Employment in Retail Trade increased by 10,061 jobs or 2.7 percent in 1997. Thirty-eight percent of the increase occurred in Douglas County, due primarily to Park Meadows Mall being open for a full year. The average annual wage increased at the same rate as the statewide average at 5.4 percent. The 1997 average annual wage was $16,359.

The largest sector of the Retail Trade division based on the number of jobs is Eating and Drinking Places with 150,400, an increase of 3,507 from 1996. One out of every thirteen covered jobs was in this sector. There were 8,336 establishments on average in 1997.

The second largest sector under Retail Trade is Food Stores with 49,115 jobs and 1,951 establishments. Total employment remained flat with an increase of only 101 jobs, but the average annual wage increased by 7.2 percent to $21,459. Though the majority of this section did not experience any significant growth, other niche stores saw the number of establishments increase including Retail Bakeries, and the Miscellaneous Sector including Coffee, Health Food and Vitamin Stores.

Automotive Dealers and Gasoline Service Stations added 118 establishments and 1,628 jobs in 1997. The strongest growth occurred in Auto and Home Supply Stores with a 9.2 percent increase in employment to 6,996. The sector with the second largest increase in the number of jobs was Motor Vehicle Dealers (New and Used) with an increase of 479 jobs to 16,584. This sector has the highest average salary at $38,724 per annum. There were 1,336 Service Stations in Colorado on average in 1997 with total employment of 11,233.

The rate of growth in General Merchandise Stores slowed for the second year in a row with a growth rate of 1.2 percent and average annual employment of 40,517. The average wage increased by 5.8 percent to $14,586. Department Stores added 407 employees to average 37,708 jobs in 1997.

The majority of the growth that occurred in the Building Materials, Hardware, Garden Supply, and Mobile Home Dealers sector was within Lumber and Other Building Materials Dealers. The sector added 806 jobs and 36 establishments to average 11,315 jobs and 435 establishments in 1997.

The Apparel and Accessory Stores sector only increased by 1.9 percent to 15,253 jobs. Women's Clothing Stores employment decreased by over 300 jobs for the third straight year. The largest increase occurred in Shoe Stores with an increase of 364 jobs to 2,798.

The Miscellaneous Retail sector added 1,987 jobs and 349 establishments to average 49,190 and 6,657 respectively.