Calling Arizona. I have a few general questions.

[LaVida]

Eventually I'd like to relocate and Phoenix keeps jumping out at me. Something about the heat, desert and cactus that calms me.

How are crafters viewed. Since I sell handmade goods in NY I fall under crafts as the "type of business" I run.

I am an SMLLC - this falls under federal so I don't need to worry about this.

Would I need a license to sell my products?

Is there a website that I can be directed to for all the tax & small business answers I am looking for?

[ah-soy]

I live in Glendale, Az part of the greater Phoenix area, aka Valley of the Sun. It's supposed to hit 90 degrees plus today! If you drive about 2.5 hrs north though you can snow ski near Flagstaff (my home town) plus there are 2 other ski areas in AZ...I know everyone thinks desert and heat when they think Arizona, but the elevations range all the way from sea level to 11,000 feet in the beautiful mountains of northern AZ.

Phoenix is sometimes called a 'suitcase' city...it's about a 6 hr drive to Las Vegas or San Diego and 4 hours in a car heading south will put you on the beach in Rocky Point Mexico. From October through April you will enjoy wonderful mild winters...it's not unusual to wear shorts and sandals through November and beyond, but do be prepared from late June through Sept/Oct when all you will want to do is go from your air conditioned home, to your air conditioned car (don't burn your hands on the steering wheel), to the air conditioned mall cause it's too damn hot to do anything else!

Phoenix area craft shows are pretty non-existent from May through August (too hot) but are semi-plentiful in the late fall and throughout winter and spring. Lots of different types of venues. Some require you to have a re-sale license, some you sell under the organizers 'umbrella' license...some cities will require you to purchase a city event permit and have a state liscense too. They are fairly cheap. Here's a link to the state revenue website,

http://www.revenue.state.az.us/609/licensingguide.htm

AZ has been hit hard with the housing crisis and it is really a buyers market right now!

Hope this helps!

[CaliZona]

pm'd you

[LaVida]

Thank you both for the information. I will start my research tomorrow.

[justrightcandles]

we have to get together if you do come here. i live in tucson!!

[Jeana]

I don't want to sound like a downer, but try to spend some time there in the middle of the summer before you decide on a permanent move. The heat really is unbelievable. I grew up there (19 years) and I visit family and friends frequently still. Last summer when I visited it was 117 for a few days and the rest 113. It takes your breath away.

Northern AZ isn't too bad.

If you like desert, cactus and a more moderate heat you may want to consider Borrego Springs, CA. It is about 1hr to get to San Diego and the beaches. You could do markets all year long, there are tons of craft shows all over the place too. Borrego is a very artsy place and known for its spring flowers.

[WendyByTheBay]

I would also suggest the looking into the Texas Hill Country. I have a second home out there (Medina/Bandera area) and one day hope to make a permanent move out there. The climate is pretty dry but there are plenty of rivers to play in. It gets pretty warm in the summer but it doesn't seem too bad to me and I am a hot nature person. There is a drought going on out there now but that won't last forever. The cost of living is pretty low IMO, and it is so pretty out there.

The people are very friendly.

A lot of people love to go out there to shop (including me) and there is never a shortage of outdoor markets.

[Meg_10]

I never want to live in Arizona LOL

We had a layover flight there and we stepped outside to look and OMG

I felt a dragon blew heat flames on me and it took my breath away, we all ran back inside the airport and said FERGET THAT!! LOL

I know alot of people wants to retire there and live there.

It's the heat and the scenery that they love there.

Meg

[FireStarter]

Arizona, especially Phoenix, is super hot. I live in Southern Arizona.. about 15 minutes from the border, but have lived in Tucson for the past 13 years, and have family in Phoenix..

It really is a beautiful state, but it can sometimes be difficult to acclomate. Alot of people come from the east, and suddenly have MAJOR allergies.. the climate is so different.

As far as crafts.. this is probably one of the most craft-friendly states that I know of, aside from Texas. Texas is where I would like to be, or Wyoming.. lol..

However, yea, the heat here.. OMG. Even after living here for so long.. from about May through August.. I don't bother leaving my house unless I absolutely have to.. Tucson is nicer.. doesn't get nearly as hot as Phoenix, and the Sierra Vista/Bisbee area is even cooler, by about 10 degrees on average.. and SV/B is pretty retirement friendly as well, and oh my, Old Bisbee is to die for.. we have Tombstone just 15 mintues from here, and Bisbee is 15 minutes in the opposite direction. Bisbee is also an extremely art/craft friendly town, in fact Old Bisbee is made up of mostly SBO's with some form of arts and crafts.

I did find that Bisbee shops don't have a lot of candles though, so I plan to attempt to tap that market soon.. and there is also a local Farmer's market where you can sell candles and whatever you like.. its more than just a Farmer's market.. lots of crafts and handmade things.

Oh, and before I forget, Tucson has the 4th Ave Street Fair, which sells a TON of crafts twice a year, lots of hippies and retirees love to attend these, as do I.. we have the rennesiance festival in upper phoenix, and there is also octoberfest, and the Gem show is every February, where you can also get a booth and sell candles.

I'd say, if you want to move to Arizona, and you can tolerate the 110 plus degree weather, and want to be able to sell your candles, Tucson or Sierra Vista are the places to be.

I personally can't live in Phoenix because of the heat, but if you can wing it.. go for it.. just remember to leave your windows cracked in the summer time.. or they will shatter. and don't drive a car that has black leather seats.. lmao! And window tinting is an absolute must.

Okay sorry for rambling.. lol

[Dipper]

AZ native here, not sure I would live anywhere else. You can always cool down during the summer heat and the sunsets are awesome with the mountains and clean air that we have here. Come visit.

[LaVida]

Thank you all. I'm glad this thread is still alive and well.

I guess I should visit first. I love all the scenery and I love heat. I like mid-state NY and it's cold most of the year. We're all going burzerk today because it's 60! I can feel it cooling down though.

I want to move to a hot place and I figured Arizona was where it was at. It's good for my hair too.

I will be researching the places you all have mentioned.

I even thought of IL but it's cold there too. *thumbs down*

[*Dee*]

I dont live in arizona, i live in Pa (northwestern) my parents moved to tempe arizona a couple years ago and absolutley love it, they said it is nice year round and they dont have to worry abotu snow if they want to see it they can go to the mountains lol.. my mom said its alot different than the heat here in pa during the summers cuz the humidity in az doesnt get that high so therefore its more of a dry heat..

[CareBear]

I cannot survive in dry heat. My skin just flakes off... I visited AZ in August - never again baby! Did New Orleans and North Carolina same time the next year - yea baby!!! Humidity is my FRIEND!

[LaVida]

Ok, what about Texas? Any tips or guidance.... suggestions. I'm thinking Dallas.

[adillenal]

I have lived in Dallas but I much prefer Central Texas. I am a native East Texan and the humidity is too high there for me now. Our climate here is mild although there seems to be a breeze blowing all of the time. That can annoy me at times.

[LaVida]

I have lived in Dallas but I much prefer Central Texas. I am a native East Texan and the humidity is too high there for me now. Our climate here is mild although there seems to be a breeze blowing all of the time. That can annoy me at times.

Thank you for posting. East Texas... is it "city like" - are things to do easily accessible?

[Kaylors Kreations]

Our climate here is mild although there seems to be a breeze blowing all of the time.

If steady 15mph winds are considered a breeze.. knock me down with a feather.. and thats just a starting point here in the Big Country. But I have to agree the weather is nice most of the time. Though we were a little disappointed this last winter without even a tiny flake of snow.

Abilene is smack dab in the center of the sate so you can't get more central that where I am. You couldn't pay me to live in the Dallas Metroplex or the Houston area. Though I'm sure being in San Antonio wouldn't bother me too much.

And gals.. I hate to say it but there's really no difference between a 'dry' heat or otherwise.. if its effin hot, its effin hot . Only real factor is either your sweating because of the humidity or your dehydrating becuase the sweat is just evapping on and your in trouble n don't know it. (I've lived in Tucson, and Now TX and grew up in Ft.Lauderdale/Miami and NYC... ask me how I know).

The thing with people from the East coming out and having allergies they never had before in AZ is more than likely due to the plants native to AZ and even here in TX that people that have lived elsewhere have never been exposed to causing the allergies, not really so much with the different climate.

As for being craft friendly, maybe elsewhere, but not so much here in Abilene, we only have a few craft shows blow through in the fall and all of them are juried or one of those commercial traveling markets... I've been working with the services squadron here on the base, and we're making some headway in planning some craft friendly markets, like maybe introducing a winter market just arount Turkey Day and their looking at planning a second Shoppin' in the Park near the fall once the weather turns.

But aside from those few events, we do have a farmer's market in the downtown area I'm trying to get hold of someone to find out about getting a spot and then there's the Crafter's Marketplace... $40/mo rent for a 5x5' station, they take the sales and worry about sales tax and the like then pay you whats left, after they take the rent - and if you have no sales you pay oop and can't leave unless the 1yr contract you signed is up. Thing is I NEVER see anyone IN the place, its in a location I pass quite frequently and at various times of the day.

[candlelady]

I'm in SE Texas, actually 50 miles due West of Houston.

For the last several years we are breezy ALL THE TIME! It's getting rather annoying at this point. It does get HOT here, sometimes above 100 and with our HIGH humidity, it just kills ya.

Winters are mild...we do have freezes, but nothing too bad. Snow? What's that? Now it did snow last year, or was it the year before, and Houston area got it good, we had some that you could see on top of our hay bales.

If you like hot and humid, SE Texas is it.

Crafts? I personally feel that Texas is not as crafter friendly, but that's my opinion.

We sure are nice people though! Have great Mexican Food, BBQ and beer and not to mention the best lookin cowboys!

Come on down! ~ we'll tell ya howdy!

[WendyByTheBay]

I say the Texas Hill Country. We have a second home there, I spend as much time as I possibly can out there. I live in the Houston/Galveston area and I would move in a heartbeat to the Hill Country. There are way more craft show/market opportunities there than in the Houston area. Google Bandera, Kerrville, Boerne, and Fredericksburg. Lots of people go to these areas just to shop for things you can't find anywhere else. They have so much going on year round. I make so much more money when I sell out there.

No offense to any one but I could not live in San Antonio (well maybe surrounding areas) & Dallas. It's killing me to live in the Houston/Galveston area. The only reason I am in this area is for my husband's job. I like East Texas but it's really not my thing either.