In Tucson Indie Retailers Aren't So Obscure

Indeed, Amazon has been gobbling e-commerce market share since 2006, taking away customers from eBay in particular. But its advances are shaking up the entire retail world. Giants like Wal-Mart are warily replicating elements of its strategy, while small independent retailers in sporting goods and jewelry now worry their fate will be similar to that of small bookstores and independent video rental shops (remember those?). -New York Times article

Small independent retailers in sporting goods and jewelry in Tucson are not worried about their fates. Perri Jewelers, McGuire's and Marshall's know full well that they offer the consumer a more complete, not to mention personal, experience with free jewelry cleanings and inspection as well as full service repair shops in addition to a wide selection of live goods.
Summit Hut is a favorite place for all manner of outdoors men (and ladies, of course) supplying climbers, esp. with gear for the world class mountain climbing in our area. They carry shoes and tents, hats, backpacks and water bottles and on and on.
Remember small bookstores and independent video rental shops?! We have the BEST independent video rental shop this side of the Mississippi. Casa Video has an excellent selection of indie films as well as the latest hits, foreign films and television shows. And their prices beat any big box video store. Plus, the staff is knowledgeable and helpful.
Then there are the indie bookstores! OMG, three of them got Best Of in Tucson Weekly's latest customer survey. Antigone Books, Bookmans and Mostly Books are only a few of the awesome indie booksellers here. Revolutionary Grounds is a new one. The Book Stop is a great established shop where one can find rare and out-of-print books.
Then there are indie record stores such as Toxic Ranch and Zia. Basically, Tucson has a great indie scene whether you need your diamond ring repaired or a foreign film to rent or outdoor gear or toys or yarn or an art house film or a Chicago-style hot dog or green building materials or . . .
I wanted to write this in response to the NY Times article. The writer made sweeping generalizations that may be true in a statistical sense, but at least here we have a community supporting very good independent businesses. I think enough people value the experience of shopping at a locally owned business that the ones that are really working hard to provide great products and service will be around for a long time to come.