Taxable retail sales were up during the 1993 holiday season in Asotin, Whitman and Garfield counties, according to the Washington state Department of Revenue's preliminary tabulations for the fourth quarter.

People in all three counties spent more money at eating/drinking establishments, while those in Asotin and Whitman counties spent less at their grocery stores than they did for the comparable quarter the previous year.

Garfield County residents spent more at their groceries.

Washington's results, which cover the period from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, were released earlier this month.

Idaho's fourth-quarter results were released in February and showed sales also were up in the five north central Idaho counties: Latah, Clearwater, Nez Perce, Lewis and Idaho.

In Asotin County, people spent about double at clothi

ng outlets, but less at the local motels and less on furniture. The increase in Asotin County's clothing sales, according to the preliminary figures for the fourth quarter, comprised the single largest increase in taxable sales in the three-county area.

In Garfield County, taxable sales were up $698,251, or more than 20 percent for the quarter, while in Whitman County the difference was much smaller, for a sales increase of $628,293, or 1 percent.

Taxable sales in Asotin County jumped $5.2 million over the previous year, or about 20 percent.

The taxable retail sales are reported by industry for retail trade, services, contracting, manufacturing, transportation/communications/utilities, wholesaling, finance/insurance/real estate and other.