A large discount store opened in Madera on Saturday, bringing dozens of jobs with it.
Those positions come on the heels of an unemployment report that shows improvement in the Valley and statewide.
California's unemployment rate dropped to 10 point 6 percent last month. That's down from 11 point 9 percent at the same time last year.
Crowds clamored to DD's Discount Store to snap up deals on opening day.
"It's really good prices, really good," Myram Rivera of Madera said.
"The prices are reasonable, there's a lot of markdowns that are just fantastic," Norma Rea of Madera said.
Rea is excited about the discount store near her home. She's also happy more people in her town now have a job.
"Due to the economy I mean people lost a lot of their jobs so opening up this store here it just makes it better for people to come in and work," Rea said.
A spokesperson for DD's Discounts says about 40 people were hired to staff this new store. In the last two months two other retailers have set up shop in Madera. Experts say every new store generates dollars and jobs for the entire community.
"It keeps the people in Madera to shop so it improves their quality of life they don't have to travel to shop and it keeps the sales tax dollars in our communities," Bobby Kahn of the Madera County Economic Development Commission said.
Unemployment is down in Madera. According to the California Employment Development Department, 13 percent of people in Madera County were out of work last month. That's down one percent from the same time last year.
Valley-wide unemployment rates have also dropped at least one percent in every county.
Shoppers say the recent boost in the economy is giving them a reason to shop again.
"We can buy more things with our money and it helps out everybody else in our community," Tracie Carrasco of Madera said.
