BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) _ Retailers in the Dakotas are expecting
strong holiday sales despite a summer of drought.
Mike Rud with the North Dakota Retail Association and
Shawn Lyons with the South Dakota Retailers Association say it was
a good year in the agriculture community despite the dry
conditions. North Dakota's economy also is bolstered by the booming
western oil patch. And the two states didn't experience the severe
flooding this year that they did in 2011.
Rud says he expects holiday sales in North Dakota to be up 5 or
6 percent over last year. Lyons predicts the increase in South
Dakota will be anywhere from 3 to 7 percent.