Groceries: Online Shopping/Pick-up in Reno/Sparks/Waytoburn?

[lemur]

Greetins

in the past i seem to remember reading about at least one store in the reno/sparks area that lets folks get an order in for groceries to be picked up at the store upon their arrival...(perhaps only seasonal for the burner rush?)...a thing that would do a lot in saving the customer the time of navigating an unfamiliar grocery store.

I have found a store that does it at this location:

Raley's (Spanish Springs)
2389 Wingfield Hills Road
Spanish Springs, NV, 89436

http://www.raleys.com/www/ecart.jsp

it is a bit out of the way of the usual route through Fernley though..

does anyone know of a similar service/option that is available ?

[junglesmacks]

All Walmart locations allow this provided that the given item is in stock. You need to select your desired store first, and then do your shopping. Obviously.. perishable/frozen/refrigerated items don't qualify being as that it would take special consideration to hold those items for pickup. If they let you purchase it on the website, you can pick it up in person..

[lemur]

thanks.. yeah i saw that after posting

it seems to be available at some of the area wal-marts but the selection of 'in store pickup' stuff is really not all that awesome.. like 1% of the grocery items or less... a lot of shelf stable stuff isnt offered for pick up..

they have tons of grocery stuff available on walmart for their 'home-free' delivery service.. but that isnt really so helpful unless i could get a reno friend to take delivery of stuff before the burn.. and bring it up..

[junglesmacks]

True. It seems to be the best overall choice to just budget in the time to do a solid shopping trip.

Personally, the sight of the Sunday Wallymart in Reno and the sheer chaos of everything is all part of the experience. I've seen grocery stores hours before a cat 3 hurricane slams aground and yet nothing, NOTHING can compare to the pre-burn rush.

[lemur]

yes the wal-mart on sunday/monday IS crazy..

sadly? (or thankfully?) this will be a thursday before the gate thing....so no mad house

I will be riding up with someone who is likely to have already done their shopping and itd be better to not have to do the aimlessly walking around a strange grocery store thing as ive done every year in the past

having another option than the sort of out of the way Raleys one would be cool!

[trilobyte]

The Burning Man guide to Reno may see an update this summer.

[pink]

SaveMart on Keystone Ave. in Reno is great. Water in any quantity, plus containers for rent in the parking lot, rideshare, bike rentals, and tons of burner supplies inside.

[jcliff]

Last year I ordered my list ahead of time over the phone to the Save-Mart on Keystone. They had everything boxed and ready for me when I arrived, including water. I had several items I didn't have on my list, so the young man who helped me walked me personally to every item on my secondary list. Last year I walked out of Save-Mart with my kitchen and bar donations and personal items in 15 minutes. They said that they really like the pre-burn orders. Helps them move things along and keep stock on the shelves.

[danibel]

Last year I ordered my list ahead of time over the phone to the Save-Mart on Keystone. They had everything boxed and ready for me when I arrived, including water. I had several items I didn't have on my list, so the young man who helped me walked me personally to every item on my secondary list. Last year I walked out of Save-Mart with my kitchen and bar donations and personal items in 15 minutes. They said that they really like the pre-burn orders. Helps them move things along and keep stock on the shelves.

The Save-Mart on Keystone ROCKS! They will take all the packaging from your purchases and recycle them. They offer a huge amount of water in different sizes and will even help you load your stuff! Last year my boyfriend talked to the manager for awhile and found out he is burner! He looks for burner supplies and stocks for those last minute purchases. They do tend to run out of some stuff, but they will do the darndest to find a replacement or search the stock room. Fabulous place to spend your burner dollars.

[incubus_pantomime]

Has anyone here experienced a problem with stocking up in Reno for the burn? Do certain stores tend to run out of things on Sunday, or is that not really an issue? Burgin here, so no experience with this phenomenon...

[junglesmacks]

Has anyone here experienced a problem with stocking up in Reno for the burn? Do certain stores tend to run out of things on Sunday, or is that not really an issue? Burgin here, so no experience with this phenomenon...

Your best bet is to hit out of the way stores. The main WalMarts are complete zoos. You'll have no problems finding most things although it will be a complete madhouse. Get ready for a scene like you can't even begin to imagine.

You'll be fine.

[BBadger]

Oh hey, and buy a bike lock in some other town--any other town. I got stuck buying one in Reno because we didn't know the combo to the one we did have (d'oh!) and it was like a $20 bike lock, with keys that were a pain to use. The lock was/is good quality, but it was a lot more than I wanted to spend on a lock.

[pink]

The Save-Mart on Keystone does rock! Highly recommended, and since I'm one of those that won't patronize Wally World and am just picking up mostly perishables & liquids-not a lot of non-food items-it's my first choice. And I like leaving a lot of time in my plans so I don't mind wandering the aisles.

They have pallets of stuff like Gatorade in the aisles. And if you do the pre-order, you know they won't have run out of what you are looking for.

I found a Grocery Outlet off the beaten track in Reno-but not far off. Grocery Outlets rock for prices, but you never know what they'll have, since it's all overstock items. But definite steals on chips & other salty snacks, dried fruit, trail mix, crackers, cookies-you just have to be open to what is there. But if you just go in thinking 'I want some tortilla chips, tater chips, & whatever other kind of snacks they have', they've got some serious bargains. For example I get shelf-stable quarts of organic soy/rice/almond milk for $1.29. I don't know what type, flavor, brand they'll have, but they nearly always have some.

[Eric]

I'm another big vote for the Save-Mart on Keystone. Yes, it can get packed, but most of those people tend to be burners & they are in the best moods! Customers are friendly, staff is friendly, and, somehow, almost every single year I've run into at least one person I know there. It's tradition at this point.

Has anyone here experienced a problem with stocking up in Reno for the burn? Do certain stores tend to run out of things on Sunday, or is that not really an issue? Burgin here, so no experience with this phenomenon...

As for this question- Burners have been going through Reno for 25ish years now. We drop a bucket of cash into the local economy, and they are ready to mop up that bucket. Almost every store has stuff ready for Burners by the pallet-load (and lots of crap you don't need as well). They may run out of some specifics on your list, but you should be fine for most stuff, especially the basics.

[Oldguy]

I usually buy perishables at my last fuel stop, bread, tortillas, eggs, chocolate, hamburger, sausage/bacon, basic stuff. I pack non-perishables in my kitchen box.

[usurpedus]

ttt

[Milayna]

I actually really enjoyed the Reno Walmart craziness on Sunday. I also noticed that they had SERIOUSLY stocked up on burner friendly items. All of their big center displays were piled high with burner items like water, coolers, batteries, shelf stable food, sunscreen, tools. It was pretty impressive. I only needed a few things but I'm sure I could have gotten most if not all of the important stuff pretty easily.

[VultureChow]

Last year I ordered my list ahead of time over the phone to the Save-Mart on Keystone. They had everything boxed and ready for me when I arrived, including water. I had several items I didn't have on my list, so the young man who helped me walked me personally to every item on my secondary list. Last year I walked out of Save-Mart with my kitchen and bar donations and personal items in 15 minutes. They said that they really like the pre-burn orders. Helps them move things along and keep stock on the shelves.

How early did you call, and did that include perishables?

Last year I was in such a rush shopping and getting out there Saturday night that it screwed me up, sleepwise, for the week. I'm coming out a day earlier this year so I can take my sweet time.

It kind of added to the experience my virgin year, rather than take away from it, but I'd just as soon arrive a little bit more rested and a lot less frantic.

Personally, the sight of the Sunday Wallymart in Reno and the sheer chaos of everything is all part of the experience. I've seen grocery stores hours before a cat 3 hurricane slams aground and yet nothing, NOTHING can compare to the pre-burn rush.

This. I felt like my burn was already beginning. It kept me going even when all I wanted to do was lie down and sleep for a few hours.

[usurpedus]

has anyone had any experience with restaurants who allowed you to purchase entrees and would ziplock freeze them for you? sounds like a shot in the dark, i know

[BBadger]

I'd like to know if there are any five-star restaurants in Reno, Sparks, or even Winnemucca that will pack and freeze-dry 5-course meals for that camping trip at TTITD? I don't want to be bothered with cooking or any kind of food preparation besides using the microwave with our generators. Freeze-dried waiters for serving the food would be a plus.

On a more serious note, if you really are willing to pony up the cash to feed yourself for a week, you can pay for those gourmet dried camping meals at REI. They're expensive but pretty good, though I'd rather just buy some decent ingredients and make something myself.

[VultureChow]

has anyone had any experience with restaurants who allowed you to purchase entrees and would ziplock freeze them for you? sounds like a shot in the dark, i know

There are a few companies who do frozen gourmet meals, usually for diet purposes but also for your hedge fund manager on the go. I only know of the ones that operate out of NYC though.

In any event, I prefer the simple things out on the playa, steak and asparagus on the grill. Tuna salad on crackers. Pepperoni and cheese. Something about harshness of the playa makes even the most pedestrian of foods magical. The ice water at 3pm is the best you've ever tasted. The grilled steak at 8am is better than Peter Lugers.

[illy dilly]

Personally, the sight of the Sunday Wallymart in Reno and the sheer chaos of everything is all part of the experience. I've seen grocery stores hours before a cat 3 hurricane slams aground and yet nothing, NOTHING can compare to the pre-burn rush.

For us, its the Walmart in Fernley. LOVE THAT PLACE!!!
Seems one whole side of the parking lot is 'reserved' for Burners while all the locals park on the other side.
They clean out the seasonal/gardening section and its filled with different sizes of water, $1 solar steak lights, flash lights, all the burner shit you need at the last minute or flying in. I've met some of the best burners in that parking lot (especially when the RV exploded in the parking lot). The year the RV exploded and we spent the night in the parking lot, I ended up meeting one of the city council men in line checking out. He proclaimed that Fernley LOVES Burning Man.

Also, I have to give props to the guy that owns the Auto Shop south of the Walmart. Not the Goodyear tire place but the little mechanic/used tire shop just east of the hotel. Great guys working in there! They Burn on years they have time. All sorts of Burning Man stuff in the front window and in the lobby. 2012 we had to get a tire fixed, after telling him about our RV horror story the previous year, he told us that if we ever run into vehicle trouble again to shoot over there and he'd let us use his shop rather than fix our vehicles in the walmart parking lot. Which if nothing else, at least you're not hunched over an engine compartment in the blistering sun.
ALSO- He's open on Labor day!!!

[theCryptofishist]

Those solar steak lights are pretty damn tasty.

[lucky420]

That's Ferntucky to you illy

[MyDearFriend]

I heart Ferntucky, seriously, and am happy to suck up some of their excess retail capacity.

[Elorrum]

Those solar steak lights are pretty damn tasty.

rare, but not unheard of.

[Turtleburp]

Watch out for these guys trying to avoid paying for a ticket..

[jcliff]

Last year I ordered my list ahead of time over the phone to the Save-Mart on Keystone. They had everything boxed and ready for me when I arrived, including water. I had several items I didn't have on my list, so the young man who helped me walked me personally to every item on my secondary list. Last year I walked out of Save-Mart with my kitchen and bar donations and personal items in 15 minutes. They said that they really like the pre-burn orders. Helps them move things along and keep stock on the shelves.

How early did you call, and did that include perishables?

Last year I was in such a rush shopping and getting out there Saturday night that it screwed me up, sleepwise, for the week. I'm coming out a day earlier this year so I can take my sweet time.

It kind of added to the experience my virgin year, rather than take away from it, but I'd just as soon arrive a little bit more rested and a lot less frantic.

Personally, the sight of the Sunday Wallymart in Reno and the sheer chaos of everything is all part of the experience. I've seen grocery stores hours before a cat 3 hurricane slams aground and yet nothing, NOTHING can compare to the pre-burn rush.

I ordered a boatload of supplies, including meat and vegetables. They did an awesome job of packing everything in the boxes. Cold with cold, veggies together, and meat in large bags instead of a bunch of Styrofoam trays and excess packaging. I think I ordered like 20 pounds of chicken breast, which was in 2 sturdy bags. They packed all the liquor bottles in actual liquor cases so they were protected from breakage (the HORROR!) I called about 10 days ahead of time and they put me through to the manager. He spent probably a good 30 minutes on the phone with me and he was funny, pleasant and obviously wanted to get it right. It will speed up the process if you know exactly what you want (brand names, styles or flavors, package weights, etc.) I had my list made out with what I thought I needed and then I went and did a practice run through my own grocery store here in Illinois. It helped a lot to actually see the products I was planning to order. I took good notes and I was ready to roll by the time I called. No joke....every item on my list was correct to my specs with no omissions or out of stock items. I can't say enough good things about the folks at this store. They seem to live vicariously through us and are happy to be a part of the excitement!
This. I felt like my burn was already beginning. It kept me going even when all I wanted to do was lie down and sleep for a few hours.

[lucky420]

luckily I live in REno so I can continue to boycott walmart as much as possible

[Earthwalker]

Personally, the sight of the Sunday Wallymart in Reno and the sheer chaos of everything is all part of the experience. I've seen grocery stores hours before a cat 3 hurricane slams aground and yet nothing, NOTHING can compare to the pre-burn rush.

For us, its the Walmart in Fernley. LOVE THAT PLACE!!!
Seems one whole side of the parking lot is 'reserved' for Burners while all the locals park on the other side.
They clean out the seasonal/gardening section and its filled with different sizes of water, $1 solar steak lights, flash lights, all the burner shit you need at the last minute or flying in. I've met some of the best burners in that parking lot (especially when the RV exploded in the parking lot). The year the RV exploded and we spent the night in the parking lot, I ended up meeting one of the city council men in line checking out. He proclaimed that Fernley LOVES Burning Man.

Also, I have to give props to the guy that owns the Auto Shop south of the Walmart. Not the Goodyear tire place but the little mechanic/used tire shop just east of the hotel. Great guys working in there! They Burn on years they have time. All sorts of Burning Man stuff in the front window and in the lobby. 2012 we had to get a tire fixed, after telling him about our RV horror story the previous year, he told us that if we ever run into vehicle trouble again to shoot over there and he'd let us use his shop rather than fix our vehicles in the walmart parking lot. Which if nothing else, at least you're not hunched over an engine compartment in the blistering sun.
ALSO- He's open on Labor day!!!

THANKS for posting this. I will be going through Fernley (wait, I guess everyone will. What I meant was...IDK. I'll just drop it) and was planning on stopping at the Wally World to get our water (no need to drive it hundreds of miles if we don't have to).

Has anyone stopped by Scolaris?