Taxable sales in Nye up 10.5 percent in August

Taxable sales in Nye County improved 10.5 percent in August over the same time last year, marking the third straight month the county saw a jump in sales.

The jump in taxable sales was the largest increase in the entire state, with Carson City having the next highest increase at 7.2 percent.

Overall, the state saw an increase of 2.2 percent, with nearby Clark County experiencing a 1.8 percent jump.

One sector that continues to do well is the automotive realm, as it saw a 13.2 percent jump in August, continuing a strong summer campaign for them. Automotive sales increased from $5.24 million in August 2014 to $5.94 million this August.

General Manager of the Pahrump Valley Auto Mall, Greg Mier said that his dealership has seen numbers in line with the county's increase.

"I'd say our growth has been pretty consistent," Mier said.

Automotive sales are seasonal and Mier explained that he has seen solid sales numbers during the summer months over the past several years.

"I can tell you that we have continued to grow every year for the last five years," he said.

Attractive factory incentives and gas prices that continue to fall are the two big factors to what's driving customers in looking for a new ride, according to Mier.

Mier said that numbers tend to slow down toward the end of fall, into the beginning of winter, but he sees the strong numbers continuing a little bit longer than in years past.

"I think that November will be good and December is usually a little tougher, but we'll see," Mier said. "One thing I've learned is that just sometimes you don't know. You think you know it all and then you don't."

Another business type that saw noticeable increases was the sporting goods, hobby, book and music store industry, as it saw a 101 percent jump over the same time last year, bringing in $540,017 this August compared to August 2014 that saw $268,119 in sales.

The biggest declines in taxable sales were seen in Esmeralda County, which saw a 53-percent decrease and Humboldt County that saw a 21-percent dip.

Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. Find him on Twitter: @mickakers.