Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Marjorie Ferrer says retail sales volume in the downtown area had increased by 49 percent from 2003 to 2008, according to a report obtained by the city from the state's Department of Revenue. Those numbers, combined with a 42 percent growth in food and beverage sales downtown, Ferrer said made for $87,559,672 of additional sales.

“Clothing, retail, food and beverage, were included in this cluster demographic study done by the Florida Department of Revenue,” she said. “It’s specific shopping data.”

Numbers have been collected downtown by the Downtown Marketing Cooperative since Ferrer began as director in 1993. Major studies also occurred in 1998, 2003, 2005 and 2008.

The recent study was done by consultant H. Blount Hunter, and Ferrer said the results were released officially by the Florida Department of Revenue. Hunter marked geographic borders of a downtown area from Interstate 95 to State Road A1A, which was encompassed by eight retail and food/beverage clusters.

Ferrer said the reason Delray Beach retail and food/beverage sales are ballooning is because of a key relationship with merchants, the Downtown Deverlop Authority, Downtown Marketing Cooperative, the Greater Delray Beach Chamber of Commerce, Community Redevelopment Agency and the city of Delray Beach. The six-way partnership made recommendations that first helped businesses and hiked the city’s prestige stock.

Downtown Marketing Cooperative events like Art & Jazz on the Avenue, Summer Night’s on the Avenue Celebration, Shop Red - Valentine’s Day Shopping Promotion, a Mother’s Day promo, the Christmas Tree at Old School Square, the July 4th Fireworks Extravaganza and First Night- a New Year’s family celebration, have helped make the downtown area a destination.

The studies are available at www.downtowndelraybeach.com