Summer is hot, no question about it. But business is not.

We may be seeing record highs in the stock market, real estate is recovering and home prices are going up, but there is little change for the “mom and pop” small businesses.

Most of them are still struggling to make rent payments, let alone making a profit.

Several long-time businesses have told our ad reps that this is already looking like the worst summer, yet, for business.

So what do they do to get residents out of their homes and through their front doors?

A group of Fountain Hills retailers and restaurants are joining The Times in a promotion to bring people out of their houses this summer.

The promotion gives readers 15 reasons to shop and dine locally this summer. There are 15 advertisers, each offering a weekly special. The coupon-format ads also are to be used as entry forms for a contest whereby customers can win a weekly prize of $100 in Fountain Hills Times dollars. Drawings will be held each Thursday from June 13 through Sept. 5

The specials are good for one week, and each business will have a different special each week.

The promotion begins this week. See the ads on Page 5A.

To enter the contest each week, you must fill in your name and phone number at the bottom of each coupon and return it to the store or restaurant that appears on that particular coupon. You do not have to purchase anything to enter the contest, but you do have to return the coupon to get the special that is offered.

Only coupons cut out from that week’s newspaper will be eligible for entry into that week’s contest. No copies will be accepted.

As I mentioned, the $100 prizes will be awarded in Fountain Hills Times dollars. The currency can only be redeemed on merchandise or services in the stores or restaurant of participating businesses.

The drawing winner will have his or her photo taken with a store or restaurant representative. The photo will be on the front page of The Times the week after the drawing.

In addition to the 15 reasons for why you should shop locally that are specific to the ads on Page 5A, there are general reasons why it is good to shop or dine locally.

Some of these are:

Shopping locally helps our local economy. Several studies have shown that when we buy local, more of that money remains local through purchases by those businesses from other local businesses thus strengthening the local economy.

Local purchases build our tax base through sales tax collections on goods or services sold. These taxes collected are used to maintain our roads, parks and other public facilities.

Local businesses give back to local non-profit organizations through donations of goods and services.

Small businesses are the largest employer nationally, and in our community they provide many jobs to residents.

Local businesses are owned by people who live in the community and are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the future of the community.

So, enter the contest, take advantage of the specials being offered and shop or dine local this summer.