How County Residents Spend Their Retail Dollars : A consuming love of . . . consuming

As anyone who has stood in line at a few area checkout counters knows, Orange Countians love to spend money. In 1986, they spent $13.72 billion in the county’s retail establishments, according to the State Board of Equalization. That’s a per capita average of $6,320, 20% higher than the comparable state wide figure. So what do they spend all those dollars on? According to the state agency, Orange Countians spend proportionately 3% more than other Californians at restaurants and bars (13.2 cents of every retail dollar spent, compared with a statewide average of 12.8 cents). They also spent 10% more proportionately at furniture and appliance stores and (perhaps the biggest non-surprise) 7% more at car dealerships. Proportionately, thy spent 26% less than the statewide average at drugstores, 14% less at grocers, 17% less at liquor stores and 21% less at service stations.

HOW EACH RETAIL DOLLAR WAS SPENT IN ORANGE COUNTY IN 1986 OTHER 20.3 SERVICE STATIONS 6.8 NEW, USED CAR DEALERS 19.3 BUILDING MATERIALS 7.8 FURNITURE AND APPLIANCES 5.5 RESTAURANTS AND BARS 13.2 GROCERIES 7.9 GENERAL MERCHANDISE 16.5 LIQUOR STORES 1.2 DRUGSTORES 2.0 APPAREL 4.9