SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN) — Tubac Road is lined with local businesses that rely on tourism to survive. With summer approaching, the Tubac Chamber of Commerce says tourism and sales slow down, posing a challenge for those businesses.
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Shop owners are counting the days until summer passes as the roads grow emptier.
Angel Fernandez is crunching the numbers for his business. La Cucaracha Mexican Furniture has been a Tubac staple since 2002. Fernandez says tourism falls off sharply during the summer months. He brings in about $500 a day from June to August — down 70% from his usual income — with most sales coming from his hand-designed tiles.
"We have to prepare for the summer," Fernandez said.
"There's a lot projects in the summer and that brings in a lot of people," Fernandez said.
About a block down is Tubac Oil and Vinegar — known for its homemade salsas and free tastings. Co-owner Rocio Cespedes says this summer start is slower than years past, blaming high gas prices for keeping many locals from hitting the road this year.
"If it's like this in June then what is going to happen in June and July," Cespedes said.
But not everyone sees a slump. The owner of Black Dog Art's says summer can be a time to engage local neighbors, hosting events for artists to show and sell their work.
"What happens in the off-season, case in point with Jared here, is it will allow a lot of his family and friends to support and buy his work," Larry Caveney said.
The Tubac Chamber of Commerce says they plan to draw visitors from surrounding towns and counties, promoting nature and the local shop scene as the heart of their community.
"Come and see us in the summer hahaha," Fernandez said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Marc Monroy joined KGUN 9 as a multimedia journalist after moving from KGUN 9’s sister station, KXXV, in Waco, Texas. He graduated from California State University, Northridge, in 2024 with a degree in journalism. A native of Southern California and a bilingual reporter, Marc is excited to serve Southern Arizona and looks forward to connecting with neighbors in the community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Marc by emailing marc.monroy@kgun9.com or by connecting on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.
