Evening star., 1949-12-24
Late Yu|e Shoppers
May Lift U. 5. Sales
above 1948 Record
BY the Associated Press

Cash registers in the Nations
retail stores played a merry tune
during the holiday shopping sea-
son, indicating record sales both
in unit and dollar volume.
Last-minute shoppers this week
swarmed the country's stores for
purchases, and sales IN many
cities scared above last years rec
ord business.
The big push in Christmas buy
ing, reports indicated, was IN the
last few weeks. November sales
of chain stores and mail order
houses were about 2 per cent be-
low November. 1913. the Com
merce Department said. But the
Federal Reserve Board reported
department store sales jumped to
a new record high In the week
ended December IT.
A spot survey Of major stores
in cities across the country showed
only one city reporting a drop IN
Christmas buying compared to last
year. The Retail Merchants As
sociation in Detroit said Christ
mas sales were about 10 per cent
less than in 1948. There was less
demand for household appliances
and liquor in the motor city, the
association said.
Other Towns Report Gains.
But no such falling off in Christ
mas buying was reported in stores
in New York, Chicago, Boston,
Los Angeles, San Francisco. Kan
sas City, Atlanta, Minneapolis,
Richmond, Dallas and Seattle.
In New York most stores re-
ported business highly satisfac-
tory" One group of stores selling
high priced lines in mems and
women's clothing said dollar VOL
ume was 4 per, cent ahead of last
Christmas and unit volume about
20 per cent better. A large inde-
pendent store reported ready-to-
wear clothes and finer home fur
nishings took a beating" but said
moderate priced Christmas mer-
chandise went great guns"
This weeks buying in Chicago,
a trade source said, was expected
to send the month of December
up to the level Of 1948 after trail
ing about l per cent or so week
by week until the first Of Decem-
ber.
There was an increase of 4 to
7 per cent in Minneapolis depart
ment store business compared to
last year. Business in two st.
Paul stores was about the same
and better in a third.
Pre-Christmas department store
sales in Kansas City, the Federal
Reserve Board reported, were up
10 per cent for the four weeks
ended December II compared to
last year. The increase for Mis-
souri, was II per cent and for
Kansas 4 per cent.
Boston Sales at Least on Par.
Boston reported retail sales were
expected to equal or exceed last
years dollar volume. Unit sales
were reported high enough to COM
pensate in most cases for lower
prices. Gains were reported in
television receivers. radios. spec
cialty gifts and major household
appliances and housewares. De-
clines were noted in women's ap-
parel. piece goods and household
textiles.
Christmas business at five lead
ing department stores at Rich
mond was reported 10 to 20 per
cent more than in 1948, a new
record. Store executives. express
ing surprise at the heavy buying,
said shoppers were buying prac-
tical gifts.
The holiday shopping season
started late in Los Angeles, but
was reported heavy. There ap-
peared a general feeling Of conf
dence in economic conditions. the
stores said. Sales in downtown
stores were reported 4 per cent
higher than last year.
Sales in San Francisco depart
ment stores increased per cent
for the week ended December II
as compared to last year, the
Twelfth District Federal Reserve
Board said. Sales in neighboring
Oakland stores were reported
about the same as last year.
Two major stores in Atlanta re-
ported business well ahead of
1948," and considerably i'm
proved over last year."
Seattle May Exceed 1948.
One of Seattle's biggest depart
ment stores said sales reached