Business

Short Leash Hot Dogs is usually known for its signature dogs, but on Wednesday all the attention was on the seven people who participated in the restaurant's inaugural Man vs. Dog hot-dog-eating contest. The competition was held to celebrate the first anniversary of Short Leash's brick-and-mortar restaurant and National Hot Dog Day.

The CityScape flowrider wave machine, "Surfing on Central," was expected to open June 1, but more than three weeks later it remains unopened and has become what some say is a "distraction" from nearby businesses.

The Phoenix City Council approved an ordinance on Wednesday that will increase the cost of parking meters up to $4 per hour based on demand and extend meter hours of operation to 10 p.m. every day starting this fall.

Bodega 420, a local grocery store that provided a relief to downtown's infamous 'food desert' classification, closed its doors on Wednesday, just over two years after it opened. As the owners look to spend more time with family, customers share sentiment for the loss of what was seen as a community staple.

Four Chambers Press has filled the community's need for a compilation of local literature. It has already published one issue, released in December of last year, and plans on releasing the next issue in October.

In an effort to assist summertime business and have downtown visitors evade the summer heat, the new "Vampire Hours" initiative in Roosevelt Row will shift operating hours of some businesses and keep many of them open until at least 9 p.m. The initiative started on June 6 and will run until Sept. 1.

The importance of Arizona's current and future leaders in shaping the state's national identity was emphasized by all nine candidates running for state governor at Friday's gubernatorial forum at the Phoenix Convention Center, organized by the Center for the Future of Arizona's The Arizona We Want Institute.

Savannah Sanders, a recent graduate from ASU's School of Social Work and a former sex-trafficking victim, works along with other state programs to help victims of human trafficking regain their footing.

Some properties pay a reduced tax rate based on Government Property Lease Excise Tax agreements, but critics say the law harms small businesses. The length of these agreements downtown ranges from 8 to 99 years.

Downtown has seen a trend as businesses expand into other locations throughout the city. Matt's Big Breakfast, Short Leash Hot Dogs and Lola Coffee have all expanded out of downtown in the past year.