks. Merger announced in January. Permitting continues for a 7-Eleven proposed at U.S. 17, State Road 11 and Glenwood Road in DeLand. Ellianos Coffee has opened its new shop at 341 Granada Blvd. in Ormond Beach. Lighthouse Ice Cream added a second shop at 228 S. Beach St. in Daytona Beach.

Also, Hold-Thyssen, a commercial property firm based in Winter Park, has negotiated two multi-year lease transactions at Enterprise Plaza, 2499 Enterprise Road in Orange City, with NPT Insurance Group for 1,054 square feet of retail space in Suite K11, Firehouse Subs, for a five-year lease renewal for a 1,972-squarefoot retail space in Suite L.

Cecil G. Brumley has been tracking business and the economy in Volusia County for more than 29 years. Contact him at cgbrumley@gmail.com or follow him on X @cecilbrumley.

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