Jul. 3--BOULDER, Colo. -- Through the first four months of the year, area sales tax revenues continued to reflect the economic malaise and sluggish consumer spending as the majority of cities and towns within Boulder and Broomfield counties recorded declining collections.

In the city of Boulder, sales tax revenues through April were down 5.2 percent, a fairly comparable decline from the prior month's year-to-date figures, according to Boulder's most recent sales tax report. Finance officials said it is too early to project trends, noting sales in April 2008 were "extremely strong."

Combined with revenue from use taxes -- which can be considered more volatile because some are generated from one-time events -- Boulder recorded a 2.5 percent year-to-date decrease. City officials have projected retail sales tax and use tax drops of 1 percent and 6 percent, respectively, said Duane Hudson, deputy finance director and controller.

Practically all retail sectors experienced declining revenues, with areas such as home furnishings and consumer electronics taking the biggest hits, according to the report.

Margaret Culwell, an owner of Marisol Imports, a seller of artisan-made rugs, furniture and home accessories, knows her sector is suffering some blows. However, she said she remains optimistic about the 27-year-old business despite the challenges of the economy, moving to a new location at 2516 Broadway and a street reconstruction project right outside her business' front door.

Along with hosting monthly showcases for its artists and participating with other businesses in an art walk starting in August called "NoBo Night Out," Marisol's cutting some of its prices for a summer sale.

"People want a deal, and who can blame them? Times are a little tight," Culwell said.

Jeweler Jay Albrecht knows there are inherent risks of moving from a location that has treated his business well for six years to a new space in a different city -- especially in a recession.

But, despite slower consumer spending, the owner of J. Albrecht Fine Jewelry in Superior couldn't pass up the opportunity to move his family-operated shop to downtown Boulder.

"It's not time for us to throw the shutters up and run from the face of all of this," Albrecht said.

Albrecht's family purchased Master Goldsmiths from its now-retired owners and plans to reopen the 10th and Pearl custom jewelry business -- sporting a combination of the J. Albrecht and Master Goldsmiths names -- later this month.

Albrecht's Superior location is expected to remain open through July, he said.

Superior was the only municipality within Boulder and Broomfield counties to have a year-to-date sales tax revenue increase. According to figures provided by the town's finance director, retail sales tax collections were up 2.2 percent.

The neighboring Louisville and Lafayette had declines of 2.8 percent and 0.4 percent, respectively.

Longmont's decreases were similar to Boulder's, with a 5.8 percent drop. Erie's collections declined by 12 percent, and Broomfield saw the greatest year-to-date drop of 15.5 percent.

In Broomfield's April 2009 report, finance officials noted two significant new business additions that could affect revenues: the opening of a 100,000-square-foot King Soopers at 136th and Zuni, and The Container Store in part of a three-year-vacant anchor space at FlatIron Crossing.

Business owner Jason Lunn is hoping the Broomfield mall could breed success for his new apparel store COLab. Lunn's other store, VICE, closed earlier this week at the Twenty Ninth Street mall in Boulder in part because of low traffic, a deal that fell through with Nike and other logistical issues, he said.

"We have substantially more traffic (at FlatIron Crossing), but a lot of tough economic challenges," he said. "I don't hear of anybody that is excelling in this climate."

The recession hasn't caused Lunn to drastically change his approach to the business, but it definitely has caused him to adjust the product selection at his stores to lower-priced items.

"It's just how you buy, more than anything else," he said.

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