TRUCKEE, Calif. – What started with a “janky little printer” in a converted mortuary apartment on High Street has grown into a thriving two-store business for Nomad Boutique founder Allison Schultz.

After moving to Truckee in 1997, and growing up in the Glenshire area, the future business owner spent years waitressing at local spots like Cottonwood and Best Pies.

“I really didn’t like it,” said Schultz. “It motivated me to start an online store.”

The online store, originally named Wild Haze, was inspired by early online fashion retailers. After hiring a local graphic designer to build a website, she began selling a few orders a week and a downtown boutique gave her space on a clothing rack in exchange for unpaid work – an arrangement that introduced her to the Truckee retail scene.

“It did super well,” added Schultz. “I was able to see that I was picking out things that people liked downtown.”

In 2015, the boutique moved spaces, creating the opportunity at that same location for her new brand. Wild Haze was renamed and Nomad Boutique opened that year, offering a more refined, fashion-forward mix to appeal to locals and visitors alike. Two years later she expanded to Midtown Reno and later added a 5,000-square-foot warehouse to handle a growing online business.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a boom in online orders, but as social media algorithms evolved, she consolidated operations and closed the warehouse. Today, the Reno location doubles as the online fulfillment center, while the original Truckee shop continues to draw both locals and tourists.

Schultz credits careful site selection and a willingness to adapt for her staying power and she’s now eyeing South Reno for another location and considering a sister store in Truckee, though competition for prime space remains fierce so nothing is quite imminent.

“A big mistake a lot of business owners make is getting married to a space that may not be a smart choice,” she said. “I really try to wait and make sure that the spaces I move into are sure bets for foot traffic and what we’re looking for.”

In a decade of business, Schultz has watched Truckee evolve. Rising housing costs have shifted her employee base from mostly locals to many commuting from Reno. Yet the town’s year-round events and steady tourism have kept foot traffic strong.

“Truckee’s done a really good job of keeping the town busy,” she added.

From humble online beginnings to a regional retail presence, Nomad Boutique’s journey reflects both entrepreneurial grit and the changing economic landscape of the region. Moving forward, the focus will remain on the two locations and building the online orders back up – along with keeping an eye out for the next perfect location.

Nomad Boutique is located at 10046 Donner Pass Rd #2 in Truckee with a second location in Reno. For clothing collections and more information visit them online at nomadboutique.com or reach them by phone at 530-536-5058.