Sales by outdoor specialty stores posted a decline for the first time since October 2007, according to The Outdoor Topline Report, produced for Outdoor Industry Association (OIA).
Independent outdoor specialty stores sold $111 million, a 5% decline from September 2007. Unit sales also dropped 5% for the period. Paddle specialty stores had sales of $20M this month, suffering a 17% decline in units and a 15% decline in dollars, according to the topline survey.
The OIA said the shift of the Labor Day weekend sakes into August may have contributed to the decline. When combining August and September sales, the survey found all products in all stores grew 8% in units and 7% in dollars, which is much closer to the pace for the first eight months of the year.
