CHANDLER, AZ -- A new restaurant coalition is offering new hope to Chandler businesses struggling in the down economy.
“What I’ve found is that people go back to what they think is comfortable,” said Glynis LeGrande, owner of the Urban Tea Loft in Downtown Chandler. LeGrande says it is a challenge to get people to try something new when the dollar is tight.
LeGrande and about 40 other Chandler businesses are teaming up to help each other. The coalition, called “Local Bites,” will help reduce advertising costs and gain exposure.
LeGrande hopes they can help locally-owned restaurants get the same price advantage that large corporations do when purchasing from distributers.
“Being independently owned has been rough,” LeGrande said. “We don’t have the corporate partners to fall back on.”
The City of Chandler is helping the coalition by footing the cost to print a restaurant guide that will be distributed around the area.
Economic Development Director Christine Mackay estimates that about 48 cents on the dollar stays in the community when spent at locally owned businesses compared to a chain where only about 17 cents on the dollar stays local.
“When you look at ‘mom and pop’ restaurants they spend their money locally and they are the ones hiring locally,” Mackay said.
The restaurant guide will be printed and available after November 20th.
