Additionally, we generated $196 million in cash from operations for the year-to-date period, increased our company-owned store footprint with an acquisition, paid dividend, and ended the quarter with no borrowings outstanding on our credit line.
Across the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries network, written same-store sales increased 34%, demonstrating the strength of our band and its appeal to consumers during uncertain times as well as the ability of our store teams across the network to provide a safe shopping experience for consumers.
For the quarter, our backlog grew to record levels, but delivered sales declined 2% to $343 million.
This was primarily the result of lower delivery unit volume as our ongoing efforts to significantly increase our production capacity to meet demand were offset by a temporary supply shortage of foam, which reduced sales by more than 2%.
However, even with a decline in sales non-GAAP operating margin increased to 12.2%, reflecting tight cost controls with ongoing cost savings projects roughly offsetting investments in our start-up capacity ramping.
Our current backlog for the La-Z-Boy branded business is 5 times what it was at the end of Q2 last year and we are quoting lead times of 16 weeks to 26 weeks depending on product category, which also include an estimate of the delivery time to the ultimate customer.
And finally, we signed a lease on a 200,000 square-foot facility in Mexico just south of Yuma, Arizona, in San Luis Rio Colorado.
Once all of these operations are producing at expected capacity likely later in our fiscal year, these moves will significantly increase our capabilities and capacity to support long-term growth.
While it peaked during that time, today our [Indecipherable] e-comm business remains up some 300% versus pre-pandemic levels, concurrent with an increase in store traffic and sales.
One of our objectives is to increase consideration among a new generation of consumers, 35 year old to 44 year old, which we view as our opportunity customers.
At the same time we want to ensure our marketing campaign continues to resonate with our core 45 year old to 65 year old customers, who have more disposable income and tend to purchase furniture at higher price points.
For the quarter, delivered sales increased 9% to $162 million and written same-store sales for the company-owned La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores increased 36%, reflecting strong traffic trends and demand as well as stellar execution at store level, including an increase in conversion and average ticket driven by increased units and more design sales.
For the period, delivered same-store sales for the core base of 150 stores increased 6.3%.
Non-GAAP operating margin for the segment improved to 9.4% from 5.8% in last year's comparable quarter resulting from fixed-cost leverage on a higher delivered sales volume, lower spending on marketing due to the already strong demand environment and reduced expenses including travel related spending due to COVID.
Also during the quarter, in September, we completed the acquisition of six Seattle-based La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores, which had approximately $30 million in annual retail sales in calendar '19 and one distribution center.
As the company is already recording a portion of the Seattle-based store volume in its Wholesale segment, the acquisition of these six stores is expected to contribute approximately $15 million of additional sales annually to the company on a consolidated basis, based on their calendar year 2019 sales.
For the current second quarter, they added $3.5 million of sales to our retail volume segment.
Sales for the second quarter, which are reported in corporate and other, increased 42% to $29 million.
Written sales increased 25% in the quarter, reflecting the ongoing strong demand trends that we are seeing across all of our businesses.
We believe Joybird is on a run rate to be a $90 million to $100 million business this fiscal year and expect it will be profitable for the full year.
Last year's second quarter non-GAAP results exclude a pre-tax charge of $2.8 million, or $0.04 per diluted share related to the company's supply chain optimization initiative, which included the closure of our Redlands, California facility and relocation of our Newton, Mississippi leather cut-and-sew operation, a pre-tax purchase accounting charge of $1.6 million, or $0.03 per diluted share primarily related to Joybird and pre-tax income of $1.9 million, or $0.03 per diluted share related to the 2019 termination of the company's defined benefit pension plan.
On a consolidated basis, fiscal '21 second quarter sales increased 2.7% to $459 million, reflecting record demand across all businesses.
Consolidated non-GAAP operating income increased to $51 million versus $34 million in last year's quarter and consolidated non-GAAP operating margin increased to 11.1% versus 7.5%.
Non-GAAP earnings per share was $0.82 per diluted share in the current year quarter versus $0.52 in last year's second quarter.
Consolidated gross margin for the second quarter increased 240 basis points.
SG&A as a percent of sales decreased 120 basis points, reflecting ongoing expense management, a decrease in advertising spend given strong order rates, reduced spending including travel and limited furniture market events due to COVID-19 related restrictions and a decline in salaries and wages related to our business realignment plan, including the 10% reduction in force announced in June.
On a GAAP basis, our effective tax rate for fiscal '21 second quarter was 26% versus 26.6% in last year's second quarter.
Our effective tax rate varies from the 21% federal statutory rate, primarily due to state taxes.
For the full fiscal 2021, absent discrete items, we continue to estimate our effective tax rate on a GAAP basis, will be in the range of 25% to 26%.
Turning to cash, year-to-date we generated $196 million in cash from operating activities, reflecting strong operating performance and $100 million increase in customer deposits from written orders for the company's retail segment and Joybird.
We ended the period with $353 million in cash, nearly triple the $120 million in cash at the end of last year's second quarter.
In addition, we held $27 million in investments to enhance returns on cash, compared with $33 million last year.
During the quarter, we repaid the $50 million remaining balance on our credit line drawn back in March in conjunction with our COVID-19 action plan.
Year-to-date, we have invested $15 million in capital, primarily related to machinery and equipment, upgrades to our Dayton manufacturing facility, which have now been completed, and investments in our retail stores.
We expect capital expenditures to be in the range of $40 million to $45 million for fiscal 2021, although spending will be largely dependent on economic conditions, continued business recovery, and liquidity trends.
Also during the quarter, given solid business trends and our strong cash position, we reinstated our 401(k) match for employees, as well as full salaries for remaining senior management, thereby reinstating all ongoing cash uses for operations that were temporarily suspended as part of our COVID-19 action plan.
Yesterday, our Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per share, restoring the dividend to the full amount that was in place prior to the pandemic.
In August, our Board of Directors elected to reinstate a regular quarterly dividend to shareholders of $0.07 per share, 50% of the quarterly dividend amount paid prior to the pandemic, paying $3.2 million to shareholders in the second quarter.
We are pleased to now reinstate the full dividend of $0.14 per share, which will be paid in December.
There are 4.5 million shares of purchase availability under our authorized program.
First, a reminder that our expected non-GAAP adjustments will continue to include purchase accounting adjustments for acquisitions to date, which are estimated to be in the range of $0.09 to $0.11 per share for the full year.
Considering all of these factors, accounting for our best current understanding of new foam availability issues and provided there are no significant shutdowns [Indecipherable] facilities related to the pandemic, we expect to deliver consolidated sales growth in the third quarter of flat to 4% above last year's record high third quarter.
For the fourth quarter of fiscal '21, accounting for continued growth in production capacity, announced pricing, and the effects of last year's April pandemic related shutdown in the prior year's fourth quarter base period, we anticipate fiscal '21 fourth quarter sales growth of 40% to 45% versus last year's fourth quarter.
On profit, we expect to continue to deliver historically high consolidated operating margins of approximately 9% to 11% for the balance of the year, providing the strong delivered sales volume is achieved.

Summary:
Across the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries network, written same-store sales increased 34%, demonstrating the strength of our band and its appeal to consumers during uncertain times as well as the ability of our store teams across the network to provide a safe shopping experience for consumers.
Once all of these operations are producing at expected capacity likely later in our fiscal year, these moves will significantly increase our capabilities and capacity to support long-term growth.
Consolidated non-GAAP operating income increased to $51 million versus $34 million in last year's quarter and consolidated non-GAAP operating margin increased to 11.1% versus 7.5%.
Non-GAAP earnings per share was $0.82 per diluted share in the current year quarter versus $0.52 in last year's second quarter.
We expect capital expenditures to be in the range of $40 million to $45 million for fiscal 2021, although spending will be largely dependent on economic conditions, continued business recovery, and liquidity trends.
Yesterday, our Board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.14 per share, restoring the dividend to the full amount that was in place prior to the pandemic.
We are pleased to now reinstate the full dividend of $0.14 per share, which will be paid in December.
Considering all of these factors, accounting for our best current understanding of new foam availability issues and provided there are no significant shutdowns [Indecipherable] facilities related to the pandemic, we expect to deliver consolidated sales growth in the third quarter of flat to 4% above last year's record high third quarter.
For the fourth quarter of fiscal '21, accounting for continued growth in production capacity, announced pricing, and the effects of last year's April pandemic related shutdown in the prior year's fourth quarter base period, we anticipate fiscal '21 fourth quarter sales growth of 40% to 45% versus last year's fourth quarter.