Holiday season worked out well for Nevada retailers

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001 | 10:51 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- It was generally a good holiday shopping season, says the state Department of Taxation.

The department reported Wednesday that taxable sales statewide reached $3 billion in December, up 4.3 percent from December 1999.

And it was a particularly strong month in Clark County for bars, restaurants, general merchandise stores and furniture outlets.

"It looks to me like a good month for the Christmas season," said Department Director David Pursell. The general merchandise stores such as Macy's posted sales gains of 6.7 percent statewide and 7 percent in Clark County.

Sales in Clark County grew by 4.2 percent to $2.1 billion, or about two-thirds of the business statewide.

The department reported sales in eating and drinking places in Clark County grew 11.4 percent to $376.5 million. And sales of home furniture rose 11.4 percent also to $136.1 million. General merchandise stores reported a 7 percent gain in sales in Clark County to $269.1 million during the holiday shopping season.

Car sales in Clark County were sluggish, up only 2.6 percent, and business at apparel shops fell by 0.4 percent compared to a year ago in Southern Nevada. Building materials and hardware business increased by 7.1 percent.

Statewide, business in the bars and restaurants was up 10.6 percent, mostly fueled by Clark County. The department said home furniture business grew by 9.9 percent, auto sales were up 3.7 percent, food stores reported an increase of 1.5 percent and the building materials business rose by 4.3 percent.

The department said taxable sales in Washoe County grew 4.5 percent to $524.5 million; jumped 13.5 percent in Douglas County to $52.2 million; inched up 1.7 percent in Elko County to $77 million and rose 11.9 percent in Carson City to $83.6 million.

Collections from the sales and use tax reached $218.9 million, a 5.4 percent increase compared to a year before.