Retails Sales Up In Escambia, Santa Rosa

June 2, 2011

Data released Wednesday afternoon shows retail sales were up in March across Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.

The area’s retail sales across all categories were up 7.5 percent — the third highest jump in Florida, according to the Florida Office of Economic and Demographic Research.

The Pensacola Bay Area’s biggest gains were in business investment, with an increase of 15 percent.  The business investment category includes taxable sales includes sales by building contractors, heating and air conditioning contractors, insulation, well drilling, electrical contractors, interior decorating, paint and wallpaper shops, cabinet and woodworking shops, soil, lumber and building suppliers and roofing contractors.

Sales of autos and automotive accessories were up 11.5 percent,  while tourism and recreation spending was up 10 percent.

Consumer durables (appliances, furniture, home electronics, aircraft, boat dealers, hardware and decorating stores sales) recorded a 7.1 percent jump, while consumer nondurable good sales were up 3.1 percent. Nondurable goods are taxable sales that include food and convenience stores, department and clothing stores, drug stores, antique dealers, bookstores, florists, pet dealers and suppliers, social organizations, storage, communications firms, print shops, nurseries, vending machines, utilities, and any “kind” that doesn’t fit into the other categories.

Building investment in the two county region was the only category with a decline in sales, down 0.4 percent. The category of “business investment” taxable sales includes farm equipment, feed and seed suppliers, store and office equipment, computer shops, machine shops, industrial machinery, hotel and restaurant suppliers, transportation equipment, manufacturing and refining equipment, industrial suppliers, paper and packaging materials, medical and optical supplies, commercial rentals, and wholesale dealers.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News