Comps kept a steady pace last week

HTT Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 1/24/2012 1:45:48 PM

New York - Same-store sales rose 2.5% during the third week of January following a 2.8% gain in the previous week, according to The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index.

Month-to-date, January was up 2.9% compared to January of last year, in ine with Redbook's target. Month-over-month showed a 1.6% drop compared to December, also in line with Redbook's projections.

The extended Martin Luther King Jr holiday did not appear to boost sales momentum, said Catlin Levis, Redbook analyst.

"Meanwhile, winter storms toward end of the week, particularly in the Pacific Northwest and Northeast regions, kept people at home and thinned out store traffic," she added.

The cold weather, however, helped improve sales of winter apparel, which aided overall performance, Levis continued.

Sales of discounted apparel and other seasonal soft lines on clearance saw good volume, she said. Retailers are already moving in Valentine's Day and some spring merchandise ahead of schedule.