Made in Nevada program plans public marketplace

Made in Nevada, the program that spotlights products made in the Silver State, is planning its first marketplace open to the public.

As many as 40 of the 110 members of the Made in Nevada program are expected to display and sell their merchandise during the event at the Nevada State Library and Archives atrium in Carson City.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 13.

Made in Nevada is a program of the Nevada Commission on Economic Development.

Lynette Castillo, a business development specialist with the commission, said response from participating companies has been strong. About a dozen companies signed up for the marketplace within the first days after it was announced.

Participants will range from Centered Films, a Reno company that's produced a film about the natural beauty of Reno and Lake Tahoe, to Tahoe Ridge Winery of Genoa.

Similar events in the past were designed to educate members of the Nevada Legislature about products produced in the state. Those events weren't open to the public.

Castillo said the organizers of the marketplace are lining up sponsors, including service-related companies who otherwise wouldn't be able to join the product-oriented lineup of Made in Nevada companies.

She said the Made in Nevada program has seen solid membership growth in recent months as participants look for cost-effective marketing solutions.

Some smaller companies, Castillo said, are particularly drawn to the Web presence of Made in Nevada " a presence they would be hard-pressed to create on their own.