Celebrate small business community in Carson City

Many small businesses had a tough time during the mandated COVID shutdown and had to survive the best they could and, fortunately for Carson City, many were able to withstand the economic downturn though most will tell you it hasn’t been easy.

And, it’s still not easy to operate in this new post-COVID environment where businesses now are dealing with the downturn in staffing, higher operating costs, lack of supplies, consumer addiction to internet shopping, economic uncertainty, and overall apathy.

The large retailers seemed to suffer more and, as a result, several national chains were forced to cancel leases, electing instead to operate online stores. It was shown during COVID that brick-and-mortar stores were becoming white elephants as shoppers found retail solace by using their mouse. Think Pier One, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Tuesday Morning – all no longer in our region.

May is dedicated to honoring and supporting our local brick-and-mortar businesses giving our community character. Small businesses existing prior to March 2020 have resolved to accept the “new norm” while making every effort to attract customers through their front door. Equally important, new businesses have – and still are – opening their doors confident of community support.

The biggest industry gain seems to be in the beauty field, a great field for female entrepreneurs trying to balance family and work.

Restaurants are in demand as there are many who enjoy going out to dine and be entertained. John Procaccini and Kitty McKay took a giant post-COVID leap to open Nashville Social Club, their one-of-a-kind eatery and toe-tapping music venue, thus elevating our choices and entertainment options. Both are using their talents to put the club on the map attracting regional support and national talent.

Panera Bread opened its first outlet in Northern Nevada in south Carson City in October and continues to be a hit for those who enjoy fast casual dining. So confident of business growth, Jim Phalan rebranded his popular pub to the Fox Brewery & Pub and refreshed the interior.

Entrepreneur Elaine Spencer confidently opened a retail outlet, a skincare salon, and is bringing the region a home and garden show. Popular among the younger set is her trendy Plato’s Closet which opened February 2022. Her skincare salon, Le Visage Skincare Spa located beside Plato’s Closet, opened in early January and on the weekend of May 21, she is organizing a regional home and garden show at the Carson City Community Center.

You can’t get a handyman delivered through the internet. Not many of us have the talent to repair what is broken or build fences or do other handy chores but the father/son team of Shane and Brandon Patterson can, and they are quite the Dandy Handyman – that’s the name of their business.

In 2021, good friends Coleen Cudney and Christine Latshaw envisioned a special place to provide an eclectic showcase and retail outlet for local artisans to launch their budding small businesses. MidTown Marketplace was born and today is the go-to destination for interesting and one-of-a-kind gifts and has become a gathering place featuring special events and arts and crafts lessons.

On May 25, there will be another reason to come downtown. Our first boutique wine, cheese, and accoutrements shop will be opened by Mayer Family Wines, soon to be the go to place to pick up special treats and meet friends for a glass of wine. Paula and Brian Mayer are the co-owners and are confident Carsonites are ready for their kind of store. You can bet they know their wines. Brian has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers. He has poured many glasses of fine wine in Southern California and most recently at Lake Tahoe. The new shop is located at 408 N. Carson St. They are partnering with another newly-minted small business owner, Krisha Caraway of Caraway Charcuterie, who will provide charcuterie trays.

While this is the tip of the iceberg listing the many local small businesses now seeking your continued support, we know there will be more coming in the future. We urge you to support local business this month and every month if you want a diverse business mix.

We get it, there are times when we need the Amazon Prime truck driver coming to our door. But, remember, though it may be tempting to rev up your mouse, we encourage you to always shop locally, for every purchase can make a big difference to the entrepreneur with a big dream.

The telephone book has gone the way of most printed materials making it a bit harder to find what you seek. Go to the Chamber website at www.carsoncitychamber.com and click on the Business Directory tab to find the business, address, phone, contact and website of many small businesses. The businesses mentioned above are all listed on this site.