Reno Public Market—the former Shoppers Square, at Virginia Street and Plumb Lane and anchored by CVS and Sprouts Farmers Market, which has been under renovation for the past two years—soft-opened its latest phase in November. A handful of the new tenants are art and design businesses.
Wyld Market—a ‘plug-and-play’ art retailer
Jessie Phillips started her career managing farmers’ markets in Santa Cruz, then got into digital marketing for the food and beverage industry. Rachel Macintyre worked in tech for 15 years. When they met, their combination of skill sets seemed like a natural match for an entrepreneurial team. They’ve been working together in Reno since 2018, where they own The Virgil, the former church on Vassar Street and Wells Avenue that’s now a co-working space and event venue. They also run Wandering Wyld, a series of pop-up markets in Reno, Truckee and nearby communities for artisans and small producers who peddle items such as soaps, coffee beans, and boutique pet products.
The duo’s newest venture, Wyld Market, is a bricks-and-mortar headquarters where artists and other producers can sell their products on consignment and can rent a booth on a monthly, weekly or daily basis. The market was scheduled to open on Nov. 25.
Learn more at wanderingwyld.com.
Makers Paradise—a makerspace that prioritizes accessibility
This Berkeley, Calif.-based makerspace’s soon-to-open Reno branch is a fresh, new, two-story industrial space at the back of the shopping center, across Casazza Drive from the small strip that contains the Alibi Lounge.
One of the Berkeley team’s priorities has been offering studio space and training to veterans and people with disabilities. They plan to keep with that tradition here, too. The venue is working with Reno VA Medical Center to offer art therapy sessions in the new digs.
Makers Paradise will also open a separate gallery space inside the shopping center.
Find more info at www.makersparadise.org.
Far Out—snow sports gear with grassroots values
Far Out is the new concept store for Coalition Snow, a local ski and snowboard brand that’s operated by and caters to women.
The clothing and merch lines include plenty of “shred the patriarchy” graphics. There’s an offshoot line of products for the boudoir such as CBD Infused Intimacy Oil and Après Delight Massage Candles. And the company makes a point of being socially responsible—its many out-of-store offerings include snow sports travel packages, yoga retreats and an Indigenous Backcountry Scholarship.
Inside the new shop, you’ll find a range of creative clothing and house wares. The website: www.coalitionsnow.com/pages/far-out.
Zawadisha—a Reno market for Kenyan craftswomen
Coalition Snow co-founder Jen Gurecki is also part of the team behind a 10-year-old nonprofit called Zawadisha that provides microloans and other forms of business support to craftswomen in Kenya. They already have an online shop, and their IRL retail location just opened Reno Public Market. The compact space is already stocked with hand-carved wooden spoons, baskets large and small, and a range of other housewares.
Details at shopzawadisha.com.
Deck the Halls Holiday Pop-Up
Reno Public Market’s art businesses are slated to be fully open by January 2023, along with 16 new food purveyors, a bar and a stage for performances. Meanwhile, the retailers are participating in the Deck the Halls Holiday Pop-Up event each weekend through Dec. 24. Hours are noon to 7 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday. The event takes place near the west entrance of the complex, near the CVS drive thru and behind IHOP. The event also features live music, food trucks, photo booths, fire pits, cocktails and appearances by Santa. The website: renopublicmarket.com.