Summer tourism impacted the gain in Retail Trade employment pushing it up 2.3% and adding 8448 employees. Eating & Drinking (58) establishments newly opened and hiring for the tourist season accounted for more than half of the industry gain up 4821 employees. Employment in General Merchandise (53) grew by 1327. Half of its gain resulted from the opening of two new department stores at the park Meadows Mall in Douglas county. The remainder of the gain was due to store expansions and some temporary hiring. Misc Retail (59) grew by 728 employees. Sporting goods and bicycle shops and gift and souvenir shops generated the bulk of new employees due to its nature of high seasonal summer employment. Food Stores (54) added 707 employees. One new store opened in Denver county while many existing stores beefed-up staff for the summer. Building Materials- Garden (52) dropped by 390 employees following its second quarter high when nurseries, lumber, lawn and garden stores peak.
ANNUAL
Retail Trade increased 2.6% over a year ago adding 9547 employees. Eating & Drinking (58), up 3586 employees, experienced the largest sector gain. Increases were balanced between Metro Denver and the Balance of State. Misc Retail (53) which includes department stores added 1696 employees. The opening of Park Meadows Mall in Douglas county and a number of new department stores contributed a majority of the employment growth. The third largest increase in Retail Trade occurred in Auto Dealers-Service Stations (55) up 1621 employees. SIC changes in January added over 500 to the sector. Some questionable employment increases by firms in gas stations and auto supply stores accounted for about 400 of the gain. Auto dealerships covering both new and used vehicles grew by 414 employees due to staff expansions. Apparel & Accessories (56) was the only sector to decline over the year losing 117 workers. Large losses occurred in women’s apparel when a chain closed its stores in the state. Losses were offset by the opening of five chain shoe stores.
Colorado Employment and Wages (ES202) Third Quarter 1997
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