More and more downtown businesses are accepting Sun Dollars, which means students at ASU's Downtown Phoenix campus can now use Sun Dollars to buy haircuts, textbooks, sandwiches and even auto services.
Sun Dollars, which are loaded onto a student's Sun Card and then deducted as they are used, can be used both on and off campus, which one student says is news to her.
"I think [the Downtown Campus] is trying to partner with some businesses, but they just don't advertise as much as Tempe does," said Candida Henriquez, a nonprofit organization management junior.
In addition to accepting Sun Dollars as a form of payment, some merchants give students paying with Sun Dollars a discount.
Sonoma Casual Dining, for instance, offers a 10 percent discount to those paying with Sun Dollars on the purchase of menu items, said Diana Munoz, Sonoma's dining room manager.
Andrew Perkins, the campus card manager in the Sun Card Office, said the construction of the light rail system has hurt downtown businesses and that many are waiting until the end of construction to participate in the Sun Dollars program.
"But with the opening of the Cronkite School and the move of KAET (Channel 8), and the new residence halls, we anticipate more businesses will become involved," Perkins said.
Sun Dollars can be purchased at the Downtown Phoenix campus bookstore. For more information, call 602-496-0348.
Reach the reporter at: ksarver@asu.edu.
