Business Beat: Oxygen Bar Offering Relief From Wildfire Smoke, Casinos Setting Record Wins

Here’s the latest business news from around Northern Nevada, with Business Beat from the Northern Nevada Business Weekly.

Listen to the latest “Business Beat” from the Northern Nevada Business Weekly.

Oxygen Bar Offering Tahoe Residents Breath Of Fresh Air

With the Caldor Fire bringing smoke and flames to Lake Tahoe, one bar in the area is seeing a big increase in visitors. But it’s not the kind of bar you’re probably thinking of.

Go2 Aroma Oxygen Bar in Incline Village offers appointment-based sessions that range from 10-40 minutes. Due to the smoke, co-founder Virginia Jordan said a lot more people have been scheduling appointments.

She said customers are using oxygen as a way to treat headaches from all the smoke.

Nevada Casinos Setting Record Win Totals

Nevada casinos set a new record in gaming wins last month, at more than $1.3 billion. Casinos in Washoe County brought in more than $100 million, the first time that’s happened in a month in nearly 20 years.

According to the state gaming control board, July was the fifth straight month of wins topping $1 billion for casinos across the state.

An analyst with the gaming control board says July was a perfect storm for gaming. There were five weekends, Resorts World Las Vegas was open for the full month, and several special events were held in Las Vegas.

Community Development Block Grants Available For Rural Businesses

Rural businesses in Nevada now have a new pool of funding available for post-pandemic recovery.

The Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development recently awarded Community Development block grants to the City of Wells and Reno-based Audacity Institute. Their goal is to provide small businesses in rural Nevada $500,000.

Grants will be available for businesses with less than $2 million in annual sales. They will be distributed through the Rural Business Assistance Program in up to $25,000 increments.

Kaleb Roedel is a KUNR contributor and reporter with the Northern Nevada Business Weekly. For more business news, check out the Northern Nevada Business Weekly at nnbw.com or in print on Wednesdays.

The photo included in this story is licensed under Flickr Creative Commons.