Back in the day, I used to report on both large projects and/or cool projects that reside outside of my normal reporting zone. The series was named Beyond Downtown, and I figure it's high time I get back to doing that. Also thanks to Hagen Sandoval for helping me put this together.
I've been meaning to write about the opening of OTC for a while now, not just because of that particular business opening, but because that building has a personal history for me. It's not very often in this town that a building is home to a series of bars and clubs dating all the way back to the early 1990s, but that is the case with OTC. I remember going to 'Monday Night Rave Nights' at Visions when I first moved to Reno, and it was walkable from my downtown apartment. I loved Monday nights at Visions so much I even braved walking in snow storms in the winter, as I did not have a car at the time. The club, though a gay bar, at the time was so much more than that, it was a hub for some of the best music in Reno at the time.
The location carries a long history in Reno nightlife. Over the years, the property has operated under several well-known names, including Splash, Visions, and Tronix, each representing different eras of the city’s entertainment scene. For many locals, the building has long served as a gathering place, making its latest transformation a continuation of that legacy rather than a new beginning.
The newest club to inhabit this building on Kietzke is OTC Reno, a bar and nightclub focused on inclusivity, entertainment, and community.
Short for “Out of the Closet,” OTC Reno is an LGBTQ+-centered venue that welcomes everyone looking for a fun and comfortable night out. Guests can expect DJs, themed parties, drag performances, karaoke, and a social atmosphere that blends dance-floor energy with the feel of a neighborhood bar.
“Downtown Reno is evolving, and we’re excited to be part of that next chapter by bringing new life into a historic space,” said venue owner Nicholas Dismang. “There’s a real momentum happening downtown right now, and OTC adds another reason for people to come back and stay awhile.”
By building on the property’s history while offering a modern, inclusive environment, OTC Reno reflects the changing energy of Reno’s nightlife — a space where community comes first and everyone is welcome.
The space got a nice refresh when it opened as OTC, has a great outdoor patio space, friendly bartenders and great musicm, carrying on the long tradition of multiple clubs inhabating this space dating back to the 1990s.
You can find their web site here, their Facebook page here, and they are located at 340 Kietzke Lane.
