Summary of Findings


Data from the 1992 Census of Retail Trade show that Delaware's 4,865
retail stores with payroll had sales totaling $6.5 billion. In 1987,
4,416 retail stores had sales of $5.0 billion. The 1992 data represent
an increase of 30.5 percent in total retail sales for the State. 

For establishments with payroll in 1992, sales of grocery stores
accounted for 16.9 percent of the State's total sales by retailers
compared with 16.9 percent in 1987. Other leading retail kinds of
business in 1992 were new and used car dealers with 16.4 percent of
sales, department stores (including leased departments) with 10.8
percent, and gasoline service stations with 6.6 percent. 

For 1992, sales for establishments with payroll in the State averaged
$1.3 million per establishment, compared with $1.1 million in 1987. In
1992, department stores (including leased departments) averaged $16.0
million per establishment; new and used car dealers, $15.6 million;
miscellaneous general merchandise stores, $6.8 million; fuel oil
dealers, $3.7 million; and grocery stores, $2.9 million. 

For retail establishments with payroll, 1992 sales per employee
averaged $108 thousand. New and used car dealers had sales per employee
of $346 thousand, which contrasts sharply with the $29 thousand per
employee average for restaurants. 

The 1992 payroll of retailers in the State amounted to $763 million,
compared with $566 million for 1987. Payroll as a percent of sales of
establishments with payroll averaged 11.7 percent for all retailers,
27.6 percent for retail bakeries, compared with 5.6 percent for
gasoline service stations. 

There were 60,197 paid employees (full- and part-time) engaged in
retail trade in the State as of mid-March 1992, compared with 56,077
employees in 1987. Large employers included restaurants with 9,411
employees, refreshment places with 8,105 employees, and grocery stores
with 7,533 employees.