Category: Shop Local

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Holiday Shopping for a Cause! Annual Incline Village Thrift Stores Holiday Open House

October 29, 2022 | Member Submitted

Kick off your holiday shopping while supporting all the local non-profit thrift stores in Incline Village at our annual Christmas Comes to Incline event. It will be a day filled with fabulous finds, fun and festivity with the proceeds benefiting the following thrift stores:

Village Christian Thrift Shop, 799 Southwood Blvd,  775.831.3902

Tahoe Family Solutions, 797 Southwood Blvd,  775.833.4414

Tahoe Forest Hospice, 893 Tahoe Blvd, Suite 1500,  775.298.7901

Pet Network, 760 Mays Blvd, Suites 9 & 10,  775.548.5049

The event gets underway on Saturday, November 12 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. In addition to great shopping, there will be live music, a visit from Santa and treats. We’ll see you there!

Contact: Vickie Twichell, Manager of the Village Christian Thrift Shop & Open House event at 775.434.5830.

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Local Resources for Building or Reconstructing a Home in Tahoe

May 17, 2022 | Kayla Anderson

As we get into the summer building season, you may be thinking about how to begin that bathroom or kitchen remodel you’ve been dreaming about, or that deck or chimney you need to get rebuilt after last winter’s wet and heavy snowstorms. Or maybe you just bought a plot of land that you want to build a custom home on or are planning a full renovation. 

Therefore, if you need an excellent architect, engineer, or building company to help you get started (or even accompanying services such as a commercial cleaning/sanitizing crew), one that understands what works and doesn’t in the North Lake Tahoe environment, we have some recommendations of prestigious firms that are right here close to home: 

Greenwood Homes

Licensed to build homes in California, Nevada, and Hawaii, Greenwood Homes is an award-winning general contractor that specializes in creating gorgeous custom homes all around Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and beyond. Just look at its 6,000-sq.-ft. “Fairway Modern” home in Incline Village that won the 2019 Tahoe Quarterly Mountain Home Award with its light-filled simple beauty, and you’ll see what sets Greenwood Homes apart from the rest. 

James Costalupes General Contractor, Inc. 

James “Jim” Costalupes and his team have been conceptualizing and building homes in Lake Tahoe for more than three decades, all while keeping its stellar reputation for maintaining honest communication and giving forthright advice to its clients as it meets local and regional regulations down to the final walk-through. Headquartered in Incline Village, Jim prides himself on keeping a company that provides utmost craftsmanship and knowledge while keeping budget in mind. View James Costalupes’ portfolio online.

Smith Design Group

Based in Incline Village right on Country Club Boulevard, the Smith Design Group is an architecture and planning firm that has worked on everything from the Jack Rabbit Moon building to the Incline Skate Park. Along with dedicating themselves to enhancing and enriching the local environment for all of the community to enjoy, Smith Design Group has worked on the architectural projects for residential homes including “Pinecone” featuring knotted polished floor-to-ceiling wood finishings and sleek stone fireplaces to the interior bathroom remodel of a Mays Boulevard location that has a contemporary stand-alone bathtub, double sinks, and glass encased shower like what you would find at a five-star resort. Visit the Smith Design Group online.

Elise Fett Architect 

Integrating aesthetics, site characteristics, sustainable housing methods, and structural integrity in every project that it engages in, Crystal Bay’s Elise Fett & Associates specializes in architecture, engineering, and TRPA consulting for residential homes in the Lake Tahoe area. Along with building new homes, Elise Fett can provide cost-effective blueprints for home remodels that reflect their inhabitants’ personalities and lifestyles. “The construction process can be intimidating and full of unexpected surprises, but if you work with us, the one thing you know for sure is that we will listen to you and design a space that truly reflects your style,” the company proclaims. Learn more about Elise Fett.

Other Accompanying Services

After building or remodeling your custom Tahoe home, you may need some final additions like a keyless entry system or a cleaning company to help keep your Tahoe haven peaceful and secure. Here are some Incline Village/Crystal Bay property services that are great to work with: 

North Lake Tahoe Cleaning 

Whether you own one property or several, North Lake Tahoe Cleaning group is a professional commercial cleaning business that handles carpets, linen service, and sanitizing spaces so that you don’t have to. Working with property management companies, second homeowners, and short-term rentals as well, North Lake Tahoe Cleaning has spiffed up more than 2400 homes in its 38 years of business. As it says on its website, “You live and work in North Tahoe to ski the slopes of Northstar and paddle the beaches of Incline Village- not to hang out after work cleaning your office. Leave that to us.” 

Lake Tahoe Lockshop

Based right there in the Christmas Tree Village sandwiched between Crosby’s and the new Happy Tiers Bakery, Lake Tahoe Lockshop is your one-stop-shop for everything security-related. Padlocks, latches, key blanks, store-a-key lockboxes, and miscellaneous key accessories can be found in the store, along with high-security ASSA locks, keyless entry systems, and Schlage/Kwikset/Baldwin combination code keypads. If they don’t have it, they’ll order it, and you can install it yourself or Lake Tahoe Lockshop can do it for you. It’s open Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm. Visit Lake Tahoe Lockshop online. 

Sierra Mobile Storage

Many homeowners find they need extra storage as they approach a building or renovation. Luke and Staci Stevenson’s Sierra Mobile Storage offer portable, attractive weatherproof storage and moving containers in two sizes and two styles, including a Tahoe-forest themed wrap. Storage containers can be delivered to remain onsite so you can access all your belongings and materials during the project or moved to their secure storage yard until you are ready to have them delivered back to your project. Think Inside the Box! Call Sierra Mobile Storage at 775-549-3333. Visit online to see the Tahoe wrapped version.

Additional Information About North Lake Tahoe Construction Season

To help preserve Tahoe’s natural environment, there are regulations and restrictions about new construction projects and upgrading existing homes. Along with going through the usual procedure of getting permits through the building department, the TRPA (Tahoe Regional Planning Association) decides if you can even build a home and if so, how big it can be. Permits to build a new house from the ground up can cost $25,000-$35,000 alone for a 1500-3000 square foot space, so that’s something to consider when launching your project. The window to complete new construction (because of weather) is between May 1-October 15. For more information about this process, click here.

Happy Building!

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Business Profile: Rockwood Tree Service 

May 4, 2022 | Kayla Anderson

In business since 1986, Rockwood is a full-service tree care and removal company specializing in stump grinding,

tree trimming/pruning, tree removal, and defensible space compliance. Owner Beth Moxley says that there has been a lot going on lately with wildfire danger which is why collaborating with people on their defensible space is a priority for them. 

“The most important thing is to rake all your pine needles once a year in the spring for defensible space and contact the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District and have a defensible space inspection done. There’s a $1,000 rebate available, and each year they choose a specific area. Each homeowner is eligible for that $1,000 rebate in that area,” Moxley explains. Inspections through the NLTFPD are free, and the fire department is very helpful and accommodating. 

Moxley says it’s also important to clear any dead or diseased trees, as Incline Village has a big bark beetle problem right now. 

“The red turpentine bark beetle is aggressive. The top of the pine tree goes first, and if you don’t take care of that, then you’ll lose all your other pines around it. 

She adds that there’s a lot to do in the spring, and the best way to get your property ready is to get a jump on those pine needles and consider talking to your neighbors and ordering a 30-cubic-yard dropbox from Empire Contractors. You want to rake your entire property and keep a 30-ft. clearance around your home year-round. 

“I believe it’s $565 for a dropbox, and they drop it off in your neighborhood. All your neighbors can rake and load the dropbox and share the cost and they come to pick it up, and they take it to the dump. It’s a very cost-effective way and encourages your neighbors to get compliant with defensible space. The more neighbors that comply the safer your neighborhood will be. 

“We want people to take the opportunity to educate themselves about wildfire danger, especially when it comes to bonfires and firepits,” Moxley adds. 

Visit Rockwood Tree Service online: www.rockwoodtreeserviceca.com

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Business Profile: Ninja Tree Care

April 27, 2022 | Kayla Anderson

In 2016, Kathrine “Sunshine” Rieger started Ninja Tree Care in Incline Village and has been helping residents with their tree removal and yard cleanups in the IV/CB community ever since. Living in Incline for 17 years, she has experience in firefighting, working for other local tree companies, and climbing towers with NV Energy to get more climbing experience before opening her own business. 

Sunshine likes showing people how to take care of their own trees and creating defensible space to keep things more affordable for them, stepping in and doing a job only when necessary. 

“I explain to people what the fire department is exactly looking for on taking care of those trees and how to remove branches safely without damaging them. You’re looking to create defensible space in the first 30 feet next to your house. Pine needles can be done year-round; keep in mind that the fire department is looking for that fine flammable forest fuel next to your home to be cleared. It’s about protecting your house from the forest and protecting the forest from your house.”

She says it’s ideal to look at the property when the snow is melted out, especially for new homeowners because they may not know what’s underneath. The North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District is also a valuable resource for how to create defensible space. 

“The more houses we get in compliance then the better it is for all of us. It doesn’t matter if you use us or another tree company, the most important thing is we’re getting defensible space done on every house in the community,” she says. 

For more information on Ninja Tree Care, call 775-629-2687 or visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ninjatreecare.

*This article was originally published in the Spring 2022 issue of LIVE.WORK.PLAY.* Read all issues here: https://inclinevillagecrystalbay.com/about-us/communications

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Business Profile: High Community Gardens Nursery

April 27, 2022 | Kayla Anderson

With more than three decades of experience in landscape design, High Sierra Gardens owner Dan Yori has learned a thing or two about helping people freshen up their homes, yards, and gardens to impress their friends and neighbors and keep things blooming regularly throughout the summer. He has worked on more than a thousand homes in Incline Village over the years, from Lakeshore Boulevard up to Upper Tyner. 

Yori bought High Sierra Gardens in 1984 and when asked what his advice is for people getting their home ready for summer, he replies, “Number one: don’t do anything until the snow melts. Heavy snowstorms this past winter caused a lot of small bushes and shrubbery to break. You want to evaluate what you’ll need to do to fix that but, in the meantime, anticipate more storms.”

His main advice is to just be patient. 

“I’ve had the nursery for 39 years and people are coming in asking when we’ll get things in. I learned my lesson by bringing things in too early and having to move all plants inside when temperatures drop, or it snows again. There are so many new people here who come in and want to buy plants now, but they don’t know the mountain climate; what grows when, where, why, and how.”

Visit High Sierra Gardens Nursery at 866 Tahoe Boulevard or online: https://www.highsierragardens.net

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Mom & Pop Stores and Services in Incline Village/Crystal Bay/Lake Tahoe Area

March 29, 2022 | Kayla Anderson

Part of Incline Village/Crystal Bay’s charm is the abundance of mom-and-pop shops and generational family businesses* that provide essential goods and services. 

In celebration of #momandpopshop day (March 29), here are some of our favorite independently owned businesses that are worth checking out in the Incline Village/Crystal Bay area:

For Goods:

  • Lake Tahoe Lockshop- Located in the Christmas Tree Village in Incline, the Lake Tahoe Lockshop stocks a complete line of lockboxes, padlocks, key blanks, and miscellaneous accessories. It also sells other hardware such as latches, strikes, and more. Lake Tahoe Lockshop is open Monday-Friday from 10am-4pm, closed on the weekends. 
  • Happy Tiers Bakery- Founded in 2015 by local Incline duo Andrea and Jason, Andrea has taken her love of creating custom cakes to the next level and is now considered one of the top bakeries in all of Lake Tahoe. Servicing Reno, Carson City, Truckee, and all of the shores of Big Blue, check out its photo gallery … just don’t view it hungry ?
  • Tahoe Gifting Co.- If you want to give someone the ultimate welcome to Lake Tahoe and the Basin, consider buying a basket of Tahoe-based goodies from the Tahoe Gifting Co. Choose baskets filled with locally made homey, soap, and Drink Tahoe Tap water bottles or opt for one filled with Small Batch barbeque sauce, Alibi Ale Works beer, beef jerky, and Nevada Brining Co. pickles in the “Sasquatch Cache”. There’s nationwide shipping on many of the boxes as well if you forgot to pick up souvenirs while you were in town. 
  • Incline Spirits & Cigars- Located in the Country Club Centre within walking distance from the Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, Incline Spirits is a great place to go if you’re staying at the hotel and want to check out the Incline Village area a little bit. Along with basic provisions, Incline Spirits & Cigars is family-owned and sells high-quality hard-to-find brews, cigars, and liquor. 
  • Summit Glass Company- Sometimes the road can be rough on vehicles, and if you were unlucky enough to catch a rock or pinecone to the windshield then fortunately Summit Glass Company has you covered. This family-owned and operated company in the Truckee/Tahoe area provides windshield replacements and free chip repair within the first six months of your windshield replacement install. 
  • Sunshine Deli- It seems like the people at Sunshine Deli & Catering are always baking up something delicious, whether it’s housemade banana bread, raspberry tart, or a hearty soup, salad, lasagna, quiche, or other creative lunch/dinner selection. There is so much to choose from that it’s hard to know when to stop ordering. 
  • Susie Scoops Ice Cream and Village Toys- Delighting kids of all ages with toys, puzzles, and ice cream, Susie Scoops has been voted the Best Ice Cream Shop in North Lake Tahoe due to their modern twists on shakes, flavorful floats, smoothies, malts, and more. Based in the same building as Starbucks in Incline Village, the owners of Susie Scoops also manage Village Toys in the same location which carries classic toys such as Legos, Barbies, and John Deere tractors as well as science toys, family activities, and educational books. 
  • Glasses Wine Bar- Need to wind down and relax after a hard day’s work? Then head over to Glasses Wine Bar over on Mays Boulevard across from the post office to pour yourself a glass of wine and catch up with a book or some friends. It offers 26 wines by the glass and has beer, sparkling wine, cider, and light snacks for sale, too. 
  • Village Ski Loft– Regarded as North Lake Tahoe’s premier ski shop, this decades-old establishment provides everything you need in the way of skis and snowboards, accessories, and more. And in the summertime, it is the place to go for mountain bikes, hiking, and backpacking gear. VSL’s crew is comprised of diehard outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds, and their passion comes through when trying to set you up with the right gear to have a memorable experience on the slopes. 
  • Panache- A few doors down from Raley’s, Panache is a clothing boutique that carries the latest fashions in jewelry, shoes, handbags, activewear, and more along with home décor elements, unique gifts, and children’s items. 

For Services: 

  • Massage Tahoe- Owned by longtime Incline Village resident and licensed massage therapist Gwendalyn Gilliam, Massage Tahoe offers deep healing and detox massages from this 30-plus year professional. Along with doing massages, Gwendalyn also provides wholeness healing sessions, divine truth readings, and nutrition coaching. 
  • Move Mountains- Providing mindful leadership programs for both individuals and organizations, Move Mountains provides events, coaching, and consulting by boldly taking people and their teams on experiences that embody attention, action, and intention to adapt and thrive within their organizations. Visit movemountains.com to learn more about its unique approach to truly making a difference within one’s network. 
  • Ashley Quinn CPAs and Consultants– Established in 1979 in Incline Village (with an office in Reno as well), Ashley Quinn and its firm’s mission is to “shape our clients’ futures” through its tax services and accounting advice for high-net-worth families. Ashley Quinn also supports local nonprofits including the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation and Classical Tahoe. 
  • Sun Bear Realty- Managed by longtime North Lake Tahoe resident Blane Johnson, Sun Bear Realty has a smattering of real estate properties, vacation rentals, and long-term residences to match anyone’s length of stay in Tahoe. Sun Bear Realty is also very involved in the community and promotes sustainable use of Tahoe’s beaches, trails, and mountains to help keep our natural environment pristine and beautiful for as long as possible. 
  • Angel’s Window Cleaning- If you’re yearning to see Big Blue out of your windows again and they’re a little grimy from winter weather buildup, call Angel’s Window Cleaning service for your residential, commercial, or construction site needs. Established in 2009, Angel’s is a family-owned, fully licensed, and insured Incline Village-based window cleaning company that provides quality services and competitive prices. 
  • Wired Solutions – As a leader in computer services in North Lake Tahoe, Reno, and Carson City, Wired Solutions professional technicians have helped thousands of businesses and homeowners with their IT needs. Whether you need cloud management, computer support, and IT repair, or want to use Wired Solutions as a service provider for your business, Wired Solutions advisors can get that set up for you. 
  • Tahoe Business Exchange- Created to help like-minded, business-oriented people network, collaborate, and support their Tahoe peers, Tahoe Business Exchange members meet on a monthly basis to talk about how to educate and refer each other in the Incline Village/Tahoe area. Its members also offer services in a variety of areas including financial, food & drink, and arts & recreation. 
  • Lakeshore Realty- Family-owned and operated right on the shores of Lake Tahoe, this leading real estate company is professional, courteous, and committed to helping clients find (or sell) their dream home on the East Shore. Voted the best brokerage by the Tahoe Tribune, Lakeshore Realty agents can help you get the most value out of your home or point you in the direction of luxurious homes and community amenities to help welcome you into the Incline Village/Crystal Bay area. 
  • Incline Education Fund– Enriching education in Incline Village, IEF founders and residents Mary Danahey and Sharon Schrage both have extensive volunteer experience and commitment to enhancing kids’ learning experiences in Incline Village by creating a platform to raise money for certain initiatives. While each raising their own families in Incline Village, Danahey and Schrage have raised funds to purchase SmartBoards for classrooms, create tech-related classroom programs including Digital Citizenship and GenYes, and it was responsible for bringing the 1:1 computer program to Incline High School- the first of its kind in the Washoe County School District. 
  • Tahoe Family Solutions- Between its thrift store, VITA tax program, Homework Help Club, and other programs, Tahoe Family Solutions has a lot going on. This nonprofit was established in 1991 as a satellite office of the Children’s Cabinet in Reno and became its own entity in 1994. Its mission is “to provide key resources and enhance skills for families in the Tahoe Basin.”  

Hopefully, if you ever crack your windshield, need CPA services, are looking for real estate, are craving an ice cream cone, or simply need to relax with a glass of wine, you’ll know where to go and can support these mom-and-pop businesses in Incline Village/Crystal Bay.  

*Many of these multi-generational businesses have been featured in Live.Work.Play., IVCBA’s magazine. Visit the Live.Work.Play. archives here.

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Business Feature: The Potlach

December 10, 2021 | Kayla Anderson

Celebrating 50 years in business, Lisa and Aaron Nelson sell unique jewelry and gift items that make it one of the best boutique shops to visit for any occasion. The Potlatch was originally started by the Ross family on Ski Way in Incline Village and bought Native American jewelry from Lisa’s grandparents who were traders. The Ross’s sold the business to the Olsen family, who then sold it to the Wurtele’s (Lisa’s grandparents) eventually took it over. Lisa and her mother Lynn Brown lived in the house behind the store, and Brown eventually bought the store and moved it to the Raley’s Shopping Center. 

Lisa took over The Potlatch in 2010 and still enjoys curating jewelry and other gift items from small mom-and-pop businesses. From home décor items to skincare, clothing, and children’s products, The Potlatch has it all. And while COVID-19 created some challenges with staffing and inventory, Lisa feels lucky to have great employees, repeat customers, and a supportive community.

“It takes a lot to run this business. But luckily, I have a great core group of amazing managers,” Lisa says. And she emphasizes being incredibly grateful for the employees (and customers) who’ve stuck with her through the pandemic. 

“It’s like having a second family. Especially during Covid, I’ve found that this is a nice little community, being able to lean on people and residents who come in to spend money,” Lisa says. 

The Nelsons have two daughters, 10-year-old Penny and 12-year-old Katie, who are also “jewelry addicts”, Lisa says. When asked if her daughters have plans to take over The Potlatch someday, Lisa responds, “They talk about it all the time. In their ‘What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?’ reports for school, they say they want to be shopkeepers. My fifth grader says she wants to run a candy store.”

They already have a leg up on knowing how the business runs and Lisa appreciates their help. 

“They know how to use an adding machine, they’ll vacuum, clean windows. They’re reliable… and their little fingers are perfect for handling necklace clasps and earrings,” she smiles. “It’s cute, it reminds me of working with my mom,” Lisa adds.

This article originally appeared in the 2021 Fall Live.Work.Play. publication. 

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