Woodstove sales are booming in Washoe County as the result of a two-week-old program providing a $500 incentive toward the replacement of wood or pellet stoves made before 1992.
The Air Quality Management Division of the Washoe District Health Department is working with the Nevada Small Business Development Center's Business Environmental Program and four retailers to provide a total of $35,000 worth of incentives the county provides $400 and the retailer $100 toward the purchase of each updated stove.
The program works on a first-come, firstserved basis until 70 rebates are provided.
Currently, 54 rebates have been reserved, but should they fall through, Kevin Dick of the Business Environmental Program says there will be a waiting list.
Buck Stove and BBQ Inc.
on Airway Drive in Reno, Fireplace Distributors of Nevada Inc.
on White Fir Street in Reno,Victorian Stove Shoppe on Pyramid Way in Sparks and Woodstove Distributors Inc.
on Tahoe Boulevard in Incline Village were chosen by Washoe County to participate in the program.
These retailers have not only seen business increase in this typically slow time of year, but have also noticed more air quality awareness.
Randy Kesler of Woodstove Distributors Inc.
says that the incentive program has given retailers another reason to promote cleanburning stoves.He believes the rebates are also helping to build awareness of air quality issues among Lake Tahoe residents.
Though Incline Village residents typically buy stoves in the early autumn Reno and Sparks buy in early winter Kesler's store has seen an increase in sales since the program's launch.
Buck Stove and BBQ Inc.
has seen two to three customers a day since the program began, while Erin Glazin of the Victorian Stove Shoppe says that business has increased by 400 percent.
Most people are taking this replacement seriously, spending upwards of $2,000 for new woodstoves or even switching to gas.
Typically,woodstoves sell for between $1,500 and $2,100.
Darren Singleton of Buck Stove and BBQ Inc.
says that people are going for a different look this time around, seeking to add style, convenience and energy efficiency.
Retailers agree that the incentive program has been a blessing, but most do not see this early attention as cannibalizing sales they otherwise would have made this winter.
But just in case, some of the participating retailers are rethinking their advertising plans for the rest of the year.
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment