In a world dominated by e-commerce giants and mass-produced goods, it can be challenging for consumers to find unique, locally-made products while still supporting their community. However, with Local First's online marketplace, Shop Local First, Arizona residents and visitors have a powerful tool at their fingertips to conveniently browse and purchase gifts from a wide range of locally-owned businesses

Arizona is more than just a state on the map; It’s a community woven together by culture, diversity and local businesses that drive our economy. At its heart, this state pulses with the dreams and ambitions of its residents. Behind every Arizona-based product, dish, or service lies the heart and soul of a passionate local entrepreneur. By supporting these entrepreneurs and their businesses, we strengthen the very core of Arizona.

As the largest coalition of of locally-owned businesses in the nation, you are part of a movement that elevates the voices of Arizona’s independent, locally-owned businesses – connecting people, communities and resources for meaningful actions that build a diverse, inclusive and prosperous Arizona. Join us in celebrating new and renewing business coalition members.

When Arizona’s weather turns cool, it’s time to enjoy the fresh air, spruce up at home and prepare to get cozy.

From tobacco-and-clove scented candles to elderberry immune-boosting tonics to botanical bath bombs, Kaya Holistic has all the eco-friendly, handcrafted products you need to fall for fall.

Five women food entrepreneurs will dazzle the tastebuds of a lucky few at Dining For Dreams on Sept. 28.

The intimate evening of camaraderie and conversation features a three-course dinner catered by graduates of Local First Arizona’s business accelerator programs. Get your tickets now!

Downtown Tucson is enjoying a retail renaissance these days, thanks in part to Proper Shops, a collection of boutiques that gives up-and-coming retailers a start. It offers short-term leases that are more affordable for business owners just getting off the ground.

We asked the building’s co-owner and three shop owners how it’s going.

A ramshackle historic building in downtown Winslow has been transformed by an artist and his wife into a vibrant and eclectic live-work gallery space — a hidden gem along Route 66.

The 22,000-square-foot building now known as Snowdrift Art Space offers the room he always dreamed of having as a young budding sculpturist.

PHOENIX (Sept. 6, 2023) —  Enjoy the return of autumn weather, shop 200+ local vendors and taste and sip goodies from 50+ local restaurants and beverage makers at the 17th annual Arizona Fall Festival on Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free! 

The state’s largest “certified local” event and downtown Phoenix’s largest free annual festival celebrates everything that makes our state special with live entertainment and games in a family-friendly, dog-friendly atmosphere at Margaret T. Hance Park, 67 W. Culver St.

As Black Business Month concludes, it's crucial to recognize that ongoing support from the local community is vital for entrepreneurs, to thrive year-round.

While Black-owned businesses are on the rise in Tucson and across the U.S., they still constitute only 3% of all businesses nationwide. Moreover, Black business owners typically begin with significantly less access to capital compared to their White counterparts—nearly a third less, as per industry standards.

We talked with two Tucson entrepreneurs from the Black business community. We explored the challenges of business ownership, ways the community can offer support, and the inspirations behind their entrepreneurial journeys.

Black business ownership is on the rise. In celebration of National Black Business Month, we spotlight a new cooperative marketplace that recently opened in Phoenix to support Black-owned businesses.

Seeing a “Small Wonders” map, the pocket-size guides to independent businesses and tourist attractions around the state by Local First Arizona, was the genesis for Scottsdale marketing agency Ideas Collide lending its support.
Local First, like the agency, was “small and mighty and impactful,” said co-founder Matt Clyde. ”We love seeing small businesses thrive.”

Tucson is a tight community, and Local First Arizona is building those connections every day with our work.

It’s not every day that a company takes a potential competitor under its wing. But Local First Arizona members Dillinger Brewing Company and Brillé Mead Company are proof that symbiosis in business can be successful. The owners agree: Tucson is just that kind of collaborative place.

As the largest coalition of of locally-owned businesses in the nation, you are part of a movement that elevates the voices of Arizona’s independent, locally-owned businesses – connecting people, communities and resources for meaningful actions that build a diverse, inclusive and prosperous Arizona. Join us in celebrating new and renewing business coalition members.

Less than a year and a half after Charlotte Bowens experienced a health scare, she was crossing the finish line of a 50-mile race, setting things in motion for Conscious Gear, a brand of outdoor wear she founded to accommodate larger bodies.

“There’s plenty of us at the back of the pack who are fat, and we buy this gear that a lot of the time doesn’t fit us,” Bowens said. “I felt called to just maybe try.”