Reno - Hot Stops
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Here we include a short list of the most popular pit-stops in the Reno-Sparks area that burners with little-time on their hands typically want to check off as a stop before heading off to the playa.
Although those listed tend to also be among our favorite shops, we defer to experience here in pointing out, although they are somewhat scattered around the region, there is a reason why these shops are so popular during the burner migrations.
Please read on for the details…
The Melting Pot World Emporium
1049 South Virginia Street – 775-322-9445 – map – (Downtown)
Regular hours: Mon-Sat 10am-7pm, Sat 11am-7pm, Sun. 12pm-5pm. Around the time of Burning Man, open earlier and later. Call ahead for special hours.
Family-owned and operated by burners Monique, Eric, and Kaz, this wonderful place is also a year-round and longtime favorite of the local and world burner community. Lots and lots of great, exotic, ethnic, futuristic, retro, steampunk, and other fashionable costuming, clothing, lingerie, tutus, booty shorts, belts, boots, shoes, leg warmers, goggles, bags, jewelry, masks, hats, pasties, capes, wings, hoola hoops, playa-safe boas, parasols, a large variety of fire tools, ready-to-go el-wire kits, light toys, flags, tapestries, playa gifts, carrying packs, camel-bags, pocket belts, poi, body paints and latex, body and eco-friendly lotions and oils, lip balms, smoking tools, portable ashtrays, books and dvd's about Burning Man, Burning Man calendars, and other curiosities. Also a section of fun clothing just for kids too! All-in-all, a great place to meetup with other burners and for local info.
The Melting Pot is also one of the few places on the planet that sells tickets to Burning Man. HOWEVER, for 2011, tickets are already sold out here — if they are still available at all, go to Burning Man Tickets Online.
Junkees Clothing Exchange
960 South Virginia Street – 775-322-5868 – map – (Downtown)
Open every day, 11am-8pm. Open later during Burning Man, call ahead for special hours. Owned and operated by burners Jessica and Troy and crew, Junkee Clothing Exchange is a wonderful journey backwards and forwards in time and space to find a HUGE variety of very affordable vintage recycled, upcycled, custom, and one-of-a-kind clothing, including exotic and fun clothing, hats, scarves, corsets, tutus, vests, purses, shoes, jumpsuits, glasses, jewelry, masks, costumes and other accessories for both men and women for the funky life on the playa. Also a place to sell or trade back, recycle your playawear!
Polyesther's Costume Boutique
655 South Virginia Street – 775-420-5050 – map – (Downtown)
Burning Man hours: Open daily 11am-8pm, but call ahead for after-hours possibilities. Polyesther's is an up-and-coming costume boutique at a new location that is unique for it's custom-made line of wild fun fashion-ware, unique to the life of Black Rock City and beyond. Here you can find unique, wild, and fun upcycled as well as brand-new clothing and costumes ranging from industrial to faux to vintage to disco to fishnet to chain-malle to sexy, for both women and men. Designs by Esther, Christine Saari-Walkingstick, Aliwear, and other designers. You can find a wide variety of coats, mini-coats, dresses, pants, shirts, vests, suits, tutus, corsets, lingerie, leggings, gloves, belts, ponchos, boot toppers and covers, vests, pants, hats, wigs, halos, wings, bikini-wear, el-wired and weighted hoola-hoops, hand-painted parasols, masks, and jewelry. Esther will also make something custome just for you, contact her by August 15 to get in your order.
The Doll House
1092 South Virginia Street – 775-337-6060 – map – (Downtown)
Open Mon-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 12pm-6pm. During Burning Man, call for after-hours. The Doll House is the place to get some of the sexiest custom-made outfits and costumes for the playa, including spandex pants, booty shorts, mini-pleated skirts, bikinis, tops, fishnet stockings in a wide variety of colors and designs, fur clothing and accessories, feather earrings, pasties, eye lashes, and a large selection in boots and shoes. Some sexy wear such as booty shorts, thongs, and boots for men too. Also carrier of men-magnet lotions and lip gloss. Owner and burner Jeanne specializes in sewing stretch fabrics, including lames and other wild fabrics, and she also carries a large variety from other brands. Custom outfits possible — orders should be placed by no later than August 15!
Menagerie Costumes
1999 South Virginia Street, Suite B – 775-322-5427 – map
Located behind Sushi Boat, turn right on Hillcrest off of Virginia Street, Menagerie is located then immediately on your right in the strip mall. Open Wed-Sat 11am-6pm, Sun 2pm-6pm. During Burning Man Hours Open Daily 9am-9pm. Call ahead for possible after-hours appointment. Recently opened, The Menagerie is burners-owned and operated, providing THE LARGEST selection and variety of costumes for purchase and rental in Northern Nevada. Focusing primarily on very good quality, custom-made costumes, hats, masks, wigs, and many other accessories formerly used in movie or stage sets, there's just about everything for everyone … and at fantastic prices. If you want to be an alien, cowboy, renaissance princess, prom queen, roman legionary, clown, movie diva, monster, star trekkie, gangster, rabbit, alligator, loonie tunes cartoon character, … you just about name it, they probably have it — and in variety! Also have body paints, wigs, masks, and other accessories, as well as faux fur vests, booties, leggings, etc. Anything not fitting? Alterations possible. Custom orders available — all custom orders need to be in by no later than August 22. Call for custom orders and questions.
Prism Magic Clothing & Imports
2161 Pyramid Way – 75-356-5577 – map – (Pyramid)
Yup! On the way to the big ole Burn on Pyramid Way. Owned and operated by burners for burners, they specialize in tie-dye but have all sorts of fun 'Playa Wear'. Petticoats, animal bikes, costumes, sarongs, hats, vintage clothing and other unique items. Black Rock Bicycles are also available. Stop on by & have some fun c/o Lauren & Crew.
Save Mart Supermarket
525 Keystone Ave – 775-786-2150 – map – (Keystone Ave)
Open 24/7 for Burning Man. This Save Mart every year increasingly goes out of their way for burners, and is the most popular spot among burners on their way to the playa. Moreover, bicycles, recycling, and ridesharing can also be found here in abundance. A one-stop shop if there is one….
An area of the Save Mart parking lot will be set aside to display LOTS AND LOTS of bulk-water that may be picked up after being purchased inside. They will also be carrying lots of 15 and 55-gallon barrels, spigots and pumps. Aquafill-Pacific Mist will also have a truck in the parking lot to fill up your barrels, containers, or RV's with Reverse Osmosis-filtered water!
Other specialty products will be located inside and outside of the store, including Black Rock Bicycles and Kiwanis Bikes and accessories, Cool Neon el-wire ready-kits, various glow toys, fun hats, masks, goggles and fun glasses, headlamps, solar chargers, tiki torches, medium and small propane tanks and propane stoves, bicycle tubes and lighting, dry ice,vegetarian and vegan sandwich fillers, various energy bars and powders, freeze-dried backpacking foods, sushi, reusable cups and other kitchenware and storage containers, lots of canned beer and other booze, and coolers.
Like some other Save Marts in town, they will also be operating a Drive-Thru Recycling Center for this year's event! A free, multi-community project to promote recycling, this multi-year initiative is designed for your convenience with no strings attached – just PLEASE sort and have your recyclables as clean as possible and removed from bags before depositing. Bicycles, plastics (HDPE 1,2,3,4&5), plastic bags, glass, all metals (aluminum, tin, lead, steel, etc), paper, cardboard, household batteries, and non-perishable food and water are all welcome. Moreover, garbage deposit will be available to recyclers at the rate of $3 per 35-gallon standard trash bag. All proceeds raised from this recycling initiative will be donated to support new local Black Rock Solar installations, and food and water to local food banks. Both the store and recycling center will be open 24/7 from August 26 through September 7.
Also notable here for those on a shoestring is that Save Mart will also be serving as a Rideshare Base during the event. What’s Rideshare? If you need a ride to the playa, as this Save Mart gets so much businesses from folks travelling to the playa every year and throughout the week, it is likely that you will be able to quickly land a ride here to the playa at any hour. Please just remember that offering to help out with gas is sometimes helpful, that not everyone shopping here is even interested in Burning Man, please remember to leave no trace, that everyone must wear a seatbelt in the vehicle, and most importantly, be comfortable with whom you may come to share a ride with.
Whole Foods Market
6139 South Virginia Street – 775-852-8023 – map – (South Virginia and Kietzke Lane)
Open 8am-9pm daily. A very popular place among burners, Whole Foods is the largest healthy food store in the region, with a HUGE variety of high-quality foods, wine, beer, and spirits, and body products. They also have a section of fun playa-fashionable clothing — hats, vests, shirts, pants, dresses, coats, etc — and accessories, such as ready-to-go el-wire kits, produced locally for life on the playa. And of course they will have plenty of bulk water in 2.5 and 5 gallon sizes on the side.
And, finally, a most wonderful thing for last, Whole Foods will again be providing free recycling service in support of Burning Man. Acceptable recyclables include: Aluminum, tin, steel, glass, plastics (SPI 1,2,3,4,& 5), household batteries, cardboard, paper, and bicycles. Your egg-shells, coffee grinds, and green-matter compost are also acceptable, just as long as it has not been in your mouth or otherwise contaminated with pathogens or chemicals. And garbage disposal will be available to recyclers at the rate of $3 per 35-gallon standard trash bag. All proceeds raised from this recycling initiative will be donated to support new local Black Rock Solar installations, and food and water will be donated to local food banks. These services are available 24 hours from August 26 through September 7 — all you have to do is drive in, and please have your recyclables as clean as possible and sorted before depositing, with everything going into the appropriate containers.
Trader Joe's
5035 South McCarran Blvd – 775-826-1621 – map – (South Virginia and Kietzke Lane)
Open 8am-10pm daily. In the Smithridge Shopping Plaza, a place to maneuver carefully for parking large spacecruisers, but heck, the legend of Trader Joe’s is well worth it! A VERY hot spot among local and world burners for great and novel foods, drinks, and booze ideal for playa life, …and at great prices!
Simply Water
1070 Gentry Way – 775-337-8111 – map – (Moana)
Open Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-3pm, but will have special (8am-8pm) hours for Burning Man – call ahead for possible after-hours appointments. Purified water for 40 cents a gallon. Owner Mike Cadena's been to Burning Man. Bring your own container, buy one, or fill your RV directly.
Twin City Surplus
1675 East 4th Street – 775-323-5630 – map – (Grand Sierra)
Open Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm. Long-time mega magnet for burners, this place has a little of everything. They have an extended portion of their site just for Burning Man, and they are continuing to "go Green"! They will have the usual 35 and 55-gallon water barrels — will even let you fill them up there — along with the usual variety of tents, tarps, rope, goggles, clothing, stoves, and military-ware. Crank flashlights, Everlites, and solar lanterns are just a few of the many green-er items they are now carrying. Check out their website for their hot items.
Carter Bros. Ace Hardware
1215 South Virginia Street – 775-337-1200 – map – (Downtown)
Open Mon-Sat 8am-6pm, Sun 11am-4pm. One of the few hardware stores owned by burners in town that is as well independently seeking to meet the shade and camping needs of the burning man participant. Stocking up on a wide variety of playa-specific hardware, camping, and lighting needs.
Lowe's Home Improvement
5075 Kietzke Lane – 775-824-4750 – map – (South Virginia and Kietzke Lane)
Open Mon-Fri 6am-9pm, Sun 8am-8pm. A bit larger than Home Depot, but just as friendly to burners, carrying all the basic building supplies for your shade or camp, flashlights, batteries, rebar, and other goods you might want…
Lowe's Home Improvement
2450 Oddie Blvd – 775-356-6333 – map – (Oddie)
Open Mon-Sat 6am-10pm, Sun 7am-8pm. A bit larger than Home Depot, but just as friendly to burners, carrying all the basic building supplies for your shade or camp, flashlights, batteries, rebar, and other goods you might want…
Home Depot
5125 Summit Ridge Drive – 775-787-9690 – map – (West McCarran and Mae Anne Ave.)
Open Mon-Fri 6am-9pm, Sun 7am-8pm.
Home Depot
6590 South Virginia Street – 775-851-9600 – map – (South Virginia and Kietzke Lane)
Open Mon-Sat, 6am-9pm, Sun 7am-8pm. This Home Depot sets up an area specifically for Burners, stocked with all the basic building supplies for your shade or camp, flashlights, batteries, rebar, and other goods you might want.
Jub Jub's Thirst Parlor
71 South Wells Avenue – 775-384-1652 – (Downtown)
Open daily 2pm-whenever! Look for the giant monkey and "FYD" on the side of the building — Jub Jub's is located in the back.
Well, seeing how there may be some people who are eager for some local burner scenery mixed with firewater, more-than-anything, we just had to include Jub Jub's here among the areas Hot Stops. Burners-owned and operated and known as "The Fucking Classiest Dive Bar in Reno," if you are wondering if there is any kind of affiliation between Jub Jub's Thirst Parlor and the Jub Jub's Theme Camp in Black Rock City, well, ehhhh, hmmm, you'll just have to come find out for yourself. Due to the closing of the world-famous Zephyr Bar, pretty much everyone who frequented that bar now resides at Jub Jub's. Featuring live music regularly and other wildly bizarre and fun personalities and events and games, if you're coming through Reno and stop at the Thirst Parlor on August 26 and 27, ask for a "Free Spin on the Wheel." You won't regret it. Oh, and, Fuck Your Day.
Need more info? Try: Reno-Sparks Convention & Visitors Authority, Reno News and Review, Reno Gazette-Journal, Reno Magazine, Reno Tahoe Tonight, National Traffic and Road Closure Information, PlayReno, NevadaNet, goTahoe.com, Tahoe.com, Fernleynews.com. 
