Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-13
CHAIN STORE SALES
FIFTH OF u. S. TOTAL
.7,046 Systems, Operating
159,826 Units, Aggregate
$1o,771,984,03

The rapid strides made by the chain
| store organizations into the general re-
! tail business in this country we're
| brought wildly to the front today in
report made by the Commerce Depart
ment's Census Bureau that their sales
aggregate $1o,77l ,984.034, or 2lA per
| cent of the total retail business in the
| United States, which annually amounts
to $50 ,o33, 850,792.
The bureau said there are 7,046 chain
store organizations in all, operating
1898 stores, or about 10 per cent of
all the stores in the country. Classified
local chain stores number $3.50 and
their total sales amount to $3,547,358,-
285. One thousand one hundred and
thirty-six are sectional chains, with
sales of $2,419,890,761, and 321 are
national chains, with sales of $4,804,-
754,988 Chains are classified as local
If substantially all of their stores are
located in and around one city.
There are in the United States 49,
IT'S chain food stores, according to the
bureau, with aggregate sales of SILL
310,627,35e. In addition there are 81
$50 country general chain stores, with
sales of 81 ,927 ,622 ,967, of which 81 ,oOO,-
000,0 is food sales.
1,44S Food Chains.
In comparison with the total food
group, there are ,448 food chains, OPP
Grating 6l.346 stores, with sales Of
$3,508, 923,2l8, q ratio of 28.5 per cent.
Sales of grocery and meat chains ag-
gregate annually $s,o22,627,SS0, bureau
records show.
In the general merchandise group,
principally department and variety
stores, there are 70,263, with aggregate
sales of $7,140,515,384. In this field
there are 664 chains, operating 1904
stores, with sales of $4,000, 235 ,975, a
ratio OF 30.8 per cent. OF the total
number OF chains of this group lat are
CLASSIFIED as variety, 32l general mer-
chandiSe, 1859 dry goods and 3 are
mail order chains, the latter doing bust
ness amounting to $395.274.978.
The bureau said in the apparel field
chains do 27.7 per cent of the total
business. OF the 1880 apparel stores
OF all kinds, with aggregate sales of
S4,315, 234 ,497, there are 1920 stores
operated by 1,243 chains, and the chain
business amounts to $1,197, 087,311. The
report shows 10 business classif1cations
within the apparel group, which con-
sists principally of mems wear, women's
apparel and shoe stores.
In this group there are 2,132 women's
apparel stores, with sales amounting to
$292.228,825. Millinery sold by this sys-
tenn nets $74,389, 008; women's shoes,
S265, 344,8 57 hosiery, $32, 160.243, and
lingerie and corsets, $4,848,373.
Automotive Trade Figures.
The report pointed out that the auto
motive group, including motor car deal
ers and filling stations primarily, is
difficult to separate directly into indie
pendent and chain operations. Although
the majority of motor car dealers con-
fine their sales largely to one make OF
automobile, the bureau said, all but
1920 of the 41,158 retail dealers come
within the classification of independ-
entS
The 1890 establishments, according
to the report, are operated by 166
chains and do an aggregate business of
$6l6,o51 ,o4s, a ratio OF 10 per cent:
There are 1876 accessory, battery and
tire chains, with 2,048 units and sales
Of $l2l ,055,4 48, a ratio of 1911 per cent
OF the approximately $4,000 filling
stations in this country 30,038 are OPP
Grated directly by 864 chains, with ag-
gregate sales Of 1929 ,024 ,296, a ratio of
1874 per cent.
In the retail automotive field as a
whole. according to the report, there
are ,1S6 chains, operating 33.575 units,
with aggregate sales of $1,377,959,137,
a ratio of 14.4 per cent.
44,417 Furniture Stores.
The report said in the furniture and
household group, with 44,417 stores and
an aggregate business of $2,286, 007 1892,
total of 420 chains operate $3.50
stores, with sales of SAT ,272 900, a
ratio of 1875 per cent.
OF the 1878 household appliance
stores 4.472 are chain units, with sales
Of $191 SAT ,403, a ratio of As per cent.
In the restaurant field 287 chains
operate 1851 units, compared with a
total Of 1854 eating places in the
country. These chains do an aggre-
gate business Of 1898 ,843, 423, a ratio
of total restaurant sales of 142 per
cent.
Out of 22,051 cigar stores with sales
Of $3.50, 284 ,460, there are 2,218 chain
stores operated by 90 chains, with ag-
gregate sales of $102, $3.50, a ratio
Of 24.6 per cent.
Drug stores in the United States to-
tai 57,716, with sales OF 81 ,683, 1884, 442.
OF these 1885 are operated by 249
chains with sales Of $312, ,721, a
ratio Of 1875 per cent