Among the tenants of Reno Public Market, opening in phases, are a few new art venues

This article was first published in the Reno News & Review on Nov. 24.

Reno Public Market—the shopping center at Virginia Street and Plumb Lane that’s been under renovation for the past two years, where anchor tenants Sprouts and CVS opened in 2021—soft-opened its latest phase last week, and a handful of the new tenants are art and design businesses.

RPM is home to a new mural by Reno artist Bryce Chisholm. The developers found the purple neon sign that reads “Faye’s”, rusting and shattered, on top of the building during construction. It was originally from Faye’s dress shop, which opened in Shopper Square in the early 1960s. Reno neon artist Jeff Johnson refurbished the sign, and now it sits above a stage near the food court. (Jenny Kane researched Faye and her shop for a Reno Gazette Journal story that ran in June and learned that Faye had escaped from a brutal marriage to a Czech Nazi en route to Las Vegas, then Reno, where she became a succesful entrepreneur.) Photo; Kris Vagner

These 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 12-7 p.m. Thursdays- Saturdays and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays. Enter RMP on the west side, which is near the CVS drive thru and behind the IHOP. The event also features live music, food trucks, photo booths, fire pits, cocktails, and appearances by Santa.

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 is Wyld Market, a bricks-and-mortar headquarters that opened on Nov. 26, where artists and other producers can sell their products on consignment and can rent a booth on a monthly, weekly, or daily basis. (You can learn more about Jessie and Rachel’s backstory here.)

Makers Paradise—a makerspace that prioritizes accessibility

This Berkeley-based makerspace’s soon-to-open Reno branch is a fresh, new, 2-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.

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 housewares.

Zawadisha—a Reno market for Kenyan craftswomen

Coalition Snow co-founder Jen Gurecki is also part of the 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 is among the businesses opening this month at Reno Public Market. The compact space is already stocked with hand-carved wooden spoons, baskets large and small, and a range of other housewares.