Saratoga Business Journal - November 2021

SBJ P.O. Box 766 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

VOL. 26 NO. 09

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New Eagle Crest Golf Club Owners Plan To Plans Proceed For Project That Will Expand Expand Services, Entice Customers All Year YMCA And Create New Senior Center Home

From left, new owners Scott Battiste and David Battiste stand with director of golf John Peterson at the Eagle Crest Golf Club in Clifton Park.

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH Eagle Crest Golf Club on Route 146A in Clifton Parkis under new ownership.

Scott Battiste has taken over the business. He has been a part of the golf course since the age of 15. He said seeing his lifelong dream come true feels a bit surreal.

“I started at the course at the age of 15, and since then have always been here in some capacity. I’ve been the head pro for the past five seasons. I think getting involved as an owner is a good decision for everyone, and I am so happy to be where I am,” said Battiste.

The new ownership became official in September when the Battiste Group and Galvez Group purchased the course for around $2.3 million. Battiste said they are already in the process of renovating the property, including the addition of a patio with firepits, golf simulators, and an expanded bar.

They expect to have the bar and restaurant area

©2021 Saratoga Photographer.com

done by February, with much of the additional work completed by April.

“We are excited to add simulators and transform the bar into more of a sports pub feeling where people will want to come and spend time here year round. We are retouching any surface that needs to be updated or repaired. We are starting with the first-floor areas and then working our way up,” said Battiste.

Eagle Crest is a public golf course with daily fees only.

“We want to remind everyone that we are 100 percent open to everyone, and going forward our goal is create a space that has a sports tavern-like feel. We want to see more events, a corn hole league, and an expansion of the entertainment aspect. You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy the premises,” said Battiste.

Eagle Crest Golf Course can be reached at 518877-7082.

Minogue’s Beverage Center Business Now Owned And Operated By Saratoga Eagle

BY CHRISTINE GRAF Less than one month after celebrating the 100th anniversary of Minogue’s Beverage Center, owner John Minogue sold his business to brothers Jeff and Paul Vukelic, owners of Saratoga Eagle.

The decision to sell was a difficult one for Minogue, and Jeff first approached him about purchasing the business about 16 months ago.

“When I was first approached by Jeff about the possibility, I was in a position where I really didn’t have a succession plan but I wasn’t totally committed to selling the business at that time,” said Minogue. “It ended up making a lot of sense to me. Selling my business after having been in it myself for fifty-five years was a personal thing for me. There’s a lot of family history, and I’ve had some emotional feelings about the business leaving the family but there really weren’t any options for me.”

Minogue and Vukelic have known each other for many years, and Minogue’s has been one of Saratoga Eagle’s largest customers. Minogue and the Vukelic brothers have much in common, and both operate family businesses that were established by their bootlegger grandfathers in the 1920s.

“I know the business will be well taken care by selling to Jeff,” said Minogue. “They are a class

This is a rendering of the 17,000-square-foot addition to the Saratoga Regional YMCA that will become the new home for the Saratoga Senior Center.

The Saratoga Regional YMCA has obtained initial city approval to proceed with a 17,000-square-foot addition to its Saratoga Springs Branch that will become the new home of the Saratoga Senior Center.

Construction of the facility is likely to begin in the spring, officials said.

The Y expansion and collaboration with the Senior Center will allow each organization to expand upon programming geared toward older adults, and provide cross programming that will engage and serve more seniors than either organization can serve on their own, according to the YMCA. The collaboration is being made possible by a $2 million anonymous charitable gift that will allow the Senior Center to occupy its new space on the YMCA campus rent free. The organizations would conduct capital campaigns to seek additional donor support for the project.

In addition, the Senior Center is launching a market analysis/feasibility study in preparation of the new facility.

Courtesy Saratoga YMCA

The analysis, conducted by Camoin and Associates, will identify in-demand and viable programming for the space, including needs of seniors, potential commercial uses, and space for revenue driving businesses that would benefit seniors and YMCA members.

Officials said funding for the feasibility study is being supported by an Empire State Development grant, recommended by the Capital Region Economic Development Council as part of the state’s Regional Council initiative.

Officials said that after the new Senior Center is constructed, the YMCA intends to pursue another project to add an additional 25,000 square feet for its operations. PostCOVID operations are requiring more space in exercise areas to better support public health.

The Y envisions additional fitness space, a gymnasium, and an expansion of KidzCare services in order to help serve more children, adults, seniors and families Continued On Page 4

Saratoga County Chamber Expands ‘Save Our Locals’ Program To Include Nonprofit Groups

Minogue’s Beverage Center was sold to brothers Jeff and Paul Vukelic, owners of Saratoga Eagle. operation.”

According to Jeff Vukelic, he has always respected the way in which Minogue operated his business. It was because he knew that none of Continued On Page 8

The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce has extended its Save Our Locals $20.21 campaign and will now accept donations to participating Saratoga County nonprofit organizations.

“As we head into the giving season, we’re expanding the reach and impact of Save Our Locals $20.21 by inviting residents and out-of-town visitors to make donations of $20.21 or more to participating nonprofits throughout the County,” said Todd Shimkus, president, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. “Your donation will now make you eligible for entry into Save Our Locals $20.21 for a chance to win one of a variety of $100 gift cards.”

Launched in mid-October, Save Our Locals $20.21 is the second iteration of the Save Our Locals campaign initially begun by the Chamber during the height of COVID-19 in 2020. Ideated out of a need to counteract COVID-19 restrictions that

severely impacted the county’s economy, Save Our Locals aims to help economic recovery across Saratoga County.

Now, people are not only encouraged to make purchases at locally owned businesses but to also make donations to non-profit organizations rooted in the Saratoga County community.

“Our non-profit organizations felt the impact of COVID-19 just as much as our businesses, restaurants, salons, car dealerships, contractors and many more did,” said Shimkus. “It’s only right that we do our part to support these organizations that provide so much to various communities throughout Saratoga County.”

To see a list of participating nonprofit organizations, visit www.saratoga.org/ save-our-locals-20-21/#donate.

To learn more about how to participate and enter for a chance to win, visit www. saratoga.org/save-our-locals-20-21.

2 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

Jenna Lord Is The New Director Of Nursing At Wesley Health Care Center In Saratoga

Personnel Briefs •

First New York Federal Credit Union announced that Michael McGuire has joined its team as the vice president of IT operations and support services.

McGuire will provide oversight of the credit union transactional process systems, support member services to include core processing, real estate and commercial lending, debit and credit card services, and electronic services. He will also be responsible for timely completion and accuracy of operational and project related tasks and functions.

He will work to ensure complete and accurate maintenance of documentation, procedures, logs, reports and monitor processes to ensure desired results and performance. He will assist with refinement of current systems and processes, and develop a familiarity of knowledge network structure, security, and technical processes and interfaces.

His experience includes Northeast Association Management as director of technical operations, and the Whitney Young Health Center as the chief information officer.

McGuire received his Bachelor in Science in Information Technology and Management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. *

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Dr. David Mobarek and Dr. Yasmin Mohamed have joined Saratoga Hospital Medical Group Primary Care – Wilton. The practice now has 14 providers who see patients of all ages.

Also, Dr. Jennifer Bayron, a fellowship-trained breast surgeon, has joined Saratoga Hospital Center for Breast Care.

Mobarek came to Saratoga Hospital after a residency in family medicine at Ellis Medicine in Schenectady. A graduate of New York’s Stony Brook University, Mobarek earned his medical degree

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from American University of Antigua College of Medicine. He is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Prior to joining Saratoga Hospital, Mohamed practiced family medicine for five years at Northwell Health on Long Island, where she also served as a regional medical director.

She grew up in Clifton Park and, after college, returned to the region to pursue a master’s in clinical leadership in healthcare management from Union Graduate College in Schenectady (now Clarkson University). From there, Mohamed went on to earn a medical degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine.

She completed a residency in family medicine, including one year as chief resident, at Northwell Health Plainview Hospital. Mohamed is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians and is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Osteopathic Association.

Bayron comes to Saratoga Hospital from Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, where she completed a fellowship in breast surgical oncology. The center is one of only 51 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers nationwide.

A graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Bayron completed a surgical internship at UConn Health , a surgical residency at Christiana Care Health System in Delaware, and a breast surgical oncology fellowship at Fox Chase Cancer Center. She is board certified by the American Board of Surgery and is a member of the American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology and American Society of Breast Surgeons.

Bayron sees patients at Saratoga Hospital Center for Breast Care. Located at 3040 Route 50, on the hospital’s Wilton campus. *

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Whiteman Osterman & Hanna LLP announced that Jennifer Thomas has joined the firm as an

The Wesley Community announced that Jenna Lord has been appointed director of nursing at Wesley Health Care Center in Saratoga Springs.

Lord is responsible for leading and supervising the nursing staff and overseeing the care provided to residents at the Wesley Health Care Center. She has extensive health care experience and previously served as assistant director of Nursing at Wesley Health Care Center.

“We are pleased to see Jenna expand her role on the leadership team at The Wesley Community,” said J. Brian Nealon, CEO of The Wesley Community. “Her skills and experience make her a valuable asset to the many residents we serve. Under her guidance and leadership, our nursing services will continue to grow and meet the needs of all those who call Wesley Health Care Center home.”

Lord will work closely with Wesley administrators to develop policies and procedures to maintain a safe and efficient work place while also bringing forth new clinical opportunities.

“I am thrilled to be taking on the role of Director of Nursing at Wesley Health Care Center,” Lord said. “I look forward to continuing to work with our dedicated staff to care for Wesley’s residents and will strive to make a difference amongst our team and the residents we serve at The Wesley Community.”

Lord has been an active member of the Wesley Health Care Center team since 2008 where she previously worked as both a licensed practical nurse and as a resident nurse unit coordinator. In her various roles at the senior care facility, officials said Lord has been an enthusiastic leader who puts great emphasis on hands-on leadership and providing quality of care and services.

She was recognized as Registered Nurse of the Year at Wesley Health Care Center

in 2018. She received the recognition following numerous peer nominations and an extensive review by a panel of administrators at The Wesley Community.

For more than 40 years, Wesley Health Care Center has provided quality nursing care for aging adults and seniors through a variety of services, including long-term care; light care geriatrics; Alzheimer’s and memory support; and a short-term rehabilitation program.

Wesley Health Care Center is part of The Wesley Community, a 37-acre continuum of care campus in Saratoga Springs which provides seniors with a variety of levels of care including independent living, assisted living, long-term care, outpatient therapies, short-term rehabilitation and home care.

For more information about The Wesley Community, visit www. thewesleycommunity.org.

associate.

Thomas obtained her Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law and her undergraduate degree from Siena College.

Prior to joining the firm, Thomas was an associate with Wollmuth Maher and Deutsch in New York City where she focused her practice on complex commercial litigation and arbitration in

both State and federal court.

Previously, she was a judicial intern for the Hon. Debra Freeman, United States magistrate judge for the Southern District of New York. Additionally, Thomas was a legal intern with the Securities and Exchange Commission in New York City.

Thomas joins the Firm’s Litigation and Appeals Group.

Jenna Lord has been appointed director of nursing at Wesley Health Care Center.

Courtesy The Wesley Community

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021 • 3

Fred Astaire Dance Studios In Saratoga Marc Conner Is Inaugurated As The Eighth Regroups, Relocates After The Pandemic President Of Skidmore College In Saratoga

Owners of Fred Astaire Dance Studios and other dignitaries gathered for a ribbon cutting at the 3257 Route 9 facility in Saratoga Springs.

The pandemic brought many challenges to many people, but for Fred Astaire Dance Studios (FADS) in Saratoga, it was an opportunity to relocate and re-open in a bigger and better space.

The Capital Region Chamber and studio owners Elizabeth and Grey Masko celebrated the new location with a ribbon cutting event in September, with Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner and National Ballroom Dance Champion Joan Regan Hayner.

The new location on Route 9 offers a performance space three times as large as before, fostering even more growth, according to the studio. As people are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic, FADS offers a safe environment for dancers of all ages and abilities to learn about the benefits of ballroom and Latin dancing and how it can help improve mental, physical, and emotional well-being.

“We are so excited about our new location, and everything we’ll be able to offer to the community,” said the Maskos. “We look forward to the children’s classes we’ll be offering in the spring and hope that our current students enjoy the new space for years to come.”

The Maskos also announced a new offering to help share the benefits of dancing with a wider audience. The studio will offer children’s classes beginning next spring.

Courtesy Capital Region Chamber

“Dancing is not an activity just for older generations, and the same benefits that help hone cognitive function, foster respect for a partner, and encourage body positivity, are all elements of growth that can begin at an early age, as well as continue in the golden years,” they said.

“I’m so glad to see this small business in the Saratoga area growing into a larger location and expanding,” said state Sen. Daphne Jordan, who was unable to attend the ribbon cutting but came earlier in the week to deliver a Senate Recognition Certificate.

“Even while coming out of a pandemic and seeing the Studio flourish in this way, provides hope to other small businesses in this area.”

“Th is new offering of children’s classes will help develop important structure and compassion among our young people,” said Woerner. “Dancing can help encourage coordination, precision, cooperation, and confidence in our children.”

“Saratoga County is home to many small businesses who have had ups and downs induced by the pandemic,” said Supervisor Theodore Kusnierz, Jr., Saratoga County Board of Supervisor board chairman. “It’s rewarding and inspiring to see this growth and expansion in the area.”

The ribbon cuttings was sponsored by Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co.

Marc C. Conner was inaugurated as the eighth Skidmore College president in an Oct. 16 ceremony that took place at the Arthur Zankel Music Center.

Skidmore College recently celebrated the inauguration of Marc C. Conner as the school’s eighth president at the Arthur Zankel Music Center.

A combination of in-person and virtual events were held to mark this time-honored tradition that recognizes the college’s academic mission, proud history and its future.

Conner became the eighth president of Skidmore College in July but his ceremonial installation had been delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

An innovative leader of interdisciplinary academic programs, a longtime advocate of diversity and inclusion initiatives, and a widely published professor of English, he came to Skidmore following 24 years at Washington and Lee University in Virginia.

In his inaugural address, Conner called for a “daring education” that prepares graduates to lead lives of consequence.

Conner outlined a vision for the college’s future with community at its heart and the liberal arts as a force for innovation and change.

Conner said diversity and inclusion efforts will continue to be woven into the fabric of the institution. He said that supporting the Skidmore community would always be the focus of his work at the college and how he wants to defi ne his presidency.

Courtesy Skidmore College

“A community of trust means a place where everybody feels at home, everybody feels they can thrive, everybody feels safe enough to challenge and be challenged by an education that we know is daring,” Conner said. “I want that phrase, a community of trust, to resonate with us as an aspiration, as a challenge, and as a description. To me, it stands alongside (Skidmore’s motto) ‘Creative Thought Matters’ as twin assertions of what we most value and what defi nes us at our best.”

Throughout his first 16 months at Skidmore, the president has steered the college through the many challenges wrought by the pandemic, reopening the campus for the 2020-2021 academic year and bringing the entire campus community back for 2021-2022.

Conner has also introduced programs including Skidmore’s Racial Justice Initiative, a series of projects that seek to address the realities of racial injustice locally and beyond, and an inclusive Campus Master Planning process to outline the community’s aspirations for the future.

Conner “successfully navigated the college through an unprecedented global health crisis, as well as a period of historic societal protest and division,” said Nancy Hamilton, chair of Skidmore’s board of trustees, in a press release. “And this period of crisis did not deter him from moving the College forward.”

4 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

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Saratoga National Bank And Trust Co. Opens New Wilton Branch Near Northway Exit 15

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Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co. opened a new branch office in Wilton. It offers full banking services, including ATM, drive-in, lobby and expanded parking.

Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co. has opened a new full-service branch office at 3025 Route 50 in the Wilton Square shopping plaza (near Target), just off Northway Exit 15.

With over 3,000 square feet of office space, the office will provide a modern banking environment for customers, officials said.

It offers full banking services, including ATM, drive-in, lobby and expanded parking. Additional teller access, offices and conference room space will provide an improved overall customer experience, right in the middle of the busy Wilton shopping district.

Projects

Continued From Page 1 within the new space at cost of $3.5 million.

According to the organizations, the synergies of improving mission-based services for both Saratoga Springs human service organizations demonstrates the power of the conf luence of maximizing

Courtesy Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co.

The location replaces two smaller offices on Jones and Ballard roads.

“This newly renovated and larger office design will enhance our ability to deliver an improved customer experience and to expand customer relationships,” said Saratoga National President and Chief Executive Officer Dave DeMarco.

“We’re excited to open this more centrally located office.”

Branch manager Ava Marco and the local team are welcoming new and existing customers and are ready to provide banking and business services to help them achieve their financial goals. operational efficiencies, elimination of duplication of resources, and leveraging private support.

Individuals or businesses who want to learn more about the project or are interested in charitable giving to help make it happen can contact Scott Clark at the YMCA 518-583-9622, ext. 106, or Lois Celeste at the Senior Center at 518584-1621.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021 • 5

Business Briefs

Cosmic Cape Comics Opens In Saratoga Springs Offering Numerous Collectables •

Mike Miller opened Cosmic Cape Comics at 9 Hampstead Place in Saratoga Springs. The store carries a large variety of comic books, board games, trading card games and more.

BY CHRISTINE GRAF After working in information technology for 23 years, Mike Miller was laid off from a local tech company during the pandemic.

His unexpected layoff prompted him to pursue his dream of opening a comic book store. In September, he opened Cosmic Cape Comics at 9 Hampstead Place in Saratoga Springs. The store is located in The Springs, a luxury apartment and commercial complex located off of Weibel Avenue.

Cosmic Cape Comics carries a large variety of comic books, role playing and board games, trading card games, and collectibles.

“COVID gave me the opportunity to explore a new career,” he said. “I’ve been passionate about comic books for a quite a long time. In the basement of our house in Wilton, I had probably 60,000 comic books.”

Miller’s interest in comic books began when he was living and working in Chicago, a city with many comic books stores. He started reading mainstream comic books and attending comic book conventions.

“I started meeting a lot of comic book artists and writers, especially the independent guys trying to break into the industry and publish their own comic books,” he said. “I started realizing how much more there was out there beyond the mainstream comic books. That’s when I started getting into independent comic books. It broadened my horizons in the comic book field.”

He began collecting comic books and purchased back issues featuring his favorite writers and artists.

As his collection grew, he decided to start an online business while still working full time. He increased his inventory by purchasing several large collections from other collectors.

“I went from 2,000 or 3,000 comic books to 60,000,” he said.

He created an LLC and spent evenings sorting comic books. Because he was working full time, organizing and inventorying such a large collection turned out to be very time consuming.

“I bought too many too fast and it was just too overwhelming,” he said. “I had all of the best intentions, but it just became too much.”

Five years later, after being laid off, he found himself at a crossroads. At age 53, he questioned whether he wanted to get another job in information technology.

“I was getting burned out from working in IT,” he said. “I asked myself, ‘Do I really want to do this anymore?’”

That’s when his wife, Nanette, and stepson, Bob, convinced him that the time was right for him to open his own store.

While preparing his business plan, Miller drew on the skills he learned while earning an MBA at UAlbany. He also holds a B.S. and PhD in chemical

©2021 Saratoga Photographer.com

engineering.

“I knew that to be successful you have to have a diverse customer base—not just older comics but newer comics and other things like games, magic cards, RPG (role playing games), and graphic novels,” he said. “I started thinking about what sort of inventory I would need and what it would cost each month to keep going. I also started thinking about marketing and sales and all of the other aspects of the business.”

Instead of seeking a loan, Miller decided to finance the store by dipping into his savings. He had his store’s soft opening on Sept. 29 and plans to have an official grand opening around Thanksgiving.

“I started with a minimal amount of modern inventory and my giant backlog of comics. I’ve since then been ordering a lot of new comic books and assembling the broader part of the store. I also purchased a bunch of titles tailored for younger audiences, and some are for young readers. I’ve been able to build inventory to where I now have the diverse product base I was going for from the very beginning.”

Miller has relied on word of mouth and extensive use of social media to attract customers. He is hopeful his store will fill the void that was left when Comic Depot, Saratoga’s only comic book store, closed two years ago.

“I’ve talked to a lot of people who used to go to the Comic Depot, and they went to the Internet when the store closed,” he said. “What I’m looking to do is to lure those customers back from Amazon and the others online. Because this is a place where you can feel that comic book. You can talk to me or other customers and ask, ‘Have you read this? Do you have any recommendations?’”

Miller especially enjoys giving recommendations to parents who enjoyed reading comic books when they were young and are now interested in introducing the genre to their own children.

He believes comic books are an excellent way to encourage kids of all ages to engage their imagination and the creative side of their brains.

Miller also wants girls to know that today’s comic books feature an impressive number of female heroes.

When it comes to his own personal comic book favorites, Miller said he has always been drawn to archers including the Green Arrow. His favorite series, Robyn Hood, is published by independent publisher Zenescope and features a female main character.

Cosmic Cape Comics is open Wednesday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday.

For more information, visit cosmiccapescomics. myshopify.com.

The Saratoga Farmers’ Market indoor winter season returned to the Wilton Mall on Nov. 6.

Alongside many returning vendors, the winter market also features some new vendors and products, such as alcohol-infused ice cream at Boozy Moo!, (house) plants at J. Adkins Cultivation, Scandinavian baked goods at parchment, and several fan favorites who were new vendors at the markets this summer.

This season, the market was also be able to bring back several of its seasonal events, such as holiday celebrations, Maple March and more.

Markets will run each Saturday from 9:30 am to 1:30 p.m. and will feature 50-plus vendors selling a full range of locally produced items including fresh farm items, ready-to-eat foods, artisanal products, and holiday gift items.

The market will be located in the mall’s food court, accessible from the TrustCo mall entrance or from the building’s interior.

Although face coverings are not required inside the Wilton Mall, the mall and the Saratoga Farmers’ Market both recommend customers wear a mask to help keep the indoor markets as safe as possible.

The market will continue to space vendors out where possible and provide extra hand washing and sanitizing opportunities. Management is evaluating returning its online ordering and curbside pickup program. *

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The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association (BSBPA) is encouraging all businesses in the village’s downtown area to decorate their storefronts for the shopping season.

For the past few years, the BSBPA has recognized businesses whose window decorations and displays have enhanced the Village of Ballston Spa during the holiday season. Businesses with decorated windows whose lights are on the evening of Nov. 30 will be judged and the winners will be announced in time for village festivities

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on Dec. 3, including the Holiday Parade, village Christmas tree lighting and First Friday.

Winners will be presented with specially designated “contest winner” signs to display in their businesses for the holiday season and photos of the windows will be featured on social media and on the BSBPA website, ballston.org. *

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Soroptimist International of Saratoga County (SISC) is accepting applications for the 2021 Young Women Making a Difference Award.

The award was formerly called the Violet Richardson Award, named after the first Soroptimist club’s founding president. It honors young women between the ages of 14 and 18 for their volunteer activity in fields such as promoting equity, cleaning up the environment, and mentoring younger students. Volunteer actions that benefit women and girls are especially valued in the process.

Winners are eligible to receive cash awards for themselves and the charitable organization of their choice. The 2021-2022 award is $500 to the award winner and $500 to the volunteer organization.

Applicants who have demonstrated initiative in both identifying a problem and trying to solve it as well as achieving significant and noteworthy accomplishments as volunteers are encouraged to apply.

Application submissions are due to SISC by Dec. 15.

An online application can be found at soroptimistsaratoga.org/YoungWomenMakingaDifference. * * * TCT FCU is offering local high school seniors a chance to win scholarships for college.

TCT FCU is participating in the New York Credit Union Association’s statewide credit union Continued On Page 16

6 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

Small Businesses, Nonprofits Form Coalition To Stress Importance Of Horseracing In NYS

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL 2002 Business Of The Year

The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County P.O. Box 766 • Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 (518) 581-0600 • Fax: (518) 430-3020 • www.saratogabusinessjournal.com Editorial: RJDeLuke@saratogabusinessjournal.com Advertising: HarryW@saratogabusinessjournal.com Publisher & Editor Harry Weinhagen Associate Editor R.J. DeLuke Editor Emeritus Rod Bacon Sales and Customer Service Harry Weinhagen Production Manager Graphic Precision Photographer Stock Studios Photography Contributing Writers Susan Campbell Jill Nagy Jennifer Farnsworth Christine Graf Andrea Palmer Lisa Balschunat Saratoga Business Journal is published monthly, the second week of each month, by Weinhagen Associates, LLC and mailed to business and professional people in Saratoga county.

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A coalition comprised of small businesses, unions, nonprofits, and trade organizations have launched We Are NY Horse Racing, a coalition designed to educate New Yorkers regarding the importance of the sport of horse racing to the New York economy.

From downstate labor unions to upstate local restaurants and hotels, We Are NY Horse Racing has garnered statewide support.

The horse racing economy includes farmers, trainers, horse breeders, horse owners, racetrack employees, dozens of labor unions that support racing operations, backstretch workers, veterinarians, and racing officials as well as seasonal and parttime jobs directly tied to big events such as the Belmont Stakes or the annual summer meet at historic Saratoga Race Course.

Officials said that as a driver of tourism both downstate and throughout upstate New York, horse racing is a big business for the hospitality sector at a time when hotels, bars and restaurants continue to face uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The recently concluded 2021 summer meet in Saratoga saw an average daily attendance of more than 26,000.

According to a study published by the American Horse Council in 2018, horse racing in New York state is responsible for 19,000 jobs and more than $3 billion in annual economic impact. In addition, the broader equine industry is New York’s second-largest agribusiness, generating good-paying jobs in every county and corner of the State. The sport of horse racing drives an industry that sustains hundreds of small businesses on and around the 11 racetracks currently in operation in New York.

Officials said We Are NY Horse Racing will engage in a number of activities moving forward, including events, paid media and other efforts directly related to educating and informing New Yorkers about the importance of horse racing to the New York economy.

To learn more about the coalition, please www.nyhorseracing.com Founding members of the We Are NY Horse Racing Coalition include the New York State Laborers’ Organizing Fund, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Long Island Contractors Association, New York Farm Bureau, Saratoga Casino and Hotel, NY Racetrack Chaplaincy, District Council 9, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, DZ Restaurants of Saratoga, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau & Suffolk Counties, AFL-CIO, NYRA, New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc. (NYTB), Belmont Child Care Association (BCCA) Discover Saratoga New York Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association (NYTHA), Gateway Youth Outreach, Western New York Harness

A rider works out a horse on the Oklahoma Training Track recently.

Courtesy NYRA

Horsemen’s Association, Standardbred Owners Association, Inc., Capital Off-Track Betting, Backstretch Employees Service Team (B.E.S.T), Harness Horse Association of Central New York, Saratoga Harness Horseperson’s Association, Monticello Harness Horsemen’s Association, Empire State Harness Horsemen’s Alliance and Catskill Off-Track Betting.

“Saratoga Race Course is an economic engine for upstate New York and a source of great pride for our communities,” said Todd Shimkus, President of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. “Our member businesses recognize the sport’s direct impact to the local economy, which is why we will take every opportunity to emphasize horse racing’s importance to Saratoga County and New York.”

“The Horse Racing Industry is so instrumental to my restaurants across Saratoga. Without it, I’m not sure how local businesses like mine would survive,” said Nancy Bambara, vice president and COO of DZ Restaurants which owns and operates Chianti Il Ristorante, Forno Bistro and Boca Bistro in Saratoga Springs. “I am very happy to be joining We Are NY Horse Racing and its initiatives, especially as the restaurant industry recovers from the pandemic and we look towards the recovery of our local economy.”

“Our membership is well aware of the hard work and dedication required to support a successful racing industry in New York,” said Najja Thompson, executive director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “New York’s horse breeders and farm owners have propelled the sport forward in recent years, and we look forward to contributing our collective voice to this important effort.”

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021 • 7

Saratoga Candy Co. Moves To New Space As Northwest Mutual’s Anderson Financial Construction At Adelphi Hotel Draws Near Group Opens An Office On Route 9

Dawn Oesch has owned Saratoga Candy Co. on Washing Street for 24 years but is moving around the corner to 353 Broadway while work is done on the hotel to which her store is connected.

BY JILL NAGY Saratoga Candy Co. in Saratoga Springs, purveyor of peppermint pigs and handmade chocolates and fudge, is moving this month—a temporary situation because work will start soon on the renovating the Adelphi Hotel on Broadway.

The candy store, around the corner on Washington Street, is attached to the Adelphi.

But the store isn't moving far—only 32 steps around the corner to 353 Broadway, according to store owner Dawn Oesch.

The building now housing the store, part of the Adelphi Hotel, will be torn down and replaced by a new six-story mixed use building. The new building will include new space for Saratoga Candy Co. The store will have access both from the street and from the hotel.

The move comes at the busiest time of year for the business. In a typical year, Saratoga Candy does about one-third of the year’s business in November and early December, the owner said.

The store has already been filling holiday orders and Oesch would have been happy if the move took place after Christmas. But, she said, “I’m really grateful that they’re including us in their plans.”

The temporary home is a little smaller than the current shop. On the plus side, Oesch said,

©2021 Saratoga Photographer.com

it will have giant windows at “perfect viewing height for children.”

It will lack a professional kitchen, but Oesch will be able to use the hotel kitchen.

Chocolates and fudge are, for the most part, prepared in-house.

Oesch has been in the same space on Washington Street for 24 years.

“It’s mine. I love it,” she said, “It will be bittersweet to leave.” She described her mood as “50 percent excitement, 50 percent sadness.”

Meanwhile, she is packing, “slowly but surely.” With inventory currently 10 times what it is during the rest of the year, including thousands of peppermint pigs, “my house is full.”

Oesch expects to be in the temporary location for about two years while the new building is constructed, including structures connecting the Adelphi and Rip Van Dam hotels and renovation of the Rip Van Dam. Saratoga Candy Co. ships its wares all over but, Oesch said, “We’re actually more of a local business.”

Local people kept the business going during the COVID lockdown, mainly by ordering online. “There is a lot of love for this little old quirky store,” she said.

Saratoga Candy Co. is online at saratogasweets.com. The phone is 518 5800499.

Members of the wealth management team at Northwestern Mutual’s Anderson Financial Group participate in a recent ribbon cutting at their new office.

Northwestern Mutual’s Anderson Financial Group, a leading financial security firm based in Saratoga Springs, opened a new office at 3257 Route 9.

The team, led by wealth management advisor Joseph M. Anderson, has continued to grow over the past few years. The office space is freshly renovated and includes a newly finished second floor, as well as a gym, well-equipped kitchen, and other amenities for the staff. Officials said clients will appreciate the modern, professional atmosphere, easily accessible parking, and spacious meeting rooms.

“We look forward to welcoming our clients to our new office and continuing to be part of the fabric of the Saratoga Springs community,” said Anderson. “Our firm has been helping secure the financial futures of families and businesses locally, and across the country, for more than 40 years. We now have an amazing space to allow for our continued growth and higher level of service for our current and future clients.”

Officials said the Anderson Financial Group “is committed to making a positive impact

Courtesy Northwest Mutual

and improving the lives of others. Through a proactive approach and problem solving, they design creative solutions with “purpose and passion. Their 16-member team takes pride in helping people and businesses achieve confidence, clarity, security, and peace through financial planning.”

Anderson attributed his work ethic and dedication for his current career to his experiences as a farmer. He grew up on his family’s 350-acre farm in Charlton, which they still operate today.

Northwestern Mutual has been helping people and businesses achieve financial security for more than 160 years. With $308.8 billion in total assets, $31.1 billion in revenues, and $2 trillion worth of life insurance protection in force, Northwestern Mutual delivers financial security to more than 4.75 million people with life, disability income and long-term care insurance, annuities, and brokerage and advisory services.

The company manages more than $200 billion of investments owned by its clients and held or managed through its wealth management and investment services businesses.

©2021 Saratoga Photographer.com

Ava Marco Wilton Square Branch Manager Saratoga National Bank Reads

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

8 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

REGIONAL STOCKWATCH Stock Name

Closing Price 10/15/21

Closing Price 10/22/21

Closing Price 10/29/21

Closing Price 11/05/21

Albany Int’l

80.28 81.13 80.65 88.27

Arrow

35.90 35.70 35.85 37.90

AT & T

25.70

Ball

91.30 92.21 91.48 90.49

Ballston Spa National Bank

56.00 54.00 48.00 48.00

Bank of America

46.37 47.57 47.78 46.97

Best Buy

113.64 118.39 122.24 129.07

Citizens Bank

48.09 50.28 47.38 47.79

Espey

14.52 15.00 15.13 15.15

General Electric

104.41 104.05 104.87 108.74

Hilton

144.52 141.66 143.95 151.84

Home Depot

350.41 365.99 371.74 368.40

Int’l Paper

53.28 53.03 49.67 48.87

Key Corp

23.02 24.04 23.27 23.68

Lowe’s

219.16 228.77 233.82 235.54

Martin Marietta

365.77 381.33 392.84 412.32

M&T Bank

151.13 159.88 147.12 155.09

McDonald’s

242.25 238.44 245.55 254.71

National Grid

61.61 62.82 64.08 64.41

NBT Bancorp Inc.

36.67 37.38 36.69 38.31

Plug Power

31.24 32.70 38.27 38.37

Quad Graphics

4.33 4.31 3.94 4.40

Starbucks

111.45 114.55 106.07 116.91

Sysco

82.22 78.68 76.90 81.31

25.49

25.26

25.10

Latham Group Inc 13.19 15.38 15.40 16.05 Target

245.71 255.93 259.62 254.27

The TorontoDominion Bank

70.31 72.09 72.51 73.48

Kaspien Holdings

14.01 14.86 14.51 16.10

Trustco Bank

32.58 33.30 33.56 34.80

Verizon

52.27 52.93 52.99 52.24

Walmart

140.55 148.34 149.42 150.23

This list of quotations is provided through the courtesy of Robert M. Schermerhorn, CFP®, Saratoga Financial Services, Securities offered through LPL Financial /Member FINRA & SIPC, located in Saratoga Springs, NY. www.SaratogaRetire.com

•

Business Report

•

Dow 36,000

11/15/2021 Update November print edition headline Dow 3,600 corrected to Dow 36,000 in online and virtual editions.

BY KENNETH J. ENTENMANN, CFA Well, we finally made it. The long-ridiculed prediction by James Glassman and Kevin Hassert in their 1999 book titled “Dow 36,000: The New Strategy for Profiting from the Coming Rise in the Stock Market,” has arrived.

It took a lot longer to get here than predicted, but we made it. The market has a habit of humiliating the great prognosticators of the world. But the central premise of the book remains based in the simple math of compounding. According to Wharton Finance professor, Jeremy Siegel, since 1802, equities have produced annual average total returns (including price changes and dividends) of 6.5 percent to 7 percent after inflation. In a recent Wall Street Journal article today, Mr. Glassman does the math, and it suggests we will have a Dow 1,000,000—in 50 years.

Unfortunately for market forecasters, the market never moves in a linear fashion and major disruptions can knock the markets off track, often for prolonged periods. In defense of Glassman and Hassert, few investors predicted the dot.com bubble, the Financial Crisis of 2008 and COVID. Yet here we are—Dow 36,000. The record is clear, there are no 20-year periods where equities posted a negative total return. It is a testament to the power of longterm, discipline investing.

Today, the equity markets have risen to record levels once again. As discussed on my Market Insights blog, these record levels have been achieved by incredible earnings growth, very benign interest rates and massive liquidity. The market is here despite a host of worries; COVID, dysfunctional government and the looming threat of inflation.

The economy slowed in the third quarter, posting a disappointing 2 percent GDP. The market has concluded that this slowdown is indeed “transitory” and was due largely to the August-September Delta surge. Today, COVID cases, hospitalizations and deaths have once again plummeted, which is great news.

And there are indications that the economy is picking up again. This morning, ADP’s private sector job indicator increased by 571,000, easily beating the 395,000 estimate. Importantly, the strongest employment growth was in the hospitality sector. Also, this morning, ISM Service PMI soared, and factory orders increased in October.

Company earnings reports have been strong and have demonstrated that companies can pass price increases along, at least for now. In short, there is plenty of demand out there—and that is a nice problem to have.

With the economy recovering from the Delta slowdown and the employment numbers improving, the Fed now has the cover to begin to change monetary policy.

The recent improvement in employment should allow the Fed to focus on its other mandate, stable inflation. I continue to think the Fed is behind the curve on inflation. The “transitory” inflation

Kenneth J. Entenmann,chief investment officer & chief economist with NBT Bank.

Courtesy NBT Bank

goal posts keep getting pushed back; sooner or later it could be a big problem. The Fed faces a dual inflation threat in supply chain disruptions and labor shortages.

Eventually, the supply chain mess will work itself out, but it will take time. I believe it will take longer than it already has. Yesterday, the CEO of the Port of LA reported the number of ships “anchored” in the harbor has increased from 40 to 70. Shortages of key commodities continue to threaten economic growth.

Of course, the semiconductor industry is responding and building more capacity, but that will take time to come on-line. Ford’s CEO announced in their earnings report that Ford expects the shortage to extend into 2023. Does this meet the definition of “transitory?”

Energy costs are rising as well. New regulations have resulted in less supply of fossil fuels. Policy encouraging renewable energy is great, but it is not ready for prime time. Energy shortages are impacting economic activity around the globe. Politicians are scrambling to boost energy production that their policies constrained. This will also take time. It is unlikely that energy inflation will go away any time soon.

In my opinion, labor shortages will be more persistent. I’ve noted in the past the elevated level of the JOLTS (Job Opening and Labor Turnover) index. There are over 10 million job openings in our economy and roughly 8 million unemployed. This mismatch should be easy to fix, yet it persists.

The expiration of “enhanced” Federal benefits in August-September did not lead to higher labor participation. “Regular” unemployment benefits remain and other policies such as rent moratoriums and enhanced child credits seem to be keeping folks on the sidelines.

But it will take time. Another category impacting the labor force is the “excess retirees over trend” category. Cemblast estimates that 1.5 million people chose to retire when the COIVD crisis struck.

Certainly, robust stock and real estate markets help to boost retirement rates, but the COVID crisis looks to be the main driver of these retirements.

Continued On Page 18

Minogue’s Beverage Continued From Page 1

Minogue’s children were interested in taking over the business that he asked Minogue if he would consider selling it to him.

“I asked him if he would consider selling, and he said, ‘You are the only person I would consider selling to,’” said Vukelic. “It was a nice honor.

I’m proud and excited that he’s entrusted that to us. And we’re keeping the name Minogue’s. He’s letting me keep the name which says a lot about him and a lot about his trust in us to let us carry on that name.”

Saratoga Eagle services 13 counties stretching from Albany to the Canadian border. Vukelic is CEO of Saratoga Eagle Sales and Service in Saratoga Springs, and his brother, Paul, is CEO of Saratoga Eagle’s parent company, Try-It Distributing near Buffalo.

“Between 2005 and today, we’ve made five acquisitions to acquire other markets and increase our footprints,” said Vukelic. “Minogue’s is our sixth acquisition.”

Minogue’s was purchased by Pivo Partners, an LLC that was established by the brothers

specifically for this purchase. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but the real estate involved in the transaction sold for $7.27 million.

Vukelic has hired former Price Chopper and Hannaford manager Angelo Malone to manage Minogue’s four locations in Queensbury, Saratoga Springs, Wilton, and Malta. Minogue’s 35 employees will be retained, and investments will be made to the stores.

“It’s more of a refresh. We’re going to bring in some new lighting and some new flooring and refresh the stores that way,” he said. “We’d like to expand down the road but right now our focus is to get into these stores and get to know the people and get to know our customers and provide great service and a great selection.”

Minogue plans to spend his retirement traveling with his wife and spending time with his children and grandchildren. Suddenly having so much free time on his hands has been quite an adjustment for him.

“I’m like a fish out of water,” he said. “Don’t know what to do with myself each day.”

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021 • 9

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

SPECIAL SECTION

Year End Tax & Financial Planning Time To Update Your Estate Plan

BY JENNIFER CORCORAN, ESQ. The coming of a new year often has us reflecting back on things we meant to do but did not get done or looking forward to things we wish to accomplish. It is the perfect time to put an estate plan in place or review your existing estate plan for any changes that may need to be made.

In addition, major life changes such as marriage, divorce, the birth of a child, a death in the family or even an increase or decrease in assets or income warrant updating your estate plan.

You may have had the foresight to create an estate plan to ensure that your assets are distributed the way you want them to be after you are gone. However, each new year brings updates to laws and potential life changes, all of which should be reflected in your estate plan.

What if you don’t have an estate plan?

The new year is the perfect time to create one, no matter how many—or few—assets you may have. Among the many benefits, an estate plan can help to protect families with children and ensure that heirs are not overburdened with debts or taxes. A good estate plan, created with the help of a knowledgeable estate planning attorney, allows you to control the distribution of your assets according to your wishes.

It is important that your will is in place and up to date, because without a will, your assets could pass under the intestacy laws to persons you do not intend or wish to receive them. You cannot pass assets to nonfamily members, and your estate cannot make charitable contributions without a will.

If you have minor children, they are not legally able to inherit directly, and your will should include a trust provision to provide for them financially until they are adults in the event that both parents are deceased.

You should also make sure you that you have designated guardians, and that you have not had a change of heart about who will care for them if you die before they turn 18.

A will should also make provisions for the disposition of your “digital assets,” such as social media, online banking and shopping accounts such as Amazon.

It is also important to designate beneficiaries and backups for all of your retirement and pension accounts, annuities and insurance policies. Without designated beneficiaries, these assets could wind up in the courts or with someone you did not intend.

Additionally, the creation of advance directives, such as a power of attorney or health care proxy, ensure that you have a plan in place should you require assistance even while you are alive, and avoid the potential expense and delay of needing to have a court appoint someone to make these decisions for you.

A power of attorney allows an individual of your choice to handle your financial matters for you if you are not present or available to, or if you are incapacitated. New York state’s power of attorney form was updated in June of 2021, so be sure the form you are using was created after June of this year.

A health care proxy allows someone to make health care decisions for you in the event that you are not able to make them yourself. If the last year and a half has taught us anything, it’s that your health can be fleeting and fragile, and it is important that you have appointed the person that you want to make those decisions on your behalf. Without a health care proxy in place, New York state law authorizes a hierarchy of blood relations to make those decisions, and it may not be the person(s) that you would choose.

Putting these documents in place, and

Jennifer Corcoran is a partner with Tully Rinckey PPLC. Courtesy Tully Rinckey PPLC

ensuring that they are up to date, will allow you to start the new year with the confidence and peace of mind that your wishes will be followed, and your family appropriately provided for.

An experienced estate planning attorney can help you put in place or update your estate plan in the new year. If you do not have an estate plan, make 2022 the year that you take control of the future of your assets and well-being.

CARES Act Encourages Charity Donations

BY PATRICK J. DIGGIN During the COVID-19 pandemic the CARES Act provided for expanded deductibility of charitable contributions to encourage taxpayers to give to charities during 2020. In December 2020, the Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act (TCDTR) was enacted which expanded and extended many of these provisions into 2021 to incentivize continued charitable giving through the end of the year.

The expanded benefits allow individuals who elect to take the standard deduction and ordinarily do not qualify for charitable contribution deductions, to deduct up to $300 ($600 for married taxpayers filing joint returns) for cash donations to qualified public charities.

For individual taxpayers that itemize their deductions, the expanded benefits increase the deduction limitation, ordinarily limited to up to 60 percent of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income (AGI), up to 100 percent of AGI so long as the charitable contributions are made in cash to qualified public charities during 2021.

If excess contributions are made over the 100 percent limit, the donor may carry these excess deductions forward for up to five subsequent tax years, however the enhanced deductibility is set to expire after 2021.

Corporate taxpayers also saw an increase in deduction limits from the ordinary limitation of up to 10 percent of taxable income to 25 percent.

Patrick J, Diggin, CPA, is a partner at UHY LLP. Courtesy UHY LLP

Additionally, businesses donating food inventory for the care of the ill, needy, and infants may qualify for an increase in deduction limits from 15 percent to 25 percent of income providing the ordinary food inventory donation qualifications, standards, and other requirements are met. The 25 percent limit for C corporations is based on taxable income, whereas the 25 percent limit for other businesses such as partnerships, S corporations, and sole proprietorships, is based on their aggregate net income for the year.

For a description of recordkeeping rules for substantiating gifts to charity as well as details on the percentage limits and qualifying charity rules, see IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions.

10 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

Vote d

The A reas #1 W ine & Liqu or St ore For 1 3 Yea rs In A Row !

We’re not the “BEST” because we’re the “OLDEST“ We’re the “OLDEST“ because we’re the “BEST”

Come Discover Purdy’s with 15,000 Square Feet of Inventory! Celebrating over 58 Years in Business.

STAFF HOLIDAY SELECTIONS

To help your families celebrate this Thanksgiving, we at Purdy’s would like to suggest the following from some other families working to provide us with pleasure and joy yearround, by sharing with us the results of their hard work, dedication, and passion.

From Weis Vineyards and Hans Peter Weis in Hammondsport, NY (a producer of wonderfully precise German style wines out of the Finger Lakes territory).

• Schulhaus Red, 2020 - $18.99 • Gewurztraminer, 2019 - $19.99 • Ice Wine Riesling, (375 mL) - $52.99

From Jim Clendenen’s Family, and Au Bon Climat, (creating truly Californian wines rooted in classic French and Italian grape varieties, winemaking technique and history).

• Clendenen Family Estate, Santa Maria Valley Aligote, 2019 - $20.99 • Clendenen Family Estate, Santa Maria Valley Viognier, 2017 - $20.99 • Clendenen Family Estate, Santa Maria Valley Nebbiolo “The Pip,” 2017 - $27.99 • Au Bon Climat, “Hildegard” Estate White, Santa Maria Valley, 2018 - $38.99 • Au Bon Climat Santa Barbara County, Pinot Noir, 2019 - $23.99

From the James Rahn Wine Co., Oregon (who make wonderful and exhilarating wines in tiny quantities that explore a grapes ability to reflect a sense of place).

• Weber Vineyard Pinot Gris, Dundee Hills, Oregon, 2020 - $21.99 • Elk Cove Vineyard Riesling, Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon, 2016 - $24.99 • Jubilee Vineyard Gamay Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon, 2019 - $33.99 • Rainsong Vineyard Pinot Meunier, Willamette, Oregon, 2018 - $37.99

From Jason Barrett and Black Button Distilling in Rochester, NY (who make wonderful things sourced in large part from NY – Go Team!)

• Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey - $49.99 • Bespoke Bourbon Cream - $27.99 • Apple Pie Moonshine - $17.99 (518) 584-5400 • Curbside Pick-up Available 70-72 Congress Street Plaza, Saratoga Springs Open 7 Days A Week • 1 Block Off Broadway • Next To Embassy Suites

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021 • 11

Holiday Shopping For Holiday Shoppers, Patronizing Stores In Annual Ballston Spa Holiday Parade And Tree The Community Helps Boost Local Economy Lighting Scheduled In Village On December 3

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH Despite supply chain issues and COVID concerns, small business owners are saying local holiday shopping has been strong.

Todd Shimkus, president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, said all businesses benefit when shoppers support local businesses and the local economy.

His organization is running a promotion wherin people who spend $20.21 or more at any local shop, restaurant, salon, florist, fitness studio, nonprofit organization or any other business in Saratoga County are entered into a drawing for the chance to win a $100 gift card.

The campaign runs through Dec. 31.

“Shopping locally is important. Whether you are eating out, shopping for the holiday shopping season, hiring a local contractor, or signing up for a gym membership, we want our local residents and out-of-town visitors to support local businesses,” he said.

“We need to have their back and show our support as consumers. That’s why the Chamber created the Save Our Locals $20.21 campaign.

We all benefit when we support our local businesses and the local economy.”

Times Square Clock Shop in Clifton Park is another place to find interesting gifts. Owner Peter Judd said they have a new line of clocks that he describes as one of their all-time best sellers.

“Our most popular item ever is our new line of Custom Wooden Lake Clocks,” he said. “We can create a clock for any lake, anywhere. We have hundreds in stock and ready to go, but we also create custom lake clocks for the ones that we do not stock.”

Judd said his shop has the largest collection of watches and clocks in the area, with hundreds of new styles available.

Heidi Owen West, owner of three downtown stores—Lifestyles of Saratoga, Caroline and Main and Union Hall Supply Co.—said consumers should understand the challenges they may face when ordering from big box stores. She said discovering what is close by in the community can save a lot of time and hassle.

“With shipping delays and supply chain issues it’s a great time to focus on local. All three of our locations will be running a ‘meet the maker’ series, highlighting gift ideas from our local vendors. The people behind the brands and their stories connect us as a community,” she said Owen West.

“Buying from local businesses that feature local brands doubles down on the investment in our community, both socially and economically,” said Owen West.

At Tide and Purl in Schuylerville. owner Amanda McCarty said the shop has a wide variety of local artisan goods, all in convenient places.

“The gift shop part of the brand is a fun collection of gifts and staples for everyone on your list,” she said. “Products range from familiar brands to fair trade ones that focus on social good. My favorite collections, however, are the local companies. This line up includes Saratoga Olive Oil, Compas Life, Kobo Candles and local barn art by Linda Pleat, with more being added. We are so lucky to live in a place with such talented artisans and businesses. It

The Saratoga Market Place in downtown Saratoga is a popular shopping spot. is an honor to showcase them in this space,” said McCarty.

At Compliments to the Chef LLC in Saratoga Springs, owner John Reardon said he believes shopping locally creates a sense of community between the proprietor and the consumer.

“When you shop with us, we consider you part of our community family. We are personally invested in the products and services we offer. We are a proud part of the community. We support our local schools and charities. When you support us, you embrace what makes your community unique,” he said.

Some gift ideas at his store include Hestan cookware, the Pro-Bond collection of cookware, chef’s knives and instant read thermometers.

President and CEO of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce said they have shoppers’ needs covered for this holiday shopping season.

“Our local shops have everything you need for the holidays. All sizes, colors, price points, etc. What makes shopping local unique is that you are buying from your neighbors and directly supporting our local community and economy,” he said.

Megan Arnold, owner of Wicks from the Sticks in Glens Falls said the store is holiday ready with everything from ornaments to accessories, and of course candles.

“When you shop with Wicks from the Sticks you are supporting over 60 local crafters.

Here you can find everything from handmade ornaments and jewelry to soy candles and wreaths. We also offer walk-in activities like painting and candle making,” said Arnold.

In Queensbury, James Joseph owner of Sharp Presents, said his store has a reputation for creating the perfect gift basket. Holiday shoppers can find presents for even those difficult to buy for.

“We have those unique gift items that you can’t find just anywhere. Right now, we are working on our new holiday website design.

Shopping locally is always a win-win for both the community and the small business owner. We have distinctive and professional gift-giving solutions for every occasion,” said Joseph.

Santa Claus greets revelers at the annual Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting last year in Ballston Spa. This year’s event is scheduled for Dec. 3 in the village.

The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association’s annual Ballston Spa Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting will take place Friday, Dec. 3.

The parade step-off time is 6:30 p.m., proceeding on Milton Avenue and ending in Wiswall Park on Front Street. It ill be followed by Santa lighting the village Christmas tree.

The parade is a hometown-style holiday tradition, with firetrucks, f loats, animals, kids and Santa parading down the main street of the village.

Organizers said that again this year, the parade will spotlight the Toys for Tots campaign, in partnership with the Ballston Spa Community Emergency Corps, Saratoga County Sheriff Department and U.S. Marine Corps. Volunteers from these organizations will be on hand to collect donations of new, unwrapped toys from spectators along the parade route as well as at the tree lighting.

Officials said entries in the parade will be judged this year in the following categories: Best Emergency Vehicle Entry, Best Ballston Spa Community Members Entry, Best Walking Entry and the Brightest Light

Courtesy BSPBA

Award—the brighter and more festive, the better.

The parade is part of the holidaythemed First Friday, Ballston Spa’s signature monthly event, which celebrates its 17th year in 2021. Home to unique shops, museums, and a host of popular restaurants, Ballston Spa showcases that on its First Night events.

In the December version, many businesses will be open with special holiday activities and specials, while Ballston Spa High School singers and musicians and Union Fire Company band members will perform holiday music on the street corners.

Groups and businesses wanting to be part of the parade can visit www.ballston. org to register. For more information, contact the BSBPA office at 518 885-2772 or info@ballston.org.

The Ballston Spa Business and Professional Association, founded in 1983, is a nonprofit community organization committed to making the Village of Ballston Spa a great place to live and work.

For more information, visit www.ballston. org.

12 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

SPECIAL SECTION

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

Health & Wellness

Unbroken Athletics In Malta Offers CrossFit Classes To Accommodate All Fitness Levels

BY CHRISTINE GRAF Malta resident Brandi Tyler has taken her love for CrossFit training and turned it into a career. The first-time business owner opened her own CrossFit gym, Unbroken Athletics, in September.

Located at 146 Raylinsky Road in Malta, the gym offers a range of classes to suit any fitness level. Tyler, a Level 2 CrossFit trainer, also offers individual coaching. Unbroken Athletics is one of more than 13,000 CrossFitaffiliated gyms throughout the world, she said.

A former personal trainer, Tyler was introduced to CrossFit about five years ago. It is a high-intensity form of functional training that combines strength and conditioning and utilizes movements that are performed in day-to-day life—things like squatting, running, jumping, throwing, and pulling.

The workouts are particularly effective because they combine elements of load, distance, and speed and can be modified for individual of all ages and experience levels.

“I once saw a 90-year-old woman deadlift her own weight,” said Tyler.

She began to consider opening her own gym at a time when fitness centers were shuttered due to the pandemic. During that shutdown, she coached several clients in her home’s garage. The response was so positive that she decided to move forward with establishing her own business despite having no prior business experience.

“It’s all kind of a blur, but I never looked back. I just kept going,” she said. “I think it’s because I have complete faith in myself and what I do.”

During that time, Tyler worked with a mentor who was assigned to her by SCORE Northeast New York. SCORE is a network of volunteer expert business mentors offers its services free of charge to small business owners.

According to Tyler, there is a widely held misconception that CrossFit is suitable only for hard-core workout enthusiasts.

“A lot of people are afraid of it or intimidated but I’m trying to get the message out that you don’t have to be intimidated or afraid. Everything can be scaled,” she said.

In order to encourage people to try

•

Brandi Tyler opened her own CrossFit gym, Unbroken Athletics, in September. ©2021 Saratoga Photographer.com

CrossFit, Tyler offers a free introductory class as well as a free coaching session to new clients. Both limited and unlimited session memberships are available, and Unbroken Athletics offers discounts to students, teachers, military, first responders, and healthcare workers. She also offers a threeday elements class for people who have never done CrossFit. “The class goes over all of the moves that are done in CrossFit so that when you do take the class you kind of know what’s going on,” she said.

“I just love CrossFit and have such a passion for everything about it,” she said. “There’s so much camaraderie, and it’s such an amazing community. I’ve built so many relationships just from being in the CrossFit community, and you don’t get that at a regular gym.”

Tyler is still tweaking her class schedule according to customer demand and hours will be updated and expanded as membership grows. All classes led by Tyler with a maximum of eight participants per class.

“Every day we work on different things, and everybody in the group helps each other,” she said.

For more information, visit www. unbrokenathleticsny.com.

Business Report We Are Regenerative Machines

BY MARY BETH MCCUE, RD, CDN, IFNCP Being conscious of choosing healthy lifestyle practices has probably never been as critical as it is today. Eating “clean” is commonly promoted in mainstream media; but what does this mean and why is it important?

Eating organically raised foods, free of contaminant’s and pharmaceuticals is foundational for “clean eating”. Based on the science published on sustainable farming, and on regenerative, holistic medicine; eating clean foods may be the most critical lifestyle choice for people to live their healthiest and most successful life.

Like integrative and functional medicine, the organics industry is mainly consumer driven and in rapid growth. Humans are literally at the verge of new life everyday, at every meal and every thought. How is this so ? Our choices determine the state of potential new life, renewed health, because our cells are constantly turning over and renewing.

What we feed ourselves will determine “everything”.

No matter what personal health challenges or goals one has, eating clean needs to be part of the ongoing process. The most nutritionally dense, safe, toxin-free foods that support the lowering of inflammation and stress in the body PLUS support a healthy immune and digestive system come from clean foods.

These factors are all focal points for maintaining health, and vitality.and are critical to the recover from any chronic condition from losing weight (toxins store and hold in fat stores), to those with anxiety/ depression, cardiovascular, immune, diabetes, GI conditions and more.

Sometimes facts are so simple, and yet, profound. Toxins in our environment, more importantly in food, negatively impact every cell and system in our body. This happens in unique ways for each individual. The process of eliminating toxins, is referred to as “detoxification”. Toxins in our environment have increased, especially since the World War II era.

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Mary Beth McCue of Saratoga Nutrition is a certified nutritionist and registered dietician.

Courtesy Saratoga Nutrition

There are many nutrition or metabolic “pathways” (reactions) in the body that keep the body “running, clean and healthy.” Nutritional compounds from foods support these pathways; and the detoxification pathways are critical. Every cell is always detoxifying, as are each of the main detoxification organ system: the gastrointestinal tract, kidney, liver and skin.

Choosing foods that are clean and organic includes food raised without toxic chemicals pesticides and herbicides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and antibiotics or hormones. Pharmaceuticals are used in methods to raise protein-based food sources such as meats and eggs because it is lower in costs, and quicker in production for the industry, but at the cost of health for consumers.

Organically raised foods are sustainable life-given foods for the earth and our bodies because they are grown and raised without the use of synthetic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers, or bioengineered genes (GMOs) and result in foods much more dense in nutrients for from the organic soil used.

As a result, the plants are able to naturally Continued On Page 18

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021 • 13

Mental Health Experts Say COVID-19 Has MVP Health Care Launches Plan To Simplify Added Significantly To Patient Caseloads Medicaid, Medicare Benefits For Patients

BY CHRISTINE GRAF Local mental health practitioners are struggling to meet the tremendous demand for services that has been triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The need encompasses all age groups, and pediatric health experts have labeled the mental health crisis among children as a national emergency.

According to Dr. Erin Christopher-Sisk, Ph.D., founder and clinical director of ECS Psychological Services in Saratoga Springs, the need has never been greater.

“In my almost 20 years of being in practice, I have never seen the volume of need that we see and have seen over the past year-and-ahalf. Every provider I know is booked solid.

Our mission has always been to keep up with needs of community, so we just continued to try to hire therapists and expand staff. We were at seven or eight full-time staff members before the pandemic, and we are now at 20.”

Licensed psychologist Dr. Debra Pietrangelo, founder of True North in Glens Falls, has been practicing for more than thirty-five years and describes the current need for mental health services as “unbelievable.”

“We are turning people away every day,” she said. “Sometimes 20 to 30 a day. We’ve always had to turn people away, but it’s worse than ever before. I have ten clinicians, and wish I had space for more. There are not enough practitioners out there to meet the need.”

The need is so great that Dr. Catherine Ushchak opened a private practice in Saratoga Springs in August. Although new to private practice, she has been practicing as a general psychiatrist and child and adolescent psychiatrist for 25 years. Many of her schoolaged patients have had difficulty returning to in-person learning.

“What I’m seeing in my practice across age the spectrum is that those kids who have had some anxiety are fi nding it hard to transition back into school,” she said. “The longer you aren’t in school, the harder it is to get back. So there’s an urgency for parents to get kids back in school as soon as possible.”

Pietrangelo believes that the surge in demand for mental health services is fueled by several factors.

“We’re seeing so much anxiety from the pandemic and also from the political divide in the country. It has created schisms in families and friendships, and I think people are depressed about that,” she said. “Anxiety and depression often go hand in hand.”

Many individuals who were able to manage their anxiety and depression before the pandemic experienced a dramatic increase in symptoms.

“Maybe they had some manageable anxiety or low levels symptoms of depression prior to the pandemic, but they were able to manage.

The stress of the pandemic—the isolation—it just tipped the scale,” said Sisk. “Even people who didn’t have any significant anxiety or depression are experiencing it because of the isolation and the fear of being around people.”

Although working from home was a blessing for many, it added to the sense of

Dr. Erin Christopher-Sisk, Ph.D., clinical director of ECS Psychological Services.

Courtesy ECS Psychological Services

isolation that many experienced.

“There is a value to just being around another human being that you don’t get on the screen or on the phone. You don’t get the full value of exchanging that positive energy and that social connection,” said Sisk.

She encourages her patients who are working remotely to maintain their prepandemic routines.

“Even though you don’t have to get dressed for work, do it anyway. Make sure you take a shower. These are the basics that help us hang onto the routine that we had before all this happened,” she said.

The pandemic has been extremely difficult for many of Ushchak’s elderly patients, especially those who live alone.

“I’m seeing a lot of a sense of isolation and a struggle with ‘Where am I safe, and when will I be safe to go out?’” she said, noting that patients of all ages are asking these same questions. “One of the difficulties is that no one has the answer. I try to help people figure out what is going to work for them because it’s different for each person.”

Pietrangelo takes a similar approach with her clients who are asking the same questions.

“I’m trying to help them fi nd a balance between the level of safety that they need in order to be comfortable and resuming activities that bring them joy and pleasure.

There’s a middle ground someplace, and I help them to fi nd that middle ground,” she said. “And one of the big things I recommend for people is creativity. Finding the beauty in the world and using your hands somehow to create art or music or poetry or to sew or to wood carve or whatever it is that you enjoy doing.”

The equine-assisted therapy component of Sisk’s practice has been especially beneficial during the pandemic. ECS Psychological partners with Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga to provide Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) services to clients of all ages. Sisk and her husband, Jim, are racehorse owners who founded the nonprofit in 2018 with their own retired racehorses.

“Equine therapy has been a blessing during

MVP Health Care has launched a joint venture with Belong Health to support MVP Health Care’s introduction of a new Medicare Advantage Dual-Eligible Special Needs Plan (D-SNP).

Officials said MVP’s DSNP will simplify care by coordinating Medicare and Medicaid benefits in a patient-centric way. The collaboration with Belong Health introduces a level of experience that will enhance customers’ experience by connecting them with resources they need, from primary care to behavioral and specialty care, and to community-based social support services. MVP Health Care will be the first in the Capital Region to offer this unique plan.

More than 135,000 people in the Capital Region, Hudson Valley, and the North Country are eligible for a D-SNP plan.

Belong Health, a built-for-purpose company with expertise in Medicare Advantage and Special Needs Plan products, was selected by MVP because of the organization’s ability to complement MVP Health Care’s strengths and further its drive for innovation in healthcare.

Both companies share a mission of making health insurance more personal putting the member at the center of the vision. Belong Health and MVP Health Care will offer New Yorkers the depth of knowledge and experience necessary to support underserved members with complicated health care needs, such as multiple chronic conditions.

“MVP Health Care is on a mission to rearchitect health care around our members, which is why we continue to innovate in the way we design health plans and leverage new approaches to supporting our members that we haven’t tried before,” said MVP Health Care President and CEO, Chris Del Vecchio.

“The company’s joint venture with Belong Health is a natural evolution of our work to pioneer better health insurance plans for every community member and aid in our

communities’ evolving health care needs.”

Special Needs Plans (SNPs) are a type of Medicare Advantage plan focusing on intensive care coordination and designed for individuals with special needs.

SNPs are offered by Medicare Advantage Organizations like MVP Health Care that enroll individuals dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicaid (D-SNP), which allows members to maximize their benefits in a more coordinated way. D-SNP health plans break down the traditional silos of care by empowering care managers to be in constant contact with the members and their health care providers, ultimately allowing for a more coordinated approach to addressing a member’s physical, behavioral, and social health needs.

“Our D-SNP will engage each customer to develop a personalized care plan – designed around their individual health and wellness goals,” said MVP Health Care’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carl Cameron. “The objective is to coordinate care plans while also allowing the members to take control of their health.”

Stemming from the aging Baby Boomer population, by 2030 the number of people eligible for Medicare will triple, and nearly 60% will have multiple chronic conditions.

With that understanding, the number of people eligible for more coordinated care through D-SNP health insurance plans is expected to continue to grow.

“Our collaboration with MVP Health Care will provide personalized coverage for the people in New York who need it most,” said Belong Health co-founder and CEO J. Patrick Foley. “As we work together to reimagine the health insurance experience in a more compassionate, simple way, we’re proud to partner with MVP Health Care to define what best-in-class D-SNP plans look like.”

For more information on MVP Health Care D-SNP plan or to sign up, please visit www.MVPDualAccess.com.

all of this because it allowed us an outside avenue for treatment, and it has allowed people to be active and outside,” she said.

“It works in almost any treatment situation.

What we do is get people to come in and have a conversation fi rst about what they want to improve in their life, and that helps us figure out how we can use the horses to accomplish that.”

In recent years, all three practitioners have observed a reduction in the level of stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment. They agree that it is helpful when public figures including Simone Biles speak publicly about their own struggles.

“There was a lot of shame surrounding seeking mental health support,” said Sisk.

“The more that public figures share their own stories, it really helps break down those

barriers.”

“I have seen over the years that more people who may have been resistant or reluctant have opened up to it because they know other people who are getting therapy,” said Pietrangelo.” Some people have a really hard time facing their own emotions and their own shadows. That’s just really difficult for them. But I do think that the more that public people talk about it and bring it into our awareness, it helps everybody.”

Ushchak encourages anyone who is struggling with mental health issues to reach out for help.

“There are certainly people with lots of different training who are there to help,” she said. “It takes everyone working together supporting each other caring about each other. It takes a village.”

14 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

Daigle Cleaning Expands Northward With Two Groups Join Forces To Offer Computer Purchase Of ‘Clean Care Of Saratoga’ Business Coding Training Programs To Unemployed

Derek Foster, president and co-founder of Daigle Cleaning Systems, recently purchased Clean Care of Saratoga. He envisions the company growing in Saratoga, Warren, and Schenectady counties. ©2021 Saratoga Photographer.com

BY JILL NAGY As Daigle Cleaning Systems approaches its 10th anniversary, the Albany-based company is expanding its reach northward, in part through the purchase and absorption of Clean Care of Saratoga, a similar company based in Clifton Park.

The merger, completed in August, gives the company a base in Saratoga County as well as additional customers and employees, according to Derek Foster, president and co-founder of Daigle Cleaning Systems.

He envisions the company growing its customer base in Saratoga, Warren, and Schenectady counties. In addition, the combined company can offer additional services to Clean Care customers such as carpet, tile, and other floor care and commercial window washing.

The company has always served customers in the Saratoga area and as far north as Lake George. A foothold in Clifton Park will make that part of the business more efficient, Foster said.

For example, he noted, an employee who lives in Clifton Park will no longer have to report for work in Albany.

Foster and his mother, Michelle Daigle,

founded Daigle Cleaning Services in 2011. Both are still active in the business.

The company provides both commercial and residential cleaning services, including some specialized services such as post-construction clean-up, maid service, move-in and move-out cleaning, and complete COVID disinfection.

An evening shift concentrates on office and janitorial work. In all, there are 90 employees, some full time and some part time. Seven employees from Clean Care remained with the merged company.

Karen Johnson, the former owner of Clean Care, stayed on for 30 days to help with the transition. She is now “more in the background,” in a consulting role, Foster said.

The merger went smoothly, he said, because the two companies had a similar business model and a shared ideology.

Clean Care of Saratoga and Daigle welcome new employees and have dedicated a direct line for employment inquiries at 518 467-8370.

For other matters, people can reach the company at 518 768-4881. The company website is cleancaresaratoga.com.

More To Read . . . More Leads For You. (518) 581-0600

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

SUNY Adirondack and SaratogaCanCode have joined forces to offer free computer coding education and training programs to serve unemployed and underemployed New York residents.

Funded through a state Department of Labor grant, the partnership will enable coding instruction in two popular courses— Front End Web Development and Python for Data Analytic —to serve up to 45 people starting Nov. 8.

SUNY Adirondack’s Workforce Readiness Academies Program (WRAP) provides free training opportunities for residents of New York state. Included in the program are customized services based on participant need, such as career coaching, academic advising, job-search skills, and accessing resources such as emergency child care and technology support.

The 12-week computer coding programs are offered virtually through SaratogaCanCode, which is part of CanCode Communities, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a trained software workforce throughout upstate New York and beyond.

“We’re seeing such success with the summer cohort of students who are about to finish their IT boot camp training,” said Caelynn Prylo, Assistant Dean for Continuing Education and Workforce Innovation at SUNY Adirondack. “This program is truly transformational for the participants. With the workforce changes we’ve seen over the past year, more people than ever can benefit from this high-impact training program, expanding their skills and securing employment in a high-demand field and strengthen our region’s pool of trained, talented tech professionals.”

“We are delighted to partner with SUNY Adirondack to deliver computer coding education and training that is truly changing lives,” said Annmarie Lanesey, founder and CEO of CanCode Communities. “This is a wonderful opportunity to provide motivated individuals with pathways to exciting careers in the tech industry, and to build our tech workforce to support the rapid expansion of the digital workplace.”

The Front End Web Development course gives students hands-on practice building pieces of code to connect user experience into back-end processes. Through lectures, individual assignments, tutorials and projects, students will establish solid foundations in key programs for front-end developers, including HTML, CSS, Bootstrap,

jQuery, JavaScript/jQuery and Github.

Officials said the course might be of particular interest to graphic designers and beginning programmers. It meets virtually two nights a week in three-hour sessions.

In the Python for Data Analytics course, students will learn fundamental programming concepts using Python as a tool for collecting, analyzing and visualizing data.

Officials said no programming experience is necessary, although those with experience who are interested in learning new languages and applications are welcome. Students will learn variables, data structures, loops, conditionals and other basics of programming, as well as delve into Python Libraries for data analysis and basic statistics to learn data interpretation techniques. The class meets virtually two nights a week in three-hour sessions.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, New York state has an unemployment rate of 7 percent, among the highest in the country. The state’s underemployed rate—those who work fewer than 35 hours a week but want to work full time and are available to do so—is 16 percent.

Those interested in learning more, including whether they qualify for these free programs, can visit www.sunyacc.edu/greatfutures-it-careers-start-here.

CanCode Communities is a nonprofit organization founded in 2016 as AlbanyCanCode to develop nontraditional talent and advocate for a vibrant, inclusive tech talent pipeline in upstate New York.

Operating on a stakeholder engagement model, the organization designs and delivers workforce training courses and hands-on K12 coding programs in alignment with the needs of employers, educators, talent and the community. The overall mission is to shift mind-set about who can work in technology; to remove cultural and economic barriers to joining the tech workforce; and to establish and promote pathways to tech careers throughout the region. Learn more at www. cancode.org.

SUNY Adirondack is a community college with a growing campus that is part of the nation’s largest university, the State University of New York. With locations in Queensbury, Glens Falls and Wilton, it offers courses in person and online; on-campus housing at the Queensbury campus; and serves students via credit and continuing education programs.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021 • 15

Restaurant Owners, State Association Ask Kettlebell Workouts Helped Ryan Carpenter Replenishment Of Revitalization Funding Lose Weight And Open A Fitness Business As the restaurant industry continues to grapple with the lingering repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic, many restaurants across the state are asking the government to replenish funding to help keep them af loat.

On Nov. 4, the New York State Restaurant Association, alongside local restaurant owners in the Capital Region, discussed the imminent financial hardships restaurants anticipate as the outdoor dining season comes to an end.

One of the meetings was held in Saratoga Springs, where some restaurant owners and New York State Restaurant Association president and CEO Melissa Fleischut talked about the situation.

As seasons change and options like outdoor dining space become limited, New York restaurants are looking to the federal Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) program for continued relief. Many restaurants across the state found relief by expanding or overhauling outdoor dining options for their establishments.

The RRF, a federal funding program, was designed to provide emergency assistance for restaurants and bars impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. In New York state, only 35.4 percent of businesses who applied for RRF funding received financial assistance, the association said in a news release.

There were 27,643 applicants from New York asking for $9.6 billion, and 17,868 applicants were not funded—an outstanding need of $5.9 billion, according to the group.

At Forno Bistro in Saratoga Springs, owners from DZ Restaurants, Druthers, Cantina, Henry Street Taproom, Flatbread Social and Hamlet & Ghost met with Fleischut to discuss the imminent financial hardships and the importance of continued relief from the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.

“The RRF program was deemed necessary in assisting the relief of many struggling restaurants at the height of the pandemic, but this aid is still desperately needed today,” said Fleischut in a statement.

“The replenishment of the RRF will provide additional resources for struggling restaurants to see another day and help make up for revenue lost because outdoor dining is no longer a viable option. Many in the industry have benefited from the RRF program, and many more deserve the same relief,” .A recent survey done by the association found that 85 percent of restaurants said they’ve seen a reduction in demand for indoor dining with breakthrough cases on the rise. With colder weather at the forefront, indoor demand is not where it

needs to be for many. With much at stake, restaurants who were unable to receive funding from the RRF program in the past would greatly benefit from additional funding to revamp their establishments and stabilize foot traffic.

“Restaurants need to be prioritized as our government leaders focus on various recovery efforts,” said Nancy Bambara, vice president and COO of DZ Restaurants—which operates Chianti Il Ristorante, Forno Bistro and Boca Bistro in Saratoga Springs—and a member of the association’s board of directors.

“As we head into the colder months, businesses will not have the same cushion warmer temperatures provide to sustain their revenues. The obstacles facing restaurants continue to mount as we face constant supply chain issues, increased costs and labor shortages. Restaurants play a key role in the vibrant culture of this state and our economy, but in order for this to continue our elected officials must provide necessary resources to lift us up,” she said.

The recent NYSRA survey results said that: • 67 percent of restaurants do not expect business conditions to return to normal for at least another year, if not more.

• 85 percent of restaurants experienced a decline in customer demand for indoor dining in recent weeks due to the increase in Delta variant COVID-19 cases.

• 62 percent of restaurants saw a deterioration of business conditions in the previous three months alone.

• 71 percent of restaurants recorded a lower volume in sales in August 2021 than during August 2019, prior to the onset of the pandemic.

• Staffing shortages remain an issue as well. 78 percent of restaurants currently do not have enough employees to support existing customer demand.

• While sales lag, costs have also increased: • 92 percent reported that total food costs remain higher than they were prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

• 89 percent reported that total labor costs remain above pre-pandemic levels.

• 67 percent reported that total occupancy costs remain higher than prepandemic levels.

• 93 percent of New York operators have a lower profit margin than prior to the pandemic As the restaurant industry heads into the third winter of the COVID-19 pandemic, operators are well aware of what awaits them. Operators urge elected officials to take notice of the many local establishments that have stood through this unprecedented test of time and replenish the RRF program.

Ryan Carpenter is the owner and founder of Simple Strength and Conditioning, a kettlebell gym that he says has given him direction both physically and mentally.

Courtesy Simple Strength and Conditioning

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH For Ryan Carpenter, the kettlebell is more than a fitness tool. As the owner and founder of Simple Strength and Conditioning, a kettlebell gym, Carpenter has found that it has given him direction both physically and mentally.

The former U.S. Marine said his fitness operation, at 110 Main Street, Midtown Plaza in South Glens Falls, has been met by the public with an enthusiasm that helps to keep him inspired and driven.

He said when he left active duty with the Marines he struggled to connect with a fitness program. When he found himself making poor nutritional decisions, he decided it was time to focus on his fitness and his diet. It was during that time that he found the kettlebell.

“I started in 2015. I was 335 pounds ... I knew I needed to change, so I started slowly by just refining my diet and doing easy simple workouts. As I started to lose weight, I branched out with my workouts and was introduced to kettlebells,” said Carpenter.

Carpenter credits his mentor Chris Abbott, a gym owner who he said gave him the opportunity to become a coach and prepared him for certification. Once COVID hit, Abbot had to close his gym, Kettlebellworks, and it was then that Carpenter made the decision to open a location in South Glens Falls. Since first opening in July, Carpenter, a Strong First certified trainer, said he has worked with people from all different backgrounds, something he loves doing.

“I use simple, but effective, exercises through the use of kettlebells that have proven to make people stronger and leaner while having a low impact on the joints. I have clients from 13 years old all the way to 78 years old. I love to teach and see people achieve their goals,” said Carpenter.

He oofers drop-in workouts and people can also purchase a packages ranging from five classes to an annual rate.

There hours are 5-7 p.m. Monday thru Friday; and 8-10 a.m. Saturday.

16 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

Business Briefs

Pinnacle Nutrition Seeks To Come Up With A Health Plan Specific To An Individual’s Needs

Continued From Page 5 college scholarship program, which provides credit union members with scholarships.

To be eligible, students must be high school seniors attending two- or four-year accredited educational institutions for the first time in the fall of 2022. They must also be members of TCT Federal Credit Union or another participating New York credit union.

Students/applicants will be competing against other credit union members from across the state.

Applicants will be judged based upon academic achievements, extracurricular and community activities and the quality of written essays.

Last year, the New York Credit Union Association awarded $30,750 in scholarships to 41 students through the program. In addition, TCT Federal Credit Union awarded nine scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each.

For more information about the scholarship program, contact TCT Federal Credit Union by phone at 1-800-721-8288 or visit our website at tctfcu.org *

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The Ballston Spa Business & Professional Association, in partnership with Curtis Lumber, honored business owners and residents whose renovation, restoration, and beautification efforts have enhanced the Ballston Spa community over the past year.

The winners were chosen from nominations submitted by others in the community. Each award recipient was given a framed certificate along with a Curtis Lumber gift card in recognition of their efforts.

Best Residential New Build: 248 West North St., High Rock Realty, Ron Murphy; Best Residential Renovation:154 Bath St., Christopher and Sabrina Anderson; 118 McLean St., Joy Houle.

Best Multifamily/Mixed Use Renovation: 256258 Milton Ave., Robert Jegabbi. Honorable mention: 22-24 Kent St., Dave and Anna Stanko.

Best Commercial Interior Renovation: Nani’s

Indian Kitchen, 256 Milton Ave., Nafeesa Koslik.

Best Commercial Exterior Renovation: National Bottle Museum, 76 Milton Ave. Best Commercial Complete Renovation: The Garage at 10 Washington St., Corina Contemporary Jewelry, Corina Oberai.

Best Commercial New Build: Stewarts Shop #229, 165 Northline Road.

Best Community Beautification Project: new agricultural building, Saratoga County Fairgrounds.

Best Landscaping Project: Ballston Spa Public Library, Ballston Spa House and Garden Club. *

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The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame’s 3rd annual Photo Finish: Juried Photography Exhibition is now open.

Since its inception, the Museum’s juried photography exhibition program has received submissions from photographers hailing from 27 states and three Canadian provinces.

This year’s exhibition features 45 photographs by 34 photographers from 12 states. An additional 14 photographs will be included in the online exhibition as online-only entries, bringing the total representation of the 3rd annual Photo Finish exhibition to 14 states (California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin).

The selected photographs document the entire racing experience from the farm to the backstretch to the winner’s circle, including several images that showcase how COVID-19 impacted the racing world in 2020.

The online exhibition will be available on the Museum’s website at racingmuseum.org/exhibits/ photo-finish-juried-photography-exhibition.

The exhibition will remain on display through Feb. 20.

For more information about the Museum, including special events and program offerings, call (518) 584-0400 or visit www.racingmuseum.org.

Lindsay Ferrara, MS, RD, CDN, is the owner of Pinnacle Nutrition at 15 Maple Dell, Saratoga Springs, a business that tailors a plan to a person’s individual needs. ©2021 Saratoga Photographer.com

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH Lindsay Ferrara syas that people looking for help with nutrition and diet, but find themselves overwhelmed by the process, can come to her at Pinnacle Nutrition.

Ferrara, MS, RD, CDN, has built a business that tailors a plan to a person’s individual needs.

Her 15 Maple Dell location in Saratoga Springs has become a place where she helps people find a lifestyle that will work for them.

“Pinnacle Nutrition is about helping clients achieve their nutrition goals in a way that is specific to their own body’s needs. Without being overly restrictive, and by cutting through all of the diet and nutrition misinformation that is out there,” she said.

Ferrara was initially set to open in 2020 just as COVID-19 began shutting places down. At the time she was not ready to commit to a physical location, so she began with a combination of inhome visits and virtual counseling.

After renting a space at Serenity Salon for six months, Ferrara moved into her Maple Dell space. She has been hard at work building her business through referrals from the gym where is a member, along with word of mouth and social media marketing.

Born and raised in Glens Falls, Ferrara first began her journey by obtaining her undergraduate degree from SUNY Plattsburgh and graduate degree from Sage College. She then worked as a registered dietitian at Glens Falls Hospital and as the dietitian for Double H Ranch.

“My lifetime dream of starting my own practice plus my passion for nutrition, health, and fitness along with a love of helping others has led me to where I am today. Pinnacle Nutrition is the culmination of a vision, dedication,

community, putting myself out there, and taking one small step at a time,” Ferrara said.

Pinnacle Nutrition focuses on optimizing metabolism and typically starts by testing a client’s metabolic rate with a machine called an indirect calorimeter. Ferrara said this machine measures a client’s oxygen consumption which equates to their calorie needs while at rest.

Metabolic testing, she explains, gives accurate numbers to work with, taking out the guesswork.

She is also offering body composition testing which uses a bioelectrical impedance device which tracks muscle mass and body fat percentage over time.

“I love applying data and facts to my work and I think that knowing your numbers is crucial to guiding your health journey. Just like monitoring cholesterol or blood pressure, knowing what your body’s fuel needs are and knowing how much muscle and body fat you have helps to set realistic goals without yo-yo dieting and starvation,” said Ferrara.

The abundance of what Ferrara describes as misinformation is in part what led Ferrara to open up her own practice..

“I am sick of diet culture, fad diets, and weight loss gimmicks. I want to teach people that gaining strength is better than losing weight, improving nutrition is better than going on another diet, and knowing what our bodies actually need is better than overly restricting,” said Ferrara.

Pinnacle Nutrition offers nutrition consultation, metabolic testing, body composition testing, individualized meal planning, and app-based food tracking. They can be reached by calling (518) 290-0447 or emailing LFerrara@pinnaclenutritionny.com.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021 • 17

Tide & Purl Curated Gift Shop In Schuylerville Local Business Woman Receives Major Award Offers A Variety Of Items For Holiday Season From Capital Region Heart Association

Amanda McCarty opened Tide & Purl, a gift shop at 123 Broad St. in Schuylerville. It includes a section serving as a knitting studio for Crooked by Design. ©2021 Saratoga Photographer.com

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH Amanda McCarty haas opened Tide & Purl, 123 Broad St. in Schuylerville, a self described curated modern gift shop that has enjoyed a healthy response since first opening.

McCarty is now looking ahead to what she hopes will be a busy holiday season.

“Since opening my doors on Oct. 1, the response from the public has been overwhelmingly positive.

Many customers have said a gift shop was just what our village needed, and it’s been such a fun adventure so far seeing repeat patrons return to see what new things have come in,” said McCarty.

She said customers seem happy with the assortment of collections, adding that she couldn’t be happier with her location.

“We live in such a special community here in Schuylerville and I’m very proud to be here. The location is perfect with new sidewalks, cross walks and a parking lot. I live right in the village which is an added bonus, there is no commute, and the school is close enough that I am available if the kids need me.

It’s truly the perfect spot,” said McCarty.

McCarty was born and raised in Maine where she attended the University of Southern Maine with a degree in communication and media studies. She moved to Schuylerville in 2010 and became a stay at home mom, which is when she also started seriously thinking of starting her own business.

“I started my knitting brand, Crooked By Design, as something I could do for work while being home with the kids. What started as a small shop and a few markets a year grew into my own website, and more markets,” said McCarty.

She said it was during COVID that she decided to expand and launch Tide & Purl.

“We were all homebound and unable to see anyone or go anywhere with COVID. I wanted to create a

space where you could one stop shop for gifts and things you didn’t even know you would love. Tide & Purl is just that, a hand curated collection of things I love and want to share with everyone. Taking the leap into brick and mortar was a dream many years in the making, and I decided the time was now because I could feel myself, and others around me, craving less online shopping and more meaningful in person interactions. It felt like the perfect time to dive into being an official shop owner,” said McCarty.

When looking for a space to house Tide & Purl, McCarty said she knew she needed a section to serve as her knitting studio for Crooked By Design.

“I get asked about classes often, and this space will also be host to crafting circles, knitting discussions for all levels, one on one classes, group knits and workshops, crafts for kids, and things to that effect.

With winter right around the corner, I wanted to create a space where you can come pickup a DIY kit for a knitting project, embroidery, basket weaving, etc.

Something to keep us busy and engaged in that post holiday winter stretch, “ said McCarty.

Everything is hand curated by McCarty, including the knitwear which she makes by hand. She also does all of her own marketing and social media. She said her husband helps out when needed, and even her children have become engaged in the business.

“My kids help choose what to carry in the children’s section. Its truly a family operation,” said McCarty.

McCarty said looking ahead her number one goal is to get the classes and workshops up and running, while continuing to grow the Tide & Purl brand.

“Being a curated shop, new things will be coming in every week and I’m excited to see what the future brings for new brands, client favorites, and additional local goods. Tide & Purl is just getting started,” said McCarty.

Her website is www.tideandpurl.com.

Maria Decker, a local business woman, first became involved with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement in 2011, when SEFCU’s Chief Administrative Officer Barbara Hess invited her to a Circle of Red Meeting.

At that meeting, Decker heard a statistic that astounded her.

“When I heard that one in three women die of heart disease, I couldn’t believe it,” she said, and joined the Circle of Red on the spot.

Since then, Decker has worked to raise awareness about women’s heart health.

To honor her efforts, Decker was given the 2021 Jane Golub Crystal Heart Award from the American Heart Association at the 2021 Go Red for Women Luncheon set for Friday, Nov. 12, at the Albany Capital Center.

After joining the Circle of Red, Decker quickly became involved with the BetterU, the annual heart-health improvement program that about 12 women participate in, and whose efforts are showcased at the Go Red for Women Luncheon.

Decker is the chair of the BetterU program, which has now touched the lives of more than 120 women. Decker also chaired the Go Red for Women Luncheon in 2013, and is serving for the second time on the Capital Region Board of Directors of the American Heart Association.

Decker owns Maria’s Bowls and Smoothies in Saratoga Springs and is manager of the River Street Market in Troy, said. “Jane Golub was someone who didn’t just show up at an event, she put everything she had into it. And I feel humbled to follow in the footsteps of past winners Dr. Suzie Mookherjee of Albany Med and Kathy Lanni of SEFCU.” Decker presented the Crystal Heart Award to Dr. Mookherjee in 2018. It was renamed the Jane Golub Crystal Heart Award the following year, after Jane Golub passed away.

As a teenager, Decker and her brother Angelo Mazzone began working in their family’s Italian restaurant. Decker has worked in the food industry for many years, and emphasizes healthy, unprocessed food and regular exercise in her life, and of the people she loves.

“Working with the BetterU women is very rewarding,” she said. “Every year, a group of strangers becomes very close

Maria Decker received the 2021 Jane Golub Crystal Heart Award.

Courtesy American Heart Association

and support each other in really big ways.

This year’s group faced special challenges.

They started at the end of January in 2020, and we went remote in March 2020, then rescheduled the group to begin again in person in the summer of 2021. They have come back strong and worked so hard since then. I’m so proud of them.”

“Maria exemplifies the word community,” said Michele Kollmer, relationship manager, CAP COM at Work and co-chair of the 2021 Go Red for Women Luncheon. “She is self less and continues to work with women to help them gain the confidence and knowledge to live a ‘heart-healthy’ life. As the cochair of this year’s event, I’m proud to present Maria with the Crystal Heart award.”

“Maria’s incredible dedication and commitment to AHA is exceptional,” said Christianne Smith, owner of Designsmith Studio and co-chair of the 2021 Go Red for Women Luncheon. “Her insatiable desire to encourage and support, is experienced by everyone she meets. She is our mama bear, best friend, and soul sister wrapped into one. When I think of the heartbeat of the American Heart Association, I think of Maria first.”

Decker is originally from Massapequa and now lives in Clifton Park with her husband, Bob. They have four children and six grandchildren.

18 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

Longtime Owner Of Cohoes Restaurant Nash Beauty Bar In South Glens Falls Is Plans To Open ‘Emma Jayne’s’ In Halfmoon A One-Stop Shop For Hair And Skin Care

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH The owner of Joe’s Tavern in Cohoes plans to open a new restaurant soon in Halfmoon.

Emma Jayne’s, located at 1475 Route 9, will be the new venture of Mike Fortin.

He said his business has outgrown the 86 yearold Joe’s Tavern location, leading to a decision to take much of what his patrons have loved at Joe’s and moving it into a new restaurant concept, Emma Jayne’s, named for his daughter.

“Our building permits have been submitted to the town of Halfmoon. We will be closing down Joe’s, but plan to carry on a similar feel at the new Halfmoon location,” said Fortin.

He said Halfmoon seems like a perfect spot to allow him to bring over his loyal clientele and attract new customers. His current staff will be coming to the new location where they will continue to serve American contemporary cuisine such as steaks and seafood, in addition to some of Italian dishes.

“One big change is that we will now have the option to be open for lunch. We will have the space to do it, including a large 90-car space for parking,” said Fortin.

The 4,010-square-feet space needs mostly cosmetic changes. Fortin hired The Krug Corp.

of Cohoes to do the work, including taking down walls, improving the existing kitchen and building a bar. They will also be adding a covered deck that will increase their capacity from 150 to 230 people.

“We really don’t need to do a ton of work in the space. Once the heavy work is done, then it’s just a matter of having tables and chairs set up,” said Fortin.

Fortin, who also owns Max410 at the Van Schaick Island Country Club in Cohoes, said the amount of traffic the Route 9 location has played a big factor in the decision to make the move.

“It has been really difficult at times to run a restaurant in what is essentially a two-family home. Joe’s is tucked away. But this new spot has a lot of exposure. The size of Joe’s results in us having to turn away a lot of people. We won’t have to do this in Halfmoon,” said Fortin.

Emma Jayne’s is scheduled to open up by the second week of January.

Fortin anticipates hiring an additional 30 employees. You can follow their progress on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Emma-JaynesRestaurant. Additional information can also be found at emmajaynesrestaurant.com, including an online job application.

Dow 3,600

6 million people have left the workforce. Will some reenter? Of course, but it too will take time.

Meanwhile, Help Wanted signs will continue to proliferate.

In my opinion, a change in monetary policy is in order to combat more persistent inflation.

The Fed’s Nov. 3 action demonstrates a renewed focus on inflation and the beginning the process of “tightening” policy.

I believe tapering is expected and should not have a major impact. Any increase in interest rates is likely to be modest. Regardless of the change in interest rates, any market reaction will be but a bump on the road to Dow 1,000,000. Investors need to remain patient and disciplined in these challenging times.

This was originally published on Nov. 3 on NBT Bank’s Market Insights blog at www.nbtbank.com/ marketinsights.

Continued From Page 8 It remains to be seen if these folks can really afford to stay in retirement. Regardless, it is unlikely that they will return to the labor force in mass. Next, visas granted to immigrants and non-immigrant temporary workers declined meaningfully during the pandemic. He estimates that around 1 million people are waiting for their employment-based visas.

Lastly, self-employment impacts the labor force.

He estimates nearly 800,000 became self-employed.

This trend saw people leaving manufacturing and agriculture for construction and transportation.

Again, it is unlikely that this trend will reverse materially any time soon. Add it all up, and roughly

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH Jade Leonbruno says working alongside her sister, running her own business, is like a dream. But today, that’s what she is doing.

She operates Nash Beauty Bar at 125 Main St. in South Glens Falls. It is a one-stop shop for hair and skin care.

Leonbruno said after working in a chain hair salon business for 11 years, she was ready for a change. When the opportunity presented itself, she decided to take a leap of faith.

“I love what I do. I love making people feel happy and most of all I love being free to be as creative as I have grown to be. I want to set new limits and push myself to grow ... I always knew I wanted to evolve as a hairstylist in one way or another. Th is opportunity came up and I ran with it,” she said.

The business offers a wide variety of hair and skin care services, specializing in “lived in” colors such as balayages, foilayage and babylights. She also does haircuts, styling, Olaplex treatments, teeth whitening, body sculpting, lash lift s and tints, body waxing, and facials. They also provide high-end sculpting services such as radio frequency skin tightening and ultrasonic cavatation.

Leonbruno works as the beauty bar’s hair expert while her sister, Gennah, a licensed esthetician, provides the facial and body skin care services. It is a partnership that she said makes work that much more enjoyable.

“I’m happy to have someone familiar with me along on this journey. She is an esthetician and rents a room from me and runs her business, Sculpted by Gennah,” said Leonbruno.

Next month, Leonbruno plans to add two

Nash Beauty Bar is located at 125 Main St. in South Glens Falls.

Courtesy Nash Beauty Bar

more stylists to her team.“I can’t wait to have more girls in the salon,” she said.

Looking ahead Leonbruno said if the business takes off, she may need to relocate to a bigger space, but right now she is enjoying her location.

“The space we are in is small, so of course down the road I would love to grow, add more clientele and more girls to our team in a bigger space. It would be so much fun to create and design another beautiful salon in a new environment, one day,” said Leonbruno Nash Beauty Bar is currently operating by appointment only. People can book an appointment online at thenashbeautybar. com.

Regenerative Machines Continued From Page 12

developed a robust immune system, which directly supports our immune system when we eat them. More and more, people are learning the significance of the immune system which is mainly in the GI system.

Choose a better path for your body and your life. Achieve more balance by “collaborating” with the root source in natures balance.

Nature allows us to tap into the magnificent potential of our bodies in multiple profound ways.

1. Choose regional organic foods at year-round farmers markets, Co-op Food Markets, and grocers that sell organic foods that have been harvested at the time the foods are ripened with high levels of flavor and nutrients. This high complex carbohydrate foods deliver the cleaning forms of antioxidants, phytonutrients and energy for all cells.

2. Consider joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm 3. Eat more real whole foods, and avoid processed.

4. Choose in the best way that you can to

purchase healthier meats, poultry, eggs, fish, wild game and other protein rich foods that are antibiotic and hormone free, organic, and raised in their natural habitat. These can be found in different types of grocers and on local specialty farms. These foods provide the healthiest protein products that support the rebuilding, repairing and maintaining of our amazing human bodies.

5. Avoid genetically modified organisms (GMO) in foods, which is estimated to be in the majority of foods in conventional grocers.

Most of these foods have been treated with the chemical Round-up.

6. Cook more home cooked meals from scratch.

7. If you eat out of your home, start to explore the business that practice a more “farm to table” system.

8. Start where you can with improving the way you eat. Enjoy food, and expand your horizons in variety. Have fun trying new foods and recipes.

9. Never seek perfection, especially when enhancing your lifestyle

We’d like to promote your commercial or residential property. Call us, 581-0600.

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021 • 19

4 Crestwood Drive, Greenfield Center $746,900 Award-Winning New Construction by Kodiak Construction. Modern Farmhouse w/ 3 beds, 2.5 baths, office & mudroom on 2.54 acres, Saratoga Springs School District. Custom eat-in kitchen w/ large island, navy & white cabinets & quartz countertops. Walk-in pantry w/ shelving & storage, microwave countertop & enclosed by a barn door entry. Floor-to-ceiling nickel gap trim fireplace, accented by timber mantle & 6 matching floating shelves. 2nd floor space-saving laundry station w/ lower & upper cabinet storage, clothes hanging space & enclosed by oversized double barn doors.

Master suite w/ walk-in closet, ceramic tiled shower, double vanity & water closet. 2 car attached garage, screen porch, stamped concrete patio & finished landscape package. Taxes are estimated.

Listing Agent: Jeana Labas | 208.360.1175 jeanarlabas@gmail.com

20 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 2021

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