Retail trade had more employer establishments than any other sector in Lauderdale County, AL in 2023. This page sets out the county's retail counts by store type, explains which funding types fit stock, fixtures and buyouts, and links to the clothing, pharmacy and gas station pages for store types with their own notes.
At a glance
- Retail employers
379 employer locations countywide (CBP 2023)
- Retail payroll
$165.4 million across 5,250 employees (CBP 2023)
- Fewer than five employees
42.7% of retail employers (CBP 2023)
- Without paid employees
643 retail businesses (Nonemployer Statistics 2024)
Retail Counts for Lauderdale County, AL
Retail trade had 379 employer establishments in Lauderdale County, AL in 2023, the most of any sector, with 5,250 paid employees and $165.4 million in payroll; 42.7% had fewer than five employees (County Business Patterns 2023). That is about 13.9 employees per store and about $31,504 of payroll per employee (our arithmetic). ZIP 35630 had 226 retail employers (ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023).
By store type, the county had 48 gasoline stations, 47 clothing and accessories stores, 46 health and personal care stores, 35 general merchandise stores, 27 building material and garden dealers, 25 auto parts and tire stores, 21 furniture stores and 18 grocery stores with employees (CBP 2023). A separate Census program, Nonemployer Statistics, put the county's retail businesses with no payroll at 643 in 2024.
Retail Trade Loan for Florence, AL Owners
Store funding needs can be sorted into three groups: stock bought ahead of sales, fixtures and equipment, and the purchase or expansion of a store. Inventory financing ties money to the goods; a line of credit covers repeated stock buys; equipment financing covers coolers, shelving systems and point-of-sale hardware.
Retail Financing for Florence, AL Owners
| The cost | Funding type to compare | What a partner reads |
|---|---|---|
| Stock for the next selling period | Inventory financing or a line | Sales history and turnover |
| Coolers, shelving, POS systems | Equipment financing | The quote |
| A remodel or second store | Term loan | Revenue and the plan |
| A short cash gap | Working capital | Bank deposits |
Retail Business Loans: When It Fits in Florence, AL
Funding fits when the cost it pays for will bring money back on a schedule the payments can follow. Stock that sells in weeks suits a short arrangement; a remodel that pays off over years suits a longer one. Borrowing short for something that pays back slowly, or long for something gone in a month, sets the payments out of step with the store's income.
Furniture Store Loans Across Lauderdale County, AL
Furniture stores carry costly stock that can sit on the floor for a while, and some offer customers financing of their own. Lauderdale County, AL had 21 furniture and home furnishings stores with employees in 2023, 13 of them with fewer than five employees (CBP 2023). A partner reading a furniture store request looks hard at how long stock takes to sell and whether any supplier already holds a lien on it.
Liquor Store Loan for Florence, AL Owners
A liquor store request reads like other retail requests for stock and fixtures, with one addition: the license. Partners may ask to see that the store's alcohol license is current and transferable if the store is being bought. The Census figures on this site do not break out liquor stores for the county.
Liquor Store Financing: What Partners Review in Florence, AL
- Sales by month and by category, from the register system
- Supplier invoices and terms
- The current license and, for a purchase, the transfer plan
- The lease, and whether it allows the use
Retail Employers by Shoals ZIP, 2023
| ZIP (USPS name) | Retail employers | Share with fewer than 5 employees |
|---|---|---|
| 35630 (Florence, AL) | 226 | 41.2% |
| 35661 (Muscle Shoals, AL) | 123 | 41.5% |
| 35674 (Tuscumbia, AL) | 52 | 53.8% |
| 35660 (Sheffield, AL) | 40 | 50.0% |
| 35652 (Rogersville, AL) | 36 | 52.8% |
| 35645 (Killen, AL) | 31 | 32.3% |
Retail led the employer counts in each of these six ZIPs except 35674, where other services had one more establishment (53 to 52). Together the six ZIPs held 508 retail employers (our sum); ZIPs 35661, 35674 and 35660 lie in Colbert County, AL, so that sum crosses the county line and is not a county figure.
A Stock Order Worked Through for a Lauderdale County, AL Store
Illustration only, invented figures: a gift and home goods store orders $36,000 of stock at cost for its strongest selling months and expects to sell it for $61,200. Financing the order costs $2,400 in total. Gross margin after financing is $22,800, or 37.3% of sales (our arithmetic on invented figures). If a fifth of the order is still on the shelf when the financing comes due, the store pays from other cash, so plan for that case before ordering.
Records a Partner Reads for a Store Request
- Register or POS sales by month for one to two years
- Stock on hand at cost, and how it is counted
- Supplier terms and any floor-plan or consignment agreements
- Bank statements and the latest tax return
- The lease and its remaining term
Store Types With Their Own Pages
Three retail groups have their own pages: clothing stores and boutiques in Florence, AL, pharmacies in Lauderdale County, AL and the gas station and convenience store page. Each sets out its own counts and costs.
By Coastspring Funding Group · Updated