If I fell out of an airplane and landed in a shopping center, I'd be hard pressed to tell where I was. They all look alike, from the architecture to the same bunch of chain stores, franchised stores, restaurants, and lousy service. This holds true not only for Reno/Sparks, but for just about anywhere I've ever been.

It's kind of sad, really; individuality being snuffed out by big bucks putting up big boxes to try and sell us tons of stuff (mostly junk, mostly imported, mostly not really needed). Meanwhile, the small, locally-owned businesses that used to cater to our consumer desires have fallen on hard times, if indeed they have managed to stay in business at all.

The good news is that yes, indeed, lots of our neighbors who own local businesses are still in business. When I started NewToReno.com

as a resource for people who actually live and work here (or are looking to move here), I naturally sought out advertisers with roots and a

stake in this place. I've found an amazing variety of such businesses successfully competing with the big guys. When you do business with these locals, you get quality goods and services, knowledgeable people to help you, and your money circulates here rather than ending up in China.

Say you are looking for unique home decorating items; head over to Be Abundant Home Decor in downtown Reno and talk it over with Bea Hamilton.

Fly fishing? Dave Stanley at the Reno Fly Shop is a genuine expert, knows fishing in this area intimately, and operates out of a first-class store with a top-notch staff. I mean, you simply can't get this at a big box warehouse.

For your caffein fix, cruise over to the Delta Cafe in Sparks. Mal Sanford serves up tasty cups of organic and fair-trade coffee, along with wholesome treats to complement the brew. This kind of concern for quality doesn't happen at the cookie cutter coffee stores.

Italian food is no better (not even in Italy) than at Sonny's Authentic Italian Pizza and Pasta in south Reno. The Olive whatever pales in comparison, unless you like the same menu every time and want your hard-earned money supporting some corporation based somewhere else.

Cars break, Devine Automotive of south Reno fixes. Your first clue that these guys are good is their spotless shop. You talk to owners Tadd Devine and Trevor Howard, not some service writer who does his best to get the most money out of you while telling you as little as possible.

You get the idea. You can get any of this from a big chain, along with crappy service or no service at all, but why? Seek out and shop at businesses owned by our neighbors and keep your money moving through our economy, not someone else's. Check out the NewToReno.com business listings to find lots more local places to do business. And if you are one of those locally-owned businesses, go ahead and list your business on NewToReno.com.