Retail sales in October again rose 1.2% over last year, the same increase seen in the month of September.
Total taxable retail sales in October were $1.32 billion, according to the Maine State Planning Office. A nearly 10% jump in lodging sales and 4% hike in restaurant sales helped fuel October’s growth over the same month last year. Business operating sales also increased 4.4%. Building supply sales, however, fell 5%, and food store and other retail sales also saw decreases of 2% and less than half a percent, respectively.
Year-to-date retail sales are 2.6% higher than the same period in 2009, with the strongest gain in lodging sales, which so far have pulled 7.9% ahead of last year.