Brianna Lovett

“Ratchet Reno is all about keeping up with Reno’s culture and helping those who are in need.” — Robbie Reno, CEO & Founder

What once started as a small hobby of creating fun stickers for college students, Ratchet Reno has grown to become a small and up-and-coming digital media company that strives to uphold the biggest little city, Reno, Nevada’s culture and history with the town growing as quickly as it has.

Robbie Reno founded the digital media company three years ago on a whim at the start of their college journey. In the years following, the small digital company recently kickstarted its business from being a hobby to a full-time commitment.

Currently, Ratchet Reno is doing business strictly online via Social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Etsy. When talking to Reno, it came to light that the digital media company will begin to partake in in-person events such as partnering up with Fraternities and Sororities on campus, local bars such as The Loving Cup, Z Bar, The Stick, and Little Waldorfs. Here merchandise such as hats, tee shirts, and stickers will be handed out to anyone that attends.

While the company itself was started as an off-brand style of, the major digital media company, Barstool it has slowly started to make a name for itself. When I sat down and had a conversation with the CEO and Founder of Ratchet Reno, I learned of some up-and-coming projects that they are currently working on.

One thing about the digital media company that really stood out was how the CEO will place random “drops” of merchandise on the company’s website and it will only be advertised for one week. The way that the company will promote the drops is via social media where a couple of posts leading up to the drop will be created, as well as a few stories on Instagram will be posted as well.

I later found out that in all of the drops that Ratchet Reno does, a certain percentage of the proceeds will go to local non-profit organizations, local communities, and other small businesses that are all located in the Reno-Sparks area.

The first project I learned about was one that is titled, “The Supremely Ratchet Drop,” where merchandise like beanies, sweatshirts, tote bags, and tank tops will be created to be sold during events held on campus, online on the company's website, and giveaways via social media. 20% of all proceeds, created from this drop, will go to the city’s homeless population as a donation to open more safe houses and food centers.

In the end, Ratchet Reno’s new form of business is something that has become very popular since the start of the Pandemic three years ago. However, with the marketing tactics that the company uses, as well as how the local Reno college community views it, the company will be a big hit in no time.

To check out the latest drops find the company on Instagram @ratchetreno and their website ratchetreno.org

Not even a year after the Target, located in South Reno, completed its store remodel, Sparks is finally getting its shot at a new modern version of everyone's favorite general merchandise store.

Late last year, Target Corporate released a press release that stated its new design plans for upcoming stores that are to reach nationwide by the year 2040. The general merchandise store is becoming more eco-friendly and is hoping to reach a goal of having a net zero emission once the new project is completed

For the Sparks, Nevada store it will become the first store remodel to gain ground on this new wave of stores in the Northern Nevada and California region. During the remodeling process, this Target will be gaining CO2 refrigerators to help lower the retailer’s emissions, increase LED lighting and reclaimed wood to create a more welcoming and inspiring space for guests and team members.

With the remodeling process, the retail chain is also trying for a new open layout that makes the store feel quite larger than it is. This design also allows guests to have easy access to all of their favorite products in one layout. Before, the retail store had all of its products located in a small section that was spaced out by aisle ways. However, now it will be an open layout that has everything you need in one glance.

There are a lot of new spaces being welcomed into this store's doors as well. It’s expected that the Sparks store will be gaining an Ulta Beauty section where guests can shop at two stores at once. Ulta beauty has been introduced to many Target remodels in the past, and most guests have stated that it has helped them to “streamline their day” and also add one less stop to their errands list. By adding in Ulta Beauty, it also gives the retail store a chance to offer more brands for guests to shop across for skin, hair and makeup products.

The sparks store is also to gain the new Disney Shop which is to be one of the highlights of the store remodel. Back in 2020, it was announced that as part of an ongoing creative retail collaboration between Disney and Target. With this new addition, it will allow guests to encompass the “most magical place on earth” in their hometown.

It’s also said that Sparks will be gaining a mini apple store that will be located in their electronics department. It’s unclear just what will be sold in this new apple store, but it will allow a new immersive experience for guests to shop in their day-to-day retail store. This new addition will have products displayed for guests to review products on display as well as their newest edition of Apple products once they’re released.

Another new feature that the retail store is adding is a safe space for guests who need to breastfeed their children. Back in 2017, the franchise store first introduced, the “nursing nook” for moms to be comfortable feeding their baby in public. The “feeding station” offers a small room with cozy chairs, a small table, free breast pads, and breastfeeding covers as well.

Finally, the new remodel helps to convey a larger assortment of merchandise overall. including the expansion of food and beverage, exclusive brand partnerships, and a curated mix of personally owned and national brands. In other words, everything is being added to the new layout of Target and guests can’t wait to see what’s to come next.

In the end, the store remodel is designed to become more warm and welcoming for guests' experience. It’s also a chance for the retail store to add in much more products in stores. By adding all of these new sections, it allows for guests to get everything they need in one go instead of having to travel all over town to get everything they need.

While were already patiently awaiting the great anticipation of the store's remodel, were just going to have to wait excitedly to watch it all unfold in real time.

Now you’re probably wondering, when will all of these new features be fully available. The answer to that is the Sparks Target is stated to be fully completed by the middle of July this year.

Brianna Lovett

In small and quiet towns, like Reno, Nevada a lot of university students and those with everyday jobs, tend to find solitude in small and local cafes. Early last year, a new local coffee shop, known as Buzzed Coffee, opened off of North Virginia Street, planted right across the street from the University of Nevada, Reno, and neighboring fan favorites, Laughing Planet and Insomnia Cookies.

With the help of a swarm of high-energy staff, over the past six months, this small local coffee shop has gained tons of popularity with that of university students. It’s become a place where students are able to come and grab a drink before they head off to class or even settle down to study, catch up on homework, or just sit and chat with friends and often the owner along with other staff members. It’s also a place where customers can grab a drink that's something other than a coffee. With options of having a specialized Red Bull drink with added syrups, a cup of tea, and more, it’s become an ever-growing small business with lots of potential.

But the atmosphere and cheap prices keep drawing in a large sum of customers. By being able to write a fun message or give themselves a shout-out on a chalkboard wall and stairs as well as grab a quick drink or pastry to catch up on some school work or with friends, it’s Buzzed that a lot of university students tend to seek solitude right now.

I was able to sit down and have a conversation with one of the workers, Kendell Lambert, and was able to ask what she thinks about why Buzzed Coffee has grown so considerably in the past year:

“It’s a fun place to come and hang out and people tend to come mainly for the owner, Kyle, and other staff members. Overall the vibe of Buzzed is what tends to draw everyone in.”

The thing that makes Buzzed so different from any other local Reno coffee shop, is that the owner, Kyle Jennings, wants his employees to help the brand get its name out. Staff will often have a coupon or two, to get a certain percentage off their next drink, on them to hand out to those they pass on campus. It’s also expected of staff to create content for the social media accounts.

Right now, Jennings has his employees promoting new merchandise that customers are able to purchase. This includes stickers and newly obtained coffee mugs. The owner also recently invested in having a thrift store, located on the second level, that customers can come and browse through after ordering a drink.

“Working at Buzzed brings in more opportunities for the staff than just being a barista since Kyle pushes his workers into actively participating in other activities like helping to promote the business and help with any extra events we may host.” — Kendell Lambert, 2023

Buzzed Coffee has also unlocked a new way to gain the attention of university students, through social media. It should come as no shock that in today’s age, most people are on platforms such as Instagram or TikTok, and the owners of this small local business have truly used that to their advantage.

If one was to look up the social accounts of the coffee shop, one would see the business allows customers to get a sense of who the brand is. With funny posts, and the promotion of new drinks that workers will come up with on the fly, the small new business has reached its targeted audience with great stride. It’s part of why they’ve grown as popular in the last six months.

Buzzed Coffee has also started to help promote some of the University’s clubs and organizations and other local non-profits and businesses, by hosting small events with university-affiliated organizations like Greek life and the Associated Students of the University of Nevada Reno’s (ASUN) promoted clubs and organizations. It helps to bring a small community together through the use of having events that can help other clubs be able to promote themselves and also the coffee shop.

Buzzed is also currently partnered up with Renown Hospital where customers can come in and draw a picture and the winner of the competition will have their drawing printed and made into a sticker that the cafe will then sell. All profits then made will be donated to Renown's pediatric wing. Along with this, the cafe during major holidays tends to hold a cup drawing contest where customers can draw on a cup and the winners will get a monetary prize and also have their artwork displayed for all to see.

Buzzed Coffee has become a lot of the university students’ new craze of a place to go hang out with friends and grab a quick drink to go. With the atmosphere at an all-time high, it makes sense why the small business is vastly growing in popularity. The next time you’re near the university, I recommend stopping in to grab a quick drink from the coffee shop and see what all the hype is about, I promise you won’t regret it.