RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Supply chain issues continue to impact what shoppers can find on the shelves unless they’re in the Buy Nevada First Gift Shop & Visitors Center.
The shop supports hundreds of local entrepreneurs who have dodged shipping delays and shortages thanks to ‘Made in Nevada’ products.
“We found that most of the locals can find what they’re looking for,” said Dave Asher, owner of Buy Nevada First Gift Shop & Visitors Center. “One of my favorite vendors here is a guy that welds car parts into works of art. There’s a lot of that, that doesn’t require a supply chain.”
“It just doesn’t make any difference,” said artist Michale Leah Tristram, “I’m well stocked with paper and paint and ink.”
Another store seeing certainty thanks to locally made products is The Flag Store in Sparks. There, you can find sauces, jams, spices and, of course, flags all made in Nevada.
“We’ve seen lots of other stuff that come from China that is sitting in containers off a dock or off into the ocean and you’re waiting weeks or months for them to come in,” said Eric Smith, vice president of The Flag Store. “Versus local products, they’re almost always available.”
Both stores have seen some vendors having issues finding glass jars, but say business is booming.
“The community, Nevada products specifically, has been absolutely wonderful,” said Smith. “They’re willing to work with some of the vendors and if it isn’t in the exact same packaging it was before some people are 100 percent fine with it.”
“We’re expanding to another location in the mall, we’re going to expand in a giant ‘made in Nevada’ store and a big new visitor center,” said Asher.
Next time you want to avoid empty shelves, locally made products might be your solution.
You can order The Flag Store products online.
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