/ Modified sep 16, 2015 11:48 a.m.

Independents and Independence

Tucson residents join national celebration to support local businesses.

HabiStore SPOT Shoppers pay a visit to The HabiStore. It's a thrift store operated by Habitat for Humanity.
AZPM

Listen:

Millions of people will be celebrating Independence Day on the 4th of July but others are also taking part in a week-long event that focuses on independents, not independence.

Local First Lisette Lisette DeMars holds coupons, a "Passport to Local Success" and other information about "Independents Week."
Megan Roxbury, AZPM

The 10th Annual Local First Arizona Independents Week is being held from Saturday June 27 until Sunday July 5.

Lisette DeMars is the southern Arizona membership coordinator for Local First Arizona.

She said Local First Arizona is a nonprofit organization whose main goal is to keep jobs and dollars in Arizona by sourcing items locally and encouraging residents to shop from locally-owned stores.

Demars said the annual event is vital to "Mom and Pop" businesses, especially during the typically slower summer months.

"It's a time for Arizonans to support their neighbors and support the economy that really keeps Arizona alive, especially this time of year."

AMIBA, the American Independent Business Alliance, says local businesses improve their economies, ensure choice and diversity, and help maintain community character.

There are now more than 80 independent businesses alliances across the country.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona