Retail sales in Wash. dropped 11.6 percent in 3Q

OLYMPIA — The state Department of Revenue says taxable retail sales in Washington dropped to $26.4 billion in the third quarter of 2009. That’s a 11.6 percent drop from the same period in 2008. The state said Thursday that the July-through-September sales decline is the third largest one on record. Sales dropped 14 percent during the second quarter of 2009, and 12.8 percent during the first quarter of 2009. Two of the biggest drops were in retail sales from construction, down 25 percent, and miscellaneous retailers, down 19.1 percent.