Image from PBS story on the Basha Family
It seems everywhere I look another small locally owned shop is going out of business. With a small business, especially in the first few years, there isn’t much keeping you afloat and when customers draw back it is hard to keep your head above water. This seems understandable for the little guy but what about the larger locally owned places? I heard the bad news this week that Bashas’, our locally owned grocer, has filed for bankruptcy. This is bad news personally as I know people who work there who are concerned for their jobs. This is also bad news for our community as with the zillions of grocery stores we have here in the valley, Bashas’ is the only one that is Arizonan owned. I must admit, I do a lot of grocery shopping from various places. I am pretty picky and it seems like I can only find certain things certain places. After hearing this news though, I am going to try to do my part to help Bashas’ by choosing to support them with my dollars as much as possible. Other than their being locally owned, why shop there? Their Full Circle line of organics is really good and reasonably priced, they are always the only place I can find really good fire roasted green chilis, and their natural foods section is well stocked. So here it is.. my pledge to focus my grocery shopping at Bashas’.. what will you do to try to save local businesses?
Click here to read about the Basha family from an interview with Eddie Basha, Jr.
Click here to find the Basha’s closest to you.
Here is some more info from Kimber Lanning over at Local First AZ:
As a proud Arizonan, I was alarmed at Bashas’ Chapter 11 filing last week. As our hometown grocer, Bashas’ family of stores holds a special place in our hearts. In addition to being one of the biggest contributors to Arizona charities, Bashas’ is also the state’s 12th largest employer.
I have no doubt Bashas’ will emerge from these bankruptcy proceedings a better company, but right now I can not encourage you enough to make the effort to shop locally. This is the time for Arizona to stand up and say ENOUGH!
We understand that investing in ourselves is the smartest, most sustainable thing we can do for our communities. In addition to their staff, Bashas’ also employs a team of accountants, attorneys, sign makers and web developers, to name a few, who live right here in Arizona. Bashas’ makes the effort to buy their office products from Wist, another Arizona company, and they have a credit union for their workers, which means more money staying here to be invested.
If you are a service provider of any kind, you know first hand how important it is to have strong Arizona businesses. Out of state corporations, even those operating here among us, do not hire locals for their administrative work, and that includes marketers, graphic designers, promotions people and a whole host of other jobs that are outsourced every day.
We are all in this together. Remember, almost three times more of our money stays here in Arizona when we shop locally, and that money goes to our libraries, our parks, our fire departments.
We are seeking long-term solutions for our great state, and a big part of that is supporting Arizona’s own companies. Please take a moment to reflect on a personal story that you have that relates to the Basha family. Perhaps it was the cookies donated to your child’s Little League team, or a charity that Eddie’s wife Nadine funded. Or, like me, maybe Eddie Basha came to your Coalition for World Peace class at ASU in 1985 and significantly changed the way you thought about the world.
These are hometown folks that need us now. Go the extra mile to reach a Bashas’, AJ’s, or Food City store near you. Because of your effort, Arizona will be a better place.
Locally yours,
Kimber Lanning
Director
Local First Arizona
(602) 956-0909
kimber@localfirstaz.com
_____________________________________________Here’s what one community member is doing for Bashas’:
Read more about what Bashas’ has done for our community:
Related posts:
Tracy Perkins | Posted in 
Subscribe to Feed
July 27th, 2009 at 6:08 am
I live in the same neighborhood as the Bashas in that photo! Unfortunately, that Basha’s looks the same (great retro vibe) but the brand spankin’ beautiful newly remodeled Safeway across the street is clearly the preferred grocer in our little area. I didn’t even know that Basha’s had filed bankruptcy until I read your post – sometimes I live under a rock. All the information and additional resources made a very interesting a compelling read…and now our home is vowing to shop there. We are big believers in supporting local endeavors…a grocery store is no exception!
Thank you for making a difference.