made in nevada

Give your friends and family a piece of the Silver State this holiday season.

By NEVADA MAGAZINE | November/December 2010

With the holidays right around the corner, the pressure to find the perfect gifts for family and friends is building. Don’t despair—and above all, don’t be drawn into a department store gift certificate or an impersonal card full of cash.

Mom will love a gift basket of unique, handmade soaps. The boss will gush over custom-etched toasting glasses. Holiday guests will rave about the locally made salsa and beer at your party. History buffs will thank you every month when they turn the pages of their Nevada Historical Calendar. For a unique, quintessentially Nevadan gift, Made in Nevada Marketplace is your one-stop shop.

THE NEVADA STORE
The Nevada Store proudly represents all things Nevada. The Reno outlet specializes in retail sales of Made in Nevada brand products and any products that are concerned with, relevant to, or arose out of the Silver State. The Nevada Store specializes in Made in Nevada brand products because they “believe that many of our closest neighbors embody the integrity, resourcefulness, ingenuity, and ambition that have truly made Nevada one of the greatest places to live.”

The Nevada Store also offers gift baskets (see photo at left) featuring Made in Nevada products that can take the guesswork out of assembling the perfect selection to suit anyone on your shopping list. The items in the Nevada-shaped baskets are selected around various themes such as barbecue sauces and rubs, chocolates and coffee, office supplies, and University of Nevada, Reno Wolf Pack keepsakes. 775-825-3318

BOTCHA-CALOOP’S
Located in historic Virginia City, Botcha-Caloop’s creates personalized, sand-carved gifts suitable for any occasion, from birthdays and anniversaries to corporate recognition and retirement awards. In business since 1999, owners Bruce and Linda Larson welcome custom orders and can etch business logos, club names, and personalized greetings into wine bottles, toasting glasses, mirrors, windows, and doors. Botcha-Caloop’s also offers photographs etched in glass with the option of edge lighting when framed. Nevada Magazine can attest to the exquisite quality and craftsmanship of Botcha-Caloop’s products—all 12 Tour Around Nevada plaques (one of which is pictured) were made by the company. botchacaloops.com, 775-847-9693

CACTUS CANYON CREATIONS
When Debbie Lewis, co-proprietor of Cactus Canyon Creations, moved to Northern Nevada from Iowa 30 years ago, she didn’t immediately see the Silver State’s beauty. After three decades, her tune has changed. “There isn’t anywhere else I would rather [be],” she says. “When I am out taking pictures, it is like heaven.” Lewis’s business partner, Alana Klumpp, is a writer and recreational photographer with a passion for sharing Nevada’s natural beauty through her work. Those written words and photographs (see image at top) take center stage in their business located in Palomino Valley, which specializes in framed photos printed on canvas, poetic writings, and greeting and Christmas cards. 775-475-0773

PANCHITAS INC., KILLER SALSA
A Nevada favorite, Fran Pritchard’s Killer Salsa can be found in most grocery stores and markets throughout the state. Initially created in 1992, the Minden salsa purveyor’s flavors now include Original Picante, Hot Picante, Garlic Picante, Fire-Roasted Tomato, Double-X Hot, Salsa Verde, and Smoked Chipotle. Killer Salsa is set to be featured during “The Official Best of Nevada—2010” on ABC 13 Las Vegas (November 14) and the Travel Channel (November 17). To sample the salsa, take advantage of Killer Salsa’s Nevada Magazine Holiday Special. Choose any five varieties of Killer Salsa for $35, and shipping is included. killersalsa.com, 775-781-1523

SIERRASNOWSOAPS
Gardnerville’s SierraSnowSoaps manufactures high-quality soaps made from all-natural ingredients. They start with melted snow gathered from the pristine Sierra Nevada near Lake Tahoe and employ a small batch, cold process method to make luxurious moisturizing soaps. With a blend of olive, palm, coconut, rice bran, canola and castor oils, Shea butter, chamomile, calendula, and lavender flowers, SierraSnowSoaps guarantees that after using their soaps you will never want to go back to big-name detergent bars again. sierrasnowsoaps.com, 775-790-2217

NEVADA MAGAZINE
For almost 75 years, Nevada Magazine has been telling the Silver State’s story in Las Vegas, Reno, Lake Tahoe, and beyond. In print and online, the magazine highlights urban and rural travel, dining, people, history, gaming, events, shows, and more. 2011 marks the magazine’s 75th anniversary. To celebrate this milestone, Nevada Magazine is offering a 192-page deluxe edition with some of the best stories from the magazine’s eight decades. The 75th-Anniversary Special Edition, 2011 Nevada Historical Calendar, and/or a six-issue subscription can be purchased online or by phone. nevadamagazine.com, 775-687-0603

BUCKBEAN BREWING COMPANY
Reno’s Buckbean Brewing Company’s philosophy is that the utmost patience and care must be devoted to the beer brewing process in order to deliver the highest-quality, best-tasting, most-satisfying local beers. When making any new batch of microbrew, the brewers at Buckbean carefully select only the finest ingredients and combine them in time-tested recipes that produce some of Nevada’s most unique specialty beers. buckbeanbeer.com, 775-857-4444

WOOD-FIRE ROASTED COFFEE CO., LLC
Wood-Fire Roasted Coffee Company in Reno offers nine varieties of premium Arabica and seven varieties of specialty-blend coffees to suit any palate or mood. Wood-Fire Roasted employs the age-old, artisan process of wood roasting, which allows the roast master to create profound effects on the final product. The greatest effect comes from the wood smoke as it comes in direct contact with the coffee while it roasts, imparting subtle flavor characteristics not found in gas- or electric-roasted coffees. All of the company’s coffees are roasted in small batches with a special blend of woods to ensure optimum quality, freshness, and flavor. woodfireroasted.com, 775-856-2033

ALPEN SIERRA COFFEE ROASTING CO.
Alpen Sierra Coffee Roasting in Minden is a dedicated team of Sierra Nevada locals who have been craft roasting fine, sustainable, specialty coffees since 1991. Driven by a passion for excellence, Alpen Sierra travels the globe in search of great coffees, teas, and chocolates. Taste of Tahoe memberships and gift baskets (pictured) are also available. alpensierracoffee.com, 775-783-7263

J.M. CAPRIOLA CO., INC.
At J.M. Capriola in Elko, glass cases display the row upon row of handcrafted bits and spurs, and the company’s in-stock inventory now boasts more than 400 items ranging from Wranglers to custom belt buckles. The company mails its catalog to customers all over the globe, and many of its products can be seen and purchased online. capriolas.com, 775-738-5816

GREAT BASIN SOURDOUGH STARTER CO.
For the best freeze-dried dough starters, contact Sharon Donaldson-Arnold at Great Basin Sourdough Starter Company in Winnemucca. Make sure to ask about her self-published sourdough cookbook, The Sourdough Cook in Buckaroo Country, which features recipes and photos by the author. Donaldson-Arnold produces her yogurt-based dough starter from a bread culture that is more than three decades old. 775-721-7503

GUY SHIELDS WOOD ARTISAN
Decades of experience have inspired Guy Shields to create and design one-of-a-kind hand-crafted wooden pieces. His original crafts include Nevada-shaped gifts such as wine racks, cutting boards, and pen holders. “For more than 33 years, I have resided in Reno with three mentors, one of which could hand craft a roulette wheel, and who gave me the knowledge to use such tools as jigs, templates, hand tools, and my own two hands,” Shields says. guyshieldswoodartisan.com, 775-972-5863

LAS VEGAS SWEETS, INC.
Only one poker chip in Glitter Gulch is a guaranteed win, and victory is so, so sweet. Las Vegas Sweets, Inc. specializes in gaming and Las Vegas-themed confections and snacks such as Milk Chocolate Poker Chips. The company offers bulk packages of candy and themed gift packs including plush red dice with candies and slot machine-shaped boxes of chocolate coins. lasvegassweets.com, 702-399-0090

FISHER SPACE PEN
As the manufacturer of the original astronaut writing utensil selected for use by NASA, Fisher Space Pen of Boulder City barely needs an introduction. The Fisher Space Pen is the ultimate in dependability. Each Space Pen is guaranteed to perform in extreme temperatures (from minus-30 to 250 degrees Farenheit), underwater, and at any angle—even upside down. Each Fisher Space Pen is precision-assembled, hand-tested, and carries an unconditional lifetime guarantee. Available in numerous styles and finishes, the pens are billed as “the only pen you’ll ever need.” spacepen.com, 702-293-3011

Read our 2007 Made in Nevada story here.