From tiniest of beginnings, retail entrepreneur thrives

Retail operations don't get much smaller than the tiny video rental business Miguel Reyna bought in 1998. The Spanish video store was so small it shared space with another business on Wells Avenue.

But with long hours and family support, Reyna expanded products and grew his customer base. Today the retail business has its own storefront on Wells Avenue carrying wireless products, Mexican music CDs, videos and cosmetics, and Reyna, an authorized Cricket dealer, now owns two Cricket cell phone stores.

"I'm always looking at options to move along and to keep going ahead," he says.

Reyna moved to Reno from Fresno with his wife in 1997. A recent business graduate of Kings River Community College, he hoped to find work in business management here and perhaps attend the University of Nevada, Reno. After working in construction for six months, he came across the video-rental business opportunity.

Reyna bought the business, but soon felt constrained because he couldn't carry other products in the tiny space. Two years later with financing help from family, he expanded and moved to larger quarters down the street at 1460 S. Wells Ave. He named the store La Morenita - Spanish for little brown girl - after his wife, who worked alongside him.

"Without the support of family, I wouldn't have this business," he says. "That's the reason I survived."

The store struggled in the beginning.

"Sometimes we didn't make enough to cover all the expenses," he says. "But after a year, I saw it was going according to plan."

In the larger space Reyna started carrying Spanish music CDs and cell phone products. He advertised on Spanish-language radio stations, and the little store developed a strong following. A key to success was knowing his market and treating customers well, he says. Some customers had been burned at other stores.

"I know what Hispanic customers demand, what their needs are and what they want," says Reyna.

New technology had always interested him, so Reyna grew the wireless side of the business. When space became available next door, he opened a store devoted entirely to Cricket products, and in March he ventured into another market, opening a Cricket store on Keystone Avenue.

"He's very nice, and he's a very smart business person," says Maria Arias, community development officer of Wells Fargo Bank.

Arias met Reyna when he visited the Wells Fargo Banking Education Center shortly after moving here. Located in a shopping center on Sutro, the center is designed to provide banking assistance in a non-intimidating atmosphere. Reyna wanted information about financing a house, and then he returned to get help with buying and expanding the business. Arias helped him with paperwork, provided information about setting up business and personal accounts and referred him to local business-management courses.

"His business has been a good success story for us," he says.

Reyna works long days. The cell phone business requires keeping up with constantly changing technology.

"The best part is exploring something new. Everyday you learn something," he says.

His only regret is not being able to spend more time with his wife and two children, ages 6 and 7.

"That's something I feel right here," he says, his hand on his heart.

With the recent opening of the Keystone Cricket store, Reyna has his hands full for now. As to the future?

"Next year, I'll see what's going to be next."