Ringing Registers

Lafayette Parish retail sales still climbing

by Leslie Turk

Year-to-date retail sales up 4.25 percent over 2012. Lafayette Parish retail sales topped $500 million in May, bringing year-to-date figures to $2.4 billion, an increase of 4.25 percent over 2012.

Lafayette Parish retail sales topped $500 million in May, bringing year-to-date figures to $2.4 billion, an increase of 4.25 percent over 2012. May sales are up slightly, 0.7 percent, over May 2012.

"In 2012 Lafayette Parish saw the first non-holiday $500 million month, and we are still seeing those numbers this year, LEDA President and CEO Gregg Gothreaux says in a prepared statement. "May retail sales mark the second time in 2013 we've seen single-month sales of more than $500 million. With five months of sales recorded, we are on pace with last year's record-setting numbers."

LEDA also notes that this year's hotel/motel receipts continue to outperform 2012 totals. May hotel/motel receipts totaled $6.8 million, putting the first five months of this year at $34.3 million, 3.31 percent higher than the comparable period last year.