At her midtown Reno store “Natural Selection,” if you can't find the right gift, owner Emily Felch says…you're out of luck: “I'd kind of chuckle to myself at first and try to help them out the best I can.”
Inside her gift shop you’ll find an assortment of…stuffed squirrels, one dressed up, one dressed down. Would somebody you know like the “commando squirrel” that’s mounted on a plaque? Tropical terrariums are big sellers there, in all sizes and shapes. And fuzzy balls of algae floating in jars…that’s a gift that’s popular in Japan. Her store is but one reason why Reno ranks high for shopping local, and Emily says that makes sense: “There's a bunch of really passionate wonderful business owners here."
So how did Reno end up as the #4 city to shop local? Computers scanned millions of Yelp customer reviews across the country, looking for the word "gift". Based on how often that word came up, here's what they came up with: San Diego #1. Austin Texas #2, Denver #3. And Reno, right here at #4. Yelp Reno Community Manager Michael Tragash told us, “We're up 10 spots from last year, and that's not a surprise at all. I think the growth of our Yelp community and the support that we have for amazing local businesses is palpable."
It means a lot of money too. The local shopping trend is up. A Harris poll found 64% of American adults will shop local this holiday season…and those shoppers will spend an average $324.
Sam Sprague's Midtown Reno store Micano Home and Garden is riding that wave…everything inside is almost all local, some homemade. His store is a bit of a museum too, which for Sam screams unique gift. Check out the old style furniture…the metal steampunk art piece…the throwback light bulbs. Sam says the industrial 1920's look has never been hotter: "It comes from that bespoke era, where people worked with their hands and minds and made stuff that lasted a long time."
3rd stop…Larkellen on west Plumb, home of the Tahoe Timber eyeglasses…locally made shades with bamboo or hardwood frames. New in the store is the Tahoe table made with recycled wood, and the Nevada necklace in the shape of our state, all locally made. Owner Mimi Canfield says, "I try to search and find the coolest and the newest and latest in town."
Mimi makes some of her gifts herself…like the "Home Sick" Nevada sweatshirts. "It just became a thing. This really wasn't what I was going for, but it worked out and I love it."
Reno. With one of a kind, unique surprises…around many corners.
