The Best Holiday Selling Season In Recent Years Was Experienced In The Tri Cities In The Fourth Quarter. That According To A Report Released By East Tennessee State University Economist Dr. Steb Hipple. Compared To 2013 Figures, Kingsport Retail Sales Rose 7.4 Percent, Johnson City Saw A 4.8 Percent Jump, But The Big News Was In Bristol Where Retail Sales Increased 7.5 Percent. Hipple Said The Boost Is From The Pinnacle Development In Bristol.