Lafayette Parish retail sales through May are up 11 percent compared with the first five months of 2010.
Albeit by a very small margin, Lafayette Parish retail sales broke a record in 2010 when they reached above the $4.8 billion mark. But this year, they are on a roll.
For the first five months of 2011, spending is up 11 percent, or $211 million, compared with the same period last year. In May, the most recent month available, sales increased 15 percent over May a year ago.
Retail sales have been steadily increasing each month over the prior month a year ago, with March the highest month so far at $475 million - which represents an 11 percent increase from the $427 million spent in March 2010.