Clothing company Reno eNVy will be celebrating its 10-year anniversary this month with the release of a new clothing line and big sales at its downtown Reno location.
In 2005, owner Scott Dunseath was giving his address to a friend over the phone, and when he said the phrase, “Reno, NV” he realized something quite interesting.
Dunseath realized that the abbreviation “NV” sounds remarkably like the word “envy.” That summer, Dunseath set up a tent at the Reno River Festival and began selling T-shirts with the label “Reno eNVy” and the company’s now very recognizable trailer logo. Dunseath sold over 60 shirts the first day and realized that the Reno community really connected with this irreverent brand.
“Reno is a great place to test the market,” Dunseath said. By 2006 he had left his job as a sales representative and started his very own business.
In 2008, Reno eNVy acquired its first storefront at the West Street Market. Thanks to the community of Reno, the company was able to survive the poor economy at the time. By 2009, Reno eNVy had already outgrown this humble space and was ready to move yet again.
At this time, Reno was lacking something that seems almost necessary for a city to have: a visitor center. Dunseath was able to partner with the city to combine Reno eNVy with a Reno visitor center into one location on Sierra Street.
Courtney Meredith, owner of Design on Edge, works for Reno eNVy as a graphic designer.
“Our customer base is a very broad range of locals, tourists, trailer enthusiasts and individuals with a sincere pride for Reno or Nevada,” Meredith said.
Since the opening of this second location, Reno eNVy has done very well. As a company with just two employees they were able to increase revenue by over 20 percent in 2014. This goal was reached by partnering with local businesses and schools to create collaborative T-shirts.
Reno eNVy doesn’t plan on stopping any time soon. With its new “Battle Born” line, Dunseath hopes to build a statewide brand. Up until now, the brand has had a very focused demographic and client base — primarily locals. By broadening the brand, Dunseath desires to appeal to those in southern Nevada, northern Nevada, and everything in between.
“I want to build a model that we can replicate in Vegas,” Dunseath said. “This new Battle Born line will take something from the hearts and minds of Nevadans and run with it.”
To his surprise, Dunseath found that the Battle Born name had not been taken by any other company. He was able to obtain a trademark and get to work. The company has already made ties with groups in Vegas that appear to be good locations for distributing the new line.
The line is more fashion-forward and pulls various elements from the state flag and widely recognizable Battle Born logo.
“This brand is really meant to capture the spirit of the Nevada lifestyle — it’s patriotic, relevant and non-apologetic,” Meredith said.
On May 9 and 10 the company hosted its 10th anniversary celebration. As such, there will be a lot of great sales, deals and most importantly the official launch of the Battle Born line.
Dunseath held this celebration to thank the community for all that they have done to keep Reno eNVy alive and thriving.
Reno eNVy is located at 135 N. Sierra Street, Reno, NV, 89501.
