Same-store sales heat up in June

By Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 7/2/2002 12:00:00 AM

New York — Same-store retail sales firmed up modestly during the fourth week of June as high temperatures helped to draw consumers into stores to buy air conditioners, fans and warm weather apparel, according to the Redbook Retail Sales Average.

In good news for a long-depressed home textiles industry, home furnishings were also high on shoppers' wish lists, as they have been since late last year, said Redbook analyst Catlin Levis.

The Redbook Average scored a gain of 3.0 percent for the fourth week of June, a slight pick-up from the 2.9 percent increase recorded the prior week.

Measured on a month-to-date basis, June is running ahead of plan at 3.3 percent above last year's sales level, compared with a target of 3.0 percent. So far, June is running about 1.8 percent ahead of May, compared with a target of 1.5 percent.