Entrepreneurial Novelty in the Wild American West

Offering something different from your competitors is especially important in the travel industry. Whether it is a different product, a unique experience, or superb customer service, novelty is your key to survival. On a recent trip to Genoa, Nevada, which is branded as being Nevada’s oldest settlement, my wife and I saw a unique set of products – accompanied by a unique set of people.

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From a French country restaurant called ‘La Ferme’, to antiques from the ‘Wild West’, the town of Genoa exhibits a pioneering spirit. In one of the small number of stores in Genoa, I saw an enticing array of different jams, jellies, preserves and other condiments, including:

• Champagne Mustard
• Sweet Potato Butter
• Gooseberry Jam
• Sweet Onion Relish

These consumables, along with trinkets like the ‘Man Cave’ sign and whiskey flasks with comical renditions of antique advertisements, were things I had never seen before and offered a sense of rarity and value. A selection of sterling-silver and turquoise jewelry with a Native American flair also offered tourists an opportunity to spend their money on items that would be difficult to find back home.

This community has even managed to repackage common ideas like a bar or saloon into a ‘Thirst Parlor’, which Genoa claims as having the oldest in Nevada. The town’s other examples of refurbished architecture from the 1800s was interesting, including a ‘Pink House’, a courthouse museum, and even a wooden outhouse with a half moon window. Its historical veneer, and the backdrop of a dramatic mountain range, round-out Genoa as a worthwhile destination.

A trip to Genoa is well coupled with a visit to Lake Tahoe. Both are only a short drive from Reno, Nevada.

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Watch The Video:

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Find Tricia:

Click and drag on the Photosphere below to get a 360-degree panorama of Logan Shoals Vista Point at Lake Tahoe and see if you can find Trish!

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