Summary of Findings


Data from the 1992 Census of Retail Trade show that Michigan's
54,519 retail stores with payroll had sales totaling $71.5 billion. In
1987, 53,399 retail stores had sales of $56.7 billion. The 1992 data
represent an increase of 26.1 percent in total retail sales for the
State. 

For establishments with payroll in 1992, sales of new and used car
dealers accounted for 19.9 percent of the State's total sales by
retailers compared with 19.9 percent in 1987. Other leading retail
kinds of business in 1992 were grocery stores with 14.6 percent of
sales, department stores (including leased departments) with 14.5
percent, and gasoline service stations with 7.6 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 $24.9
million per establishment; new and used car dealers, $16.1 million;
miscellaneous general merchandise stores, $4.4 million; lumber and
other building materials dealers, $2.5 million; and grocery stores,
$2.0 million. 

For retail establishments with payroll, 1992 sales per employee
averaged $101 thousand. New and used car dealers had sales per employee
of $427 thousand, which contrasts sharply with the $25 thousand per
employee average for restaurants. 

The 1992 payroll of retailers in the State amounted to $8.2 billion,
compared with $6.6 billion for 1987. Payroll as a percent of sales of
establishments with payroll averaged 11.4 percent for all retailers,
25.8 percent for retail bakeries, compared with 5.1 percent for
gasoline service stations. 

There were 706,807 paid employees (full- and part-time) engaged in
retail trade in the State as of mid-March 1992, compared with 673,265
employees in 1987. Large employers included restaurants with 118,595
employees, refreshment places with 102,798 employees, and grocery
stores with 86,161 employees.