Alabama Retail Day

WHEREAS, every day, Alabama retailers sell the quality produce grown in Alabama and the world-class goods made in Alabama as well as those produced and made throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, Alabama has more than 50,000 retail establishments or slightly more than one retail business for every square mile of the state; and

WHEREAS, Alabama retailers employ some 400,000 of our great state’s citizens, making retail Alabama’s largest private employer; and

WHEREAS, retail accounts for one of every four Alabamians employed in the private sector. Alabama retailers’ annual payroll exceeds $5.6 billion and, when combined with the payroll at Alabama food service and drinking establishments, exceeds $7.6 billion; and

WHEREAS, retail trade accounts for at least 8 percent of the state’s gross domestic product, making retail the state’s third highest producing industry; and

WHEREAS, our state’s retail sales, which exceed $76 billion annually, account for 1.5 percent of all retail sales nationally. Alabama retailers each year collect $2 billion in sales taxes on behalf of Alabama’s state government; and

WHEREAS, Alabama’s retailers also supply vital income and property taxes to the state of Alabama, supporting this state as its economic backbone; and

WHEREAS, such national and regional retail chains as Books A Million, Hibbett Sports, Simply Fashion, Jack’s, Shoe Station, Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q, Chicken Salad Chick, Factory Connection, Moe’s Original Bar B Que, Private Gallery and 32° are based in Alabama; and

WHEREAS, other major retailers have divisional headquarters or distribution centers in Alabama, including Belk, Wal-Mart Stores Incorporated, CVS Caremark Corporation, Target, Home Depot, Kmart, ACE Hardware and Dollar General; and

WHEREAS, the Retail Excellence Initiative in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Collat School of Business promotes the study and practice of retailing in Alabama and the pursuit of careers in retailing by UAB students; and

WHEREAS, the 4,000-member Alabama Retail Association and Firestone Complete Auto Care join the Retail Excellence Initiative in this mission; and

WHEREAS, these three organizations graciously will be the hosts for the 33rd Annual Alabama Retail Day on Tuesday, September 23, 2014:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim September 23, 2014, as

Alabama Retail Day

in the state of Alabama.