by Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Dec 31/97) - With the busiest shopping season over for another year, retailers report sales as good as or better than last year.

One electronics store owner said his business booked its best single day of gross sales ever.

Radio Shack outlet owner Roy Williams said the store set the record Dec. 20. Williams opened Yellowknife's Radio Shack 25 years ago.

Overall, he said the 1997 Christmas season was better than last year's.

"Considering the circumstances, it was surprising," Williams said, referring to the expected Con mine layoffs.

He also said he sold out of some items, such as personal CD players.

"A fair bit of people left Christmas shopping until the last few days," he said.

In light of the changes at the Con mine, it will be interesting to see what January brings, he added.

Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce board member and Eldonn Jewellery owner Gordon Humphreys agreed it remains to be seen what effect Con cutting 120 people from its staff will have on Yellowknife's economy.

"I know of at least two (Con miners) who have packed up and left already," he said.

Humphreys said he believes gross retail sales city-wide were pretty much the same as last year. "People I've talked to said things were the same, they've steadied out."

Humphreys also said sales at his business experienced a Christmas shopping season similar to last year.

"Some were thrilled, some were quite disappointed, but in general, sales were similar to last year's," Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce executive director Cheryl Best said.

But that may not be saying too much. "Last year, sales were off 20 to 30 per cent," Best said.

As for Christmas trees, those who waited until the last minute were out of luck.

The Bests sold out of trees Wednesday while the Boy Scouts also sold out just before Christmas.

At Wal-Mart, it was the best year ever for Christmas shopping, Wal-Mart Canada spokesperson Ed Gould said.

Overall, the chain had is best Christmas season ever, he said.

"(Sales of) toys took off, sporting goods sold well and home electronics were fantastic."

SAAN Store public relations co-ordinator Glynis Corkal said Christmas season sales at the Yellowknife store fell in with "relatively good" sales experienced country-wide at SAAN.

"We're pleased with how it turned out," she said.

"Certain merchandise didn't move as well as we'd like because of the weather, but sales went well."

Tamarack Computers co-owner Donna said the store was busy.

Nationally, media reported shoppers, buoyed by optimism about the country's economy, were very liberal with their wallets.

Some big Toronto retailers reported best-ever Boxing Day sales.