Rick Gunn/Nevada Appeal Rob Howells, manager for Costco, works the control for the Robosapien at the Tech Expo in the Nevada Appeal building Thursday.
Robosapien did a little jig in front of the Costco booth Thursday at the Northern Nevada Development Authority's second annual Business and Tech Expo.
Maybe it was just happy to be there. Its $69 shiny, plastic, black-and- white body lurched and scuttled forward. Behind the remote control was Costco manager Rob Howells. Behind Howells was a display of software sold at the bulk box store.
Maneuvering Robosapien on the expo's tech floor is a comic distraction for Howells. He said the foot traffic at the expo was a little slow, but "we're hoping for a big rush after work."
Costco had a booth on both the top and bottom floors of the Nevada Appeal building, 580 Mallory Way. The top floor was devoted to technology, the ground floor to business
About 500 people visited the expo, which had about 70 vendors. Go-Ped Scooters marketing associate Scott Bolton sat in the dark under his company tent with a dull light bulb because power wasn't run to his spot. But whenever Bolton got a little lonely, he just took a spin around the expo on his Go-Ped ESR750.
Acceleration is on the right handle bar, the brake is on the left. Gently push the speed switch, or the scooter will take off without you. Brake too hard on the slick concrete floor, and you'll take off without the scooter. The model on display sells for about $700.
"I have had a lot of people come by and ask questions," Bolton said. "Even though we have 'Made in the USA' up on our tent and on all our stuff, people are not aware that the Go-Peds are made locally, in Minden. Everyone is used to seeing the cheaper Asian-made (scooters)."
Bolton made a few business contacts, even though the local market is drying up. A law went into effect this month banning the mini motor scooters from streets. But he said his main market is out-of-state.
Wells Fargo Carson City main office manager Susan Atkinson came to the expo hoping to make business contacts and to give away bank-branded items.
"It's important to be out in the community and meeting business people," she said. "We're offering our many products and services to businesses."
Gilda Hoffmann of Dayton browsed the business booths with a friend.
"We're just looking around, and we have a friend who has a booth here," she said. "We're looking forward to seeing everything."
Contact reporter Becky Bosshart at bbosshart@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.
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