From flower trucks to bookmobiles, Reno seeing new businesses on wheels

by Joey Lovato

The idea behind Golden Owl Bookshop came from Alex McClelland’s 9-year-old son, Broden. 

Emmy's Flower Truck in Reno on November 5, 2021. Photo: Joey Lovato/The Nevada Independent

An avid reader and Greek mythology enthusiast, Broden asked his mom if Reno had a mobile book store like the one he learned about in school — a double-decker bus converted into a bookshop in London. At the time, Alex McClelland was a stay-at-home mom.

“I was like, ‘Sure. Why not? Let's do it. Let's go for it,’” she said.

Golden Owl Bookshop, which opened in May, is not the only shop on wheels roaming Reno’s streets. More mobile businesses are cropping up each year.

While the startup cost can be steep and the cost of repairing and maintaining a truck can rack up over time, it often pales in comparison to the cost of owning or renting retail space. That was a huge plus for McClelland.

“We briefly looked into possibly having a brick and mortar as well as the book truck,” she said. “But real estate right now is insane. And so that's not going to be possible.”

McClelland said she was nervous about starting up because of the rising popularity of e-readers. But even with a small inventory, Golden Owl Bookshop has seen success since opening six months ago.

Read the entire article in The Nevada Independent: https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/from-flower-trucks-to-bookmobiles-reno-seeing-new-businesses-on-wheels