Reno – Random Curiosities: Playawear, toys, arts, tattoos, piercings, and smokes
So you've got time to do some fun shopping in Reno before heading home to Black Rock City? Maybe you left your pink wig on your dresser underneath that Sari you also meant to bring? Perhaps you have some time to check out some local arts? There are plenty of strange, useful, and fun-to-explore shops and places in the Reno area, and here's a place to find out more about them.
We've included businesses here that sell costume stuff, vintage, upcycled, or new fashionable clothing for the playa, wig shops, sex stores, tattoo and piercing galleries, tobacconists and purveyors of smoking accessories, electronics, variety stores of the old-fashioned kind, and other businesses that don't easily fall into major categories. Also, a few places of art where you can find some installations that once graced Black Rock City.
Special note to those thinking about getting a tattoo or piercing to celebrate their Burning Man experience before/after the playa, you may just want to consider healing times and weather conditions in Black Rock City. It's a lot easier to keep your new body art healthy and happy in the clean environment of your own home than it is in Black Rock City. Simply put, be careful!
To see what is nearby these places, follow the link to the appropriate shopping hub. You never know what you might find or where, but you may find more of what you need!
Aces Tattoo
681 South Virginia Street – 775-333-0915 – (Downtown)
Open afternoons and evenings, 7 days a week.
Barton Hospice Thrift Store
1609 US-395, Minden – 775-783-3533 – (Carson City)
Beads Etc
5025 South McCarran Blvd – 775-826-0777 – (South Virginia and Kietzke Lane)
Open daily 10am-8pm. This is THE PLACE to load up on beads and other gems for making and gifting jewelry.
Black Hole Body Piercing
912 South Virginia Street – 775-329-6010 – (Downtown)
Open Sun-Thurs 11am-8pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9pm. A full-service piercing studio owned by a female burner since 1995. The Black Hole carries a huge selection of jewelry for body piercing and stretched ears, and offers clean, private and group-viewing piercing rooms, using only single-piercing needles. The friendly and knowledgeable staff would be pleased to discuss any piercing questions or ideas you may have.
Bruka Theater
99 North Virginia Street – 775-323-3221 – (Downtown)
Our favorite theatre and production company, founded and operated mostly by burners to create and share the experience of innovative theatre. Call ahead or check out the website for shows and times.
Carson Hot Springs
1500 Old Hot Springs Road – 775-885-8844 – (Carson City)
Open daily 7am – 11pm.
Charlie B Gallery
200 Main Street, Suite 1 – 775-575-7333 – (Fernley)
Special hours during Burning Man: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm. House to a variety of arts from around the world and one of Fernley's and Nevada's best-kept secrets, if you love vintage and contemporary art and pottery, this is a wonderful place to get lost in for an hour or two. You can find some vintage hats and jewelry for life on the playa, but we mainly include this place here in case you have some free time looking to do something and would like to see some really great art at very reasonable prices while you're in Fernley. Highly recommended you check this place out for some art-reentry.
Chocolate Walrus Boutique
1278 South Virginia Street – 775-825-2267 – (Downtown)
Open Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Adult boutique offering romance.
Classy Seconds Thrift Store
411 Hot Springs Road # 1 – 775-841-7081 – (Carson City)
Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 11am-3pm.
The Doll House
1092 South Virginia Street – 775-337-6060 – (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!
Eagle Eye Charters
730 Basin Road – 866-958-7688 – 775-574-0900 – 775224-9815 – (Nixon)
Open daily 6am-7pm. A very hospitable and knowledgeable crew providing both 2 hour (Anajo Island, The Stone Mother, The Pyramid) and 4 hour (the entire lake, stopping at various points of interest) tours on a 28.5' bayliner.
Friends in Service Helping Thrift Store
138 East Long Street – 775-882-6334 – (Carson City)
Open Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 1pm-4pm.
Goodwill Thrift Store
6407 South Virginia Street – 775-853-7606 – (South Virginia and Kietzke Lane)
Open Mon-Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Fair collection of women's and men's recycled clothing.
Junkees Clothing Exchange
960 South Virginia Street – 775-322-5868 – (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!
Label's Consignment Boutique
601 West 1st Street – 775-825-6000 – (Keystone)
Open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm. A large variety of recycled vintage, classy clothing, including tutus, designed primarily with women in mind.
The Melting Pot World Emporium
888 South Virginia St – 775-322-9445 – (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.
Menagerie Costumes
1999 South Virginia Street, Suite B – 775-322-5427 – (Plumb Lane)
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.
Nevada Museum of Art
160 West Liberty Street – 775-329-3333 – 775-329-1541 – (Downtown)
Open Wed-Sun. 10am-5pm, Thur 10am-8pm. Reno's largest art museum, and bringing a little more of the playa through art exhibitions and installations to Reno every year — most notably Kate Raudenbush's Guardian of Eden.
Paper Moon
550 West Plumb Lane – 775-827-9933 – (Plumb Lane)
Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Owned by burners Laura and Philip, having El-wire, utilikilts, hats, sarongs, gifts, and all sorts of momentos on-hand.
Party America
635 East Prater Way -775-331-3112 – (East McCarran & Prater Way)
Open Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 10:30am-6pm. Carrying a variety of party supplies.
Party City
2825 Northtowne Lane – 775-358-2228 – (Northtowne)
Open Mon-Wed 9:30am-8:30pm, Thur-Fri 9:30am-9pm, Sat 8:30am-8pm, Sun 10am-6pm. Carrying general party supplies.
Polyesther's Costume Boutique
655 South Virginia Street – 775-420-5050 – (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.
Prism Magic Clothing & Imports
2161 Pyramid Way – 775-356-5577 – (Pyramid Highway)
Open Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat. 10am-6pm. Yup! On the scenic route to the playa via Pyramid Highway. 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.
Pyramid Lake Museum & Visitors Center Gift Shop
709 State Street – 775-574-1080 – (Nixon)
Open Wed-Sun 10am-4:30pm. Provides a moving history of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe history and culture and of the lake and environs. Special events and extended hours during Burning Man.
Reno-Sparks Indian Colony Smoke Shop
420 Highway 40 West – 775-345-2620 – (Verdi)
Open daily 7am-8pm.
Reno-Sparks Indian Colony Smoke Shop
1962 Pyramid Way – 775-353-2140 – (Pyramid Highway)
Open daily 7am-8pm.
Reno-Sparks Indian Colony Smoke Shop
2001 East 2nd Street – 775-329-2972 – 775-329-0275 – (Grand Sierra Resort)
Open 7am-8pm daily.
Reno-Sparks Indian Colony-Smoke Shop
11450 South Virginia – 775-852-4010 – (South Meadows Parkway)
Open 7am-8pm daily.
Romantic Sensations
1065 South Virginia St – 775-322-1884 – (Downtown)
Open Mon-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 11am-6pm. Large adult boutique with toys, boots, wigs, clothing, lingerie.
Salvation Army Thrift Store
1925 Sutro Street – 775-688-4588 – 775-688-4589 – (Downtown)
Open 9am-6pm, closed Sundays. Very large thrift store.
Saver's
3800 Kietzke Lane – 775-284-4350 – (Moana)
Open Mon-Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 10am-6pm. Primarily clothing with lots for women will be found at this very large thrift store.
Smoke-n-Head Shop
975 West Fifth Street – 775-324-5446 – (Keystone)
SPCA Thrift Store
401 Vine Street – 775-324-7776 – (Keystone)
Open Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 12pm-4pm.
Spire of Fire
Corner of Sierra and Island Streets, next to the Truckee River – (Downtown)
Featured in Black Rock City in 2010, Spire of Fire, by local Reno artists Steve Atkins and Eric Smith, is BRAF’s fourth installation at this public art venue in Reno, Nevada, and will be on display June 20 – Nov. 15, 2011.
Toys R Us
5000 Smithridge Drive – 775-827-8697 – (South Virginia and Kietzke Lane)
Open Mon-Thu 10am-9pm, Fri 10am-10pm, Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 10am-7pm.
A Tribe of Artists: A Costumes and Culture at Burning Man Exhibit
Fernley City Hall (Art & Lobby Gallery)
595 Silver Lace Blvd – 775-784-9863 – (Fernley)
Open Mon-Thur 8am-6pm, July 26-September 23, 2011. This free and touring exhibit by Geoffrey Nelson is hosted by the City of Fernley, documenting life at Burning Man through highly creative and unusual costumes, captured through photos and other media in Black Rock City.
Triple P Discount Store Cigarette & 99 Cent Plus
501 Keystone Avenue – 775-324-0360 – (Keystone)
Open 9am-9pm daily.
Wig World
1503 South Virginia Street – 775-329-2711 – (Plumb Lane)
Open Mon-Sat 10am-6pm.
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. 
