Whatcom County retailers posted strong sales numbers at the beginning of 2012, particularly outside of Bellingham.
Overall retail sales in Whatcom County totaled $716.1 million in the first quarter of 2012, up 8.9 percent compared to the same period last year, according to newly released data from the Washington State Department of Revenue. Retail trade, which focuses on sales that took place in stores, was up 7.2 percent compared to a year earlier.
Whatcom County outperformed the state average in terms of retail sales growth, according to the data. Overall retail sales in Washington totaled $24.1 billion in the first quarter, up 4.7 percent from a year earlier. Retail trade statewide increased 4.2 percent to $11.1 billion.
While Bellingham dominates when it comes to total sales, other Whatcom communities posted significant year-over-year increases, particularly near the border. Blaine, Sumas and Lynden each had double-digit percentage increases in retail trade in the first three months of 2012.
The rise in the number of Canadian shoppers continues to play a big role, but other factors are also in play, said Gary Vis, executive director of the Lynden Chamber of Commerce. First quarter store sales in Lynden jumped 10 percent compared to a year earlier.
He?s noticed more residents that had been holding off on purchases are now replacing some bigger-ticket retail items. Also, Lynden has experienced stronger residential home sales recently, and new home purchases usually means other purchases like furniture.
?It?s not going gang-busters up here, but many businesses seem pleased, especially when they compare sales to 2010 rather than 2006 or 2007 (before the recession),? Vis said.
Canadian traffic has hit a consistent level that is now sustaining the retail sales growth, said Ken Oplinger, president of the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
?It won?t last forever, but signs indicate that it isn?t going to change for the foreseeable future,? Oplinger said.
With the Canadian dollar remaining strong for such a long period, it?s starting to finally impact the north part of Whatcom County.
?When you talk to retailers on the border, they are seeing Canadians doing more strategic shopping,? Oplinger said. ?They are doing more than just filling up for gas.?
In Bellingham, business and occupation tax revenue for the first six months of 2012 is up 7 percent compared to last year, a sign that sales are also better in other non-retail industries such as the service sector, said John Carter, the city?s finance director. While city government revenue is up slightly more than budgeted in 2012, Carter doesn?t yet see signs of much growth in 2013 and 2014, so the department will continue to budget conservatively.
Whatcom?s general merchandise category, which includes big-box stores, continued to dominate retail trade. Those stores pulled in $89.6 million in the first quarter, an 8 percent increase compared to a year earlier.
Growth took place in a variety of categories in the past year, including electronics/appliances (up 9.5 percent), building material (up 6.4 percent) and clothing/jewelry (up 4.3 percent). Hotels and restaurants also posted strong sales numbers, rising 9.4 percent.
RETAIL SALES BY COMMUNITY
A look at how selected communities fared in overall retail sales and retail trade (sales that took place in stores) in the first quarter of 2012, and the percent change from the first quarter of 2011:
Whatcom County: $716.1 million, up 8.9 percent. Retail trade: $345.6 million, up 7.2 percent.
Bellingham: $474.3 million, up 6.2 percent. Retail trade: $264.5 million, up 5.5 percent.
Blaine: $27.1 million, up 19.8 percent. Retail trade: $10.6 million, up 26.2 percent.
Everson: $4.6 million, up 1.7 percent. Retail trade: $1.8 million, up 2.4 per-cent.
Ferndale: $36 million, up 16.3 percent. Retail trade: $13.7 million, up 7.2 per-cent.
Lynden: $44.2 million, up 13.9 percent. Retail trade: $19.6 million, up 10 per-cent.
Nooksack: $1.6 million, up 14.7 percent. Retail trade: $0.7 million, up 8.5 per-cent.
Sumas: $4.6 million, up 28.6 percent. Retail trade: $2.5 million, up 38.9 per-cent.
Unincorporated Whatcom County: $123.7 million, up 13.2 percent. Retail trade: $32.1 million, up 13.5 percent.
SOURCE: WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF REVE-NUE
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