SALES OF SPORTING GOODS GROW IN PACIFIC STATES

     Sporting goods store sales surged between 1987 and 1992 in
WA, OR, CA, AK, and HI, according to the National Sporting Goods
Association.  An analysis of recent retail trade census data
shows that sales in full-line sports stores and specialty sports
shops jumped from $2.09B in 1987 to $3.06B in 1992.  Thomas
Doyle, NSGA Dir of Information and Research:  "The 46% growth for
the Pacific states was four times greater than the 11 percent
population growth for the region in the same time frame."  Other
study highlights:  the total number of sporting goods stores in
the Pacific region rose 14% in the same period, from 3,528 to
4,037; the number of specialty shops increased 18%, while the
number of full-line stores increased 7%; among full-line stores,
1992 sales per store were $1.08M, among specialty shops sales
were $627,000 (National Sporting Goods Association).