HAGERSTOWN, Md. (DC News Now) — COVID-19 changed lives around the world in so many ways. Shopping online, for example, instead of going to the mall was one of those changes.
That shift in habits has altered the landscape for consumers and companies are navigating the new economy.
Due to the explosion of online shopping the past three years, there has been more warehouse construction with 1.6 billion more square feet since 2017 nationwide, according to commercial real estate firm Cushman and Wakefield.
Western Maryland and the eastern panhandle of West Virginia have seen a spike in the number of warehouses under construction.
“I don’t think anyone would have predicted the impact the pandemic would have on e-commerce,” Jim Kercheval, head of the Greater Hagerstown Committee said. “It certainly led to a boom in our area because of our location. We’re a hub city at the intersection of I-70 and I-81. Distribution centers here can reach markets east, south, north, west.”
We’ll find balance as the markets shift, he added.
“There are a lot more job openings here than there are people in the labor force. That means we need to import people to fill those positions,” Kercheval said.
Major employers here, like Meritus Hospital, are competing for workers in the labor force.
“Warehouses may be backing off a bit on hiring,” Paul Frey, president and CEO of the Hagerstown Chamber of Commerce said. “There are plenty of jobs here. If you’re looking for work, jobs are available.”