Sales in this category increased 1.9 percent from the previous month and 7.6 percent unadjusted from the same period a year ago.
Other categories also reported strong gains in July. Building materials and garden equipment and supplies dealers rose 1.8 percent from the previous month and soared 10.8 percent unadjusted over last year.
Furniture and home furnishings sales also continued to rise, increasing 0.5 percent from June and rising 8.8 percent unadjusted over last July.
The National Retail Federation is the world's largest retail trade association, with membership that comprises all retail formats and channels of distribution including department, specialty, discount, catalog, Internet, independent stores, chain restaurants, drug stores and grocery stores as well as the industry's key trading partners of retail goods and services.
NRF represents an industry with more than 1.4 million U.S. retail establishments, more than 23 million employees - about one in five American workers - and 2005 sales of $4.4 trillion.
National Retail Federation
marketing@alchempro.com
