Hi Nathan! Yes, unfortunately Aquatouch decided to close their retail space and (I think) will instead be focusing on the service/maintenance side of the business. Arizona Nature Aquatics in Tucson is amazing, but definitely inconvenient if you are coming from Phoenix. I live in Tucson full-time now so I'm not too familiar with any changes in the Phoenix LFS scene, but The Pet Shop in Mesa was always a good option, despite the drive.
AAPE is pretty active on facebook and still holds monthly meetings! I haven't been to one in a while though, unfortunately. Glad to see that you're interested in getting back into the hobby.
Philip