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BIZ BUZZ
Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.
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NEWS
IDAHO FALLS/AMMON
If you’re looking for a new job, Allstate may be a good fit
IDAHO FALLS – Allstate is looking to hire 85 people throughout Idaho, and about 12 positions are available in Idaho Falls.
“Allstate is doing great,” says Scott Bowen, an Allstate agent in Idaho Falls. “There have been a handful of (insurance companies) giving layoffs, but Allstate is always adding to the force.”
A news release indicates Allstate is seeing an increased demand for home and car insurance, as well as financial advice and planning.
Deseret Industries announced store opening date
AMMON — Deseret Industries has announced its new store in Bonneville County will open March 22.
The festivities will kick off with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9:30 a.m. and the first 500 shoppers on March 22, 23 and 24 will receive free tote bags.
Doors open at 10 a.m. each day, and donation drop-off starts at 8 a.m.
The Ammon Deseret Industries is located at 2885 East 17th Street. The Idaho Falls D.I., which has been on E. Street for decades, will permanently close once the new location opens.
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POCATELLO/CHUBBUCK
Popular breakfast restaurant opening in Pocatello
POCATELLO – When Josh Swain opened Abracadabra’s in Idaho Falls a little more than two years ago, he had no idea it would be as popular as it is.
“If you look at all the restaurants in the valley, no one has a higher ranking on any site than we do,” Swain tells us.
Now Swain is hoping to turn that success into a franchise. That’s going to start with a new restaurant in Pocatello, which will open within the next 16 days.
Swain says customers can expect all the magic of the Idaho Falls location on a smaller scale. The menu and the experience will remain the same as in Idaho Falls, but the seating capacity is smaller.
The new restaurant will be open 7 days a week 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is located at 1151 Yellowstone Ave. in Pocatello.
He hopes to open a store in Twin Falls or Utah in the near future.
LISTEN TO AN INTERVIEW WITH THE OWNER BELOW
Pocatello Regional Airport sets passenger record for 2nd year in a row
The following is a news release from the city of Pocatello.
POCATELLO — Pocatello Regional Airport has the start of a streak on its hands.
For the second year running, traveler numbers exceeded the airport’s record books. The year-end numbers compiled by staff have passenger departures and arrivals for 2017 totaling 78,270, up 16 percent from 2016. The number of passengers taking to the skies in December also soared upward. December saw 6,756 travelers utilize the airport, 12 percent over 2016.
“The figures are proof that more and more people are looking into the benefits of flying to and from Pocatello,” said David Allen, Pocatello Regional Airport Manager. “With the addition of our new flights this spring, 2018 looks to be on its way to breaking records as well.”
SMALL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
REXBURG
New karaoke and dance venue caters to Rexburg’s party crowd
REXBURG – Looking for a good time? How ’bout music and waffles?
That was David Taylor’s idea for a good time, and customers seem to agree. The good time, in this case, is a new business called The Singing Waffle. Since opening on January 11, Taylor says business at The Singing Waffle has been doing well.
“When you launch a business, there’s typically a ramp-up period,” Taylor tells EastIdahoNews.com. “I’m pretty darn happy that we came out of the chutes with 470 people showing up over the first three nights.”
That was David Taylor’s idea for a good time, and customers seem to agree. The good time, in this case, is a new business called The Singing Waffle. Since opening on January 11, Taylor says business at The Singing Waffle has been doing well.
“When you launch a business, there’s typically a ramp-up period,” Taylor tells EastIdahoNews.com. “I’m pretty darn happy that we came out of the chutes with 470 people showing up over the first three nights.”
STATE NEWS
BOISE
Officials: Thousands of Idaho skilled jobs go unfilled
BOISE (AP) — Thousands of science, technology, engineering and math jobs in Idaho are going unfilled each year in Idaho due to a lack of skilled workers, education officials said.
Education officials told the state Legislature’s joint budget committee on Wednesday that 7,000 STEM jobs went unfilled in Idaho last year — double the number of jobs from the prior year, the Lewiston Tribune reported .
NATIONAL NEWS
NATION
Netflix joins the the exclusive $100 billion club
(CNN Money) — Netflix is now worth more than $100 billion, joining a prestigious club of companies with a market value of 12 digits.
Shares of Netflix surged 10% Tuesday to a new record after the company reported a bigger-than-expected gain in subscribers and a bullish outlook for the first quarter. Netflix’s market value ballooned to $110 billion as a result.
That makes Netflix worth slightly more than Dow components Goldman Sachs, Caterpillar and United Technologies and a tad below the market value of Nike.
Netflix is now one of 59 companies in the S&P 500 worth at least $100 billion, according to data from FactSet.
Netflix is also widening the gap between it and other big Hollywood content companies — many of which it still partners with for content.
It is worth more than CBS, Viacom, Sony, 21st Century Fox and CNN owner Time Warner.
Still, Netflix has a way to go before it catches up to the media sector’s largest companies.
Disney is worth $166.5 billion and will get bigger if its plans to buy the studio assets of Fox are approved. NBC Universal owner Comcast has a market cap of just under $200 billion.
The-CNN-Wire
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