Ringing Registers

Retail sales up 8.64%

by Leslie Turk

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

What a difference a year makes.

Last year Lafayette Parish retail sales got off to a sluggish start, trailing 2009 by 14 percent during the first two months and still off almost 11 percent by March. Sales soon after began to close the gap, however, and we ended 2010 up a small 0.78 percent, thanks in large part to a strong showing in December. December spending topped the $517 million mark, making it the fourth highest month on record for the parish, and total sales for the year were $4.8 billion. It was a clear sign of the parish's resilience in the face of the drilling moratorium.
Retail sales up 8.64%

What a difference a year makes.

Last year Lafayette Parish retail sales got off to a sluggish start, trailing 2009 by 14 percent during the first two months and still off almost 11 percent by March. Sales soon after began to close the gap, however, and we ended 2010 up a small 0.78 percent, thanks in large part to a strong showing in December. December spending topped the $517 million mark, making it the fourth highest month on record for the parish, and total sales for the year were $4.8 billion. It was a clear sign of the parish's resilience in the face of the drilling moratorium.

And it appears that the momentum is carrying over into 2011. For the first two months figures are already ahead 8.64 percent, with February showing a 9.5 percent increase over February a year ago. Sales in January totaled $369.8 million, and in February they grew to $382 million.
- Leslie Turk

Date            Total Retail Sales
Feb-10         $348,790,877    
Mar-10        $427,026,295
April-10      $395,713,067
May-10        $392,280,421
Jun-10         $421,643,265
July-10        $381,829,604
Aug-10        $390,761,830
Sept-10        $420,127,826
Oct-10         $390,628,355
Nov-10        $403,997,867
Dec-10         $517,947,093
Jan-11          $369,759,200
Feb-11         $382,025,400