In 2010 same store sales were down 4% compared to 6.8% in 2009.

Comparable store sales were up 2 percent, the company said.

The changes have raised Hills's average store sales to $12 million from $9.8 million a couple of years ago.

In the first nine months, same- store sales rose 2.6 percent and, over all, 10 percent, to $10.68 billion.

Its comparative store sales - those for stores open at least a year - were up 3.7 percent in October.

Its comparable store sales were up 9.3 percent last month and 4.9 percent so far this year.

The rest comes from admissions, store sales and contributed income.

Stocks of several retailers gained after strong store sales were reported for June.

"We had down the line this whole idea of integration and growing store sales with the Internet."

When oil was discovered near Virgin in 1907 store sales boomed.