Apparel sales were up 4.7 percent, marking their 17th consecutive month of year-over-year increases. Restaurants and bar sales rose 6.2 percent, a category that has not had a year-over-year decline since January 2010. Building supply retailers saw a 3.6 percent rise in sales; general merchandise store sales were up 3.5 percent; and food and beverage stores increased their sales by 3 percent.

“It was a good month overall,  and aligned with the healthy holiday season we foresee,” said Jean Lambert, vice president of ICSC Research.

Year-over-year non-store sales — a category that includes sales made via physical retailers’ websites, mail order and pureplay online vendors — rose by 12.1 percent, their biggest jump since November 2017.

Retailers selling sporting goods, bobby items, books and music saw sales drop 8.5 percent, continuing a trend of monthly sales declines that has rarely been broken in over two years.