Recent data released by the U.S. Census Bureau revealed a surge in some U.S. retail sales categories last month, including an increase in hardware store sales in May. 

U.S. retail and food service sales for June 2025 were $720.1 billion, up 0.6% from May 2025. This number was also up 3.9% from June of last year. Total sales for the 2025 April through June period were up 4.1% from the same period in 2024.

Retail trade sales were up 0.6% from May 2025 and up 3.5% year over year, and non-store retailers'sales were up 4.5% from June 2024.

Building material supplier and garden equipment supplier sales in June reached $43.4 billion, down from May 2025. Year-over-year sales in this category were similar to last year's numbers.

Monthly retail sales for hardware stores were also higher in May 2025, reaching $4.04 billion in May. May's sales in this category also surpassed last year's sales of $3.99 billion.