Tennessee has been an important inland commercial center for some 60 years. In 1997, the state's sales from wholesale trade amounted to $86 billion. In 1997, Tennessee's retail sales totaled $53 billion. The principal retail groups were: automotive dealers, 15%; food stores, 12%; and eating and drinking places, 25%. Tennessee's foreign exports of goods totaled nearly $9.6 billion in 1998. Major exports, in order of importance, included transportation equipment, chemicals, and non-electric machinery.