Retail sales in September grew 3.2% compared with the same month last year, the Maine State Planning Office reported.
Total taxable retail sales in September were $1.61 billion. Business operating sales, which mostly consist of out-of-state purchases by Maine businesses, grew 8.9% year-over-year in September. Building supply sales jumped 6.5%, marking the fourth consecutive month of strong sales in that category.
Total taxable retail sales for the last three months, July through September, are 3.6% higher than the same three-month period a year ago.