Florida job growth outpaces rest of U.S.

Bella Vita Italian Steakhouse brought more than fine Italian dining to The Villages when it opened earlier this year at Spanish Springs Town Center.

The restaurant operated by popular local restaurateur Fred Karimipour also brought a slew of job opportunities.

Job growth is a trend being seen not just in The Villages but across the state. Florida’s economy continues to outpace the national economy going into 2024, especially in job growth.

“Florida continuously outperforms the national economy with fiscal stewardship, growth-friendly policies, limited government spending, and one of the lowest tax burdens per capita in the nation,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said in a statement.

The state’s private sector job growth increased by 2.3%, an addition of 194,200 jobs, from February 2023 to February 2024. The national rate grew by only 1.6%, according to FloridaCommerce, an organization that supports the state’s economy, workforce and communities. 

“Under Gov. DeSantis’ leadership, Florida continues to provide an economy for our residents that is primed for opportunity and secure for future growth,” said J. Alex Kelly, Florida secretary of commerce, in a statement. “Florida’s strong talent pipeline and skilled workforce are the building blocks of Florida’s economic growth and stability. February’s economic data is more absolute evidence that Florida is on the right path.”

The state’s unemployment rate was better than the national rate for the 40th straight month, according to FloridaCommerce. In February, the national unemployment rate increased to 3.9%, but Florida’s stayed the same as the previous month at 3.1%. 

The state’s labor force also grew by 2.2%, or more than 243,000 jobs, from January 2023 to January 2024. In February, it grew by 2%, or more than 217,000, over the year. The national rate grew by just 0.7% this February compared to February 2023.

Employers in The Villages area are adding more jobs each month, while continuing growth brings new employment opportunities. As The Villages expands, new businesses are coming online and more residents are moving in, adding to both the supply of and demand for jobs. 

Bella Vita opened Jan. 8 in Spanish Springs, bringing about 120 jobs to the area for chefs, managers, servers and more. The restaurant still has some open positions, but they fill quickly. 

“There’s always an opportunity to bring out some new talent,” said Douglas Brown, vice president of operations for FMK Restaurant Group, which operates Bella Vita.

FMK Restaurant Group has been in The Villages since 2011 and also operates Bluefin Grill & Bar, Harvest Restaurant & Bar, Belle Glade Country Club, Bonifay Country Club, Coastal del Mar Seafood Grill, Chop House at Lake Sumter, Evans Prairie Country Club, Orange Blossom Hills Golf & Country Club, and Scooples Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant. 

In total, the restaurant group provides 650 to 750 job opportunities, positions that include benefits, vacation time and more for employees.

“We are employee-first,” Brown said. “We know if we take care of our employees that they will in turn take great care of our guests, so we try and make our employees the number one focus.”

FMK is not done expanding, meaning even more jobs soon will come to the area. The restaurant group is bringing Victory Family Sports Grill to Middleton later this year, which will create about 100 more job openings, Brown said.

Florida’s education and health services sector also has seen an increase in jobs in recent months and is expected to continue growing. In February, about 57,500 jobs were added in the sector over the year, according to FloridaCommerce. 

Locally, Hawkes Bay Dental Care, a dentist office in Laurel Manor Plaza, opened in November and brought several new dental and front office positions to the community. 

StretchLab is another health-related company that opened in February, creating about 10 jobs, and owner Hema Rupnarain is looking to add more.

StretchLab is a studio for people of all ages, offering a variety of one-on-one personalized stretching services and head-to-toe deep stretches, led by trained staff called flexologists. There are about five flexologists on staff and more positions are available.

“The people that we hire truly have a passion for wanting to have an impact on a person’s life,” Rupnarain said.

More job opportunities are coming with the many new businesses that have been announced, such as 4 Rivers Smokehouse, a chain BBQ restaurant opening in the fourth quarter of the year; Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery, opening in the third quarter of the year; and Club Pilates, a pilates fitness studio, also opening in the fourth quarter of this year.

Senior writer Summer Jarro can be reached at 352-753-1119, ext. 5404, or summer.jarro@thevillagesmedia.com.