NEW NOW AND
For our first New and Now, we spotlight 10 bold brand-new businesses that took the plunge during a pandemic. BY NATALIE MOORE
JACOB ALEJANDRO 274 RIVER ST, TROY
This past December, Capital Region coffee lovers got an early Christmas present when married couple Jake and Alejandro GriffinDiaz officially opened their coffee shop, Jacob Alejandro, in Downtown Troy. But Jacob Alejandro isn’t just your run-of-the-percolator coffee shop: The owners’ specialize in “specialty coffee,” a term used to describe cups of joe that are made using the best beans and brewing technology to bring out never-before-tasted flavor notes. There’s an educational element to specialty coffee, too— baristas need to be taught how to use special equipment and about the origins of the coffee they’re making. To that end, when it’s safe to gather again, Jake and Alejandro plan to hold coffee courses at their River Street space.
ARIA KABAB 1647 CENTRAL AVE, COLONIE
Craving flavors you won’t find at Applebee’s? Head to Colonie’s Central Ave’s new Afghan restaurant, Aria Kabab, where you’ll find a huge selection of tikka (a dish made by marinating meat in spices and yogurt and then cooking it in a tandoor oven) and kofta (Afghan meatballs), as well as gyros and lamb chops. Yum!
STEFANIE’S BEAUTY SUPPLY 54 CROSSING BLVD, CLIFTON PARK
In the final days of 2020, Glens Falls native Stefanie Thomas opened Stefanie’s Beauty Supply, a Clifton Park–based store with a focus on providing affordable hair care products to the local community of color. Thomas’ shop carries everything from gels, creams and conditioners to
(clockwise from top) Jacob Alejandro; Stefanie’s Beauty Supply; Aria Kabab
