Evening star., 1953-11-20
Sales Increase
To Aid Revenue
Trade Group Hears
Hoyt Tell How
Millions are Spent

montgomery County residents
do more than SIS per cent Of their
department and apparel store
buying within the county, in
cluding $40 million out of the $27
million they spend in department
stores. according to DR.. Homer
Hoyt. Chicago land economist.
Despite the growth of shopping
facilities. however, the county
should try to capture more tax
revenues through increased re-
tail sales within the county, DR..
Hoyt said.
He cited the shopping esti-
mates in an address last night
to the County Commerce Asso-
citation. composed of representa-
tives from nine business and
trade groups in Montgomery
County.
DR.. Hoyt said his estimates
show county stores pick up about
$27 million of the $47.7 million
spent by Montgomery residents
in department and wearing ap-
parel stores. THE apparel shops
don't do as well as the depart
ment stores, according to his
figures.
Gives Breakdown.
He gave this breakdown:
Of $27 million spent in de-
partment stores, $40 million is
within the county; of $9.4 mil
lion spent in women'S wear
shops. 81 million is within the
county; of $4.3 million in mems
and boys clothing stores, $780,
600 in the county: of $3.5 mil
lion in family clothing" stores.
SIS million in the county: of
$3.5 million in shoe stores, $780,
600 in the county.
Among the factors most i'm
portant in attracting buyers to
regional shopping centers, he
said, is having a heavy variety
of merchandise to offer. He said
he thinks most existing centers
would do better if they were more
concentrated. Surveys among
women shoppers, he said, show
that a variety of merchandise is
more important even than such
factors. as parking and price
levels.
Seeks to Lift Revenues.
DR.. Hoyt has made land-use
studies for Arlington and Fair
fax Counties in Virginia and is
now making a joint study of
Prince Georges and Montgomery
Counties. Describing the prof.
ect. he said one Of its major aims
will be to show how land can be
used to produce higher tax
One OF the most promising
prospects. the economist de-
clared, is the attraction of light
industry to suburban Maryland.
Properly placed, he said, it need
not mar residential values.
An important factor, however,
is that salaries paid the indus
try workers be high enough to
yield a tax surplus over the
county services needed to pro-
vide for the new residents, he
said. With this in mind, he
suggested scientific researc h
plants as among the most de-
sirable type of industry.
AS a specific example, DR..
Hoyt cited the Mel-Par plant
under construction near Arling-
ton boulevard in Fairfax Coun-
ty, which he said will employ
about 1000 persons with an an
nual payroll of about SIS million.
Wants Brochure.
DR.. Hoyt also cited figures
showing that tax yields from
real estate and retail shopping
result in a deficit for low-in-
come workers, but produce sub
stantial surpluses from those
with higher salaries.
After the address, David Scull,
outgoing president of the Coun-
ty Commerce Association, said
he hoped DR.. Hoyt's completed
study would form the basis for
a sales brochure which could be
used to attract new industry to
the county.
He proposed that all major
organizations in the county get
together to study the report as
soon as it is finished.
Installed as new president of
the association at last nights
second annual banquet at the
Indian Spring Country Club
was Hugo Brooks. president of
the Bethesda Chamber of Com
merce.