TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The streetcar passing though Main Gate Square, Downtown, Fourth Avenue, and the Mercado District is a familiar sound to people passing through those areas. For many, it’s a convenient way of getting around town.
Visit Tucson is offering a Summer Streetcar Savings pass with free discounts to people that sign up online. It gives people discounts and deals at more than 80 businesses the streetcar passes.
Many businesses in downtown are seeing fewer customers because many snowbirds leave for the summer, university students go back home, and people are traveling.
“Summer is a wonderful, very intimate time, but it definitely slows down,” Jackson Masterson, the assistant manager at Charro Steak and Del Rey said.
In peak season in February, Visit Tucson said the short term rental occupancy was at about 77 percent while in May it went down about 20 percent.
“In the night life we do tend to pick up a little bit more, which is nice, but still there is definitely a decrease,” Barbara Zazueta, the general manager at Highwire said.
At Charro Steak and Del Rey, they’re offering fifty percent off signature cocktails and wine as a part of the Summer Streetcar Savings pass.
“We like to incorporate wonderful deals and breaks and coupons and things like that to get our customers interactive over here downtown,” Masterson said.
The streetcar, Masterson said, is convenient for customers and it boosts business.
“Getting foot traffic down here in downtown. Bringing the streetcar here has been a wonderful implementation for businesses around here,” Masterson said. “Also maybe this coupon… to maybe first come in for a drink and then go elsewhere for a show.”
Highwire has already been getting people who are using their coupon to get a free pearl shot.
“They’re able to try new cocktails and see new places downtown,” Zazueta said.
She said during a slow season, the savings are helping them get more customers, which helps boost business.
“Any dollar counts whether it’s a discount or not discounted,” Zazueta commented.
The savings overall, she said, help downtown businesses continue to grow.
“We want to build a community bond so people keep local, keeping people in the know,” she said.
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Andrew Christiansen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before joining the team, Andrew reported in Corpus Christi, Texas for KRIS6 News, Action 10 News and guest reported in Spanish for Telemundo Corpus Christi. Share your story ideas with Andrew by emailing andrew.christiansen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.
