Due to such a great interest in the August 5th Downtown Business Coffee, we needed to switch locations to accommodate all those who have RSVPed.  So please be sure to note the NEW location:

Tues., August 5, 2008        8 - 9 a.m.

Mi Amigos at the Arizona Center

455 North 3rd Street

Parking available in Arizona Center parking garage (entrance to garage is on 5th Street, north of Van Buren)

Rick Simonetta, Valley METRO Rail CEO, will provide a passenger's perspective of what riding the new light rail system will be like.

Coffee will be provided. As always, there will be time for Q&A with me and Rick.

Thanks for the great response, and if you haven't yet done so, please RSVP to mayor.rsvp@phoenix.gov

And thanks again to everyone at Sonoma Casual Dining for hosting my July Downtown Business Coffee meeting. For anyone who couldn’t attend in person, here’s a summary of what we covered.

 We talked about some great, free resources that are available if you’d like to start-up a business in Downtown Phoenix. The impact of small, independent businesses on our economy is BIG – and we want to see more small and independent businesses. And so we want to help you through what can, admittedly, feel like a daunting permitting process.

 City of Phoenix Business Customer Service Center

These folks can help advise you before you sign a lease or buy a building.

If you’d like to start up a business, of any size, anywhere in Phoenix, and you’ve never owned a business before, this office can guide you for FREE on the most efficient route through the required processes and procedures. They’ll give you a big picture of which city departments you’ll need to work with, provide clarification on city regulations, and refer you to other government agencies you’ll also need to work with. Just a few examples of what Phoenix Business Customer Service Center can assist you with: site location, market research, business-name registration, licensing, rules for home-based businesses. Call 602-534-2000 or email bcsc@phoenix.gov.

City of Phoenix Development Services Department’s Office of Customer Advocacy

This office was created to give you FREE advice about project-specific permits required through the City of Phoenix Development Services Department. You’ll usually call the Office of Customer Advocacy when you’re a little further along in terms of knowing what you’d like to do and where. Call them if you’d like to remodel an existing commercial building, renovate a historic building, convert a residential structure to business use, or revitalize a neighborhood retail center. Again, for free, these city staffers can explain all that’s involved in obtaining building permits and, ultimately, that certificate of occupancy. 602-534-7344.

Maricopa Community Colleges Small Business Development Center

For any existing small business firm or individual interested in owning a business. One-on-one business counseling is FREE, while small fees may be charged for costs associated with training courses. www.maricopasbdc.com or 480-784-0590

City of Phoenix Downtown Development Office Artist Storefront Program

Offers matching funds for up to 50% of the cost of exterior improvements for commercial properties with an arts use within the Artist Storefront Program boundaries (McDowell Road to Buckeye Road, 19th Ave to 16th Street – map of this area is available through the Web site I’ll point you to). Award amounts range from $5,000 to $100,000. Call 602-534-9484 or visit  www.phoenix.gov/DOWNTOWN/   and then, in the far-left column, click on “Artist Storefront Program.”

August 5th - 14th - Tuesdays thru Thursdays

Jeffrey and Patrice, stuck in a parking garage after a game (for nearly an hour) take a funny and heartwarming look into the rear view mirror of their marriage.

Herberger Theater Center at 12:10pm. Tuesdays-Thursdays. Tickets are $6, optional lunch is $5.50-$6.50. Call 602 373 6570 to pre-order lunch. For information, call 602 254 7399 x 104 or get info online