Non-store retail leads Sept. lift

Retail sales rose 1.9 percent in September to $549 billion, giving some in the industry hope for a betterthan-expected holiday season amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The September gain was triple that of August, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, with non-store retailers generating the best gain at nearly 24 percent but building supplies stores, sporting goods and hobbyist outlets and auto dealers getting double-digit increases in business. Clothing and department stores saw sales sag on a monthover-month basis, as well as electronics and appliances stores.