FREE 7507 STATE ROUTE 5, (corner of Bidleman Road) LITTLE FALLS NY 13365
315-508-5131 www.mohawkvalleyfunerals.com
Largest facility in area with most off street parking
Daniel J. Enea 3rd Generation Funeral Director
VOLUME 4: NUMBER 12
DECEMBER 2024
New Owners for Rustic Ties build the business up and sell it in five years so I Heath Williams knew could retire outside of the there was a need for a United States.” large wedding venue and event space in the area. In The wedding and event his hometown, Dolgeville, venue features plenty NY, he made his vision a of green space on its reality with Rustic Ties. extensive 43 ½ acres He’s now passed the which includes a pond, torch on to new owners making it perfect for Brooke and Ty Stowell, stunning photographs. who are looking forward In addition to the huge to carrying on Heath’s indoor event space for up vision while making it to 200, there are bride and their own. groom dressing suites, an outdoor covered bar How it Began and a caterer’s kitchen. Story by Carol Vogel
Rustic Ties is a unique venue in the area, and Heath explained how he got started building his vision. “I started planning Rustic Ties back in 2017 because there was a need for a wedding venue in our area and a need for one that could hold larger weddings. I purchased the land and designed the grounds and buildings to be very functional and spacious. It was always my plan to
“Rustic Ties opened in 2019 and hosted a handful of weddings. Those weddings and the fact that people could now see the venue complete gave me a full season of bookings for 2020. Unfortunately, Covid came along and destroyed my 2020 season and limited my 2021 season. Through all of that, I continued to make improvements to the grounds and facilities
and booked weddings each season. Rustic Ties blossomed into a beautiful venue with a great reputation, but it was time for me to move on.” A Perfect Fit Brooke had run her own creative business in Dolgeville prior to working with Rustic Ties. “I started out doing the little craft shop in town, and then I always did a little bit of floral work. I Brook and Ty Stowell are the new owners of Rustic Ties. Photo used with permission from Rustic Ties. think I planned my first wedding at 19 for my up and decorating of the year or two but that I didn’t want to sell it to boss at the credit union barn.” investors or anyone that I when I worked there.” Through working with didn’t think would run the Heath recalls, “Brooke Brooke, Heath had an business themselves.” had been a vendor for idea. “I thought she would some of the brides over be a good fit, so at the The conversation led the years, and I knew end of the 2022 season, I Heath to realize that her as someone that asked her if she would be Brooke and her husband was creative and hard interested in becoming Ty had many talents that working. She also enjoyed a manager and working would benefit Rustic Ties. working with weddings with the couples starting Besides Ty’s landscaping and had helped some of in 2023. I also mentioned business, he also did the wedding coordinators that I was looking to sell in the past with the set- the business in the next Please See RUSTIC Page 2 In 1989, he came off the road because he said he just couldn’t do it anymore. “When I came off the road, I worked as a mechanic and opened my own shop in Herkimer for 30 years - B&B Auto Tech - that was me.”
BB Music Center now open on Central Ave in Ilion
He said he got sick of that business, so he sold it. In between, he continued to play with a couple of bands—Showtime and Carmen Brookfield. “I played for them for about two and one-half years, and then I got married and had a couple of kids.”
play drums and a little bit on the keyboard. “I started this shop in Herkimer two years ago in the Emporium over on Mohawk Street. I had a vendor spot and was doing really well,” he said. The building was sold, and he took everything in the shop home. “My girlfriend said, ‘I’m sick of looking at all these guitars,’ so she said, ‘Why don’t you start looking for a place?’”
Bechard said that Realtor Bechard said that his son Bruce Ward was a good is now a drummer out in friend who helped him find his new location. “I Buffalo. looked in Herkimer and By Dave Warner Ilion and started playing and American.” “I’ve been around and Mohawk but landed on guitar when I was eleven, this space in Ilion and BB Music Center has and I’ve been playing Then, that group broke played in a lot of local moved here in July.” opened at 141 Central in bands ever since. I up, and he did an Alice bands. I was a guitar player for years, and then Avenue in Ilion with traveled with a rock Cooper tribute band we lost a bass player in He plans to redo the rest musical instruments, and roll band called the for two years. “We did a band called Tears, so it of the space to increase repairs, and accessories. British Invasion Show for all Alice Cooper with was here you go, you’re the size of the shop and add a studio. eight or nine years. We stage production and now playing bass.” Brad Bechard is the owner did the 60s, 70s, and a everything.” He said that he can also Please See MUSIC Page 7 and he said, “I grew up in lot of the old stuff, British W W W . M Y L I T T L E F A L L S . C O M
BILL MACRI
ASSOCIATE BROKER C: 315.360.1920 O: 315.866.2209 bill.joemacrirealty@gmail.com joemacrirealty.com
235 S. Main St. Herkimer, NY 13350