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.

Resting inside The Newton on the corner of Third Avenue and Camelback Road, First Draft fits well in the repurposed space. Wine and beer will likely be the stars of First Draft’s menu, but the coffee portion holds its own. In addition to hot coffee and toddy, they offer a standard selection of espresso beverages and teas.

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.