GLENDALE, AZ — Walk through downtown Glendale or drive along the West Valley's major corridors, and something is hard to miss: New businesses are arriving, and they are not slowing down.
From a first-in-the-West-Valley trampoline park to an expanding local bakery and major grocery retailers staking their claim in the Arrowhead area, Glendale is experiencing a wave of investment that city leaders say reflects something bigger: A community that is growing, maturing, and increasingly attracting the kind of businesses that follow people.
At Blue Corn Cafe and Bakery, the smell of fresh sourdough and house-made quiche fills the air daily. Everything on the menu is made from scratch, every single day, says Solinda Sok, the franchise location's new owner.
Sok took over the Glendale location just three months ago, but she had been watching the business long before she owned it.
"I used to see this business before, how they treat the customer, how they make the customer feel like home," Sok said. "I just feel so happy and so glad to work with people in Glendale. The community is really good."
Sok says Glendale's packed calendar of community events, including Summerween, Teddy Bear Day, and the beloved Glendale Glitters holiday celebration, helps drive a steady stream of customers from across the Valley to her front door.
"Glendale is pretty much in the middle of the west side, so it attracts people from other areas just to come here," she said. "The city of Glendale always has something, an event to draw people from other cities just to come over here to visit."
Blue Corn Cafe and Bakery was named best quiche in 2025. The Glendale location is one of two currently open, with additional locations planned for Avondale and Surprise.
Not every business in Glendale is new. Ken and Susan Brown have owned Drawn to Comics in downtown Glendale since May 2005. 21 years of watching the city evolve around them.
When they first opened, Ken Brown recalls, Glendale Avenue was under construction, and skeptics told them it was the worst possible time to launch a small business downtown.
"We're thinking, if we can do this for two years and still have it growing, we should stick with it," Brown said. "Sure enough, 21 years later, we're still here."
What they have witnessed since then, Brown says, is nothing short of a renaissance.
"When we first moved in, it was a lot of antique shops, and a lot of restaurants over the years have come in and changed the vibe, not only being great food, but a lot of small businesses that are now starting to settle in for the long term, which is really cool to see," he said.
Susan Brown says what makes Glendale's downtown special is something that is harder to manufacture than a new storefront.
"It's that old town feel of walking down the brick sidewalk, people greeting you," she said. "It's just an amazing, close-knit community. It's really nice."
Ken Brown says he hopes the growth continues, and that the city's remaining empty storefronts become opportunities.
"There are some empty spaces down here, and they're great opportunities for small businesses to explore and grow with us here in Glendale," he said.
The list of recent arrivals is growing. Cornish Pasty Co. opened its first West Valley location in Glendale. Big Air, a trampoline and entertainment park, also landed in the city, marking the first such venue in the West Valley and only the second location in Arizona. In the Arrowhead area, both Whole Foods Market and 99 Ranch Market are opening their first locations in the region, signaling growing consumer demand and the increasing diversity of the West Valley's population.
Two new hospitality properties are also taking shape. The Moxy Hotel is under construction, and LivAway Suites recently celebrated its grand opening at 9930 W. Desert River Blvd.
Dan Henderson stepped into the role of Glendale's Economic Development Director in May, joining what he calls an award-winning team at a pivotal moment for the city.
"Strategic location and pro-business governance are some of the big reasons why we're seeing significant investment coming into the community," Henderson said.
Henderson says his focus will be on building a comprehensive economic strategy developed in partnership with residents, businesses, and regional partners, and that the city's best days are still ahead.
"I think the next 10 years will transform Glendale's economic character," he said. "The city is going to shift from being a rapidly growing destination to being a strategic, innovation-capable market that businesses choose not just for opportunity, but for competitive advantage."
He also hinted that more announcements are on the way, though he stopped short of revealing details.
"You can expect to see some great things coming, not only out of the Office of Economic Development here in Glendale, but more specifically out of the community," Henderson said.
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