Green Launch and Lunch
Friday, March 19, 2010
12 to 2 pm
Tucson Association of Realtors
2445 N Tucson Blvd

You will have the opportunity to learn about the work the Chamber is doing, what the benefits are to you, become a member, meet the Board of Directors and network with those making a choice for green.
Green Chamber and Local First AZ Member, Mrs. Green, Gina Murphy-Darling, will be our entertaining and informative Mistress of Ceremonies.
Lunch will be provided by Our Sponsors, and we will look forward to hearing from Congress Woman Gabrielle Giffords via video.
Add your voice to this exciting new group of businesses, non-profits and individuals dedicated to improving our businesses while greening our world! Please RSVP by March 12 to info@SAGCC.org.

View photos from the event (Photos by Rick D’Elia/D’Elia Photographic):

Thursday, February 18, 2010
11 a.m.
Calvin Charles Gallery
4201 N. Marshall Way
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

Members, Bring Your Banners for the Cameras!

U.S. Rep. Harry Mitchell and Scottsdale Mayor Jim Lane will join Local First Arizona, the Scottsdale Gallery Association and Scottsdale tourism and business leaders for a press conference to announce support of locally owned Scottsdale businesses. Local First is increasing its efforts to encourage Arizonans to support local, home grown restaurants, shops and businesses which generates a greater economic impact on the local economy.

As part of the announcement, Local First Arizona will unveil its first Small Wonders map of locally owned retail shops and restaurants in Scottsdale. The Scottsdale edition joins the Phoenix and Tempe maps already in circulation. Additionally, in an effort to encourage Arizonans to support local restaurants and businesses, Mitchell will tour the Scottsdale Art Walk Thursday evening.

“In these difficult economic times it is more important than ever to support our local businesses,” Mitchell said. “Buying local means strengthening our local economy, creating local jobs, and ensuring local, more sustainable economic development in our community. As we continue towards economic recovery it is important to help make Arizonans aware of the increased impact they can have on their communities by supporting local businesses.”

Every local news station covered our Buy Local Week press conference and we are expecting a great turnout for this press conference as well. We invite our members to bring banners or signs to hold up behind the podium for the news cameras. It’s a great opportunity to get your business in front of the local news media!

Join us this Thursday to show your support! Please plan to arrive by 10:30 a.m. if you would like to participate in the press conference. Feel free to contact Helene with any questions at helene@localfirstaz.com.

Vendor Expectations for Bashas’ Outdoor Festivals are as follows:

• No charge to participate – space will be provided, you keep revenues from your sales
• Bring your own 6-8 foot table, signage & pop-up tent
• Bring product to sample and sell for 6 hours – can also bring coupons
• Booth needs to be staffed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• If you are selling processed homemade food items, you must have a food processing permit
• If you have an open flame (example: kettle corn) you must be compliant with the fire department
• You may be inspected by the city to have a peddler’s permit
• A few local companies that have featured popular homegrown/homemade items at these events have been asked to sell their items in our stores

For a list of dates & locations of the Outdoor Markets, please email Helene@localfirstaz.com

Today at 5:30 don’t miss an amazing opportunity to hear author and economist Michael Shuman speak about the importance of local economies! Free at the A.E. ENGLAND building at the Civic Space Park!

We will have in attendance the Mayor of Phoenix, The CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, the Director of the City of Phoenix Economic Development Department and more!

Let’s show our support for local and pack the place!! 
The Downtown Public Market is bringing the food!

See you there,

Kimber

UPDATE::: Michael Shuman will also be speaking in Tucson on February 2, 6:30pm at the Santa Rita room, located on the third level of the University of Arizona Student Union Memorial Center.

I find no reason to put up with and fund the behavior of those who feel that they have no reason to be accountable. Luckily, we have a fantastic selection of locally-owned banks and credit unions in this state that keep our money in the community. They have a vested interest in the vitality of our local economy, and on the strength of its local businesses. I know that I made the right choice by dropping the national banks three years ago, and by keeping my money in a local bank I know that it’s staying right here where I live.

Check our website for a list of locally-owned banks and credit unions.

Phoenix

Tucson

$50 off Urban Athletics Boot Camp, good through December 20th. The coupon code for the discount is “buylocal”. Urban Athletics Boot Camp is a complete body workout designed for all fitness levels. Our class burns of average of 700 calories in a single hour! Whether your goals are weight loss, fitness improvement, or you just want to try something new, our fun group fitness class will inspire and push you to reach your goals.

www.urbanathletics.com

We were fortunate to receive some news coverage during some of these events which I’m collecting here.  With our economy in dire straits, stories on spending your dollars locally are more important than ever!

Tucson

Buy Local Day was a big success in Tucson! With multiple block parties and lots of local business deals, many holiday shoppers were able to load up on gifts while keeping more of their money in the Tucson economy. Click here for a clip from KOLD News 13 coverage

Phoenix

KPHO 5 ran a story with some great coverage of Bookmans and Do Me A Favor, check out the video here! They run over some Black Friday stats followed by the statement that $45 out of every $100 spent at a local business stays in the local economy! The word “local” has recently been claimed by multiple corporations without their having to define the word. True, the spaces from which they sell their goods are local, but the ownership (and therefore the trail of profits) is usually not.  So to clarify the previous statistic, $45 out of $100 stays in our local economy only when spent at a locally owned business. If you were to spend $100 at your “local” national chain store, approximately $13 would remain in the state. That said, it’s always promising to see positive coverage of local businesses and the importance of the communities support!

Some more coverage of Buy Local Week featuring Shaun Breese of Urban Cookies urging shoppers to “think local first.” The rest of the story blurs the lines between “local” (as in located in your area) and “locally owned” (as in the money stays in your area).

12 News ran somewhat of a downer of a story. I’m not sure if all of the folks interviewed were right outside of a mall, but none seemed aware of their options or even the full implications of their choices. Is sending large chunks of our money out of state really “the best deal”? Congressman Harry Mitchell explained how local businesses in turn support other local services, & Rachel at Bunky Boutique scored some points for shopping local. Watch the video below and let us know what you think in the comments.

Here are some cool articles covering this year’s Buy Local Week

Gordon, Mitchell urge people to shop local (The Arizona Republic)

Buy Local Starting Today and Save Moolah (The Phoenix New Times)

Congressman, Phoenix mayor urge Arizonans to ‘buy local’ (ABC15.com)

Buy Local All Week (Downtown Phoenix Journal)

Buy-local effort is about more than shopping (The Arizona Daily Star)

Sphinx Ranch & Kokopelli Winery to Host Free Wine Tasting (EVLiving.com)

Join a CSA, Get Farm-Fresh Local Veggies Every Week (The Phoenix New Times… not really about Buy Local Week but hey, we got ‘em thinking and it’s certainly worth sharing!)

While we focus extra hard on spending locally during Buy Local Week, these practices offer the same great results year-round: unique stock,  personalized service, a diverse culture, and more money recirculating our great state! Search our online directory for whatever it is you’re looking for; banks, retail, coffee, auto repair, you name it.