Hot Stops

Here’s a list of the most popular Playawear, Grocery, Water, and Hardware/Camping resources in the area that many burners want to check off as a pit-stop before heading off to the playa.

The Melting Pot World Emporium
1049 South Virginia Street – 775-322-9445 – map – (Downtown-Midtown)
Open Daily 10am-7pm. Call for extended hours. The world-famous Melting Pot is a best place to get new of everything for women and men. A huge selection of themed costumes and hip and sexy clothing, including faux fur coats, vests, and pants, carnival masks, wigs, head-dresses, tophats, biker hats, animal hats, dresses, blouses, lingerie, netting wear, booty shorts, pants, hoodies, hip belts, backpacks, jewelry, goggles, sunglasses, parasols, baby/children’s clothing, body and eco-friendly makeup, el-wire kits, bike lights, glow toys, playa toys and gadgets, incense, wind spinners, and smoking pipes/utensils. Also, official Burning Man calendars.

Junkees Clothing Exchange  (two locations)
299 East Plumb Lane – 775-322-5865 – map – (Reno Airport)
101 North Virginia Street – 775-622-9832 – map – (Downtown-Midtown)
Open Daily 11am-7pm. World-famous Junkees has moved to two new locations, both having a massive selection of mainly recycled/upcycled, as well as new clothing and costumes for women, men, and children of all ages.  Pretty much anything you need, want or wish to fabricate, ranging from wedding dresses, marching band and military uniforms, circus, steampunk, Halloween, lingerie, fishnets, goggles, sunglasses, hats, vests, wigs, makeup, jewelry, … and el-wire kits. Enjoy the very helpful staff and always hip tunes.

Chocolate Walrus Boutique
1278 South Virginia Street – 775-825-2267 – map – (Downtown-Midtown)
Open Daily 10am-9pm. The Chocolate Walrus has the biggest selection in town of new sexy outfits and costumes for primarily women, and some outstanding things for men as well. You can find hundreds and hundreds of different themed costumes or accessories, as well as tons of dresses, jackets, lingerie, sequin bras, corsets, netting, faux fur outfits, bootie shorts, parasols, tutus, masks, hats, boas, boots, pumps, pasties, jewelry, makeup, and biofriendly glitter etc. You can also find many sex toys and role-playing outfits. Men can find some upscale gothic or steampunk outfits, in particular.

Whole Foods Market
6139 South Virginia Street – 775-852-8023 – map – (South McCarran)
Open 8am-10pm. Whole Foods has the biggest selection of healthy and quality foods in the region, particularly for vegans and vegetarians. Most notably, they will have lots of bulk water in 2.5 and 5 gallon sizes, organic and top-notch produce, ready-to-go meals and powders, bulk foods, juices, raw foods, energy bars, imported and domestic delicacies, trail mixes, coconut water, energy drinks, high-quality skin care and toiletries, and a big selection of imported and domestic wines, beers, and spirits.You can order online via Amazon for pickups. bThey also have several restaurants and buffet selections, as well as a beer bar.

Save Mart Supermarket
525 Keystone Avenue – 775-786-2150 – map – (Keystone)
This Save Mart every year goes to great lengths in support of burners, and has been one of the most popular pit-stops on the way to the playa since the beginning. Bulk water, used bicycles from Kiwanis Bike Program, bike accessories, el-wire and glow kits, many other supplies in abundance. A one-stop shop if there is one!

Great Basin Community Food Co-Op
240 Court Street – 775-324-6133 – map – (Downtown-Midtown)
Open daily 8am-9pm. Call or email for possible after-hours appointment. Located in Downtown Reno, the wonderful people of Reno’s only community-owned food co-op are committed to providing and supporting local, organic, and sustainable products. They have a wide variety of produce from local farms and bulk foods, notably including dried foods, nuts, seeds, and cereals, as well as energy bars, pre-packed meals, juices, coconut water, craft beers and organic wines, lotions, toiletries, and other bodily care items good for the playa life. You can also fill up your water containers up to 5 gallons with alkalized water, and they have a coffee shop upstairs.  Burners can pre-order! However, please note that due to space limitations this year, large-volume (for 15+ people) orders must be received by no later than July 31 and you will need to pick up the order the day the store receives it (Monday, Wednesday, or Friday) – the store will coordinate further with you after you place your order. You can order here.

Trader Joe’s
5035 South McCarran Street – 775- 826-1621 – map – (South McCarran)
Open 8am-9pm, but call ahead for extended hours.
Trader Joe’s has always been a hot spot among local and world burners, carrying a large variety of unique foods, delicacies, energy bars, dried fruits and nuts, juices, coconut water, toiletries, body products, and booze good for playa life.

Blue Dot Water
1296 East Plumb Lane – 775-870-9727 – map – (Reno Airport)
Open daily Mon-Fri 9am-2pm, with special hours 9am-5pm Thursday through Saturday before the Burning Man event officially begins. Outside vending machines open 24/7. Located near the Reno Airport in the Costco shopping center, you can get alkaline or purified water. Purchase new bottles or drums online for curbside pickup during business hours.  Also, fill up your RV or drums in back of store.  Or you can fill your bottles up to 5-gallons at all hours using their vending machines 24/7.  Additional vending machines also located at 1615 E Second St.

The Water Store
1196 North Rock Boulevard – 775-358-9893 – map – (Pyramid Highway)
Vending machines operating 24 hours. Provides water purified by reverse-osmosis at 40 cents per gallon.

Gerlach Shriners Water Sales
330 Short Drive – 775-557-2601 – map -(Gerlach)
Open 9am-5pm 8/16-18 and 8/26-8/30, or by appt at night.  Open 24 hours 8/19-26. The Gerlach GID (the local governing body of Gerlach) will be selling potable water to fill up RVs and water tanks of any size, with the funds going to support the Shriners outreach efforts. Look out for directional signs just as you enter town on Main Street. Rates are 60 cents per gallon.  Cash and credit card. 

Carter Bros. Ace Hardware
1215 South Virginia Street – 775-337-1200 – map – (Downtown-Midtown)
Open Mon-Sat 8am-6:30pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Call ahead for later hours during Burning Man. Owned and operated by burners, one of the few hardware stores in town that is independently seeking to meet the shade and camping needs of the burning man participant. Stocking up on a wide variety of playa-specific hardware, camping, and lighting needs. Tents, sleeping bags, Yeti coolers tarps, conduit, pvc, wood, tools, solar showers, solar pathway lights, headlamps, water jugs, and crank flashlights are just some of the items to be found here.

Lowe’s Home Improvement (3 locations)
5075 Kietzke Lane – 775-824-4750 – map – (South McCarran)
1355 Scheels Drive – 775-412-4540 – map – (Vista)
375 Stanley Drive – 775-980-4000 – map – (Fernley)
Open Mon-Sat 6am-10pm, Sun 8am-8pm. Carrying pretty much any building supplies you may need and having excellent customer service.

Home Depot (5 locations)
5125 Summit Ridge Drive – 775-787-9690 – map – (West McCarran)
4655 Galleria Pkwy – 775-354-2245 – map – (Pyramid Highway)
6590 South Virginia Street – 775-851-9600 – map – (South McCarran)
2955 Northtowne Lane – 775-674-2900 – map – (North McCarran)
1001 Steamboat Pkwy – 775-851-6000 – map – (Damonte)
Open Mon-Sat 6am-10pm, Sun 7am-8pm. Carrying any building supplies you will need and they have great customer service.