Local businesses will close after the holidays

At the Ahwatukee Foothills News we try not to tell readers what to think. When it comes to elections or anything else, we try to present the facts and let readers make up their own mind.

So hear is a fact: businesses will close after Christmas.

The economy is in the tank. People who have solid, secure jobs aren't spending much because of the infectious insecurity in the air. And the rest of us, whose jobs are hanging on next month's profit and loss statement, also aren't spending.

The result is murder for local restaurants, businesses and services.

In Ahwatukee Foothills alone there are big signs announcing Mervyn's going out of business sale, the old Coffee Plantation is still empty, two restaurants within feet of the AMC Ahwatukee 24 Theatre are closed, and the list goes on.

We are still fortunate that Ahwatukee Foothills has a huge variety of businesses. You can rent a tuxedo, buy a dress, get an oil change, frame a picture and take items to any one of a long list of dry cleaners. You can get little electronic do-dads at Radio Shack, tools and home improvement do-dads at two ACE Hardware stores or eat at a different restaurant every day for a month. Golf clubs, wine, children's toys, candles, sewing machines and computers are all for sale at one local business or another.

And some of them will fold after Christmas because business was slow.

That means even more people will be out of work, who will spend less as they look for their next job, and the cycle will continue.

The economy is the economy, and people who don't have extra money can't buy "stuff," holiday or no holiday.

But when the rest of us do buy "stuff" it would help greatly if the business was kept in Ahwatukee Foothills. The city of Phoenix can use the sales tax revenue and local stores could really use the business.

So, I don't want to tell anyone what to do, but if people don't shop in Ahwatukee Foothills businesses will disappear, that is a fact.

And if people do shop locally?

It may not change the national or local economic outlook, but it could help keep some of our neighbors in business.

And that would be a nice holiday gift.

But the decision is up to you.