![[]](901e02a4.gif){kind=small}
![[]](90000211.gif){kind=small}
![[]](90000269.gif){kind=small}
Retail Trade
| Employment in Retail Trade increased by 2.5% or 8,991 jobs in 1996 compared to an increase of 20,905 jobs the previous year. This is the smallest increase since 1991 when only 4,271 jobs were added. The number of Retail Trade establishments increased by 564 since 1995 and 2,991 since 1992 to average 24,470 in 1996. The average wage increased by 4.3% or $647 per year. |
| Average Retail employment increased from 6,518 to 8,794 in Douglas County. The increase is largely due to the opening of Park Meadows Mall in the fall . Average annual retail employment in Douglas County will record another large increase in 1997 because the mall will be open for the full year. El Paso County also recorded a sizable increase in Retail Trade employment, adding 2,201 jobs. Retail Trade employment in Arapahoe County increased by 1,129 to 46,405. |
| By far the largest category within Retail Trade is Eating and Drinking Establishments. On average, there were 7,994 establishments in this sector in Colorado in 1996. This was an increase of 304. Total employment increased from 142,862 to 146,894. About half of the establishments and employment were in the Denver Metro Area. |
| Auto Dealers and Service Stations increased by 18 units, 1,249 employees, and the average wage increased to $27,811. General Merchandise Stores increased by 5 units, 969 employees, and the average wage increased to $13,782. Food Stores decreased by 3 units, but employment increased from 48,031 to 49,012 and the average wage increased to $20,017. |
| Furniture Store establishments averaged 2,030 in 1996, an increase of 47 from the previous year. They employed 16,967 people, up from 16,455 in 1995. This sector paid an average wage of $21,655. |
| The Miscellaneous Retail sector added 161 establishments over last years total of 6,264. Average employment increased by .8% to 47,204. The average wage increased by 3.6% to $15,424. |
| The only category to experience a decline in employment was Apparel and Accessory Stores. The sector declined by 11 establishments and 117 employees. |
![[00d.bmp]](0000000b.gif)
| 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | |
| Average Employment | 301,895 | 317,412 | 338,178 | 359,083 | 368,074 |
| Total Wages | $4,116,019,787 | $4,451,370,394 | $4,902,638,855 | $5,343,390,532 | $5,715,375,885 |
| Percent of Total Emp. | 19.11% | 19.19% | 19.45% | 19.80% | 19.64% |
| Percent of Total Wages | 10.41% | 10.48% | 10.78% | 10.86% | 10.70% |