By James Lomuscio

Westport’s mom-and-pop retailers say December sales haven’t been as stellar as they had hoped, and they are banking on last minute shoppers in the final countdown to Christmas on Wednesday.

Today’s rain impacted Westport Main Street shopping. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com

“We never know until the final hour,” said Marilyn Lipton-Blotner, owner of Soleil Etoile, a lingerie and swimwear shop at 14 Post Road East. “A lot of customers are last minute shoppers.

“It’s been a slow start,” she added. “This is always when we see the biggest numbers. You’re always questioning if you’re going to meet your numbers until now.”

Steve Silver, owner of the specialty gift shop Silver of Westport at 390 Post Road East, agreed, “you go down to the final days every year, and the double snow we had this year didn’t help.”

Westport’s unemployment rate in November was 5.0 percent, the lowest in more than five years, the Connecticut Department of Labor said today. It was down from 5.7 percent in October.

The last time Westport’s unemployment rate was lower was in August 2008 when it was 4.5 percent, just before the recession began to be felt. The rate hit 7.0 percent in June 2009.

The department said the number of Westport unemployed in November was 617, down from 703 in October. The November labor force in Westport numbered 12,364, down from 12,397 in October.

There were 11,747 employed in November, up from 11,694 employed in October. A year ago in November, Westport’s unemployment rate was 6.1 percent.

John Vaccaro: move allows expanded capabilities. Contributed photo

Westport investment and financial planning firm Westport Resources has moved to a new expanded home at 55 Greens Farms Road.

“This is an exciting time for Westport Resources as we continue to grow and offer expanded capabilities,” said John Vaccaro, CEO, who founded the firm in 1986.

Formerly at 315 Post Road West, the firm said its move offers greater space to accommodate its recent growth. It serves individuals, families, municipalities and institutions around the world.

Phone and online contacts for the Westport office remain the same: (203)226-0222 or (800)935-0222 and www.westportresources.com.  Westport Resources also has an office in Naples, Fla.

By Keith M. Phaneuf

www.ctmirror.org

The state’s unemployment rate dropped to 7.6 percent in November as a surging retail sector helped Connecticut gain about 4,000 jobs, the state Labor Department reported today.

The jobless rate, which stood at 7.9 percent in October, also was down compared with the 8.3 percent unemployment rate in November 2012.

But while education, health services and financial activities also saw growth from October to November, other key sectors of the economy declined.

“November’s strong job growth offset some declines in the third quarter returning us to the positive, though modest growth path we have seen throughout 2013,” Andy Condon, director of the Labor Department’s Office of Research, said. “A third straight month of unemployment rate declines is certainly good news, though these declines are still occurring on a shrinking labor force.”

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