RENO, NV - When someone says 'downtown Reno,' most locals think of the Truckee River, the casinos, and the area surrounding City Hall. But what if someone says 'midtown Reno?' Until recently, many locals had never heard of it.

The business owners who have shops in Midtown gave themselves the new name about a year ago, in order to help draw attention to the area. Organizers say the boundaries are the section of South Virginia Street from Plumb to Liberty, and everything within about half a block of here.

Locals say ten years ago, the area was simply brushed off as the south section of downtown, but not anymore.

"It' s eclectic. You've got food, shopping, you've got coffee," said Daryl Kinney, Reno Native.

"It's totally coming up. I used to think it was ghetto, but it's not so ghetto anymore," said Mallory Mishler of Reno.

This reformed attitude about the area can be attributed to a group of determined business owners who decided if they didn't quite fit into a specific Reno neighborhood, they'd create their own.

"Unfortunately, a lot of big cities like Reno get the donut-hole effect, where all the surrounding areas start getting strip malls and news businesses, and the middle of town starts dying out," said Sushi Pier II General Manager, Chris Thompson.

The Midtown Merchants Association now has 25 business members, and they're growing. They meet once a month to discuss strategies for promoting their businesses, and to talk about the future of an area they say is both diverse and refined.

"Our goal is to create a place in Reno that is well-known by locals and tourists. When they come to town and are like, 'where is the place to go?' Midtown!" said Deedee Schuler, owner of Sports West Athletic Club.

All in all, about 90 businesses make up what is now known as Midtown, everything from dry cleaners to bike shops to bars. They say they're dealing with the recession by vowing only to recommend local shops within the Midtown district, and by doing so, gain strength in numbers.

"If people want coffee, I send them to The Hub. They have the best coffee ever. I get a lot of people asking for a bike shop. So we can recommend High Desert. It's easy because we have everything around here," said Kathy Griffin, owner of Out of Bounds Board Shop.

The business owners are holding a Midtown Mixer in October, with booths and food and prizes, which they hope will help create a 'buzz' about the new district.

Midtown Mixer
www.midtownreno.com
October 16th
5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
At "The Great Escape" in Reno
1575 S. Virginia St.
(Corner of Lakeside and Mt Rose)
Reno, NV 89509
(775) 829-7878