Charleston Reporter

DHI Corp - aka Design House home goods of Mequon, Wisconsin - announced last week that it plans to expand its network to Berkeley County with a $627,000 investment that will create 40 new jobs.

The new location will be located in Summerville at 300 Trade Zone Blvd., a release from Gov. Henry McMaster's office said. 

DHI Corp sells home solutions such as furniture, lighting, ceiling fans, bathroom appliances, kitchen cabinets and more. The project will also be the recipient of a $100,000 grant from McMaster's office. 

“When companies like Design House choose to establish operations in South Carolina, it’s a win for the people, the local community and the entire state," McMaster said in the release. "This company’s investment and creation of 40 new jobs are good news for Berkeley County, and we look forward to seeing what’s in store for the future.”

Indeed, it is welcomed news for Berkley County, which saw its unemployment rate more than double from 2.5% to 5.6% between 2019 and 2020. The unemployment rate for the second quarter of 2021 was 4.0%, signaling some growth, with much more improvement to come. 

"As DHI Corp looked to expand our distribution footprint to the eastern United States, we believe we made a great choice in moving to Summerville," Mike Oberlander, DHI’s vice president of Global Operations said in the governor's office release. "It has the perfect combination of proximity to many U.S. online consumers, a new facility and an expanded port – as well as very supportive local and state teams."