Reno - S. Virginia Street & S. Kietzke Lane
Trade your sanity on the streets for Trader Joe's and Krispy Kreme. If this city had traffic engineers, they missed this area entirely. It's in the top 10 busiest intersections in the area.
S. Virginia & S. Kietzke
Pop-up directions to this hub.
To close this bubble, click on the map.
St Mary's Family Walk In Health
6580 S Virginia St - 775-853-3333 - Open 9-9, 9-6 Sun
US-395 Exits #62 and #63, South Virginia Street, South Kietzke Lane, and South McCarran Blvd.
This two-square mile area is awash in suburban shopping potential!
Reno is notorious for its lack of urban planning and traffic engineering. This area is a prime example of how to confuse locals and visitors alike. There's a lot of shopping to be found here, though, so if you're interested in the businesses here, read closely and follow directions.
Decades ago when the city planners mapped out and built the US-395 interchanges here, they made three exits for southbound travelers, and only one exit to this area for northbound travelers, Neil Road.
If you know you'd like to travel further south down 395, the only southbound access is via the Neil Road onramp. You can get to Neil Road by traveling south down Virginia Street or Kietzke Lane.
You've got two choices to get back on 395 northbound, which connects with I-80. There's a northbound ramp at South McCarran and Virginia, next to Chili's at the Smithridge Shopping Plaza. The easier choice (unless you're already heading north on Virginia) is to head south to Neil Road, down by the Wendy's and Taco Bell.
What does all this mean to you? Follow these directions if you're planning to visit this hub!
NORTHBOUND on US-395, South Virginia
If you are traveling northbound on US-395, there is only one exit to access these vast lands of shopping. Take the Neil Road exit #62, turn right, going east one block to South Virginia. At this intersection are St. Mary’s Urgent Care (daytime hours only) and Home Depot. Turn right on South Virginia to get to Target, Sierra Trading Post, a credit union, and a Quizno's.
Happen to be in the mood for some pizza AND miniature golf? If you continue down Virginia, on you right, you will eventually come across Reno’s oldest miniature golf course, Magic Carpet, which also houses Giorgio’s Pizza. Look out for the genie! If you continue south, you will eventually come to the South Virginia Exit #62, South Meadows, and Damonte Ranch hubs.
From the intersection of Neil Road and South Virginia, turning left will point you north, and in that direction you'll find plenty of shopping and fast-food possibilities on all sides, some of which may attract your fancy. A navigator comes in handy here, giving them the opportunity to note what's lining the road while the driver can focus on the traffic in this busy area. Traffic often jams up around here, so please be careful!
You will pass a Jiffy Lube on your right, then Bank of America on your left, and up about 1/4 mile, still on your left is Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, and Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, offering some great natural and organic foods. You may find parking a little tight in front of Wild Oats, but there is more parking west of the store.
Passing Wild Oats, you will quickly run into Reno’s largest intersection, South McCarran and South Virginia. At 8-10 lanes to both streets, make sure you know where you want to go ahead of time!
South McCarran
Turning right onto South McCarran, going east, you will find Smithridge Shopping Plaza immediately to your left, home of Trader Joe’s, Pep Boys, Toys ‘R Us, Woo Chan Japanese and Sushi, a Port of Subs, Beads Etc., Long’s Drugs, and Big Lots. Parking is ridiculously tight, so you may have to park toward the middle of the lot and hoof it toward whatever businesses are calling your name, especially if you are driving a large pirate ship.
If you find yourself in need of a reputable auto shop, Mike’s Automotive Perfection is in the area and can be found by continuing east on South McCarran about a mile, then turning right on Longley Lane. Call them for directions and an appointment for your serious car repair needs. 775-827-5600.
South Kietzke
Gotta have your Krispy Kreme donut fix? Is the "HOT NOW" sign flashing in your head and driving your pulse to new sugar highs? You want South McCarran and Kietzke Lane. Turn left on Kietzke from South McCarran.
Again from the intersection of South Virginia and South McCarran: Smithridge Shopping Plaza was at the northeast corner of this intersection. Heading west on McCarran (a left turn if you were driving north on Virginia), you'll pass under the freeway and up a hill, covering about a quarter mile between Virginia and Kietzke.
At the top of the hill, to your immediate left is the hot, sticky, oh-so-sweet goodness of Krispy Kreme. Turn left on Kietzke and make your way into the shopping center, also home to Baja Fresh, Mimi's Cafe, 7-11 with fuel, Jamba Juice, Panda Express, and PF Chang's. All of this is across the street from Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse, a giant hardware and general merchandise store with friendly staff and well-stocked shelves. Lowe's has been very good to Burners for years!
Before you get to Krispy Kreme on the left, The Mission car wash is on your right. Get your car shiny! They ask that Burners "call and ask about our Burning Man specials." 775-827-4222.
If you skipped Krispy Kreme and Lowe's because you were looking for groceries or sporting goods instead, turn right on Kietzke from McCarran. At the next light (Redfield Parkway) turn left. Albertsons in on the left, Safeway is to the right, and Wal-Mart and Sam's Club are behind Safeway. TJ Maxx, Applebee's, Boston Market, and Sports Authority (formerly Gart Sports) are also accessible in this shopping center.
Like its sister locations in the city, this Albertsons gears up for Burners with an expanded selection of non-standard inventory and groceries, plus plenty of water.
SOUTHBOUND on US-395, South Kietzke
If you're traveling southbound on US-395, you have multiple exits to choose from, but there's only one that you really need. The first exit for the area is #63, South Virginia and Kietzke Lane. This offramp splits in two, each delivering travelers to one of these big streets.
Following the Kietzke fork of the exit (the left lane of the offramp) takes you to Safeway, Sports Authority, Wallyworld, Sam’s Club, Safeway and Albertson’s, as you continue straight across Kietzke Lane from the exit.
If you turn left onto Kietzke, you will soon come to South McCarran, and there you will see Lowe’s Home Improvement on the right, caretaker of many-a-Burner over the years, and Krispy Kreme donuts on the left.
South McCarran
If you take the South Virginia fork at exit #63 (the right lane), you'll want to turn left at the bottom of the offramp. The first light will be the South Virginia and South McCarran intersection. Taking a left on McCarran and an immediate left at the next light will put you in the Smithridge Shopping Plaza. Please see the previous description of this tight lot, home to Trader Joe's among other things.
Now, how do you get out of this area? Aren't there any onramps for the freeway that arches over everything? Read on for more info on getting back on track for going home!
Getting back on 395 North from South Virginia
You've got two choices to get back on 395 northbound, which connects with I-80. There's a northbound ramp at South McCarran and Virginia, next to Chili's at the Smithridge Shopping Plaza. The easier choice (unless you're already heading north on Virginia) is to head south to Neil Road, down by the Wendy's and Taco B(h)ell.
Trader Joe's
5035 S McCarran Blvd - 775-826-1621 - Open 9 AM - 9 PM - map
In the Smithridge Shopping Plaza, a difficult place to maneuver and find open space for parking large spacecruisers, but heck, it's well worth it!
Wild Oats Natural Marketplace
5695 S Virginia St - 775-829-8666 - Open 7 AM - 10 PM - map
Albertsons
4995 Kietzke Ln - 775-827-5350 / 775-825-3322 - Open 6 AM - 1 AM - map
Grocery, pharmacy, and planning on stocking up on a wide variety of Burner essentials: dry ice, glow sticks, blinky lights, powdered gatorade. Learn more.
Safeway
4823 Kietzke Ln - 775-823-2300 / 775-823-2323 - map
Open 24/7, grocery, dry ice, pharmacy. The Reno Safeway stores almost always have beautiful produce, but this store also has slightly more upscale varieties of fresh pasta, deli items, prepared sauces, and the like. Be warned, though: getting out of this parking lot can be confusing.
Wal-Mart Super Center
4855 Kietzke Lane - 775-829-8088 / 775-829-4413 - map
Open 24/7, no dry ice.
Target
6845 Sierra Center Pkwy - 775-853-8900 - Open 8 AM - 10 PM, 8 AM - 9 PM Sun - map
Carries a wide variety of merchandise and clothing and has a pharmacy.
Long's Drugs
5019 S. McCarran - 775-826-0818 - Open 7 AM - 10 PM, 8 AM - 8 PM Sun - map
Camping supplies, pharmacy, Pyramid Lake camping permits.
Big Lots
5017 S McCarran Blvd - 775-826-5565 - Open 9 AM - 9 PM, 10 AM - 7 PM Sun - map
Sometimes it's aluminum foil or zip-closure bags, sometimes it's trash bags or shampoo or haircolor, but there's always something to be found for cheap at this discount variety store. No telling what they'll have on the shelves compared to your last visit.
Magic Carpet/Giorgio's Pizza
6925 S Virginia St - 775-853-1177 - Open 11 AM - 10 PM, 11 AM - 9 PM Sun - map
Woo Chon
5085 S McCarran Blvd - 775-825-2552 - Open 11:30 AM – 9 PM, closed Sun - map
All-you-can-eat sushi for about $22 per person for dinner.
M St. Mary's Family Walk In Health
6580 S Virginia St - 775-853-3333 - Open 9 AM - 9 PM, 9 AM - 6 PM Sun - map - map above
US Bank
5190 Neil Rd # 130 - 775-689-2050 - map
Bank of America
5905 S. Virginia - 775-688-8900 - map
Sports Authority (formerly Gart Sports)
4813 Kietzke Ln - 775-828-1234 - Open 9 AM - 9:30 PM, 9 AM - 9 PM Sat, 10 AM - 7 PM Sun. - map
Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse
5075 Kietzke Ln - 775-824-4750 - Open 6 AM - 9 PM, 8 AM - 8 PM Sun. - map
Home Depot
6590 S Virginia St - 775-851-9600 - Open 6 AM - 9 PM, 7 AM - 8 PM Sun. - map
This Home Depot sets up an area specifically for Burners, stocked with flashlights, batteries, rebar, PVC, and other goods we might want.
Beads Etc
5025 S McCarran Blvd - 775-826-0777 - Open 10 AM - 8 PM - map
This is THE PLACE to load up on beads and other gems for making and gifting jewelry.
Toys R Us
5000 Smithridge Dr. - 775-827-8697 - Open 10 AM - 9 PM, 10 AM - 7 PM Sun - map
Magic Carpet/Giorgio's Pizza
6925 S Virginia St - 775-853-1177 - Open 11 AM - 10 PM, 11 AM - 9 PM Sun - map
Mike's Automotive Perfection
5301 Longley Ln # 214 - 775-827-5600 - Open 8 AM - 5 PM Mon-Fri - map
An honest, but not inexpensive, mechanic if you need serious car repairs while in the area.
Pep Boys
5000 Smithridge Dr # 1 - 775-827-1700 / 775-827-1912 - map
The Mission Car Wash and Auto Care Center
6355 S. McCarran Blvd. - 775-827-4222 - map
Need more info?
Try: Reno News and Review, Reno Gazette-Journal, Reno Magazine, National Traffic and Road Closure Information, PlayReno, NevadaNet, goTahoe.com, tahoe.com. 
