Researchers: Reno market offers potential to retailers

The Reno-area market should be a surprisingly fertile field for retailers who put down roots here, says a Virginia-based research group.

Eschelon Marketing Group of McLean, Va., ranks the retail spending potential of the Reno market as 86th in the country even though the region ranks 116th in terms of population.

The Retail Spending Index developed by Eschelon Marketing combines factors such as income, cost of living data, access to cash and proprietary data on consumer behavior to estimate how much residents will spend.

The strength of the Reno market's retail potential starts with its average household income at $70,093, it ranks 31st in the nation.

The system developed by Eschelon finds consumers in northern Nevada are likely to spend that income.

They typically stay in hotel chains such as Hyatt, Hilton and Sheraton when they travel, the research found, they are more likely than other Americans to take cruises, and they are willing to spend $40,000 or more on a vehicle.

They are more likely than other Americans, too, to spend money on scuba, skin-diving and snorkeling expeditions.

When it coms to reading, the researchers found, northern Nevadans choose magazines such as Bon Appetit and books that are relatively simple.

Eschelon Marketing is selling its data to retail chains searching the nation for expansion locations.

Reno is one of the markets that should get a closer examination by retail chains, Eschelon said, even though the region's relatively small population means it's often overlooked.

Other markets with similar high retail potential but smaller populations include Eugene, Ore., and Bakersfield, Santa Barbara and Monterey in California.