Many State College area businesses have yet to feel the pinch from the nation's first burgeoning recession in nearly 10 years.

"Oddly enough, our sales have increased over the past few months," said Meredith White, personnel manager of Target, 315 Lowes Blvd.

Lion's Pride, 112 E. College Ave., also has seen a "5 percent" increase in its sales, said manager Steve Moyer.

"What recession?" he said jokingly.

Recession is defined in terms of the rate of output of the economy at any given time, said Norman Clifford, a senior lecturer of economics.

"Basically, it's how fast we're producing things," he said.

When the rate of production dips below national expectations, a recession occurs.

"Not only does the production rate drop, but the income rates begin to drop as well," Clifford said. "It really has a direct effect on people's lives."

As a result of these drops, demand for goods and services falls and the populace begins to spend less.

"Most people's reaction seems to be to cut back their spending," Clifford said. "They're actually aiding the recession by not spending."

Clifford adds that "not everyone" will fall into the trappings of the national recession. State College residents have effectively proven that they have not lost their appetite for spending.

"We've had steady business overall," said Kathy DeLattre, assistant manager of Wal-Mart, 1665 N. Atherton St. "I haven't noticed any sort of drop in sales."

White believes that discount retailers such as her Target store and Wal-Mart are able to evade harm related to the recession more easily than other businesses.

"We definitely have an advantage over most stores (that charge regular prices)," she said.

Moyer feels his business's unique existence is a marquee factor in its staying afloat during the recession.

"Our success is based more on the success of the football team," he said. "If the town is doing well, we're doing well."

There is no telling for certain how much damage, if any, the recession will incur on State College.

"It's always too early to tell," he said. "We really won't know how bad it (the damage) will be until it's over."

White isn't concerned about future problems resulting from the recession.

"We have businesses opening up all around us that will bring a lot of foot traffic and keep business steady," she said.

Clifford does cite the unpredictability of recessions, though, as the main problem facing the nation.

"(The unpredictability factor) makes the recession hard to deal with in terms of policy," he said. "If we could predict, we could certainly prevent."