Bon-Ton monthly sales fall

YORK, Pa. The Bon-Ton Stores today reported declines in both total sales and comparable-store sales for September, citing the weather and conservative consumer spending as the causes.

The company announced that total sales for the month ended Oct. 6 decreased 6.5% to $307.9 million compared to $329.4 million for the prior year period. Bon-Ton and Carson's combined comparable-store sales for the five weeks decreased 7.1%.

Tony Buccina, vice chairman and president of merchandising, commented, "September sales were negatively impacted by the unseasonably warm weather and a cautious consumer. Cosmetics, hard home and soft home were the best performing categories. All areas of apparel - women's, men's, children's, as well as cold weather accessories, coats and boots - posted disappointing results. We believe that we have the right combination of fresher and more robust inventories as compared to last year and strong planned promotions to entice our customer during the upcoming holiday season."