DELAND, Fla. — Empty storefronts in DeLand could soon be a thing of the past thanks to some zoning changes made by the planning board.

Last week, the city made it easier for craft and artisan businesses to move into vacant spaces by changing zoning regulations. The changes grant more flexibility for business owners trying to open in commercial and industrial districts.

This makes business owners around these empty stores hopeful for what this could bring to the city as a whole. 

“Empty stores means that there is not progress, having everything full shows that we are still vitalized and running forward,” said Paul Weintraub, owner of Back Home Antiques.

While the city says there are several businesses that did not survive the pandemic, overall they say their store occupancy rate is still very high in downtown DeLand at around 98%.