OCT 21 – NOV 3, 2017 | www.SanTanSun.com
Chandler high on list of prosperous areas BY WAYNE SCHUTSKY Staff
The East Valley is laden with prosperity – and Chandler is near the top of the list. So states a recent economic analysis of ZIP codes across the country, though it shows that affluence is not evenly distributed throughout the region. The Economic Innovation Group, a bipartisan public policy organization, recently released the 2017 Distressed Communities Index, which analyzes a range of economic factors in communities across the country and ranks ZIP codes and cities using a
cumulative distress score. At No. 4, Chandler outranks haughtier locales like Scottsdale, San Francisco and Seattle on the report’s list of the most prosperous large cities in the country. Gilbert is No. 1. Arizona and California were the only states with three municipalities listed in the top 10 on the most prosperous cities ranking. “The big dividing line at the city level tends to be an old and new question,” said John Lettieri, EIG co-founder and senior director for policy and strategy. “The places that are newer and faster growing tend to be more prosperous … the older, slower-growing cities tend to be at the
lower end of the prosperous spectrum.” The factors the group took in to account include poverty rate, median income ratio, percentage of the population over 25 without a high school diploma, and percentage of adults between 25 and 64 not working. It also looks at community-based factors like housing vacancy rate and the percent change in the number of jobs and businesses in the community between 2011 and 2015. EIG then classifies communities as prosperous, comfortable, mid-tier, at-risk or distressed based on the distress score. “At the community level, (we are looking at whether) places are seeing
business growth or business decline,” Lettieri said. “At the center of this question is do you have growth or decline in your stock of businesses.” Chandler ranked fourth on the list with a distress score of 10.6 and 64.9 percent of residents living in prosperous ZIP codes. The majority of Chandler ZIP codes show a poverty rate of 10.3 percent or lower, though 85225, the largest ZIP code with 73,155 residents, has a poverty rate over 18 percent. Despite the higher poverty rate, other measurables in 85225 fall in line with the rest of the city. The ZIP code see
PROSPERITY page 4
Saba’s marks 90 years in Chandler BY COLLEEN SPARKS Staff
Opening a business is a risky endeavor and many small companies fold in a short time, falling victim to tough economic times and customers’ ever-changing demands. But Saba’s Western Wear in downtown Chandler opened during the Great Depression and survived that and other economic challenges. The iconic store, which salutes the spirit of the West, is thriving today as it celebrates 90 years in business. Earlier this month, the Chandler Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with the Downtown Chandler Community Partnership, held a ribbon-cutting at Saba’s Western Wear to mark the milestone. The store offers boots, jeans, cowboy hats, belts and other apparel and goods traditionally worn or used by cowboys and ranchers. Echoing tales of cowboys and dancing saloon girls in dusty towns, Saba’s colorful story is one of humble beginnings and consistently getting back in the saddle despite changes in the economy and business environment. Lebanese immigrant David Saba Sr. opened the store on San Marcos Place in downtown Chandler in 1927. Initially, it was a department store before he decided to focus exclusively on Westernstyle merchandise. The store was moved to its much larger current spot at 67 W. Boston St., after David Saba Sr.’s son, David Jr., and wife Joan bought the building in 1972.
Photo by Kimberly Carrillo
(From left): Davey Saba, his wife Lori Saba, Joan Saba and her husband David Saba Jr. stand in front of the Saba’s Western Wear store in downtown Chandler. Joan and David Jr. are the parents of Davey. Saba’s is marking its 90th anniversary of the Chandler store.
Over the years, Saba’s expanded throughout the Valley, and today, shoppers can find Western merchandise at six other family-owned stores. Saba’s still sells to old-time ranchers and also is a hit with a new generation of locals and tourists who like to buy boots for dancing or Halloween costumes or take home a taste of Western life to other cities. Taking over the business in the early 1950s was an exciting challenge that David Jr. remembers fondly. “That was the greatest experience I ever had, jumping into a retail business I knew nothing about,” he said. “We catered to all the farmers and the ranchers and the people that picked cotton by hand. As Chandler grew and competition became great with shopping centers, we decided to go exclusive Western wear in the ‘70s. We have done nothing but grow and be prosperous.” Joan said her family had owned a junior department store in Portland, Oregon, so that gave her and her husband an advantage in knowing how to operate Saba’s. They are a long way from the tough times in the Great see
Special to the SanTan Sun News
Special to the SanTan Sun News
Erica Davis, an English teacher at Basha High School.
Allison Davis, a kindergarten teacher at Knox Gifted Academy.
2 teachers in CUSD vie for top award BY COLLEEN SPARKS Staff
Two veteran Chandler Unified School District teachers are among the five finalists for Arizona’s teacher of the year. Allison Davis, a kindergarten teacher at Knox Gifted Academy, and Erica Davis, an English teacher at Basha High School, have been selected as the Arizona Educational Foundation’s Ambassadors for Excellence. Out of the five 2018 Ambassadors for Excellence, one will be selected as the 2018 Arizona Educational Foundation Teacher of the Year at a luncheon next
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F E AT U R E STO R I E S Missing person cases in Chandler nag police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . community . . . . . . Page 23 Wine and woodwork offered at this Chandler business . . . . . business . . . . . . . . . Page 30 Chandler woman combats sex trafficking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . neighbors . . . . . . . . . Page 52 Basha, Casteel high school thespians to perform . . . . . . . . . . . arts . . . . . . . . . . . Page 64 Beloved local diner marks 20 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eat . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 76
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