Great American Music! Corning POPS! Concert

Selections will include “Fly Me to the Moon,” “When I Fall in Love,” and other popular songs from the Great American Songbook. Held in the open air at Corning’s Nasser Ice Rink, this free concert is not one to miss!

Sponsored by the Corning Incorporated Foundation, Community Foundation of Elmira and the Southern Finger Lakes, Tyoga Container, Williams Toyota, and Rotary Club of Corning.

This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes.

The Dark Side of the GlassFest Moon

Corning Civic Music is one of the area’s best kept secrets, despite regularly attracting a dedicated audience from the New York’s Southern Tier, the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania, and even as far away as Buffalo and Rochester. Even so, they’d like to be better known. For nearly a century, this volunteer group has been bringing some of the world’s finest musicians to the Corning Museum of Glass auditorium, where performers and audiences have enjoyed the experience of the venue’s amazing acoustics. “Originally [in the 1920s] it was only classical music, but in the 1960s we went to the dark side and added jazz,” jokes board member Hank Jonas. “Then, about ten years ago, we added a third category of gospel, world music, and country.”

The new variety of concerts helped diversify the audience and bring in a younger crowd. The group recently decided to experiment further by sponsoring the band Classic Albums Live as the capstone performers for the 2023 GlassFest. The group will be reprising the Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon, music that sounded experimental back then and still sounds surprisingly contemporary. Half a century ago (when the album came out) it sold like crazy, and it was still selling well when Hank owned a record store. He says, “I listened to Classic Albums Live on YouTube and I thought, ‘I can’t tell much difference from the original [Pink Floyd performances].’ They sound so good!”

It’s not surprising. The twenty-year-old Toronto, Ontario-based band specializes in recreating the authentic sound of other popular performers, from the Beatles to Billy Joel. The core group of nine band members augments their sound with additional musicians and the occasional orchestra. They’ve played at venues across the United States and throughout Canada. Other musicians will also play at GlassFest, including the Harrisburg-based ’90s alternate rock band Fuel performing Friday night. Find the full schedule at gafferdistrict.com/event/glassfest. All music is free.

Corning Civic Music had two goals in mind with the sponsorship. “We know we’re a special organization but also relatively unknown. So, we wanted to give a large number of people an introduction to Corning Civic Music,” Hank says. “Also, to try to attract the younger generation, which is a little funny because the album is fifty years old.”

Learn about upcoming concerts or buy tickets for other concerts at corningcivicmusic.org. You may also leave a question or message at (800) 531-3679.

~Karey Solomon

Summer in Downtown

If you long for summers the way they used to be, Corning will make you happy with free outdoor events for all ages, sponsored by Williams Toyota. From food to cars to stories to stars, all ages will enjoy summer in the Crystal City.

The Farmers Market by the river has more than forty vendors with a variety of items to eat and wear. Like last year, eligible food vendors accept SNAP benefits. Grab something from a food truck and watch a presentation, get a chair massage, pet some adoptable critters, or every second Thursday do some yoga in the park (you might want to wait till afterwards to eat your goodies). On the first Thursday of every month, a local pet adoption rescue will be there with furry temptations galore. The Centennial Park Fountain makes a great spot to eat and recharge your vitamin D. The last two weeks of the season will have a historic theme, as a segue to The Days of Incandescence in October.

Got littles with you? They’ll love Storytime with Miss Sue. “Miss Sue is a legend,” says one mom, “She has a magical way of reading stories”—something she’s been doing at the Southeast Steuben County Library for more than a decade.

Two outdoor music series spread songs from Market Street on Thursdays to Northside on Tuesdays through July and August. The variety ranges from the rock/blues/country/folk you’d expect to traditional music of other cultures, including Finnish, Afro-Cuban, and Native American.

Bites on Bridge, a spin on a former event called Taste of Summer, is for food lovers who want to get a taste of all that the area food scene has to offer. Originally it was slated for 2020. All the permits were filed when, well, you know why everything shut down. F.L.X. Fry Bird, which had lines for at least a block long at the 2022 Sparkle event, will be there. A modern chicken emporium in Geneva, it’s owned by Christopher Bates and Isabel Bogadtke, who also own the Quincy Exchange and F.L.X. Provisions in Corning. Isabel was awarded Best Service in the World by Mobil Travel Guide and remains the only person to have ever received this honor. It makes sense that the two would create a family of businesses under the umbrella F.L.X. Hospitality.

Other events include Cruisin’ on the Bridge for car lovers and Harvest. Read more on these events in the following pages.

~Lilace Mellin Guignard

FREE EVENTS:

Farmers Market—June through October 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays in Riverfront Park

Storytime in Centerway Square—June through August

10 a.m. every other Tuesday starting June 13

Fireworks Over the River—July 4

9:45 p.m. View them from the Pedestrian Bridge, Centennial and Fallbrook Parks, the high school stadium, and the levee opposite the Corning-Painted Post High School. Presented by Corning Lions Club.

Music in the Square—Thursdays July 6 through August 24

6 to 8 p.m. in Centerway Square

Northside Music Series—Tuesdays July 11 through August 29

6 to 8 p.m. throughout Corning’s Northside

Cruisin’ on Bridge—July 28

5 to 9 p.m. on Bridge Street in Northside (see page 18)

Bites on Bridge—August 25

5 to 9 p.m. on Bridge Street in Northside

Harvest—September 15 to 16

Throughout the Gaffer District (see page 24)

For more information on these events go to gafferdistrict.com.

Cruisin’ on Bridge

I f the caveman invented the wheel, then Corning invented the perfect celebration of it. Last year, Cruisin’ brought people to Northside to celebrate everything wheels. This year on July 28, from 5 to 9 p.m., it moves a quarter mile to Bridge Street between Bridges Bar & Grill and Carey’s Brew House, where food and music will add to the festivities.

The car show will be in a designated area where vehicles brought by the community of 607 Motorsports Club will be shined up and on display for everyone to come check out. “The vehicles in our group are diverse,” says president and founder James Carl. “We range from old classics and muscle cars to modern imports to trucks and even motorcycles. We’ve always encouraged diversity in the car scene, as it’s more about the passion for the hobby than it is the specific vehicle. Owners will be available to speak with about their vehicle, and we hope this helps add another fun component to this event.”

The most popular cars last year were Power Wheels. These battery-powered ride-on toy cars range in size and design but can include realistic features such working radios, doors and hoods that open and close, and reverse motion. The latest line includes mini versions of vehicles that parents may have in their garage. The kids loved a chance to win the tricked-out Power Wheel donated by Williams Toyota at the Power Wheel Challenge. Most people bring their own, and the area becomes a mini car show.

Last year more than fifty drove the course in the Corning Credit Union Headquarters parking lot that had twists and turns marked off by cones and a rope. The course takes about thirty seconds, and only one person is allowed on it at a time. Kids need to be able to sit up and wear a helmet. Ages can range from one to seven—because some Power Wheels can be operated remotely by an adult, but it takes some practice.

Another chance to fawn over some flashy fenders is on September 2, from 4 to 9 p.m., when the Crystal City Ferrari Show returns to Market Street for the first time since 2021. After competing that day at the Watkins Glen Raceway, a police escort will accompany the cars, many of which are not street legal, from Watkins Glen to Corning. Get more information at gafferdistrict.com.

~Lilace Mellin Guignard

Anthony Nunziata POPS into Corning Again

Asinger and an orchestra walk onto an ice rink…It may sound like the beginning of a joke, but it’s what audiences will be treated to during a free POPS concert offered by the Endless Mountain Music Festival on Sunday, August 6, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. Corning POPS! at the Nasser Ice Rink features Anthony Nunziata, back by popular demand after performing here last year.

The critically acclaimed singer and songwriter is a recent winner of Album of the Year from Broadwayworld, which calls him “an explosion of love and entertainment.” Anthony’s goal for the performance, and his work overall, is simple: write great music and tell great stories. “In between songs, I just sort of dive into moments from my life, or talk about things that happen during the show, so even if people are familiar with my songs, they’ll always get a different show from me,” he says. “I’ve always been someone who just loves to connect with people. If I can do that through my music, that’s doing part of what my mission is for being here.”

That clear mission has helped Anthony build up quite a résumé: two sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops symphony orchestra, a part in the Netflix film The Last Laugh starring Chevy Chase and Richard Dreyfuss, and original songs featured on MTV, Comedy Central, CBS News, NBC News, and Good Day NY. The Susan G. Komen Foundation is currently using Anthony’s “The Gift Is You” as an anthem. Anthony wrote the song in honor of his mother’s battle with breast cancer; she’s now cancer free.

This performance is free thanks to many generous sponsors and is also supported by funds from the Statewide Community Regrant program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with support of the Governor and the New York State Legislature and administered by the ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes. The show is in memory of Cornelius O’Donnell, Jr., a beloved chef for Corning Inc.’s Corelle dinnerware and a fixture in the Corning area, as well as a long-time Mountain Home contributor, who passed away in September 2021, and who was a longtime friend of EMMF’s founder and artistic director, Stephen Gunzenhauser.

“More than 500 people came last year,” says Cynthia Long, EMMF’s executive director, so pre-registration at endlessmountain.net/program-schedule is requested. “I think the audience appreciates getting to be up close and personal to the musicians who come from all over the world.”

~Kelly Stemcosky

Harvest

The summer closes with the most old-fashioned event of them all. Sponsored by Williams Toyota, Harvest 2023 on September 15 and 16 brings two days full of smiles and pumpkins, music and food, while visiting with local farmers who are packing it up for the winter. This event has been the fastest-growing annual Gaffer District event postcovid and is perhaps the one most beloved by the locals. "Harvest is designed to celebrate both the wonderful variety of businesses in our downtown and the bountiful harvest from our region,” says Coleen Fabrizi, executive director for the District. “We are a vibrant city surrounded by some of the most beautiful agricultural lands in the state.”

All five blocks of Market Street shut down, stores set up on the sidewalks, and patrons can enjoy some of the last outdoor dining of the season. We never know exactly what the temperature will be, but regardless of whether it feels like the end of summer or the start of fall, it’s a great weekend to be outside.

There’s music at three locations: the Val Reep Fountain outside Market Street Brewing, Centerway Square by the clock tower, and a little more than a block east at Marich Music. Tap your foot and watch children twirl to the tunes. With more than twenty different bands, the style leans toward folk, and the whole atmosphere is nothing fancy. Just music, old trucks and tractors, farmers, flannel, and food—all with a downhome feel.

A fun tradition is the scarecrow contest that businesses participate in—see the Pixie Moss entry above—and which the crowds judge. The 2022 winner was Warren Real Estate. There are also decorated selfie stations set up, but, really, the downtown is so charmingly decorated that there is no bad place to take a photo.

Kids (and their parents) will enjoy games and fun like corn hole, tic-tac-toe, face painting, axe throwing (maybe save that for just the parents), and more. Promenade amongst the pumpkins. Fritter away time eating apple fritters and other fall baked goods. Sidle up to the cider vendor and have a seat on a hay bale while listening to the musicians. Enjoy the waning warm weather by browsing the sidewalk racks of the many Gaffer District boutiques. Salute the end of berry season and the beginning of soup season. Ride through Corning on a horsedrawn carriage. The joys are simple and endless.

You can find the latest information on activities at gafferdistrict.com and on Facebook.

~Lilace Mellin Guignard

Glass Masters

In 1995, the Corning Museum of Glass hired Amy Schwartz and William “Bill” Gudenrath, a husband-and-wife team from Manhattan, to start the Studio, a state-of-the-art teaching facility for glassblowing and cold working which opened in 1996. After more than twenty years of active leadership, cofounders Amy and Bill remain the guiding forces behind the expansion, StudioNext, affirming the Museum’s commitment to remaining a global leader in glass artistry and glass innovation.

Amy exudes warmth and a quiet joy thanks to an infectious smile and dark, twinkling eyes. “My first glassblowing teacher pointed Bill out to me and said, ‘if you really want to learn glassblowing, that’s the man you should take a class from,’” she says. “At that moment, Bill, in his red jacket with his red backpack, rode into the studio on his red bicycle, and I swear he had a red aura. He made one piece at the furnace and then left. Months later, I signed up for a class with him.” They started dating several months after the class.

Amy was three months pregnant with their first child when the couple relocated to Corning in the summer of 1995. “In March of ’96,” she says, “we had our first child, and in May of ’96 we had what I affectionately called ‘our second child,’ which was the Studio.”

Tall, with an easy grin and a gentle Southern accent, Bill is a master glass artist, an expert’s expert—glassblower, scholar, lecturer, teacher, and author. Invited by the museum to design, build, program, and lead the Studio. Today, he serves as resident advisor of the Studio, a fellow of the museum, and a hugely popular instructor/mentor who is requested far beyond his availability. With StudioNext, the physical plant will be upped by 36,000 square feet, taking the center from 24,000 to 60,000 square feet. This hefty increase in square footage will allow for development of the first large-scale kiln casting facility in North America, which will feature an impressive array of equipment such as six large kilns, a 500-pound gravity-feed casting furnace, and a 1,000-pound overhead crane system. Mold-making and cold working rooms are included in this configuration, and cutting-edge technologies such as computer numerical control machines, 3D printers, neonmaking facilities, and wood and metal shops are also part of the plan.

The expansion of the Studio is also an expansion of Amy and Bill’s legacy. “In the end,” says Amy, “we hope we will have contributed to and grown the wonderful glass community.”

~Jan Bridgeford-Smith

Pink Bellini

Come into Pink Bellini at 94 East Market Street expecting to find something pink, and you won’t be disappointed. You’ll also find gloriously patterned clothes and accessories where pink might or might not feature among other complementary colors. Because Pink Bellini is a shop exclusively selling the Lilly Pulitzer line of clothing and accessories, pieces work together to create a comfortable, elegant style that may be accessorized with heels for an evening out or paired with sneakers and a denim jacket for a more casual day.

Lilly Pulitzer became a fashion brand after the New York City socialite fell in love with a Florida citrus farmer. After her inexperience as a server at his juice stand caused several messy spills, she commissioned a local seamstress to create dresses whose busy patterns camouflaged her mishaps. Before long, her dress sales eclipsed the juice bar.

Like Pink Bellini, Lilly Pulitzer is a women-owned company still going strong after Lilly’s death in 2013. A new line of clothes is released every few weeks, giving co-owners Marcia Anthony, Nicole Citriniti, and their customers a lot of choice. Sizes range from XXS to XXL, so most customers find something they love. “These feel like sunshine. You can’t put one of these on and not feel good,” Nicole (above) says. “We want people to feel that way.”

“We can get you as dressed up or as comfy-cozy as you like,” Marcia says. Natural fibers and the sun protection built into many of the fabrics mean you can be both simultaneously. And if you love the patterns, there are accessories to match, from tote bags to teacups.

After a few years on Market Street, Marcia says they know what their customers are drawn to, so they restock with what they’ll enjoy plus some of their own favorites. She sees the store as a unique opportunity for Corning to enjoy a major label to keep the Tommy Hilfiger store company. Marcia and Nicole say they enjoy having the world come to them during tourist season. “I love hearing where people are coming from, hearing their stories. And [running the business] with a dear friend is really lovely! We both have our strengths, and I think that makes it work,” Marcia notes.

The store is open Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Find them at pinkbellini.com or call (607) 654-4188.

~Karey Solomon

Pop & Paint

Formerly known as Wine and Design, Pop & Paint at 90 E. Market Street is still owned by Kylene Kiah, who loved the concept but wanted to broaden the store’s appeal. In winter 2023, she did just that. If you don’t want to pop a cork, soda or juice is a good accompaniment to a kids’ group or adult team-building activity. Ky has a second studio in Elmira for private parties; the one in Corning is open to a wider audience.

“This is the main place,” she says. “The locals kept me going over the years, and I like being visible on Market Street. Tourists are the icing on the cake.” Sessions at the art studio might be guided painting on canvas or informal seasonal art, often items useful as holiday décor. Projects begin as components cut out of wood, ready to paint and assemble, so coming to a class can be a way to de-stress and unwind with friends. Sometimes there’s a buffet of beads and embellishments. Some projects may be finished with a resin pour needing time to cure before being picked up the following day. Most classes last about two hours.

“Someone will say, ‘I went to Pop & Paint with my girlfriend, and it was so much fun!’” Ky says. “I went to school for art, and I have a creative brain,” she continues. “I’m always coming up with new things to do and new things to offer the customers. The more we evolve and change, the more there is to offer.”

Many attendees build an occasion out of a session, beginning with a meal at one of Corning’s many eateries, buying snacks for the group, and getting wine or beer or soda to share. Some groups combine their fun with some fundraising for a favorite charity.

What about those who feel uncomfortable with a paintbrush in hand? While they might feel a little apprehensive at first, Ky says “then they start to relax and say ‘Oh, I love this!’ I’ve never had someone who wasn’t happy. We can say, ‘How can I help?’ As artists, [you] feel that vibe and you want to encourage them the best you can,” Ky says. Three quarters of her customers come back to repeat the experience.

Find information, costs, and book a class at the Corning studio at popandpaintny.com or by calling (607) 738–6884.

~Karey Solomon

Welcome, Fido!

Is your dog a social butterfly? Happy to trot down the sidewalk at your side, bowing and nodding to an adoring public? Then add Corning’s downtown to your rotation of locations for canine capering. It’s a pretty Fido-friendly place. Just ask Pam Brown and her four-legged friend, Laura, who is training to be a service dog. Market Street is a good place for her to practice interacting calmly with passersby, sitting when Pam asks her to, and being polite to other dogs who are also out and about.

Coleen Fabrizi, executive director for Corning’s Gaffer District, says Corning’s downtown definitely has a canine-welcome vibe. “We have a number of businesses that put out water bowls for dogs on their sidewalks,” she notes.

Pawsitive Strides, at 117 West Market Street, is one of those welcoming places. Owners Beck Worrell and Star Utter (above, l to r) not only provide doggie doo bags and outside water bowls for passing pooches, but inside they make your furry friends beautiful. Star has been grooming for about fifteen years, and notes that “the dogs are usually quite good for us.” Dogs are their main customers, but, as Star points out, they take on the occasional feline. “They don’t like to be groomed, but it can be a necessity.”

Over at 51 Bridge Street, Kirsten Frankel owns and operates K9/10 dog grooming and training. She says there are a lot of accommodating downtown businesses for local residents and visitors who bring their four-legged friends with them. At K9/10, she takes care of one customer at a time, a system she says is nice for older dogs, as they “don’t have to sit here all day.” She makes her own schedule, depending on when she has appointments, and sometimes works weekends.

Both Pawsitive Strides and K9/10 can help with emergency grooming needs—a.k.a. getting skunked. Coleen says that everyone who spends time downtown really appreciates responsible dog owners. “In addition to being a vibrant downtown business district, we are also a residential neighborhood, with dozens of upper-floor residents,” she says. “It is especially appreciated when pet owners clean up after their pets. We have four complimentary dog doody bag dispensers—one near Donna's Restaurant, one near Centerway Square, one on the corner of Market and Chestnut Streets, and one across from the Stanton Building on Bridge Street.”

Contact Pawsitive Strides at (315) 313-4547 or on Facebook. Contact K9/10 at (607) 333-5831 or on Facebook.

~Gayle Morrow

Heathered Grey

There’s more to Heathered Grey at 78 West Market Street than the eye can see.

“Everything has a backstory,” says owner Katie Olmstead. For instance, for every blanket purchased from the Sackcloth and Ashes brand, a blanket is donated to a local homeless shelter. Among the rigorously curated products for babies and children is a company who donates a meal for a child for each item purchased. “Eighty-two percent of the companies whose products we sell here have a social giveback program,” Katie says. Many are woman-owned. The words “sustainable,” “recycled,” and “upcycled” also recur in product descriptions. Most items are unique and produced in limited quantities.

It’s the “Katie effect” of listening to customers and making each feel like a welcomed guest that drives the shop, says employee Margarita Weber. Last fall when a customer mentioned he was a woodworker, Katie asked for pictures of his work. She now sells Jerry Wilbur’s oneof-a-kind cutting boards. Find them near the gorgeous, hand-forged cast-iron cookware and French cutlery, including tools sized for the hands of budding young chefs.

Homey goods fill the store, that Katie describes as a “uniquely artisan, trendy, and small batch items home and gift shop.” Browse through the scentless “Eternal Candles,” rock salt of various flavors and points of origin meant to be grated onto food instead of sprinkled, and beautiful purses whose colors pop against the background of the (heathered) grey walls.

Perhaps most unusual in the shop are new books, already gift-wrapped, labeled only by genre—a surprise for both giver and recipient. There are more surprises at every turn, like shaving kit bags created from recycled truck tires, handcrafted soaps and candles, jewelry— even low-calorie non-alcoholic cocktails and the glasses to sip them from.

There’s also a family focus here, from the photos of Katie’s beloved three adult children to colorful drawings posted behind the cash register to the small, much-scribbled-on table where young artists can amuse themselves while a parent shops. “Everyone has an experience here, as well as experiencing the quality of what’s in the store,” Katie says. And everything can be gift-wrapped.

Find Heathered Grey on Instagram, at heatheredgrey.com, or visit the store Monday through Wednesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Or call (607) 377-5012.

~Karey Solomon

Brick Bar

Shanadel Fenstermacher, who’ll be thirty-five in June, is a busy woman. Over the last four years she’s turned her bar and grille in Painted Post—called Del’s, after her—into a hopping place, open till the wee hours of the morning and known for its wings. She’s about to be busier, because she and her husband, Brett, bought the historic building at 1 W. Pulteny Street, on the corner of Bridge Street in Corning, that once was T.O.P. (That Other Place) and more recently the Brick House Brewery. “People ask me ‘How’re you going to do both?’” she laughs.

The building is beautiful, and she fell for it right away. In fact, this is the type of place she was looking for when she first opened Del’s. Inside, one wall is brick, one wall has windows onto the street, and the others are rustic wood. There is a dance floor where she plans to have acoustic music and a pool table. The long wooden bar has metal drink coolers across the top to keep your pints chilled and a barrel on the wall with three taps that she plans to use for whiskey. “I really wanted Buffalo Trace, but there’s a shortage,” she explains. There are also eight taps for brews. It’s a place for folks getting off work to come have a drink and appetizers before heading home.

She’s holding on to Del’s and says the two places will have different feels, though some of the staff may work at both. “This is fancier,” she says looking around the Brick Bar, “with mixology, versus Del’s where we’re way too busy pouring Bud Light and Coors to make smoked cocktails.” The small kitchen has only a convection oven for now, and the bar menu will consist of things like flatbread pizzas and some smoked sausage snacks they’re calling Shotgun Shells. “I’m not going to tell you what those are,” she says. “You’ll have to come to our grand opening and find out.”

When that will be is a bit up in the air. They were hoping to be open by GlassFest 2023, but the paperwork—permits and licenses—is taking some time. But she’s grateful to be in a town that helps new businesses get started and plans events to bring people in. Brick Bar will be one of the anchors of the Northside where weekly live music, Cruisin’ on Bridge, and Bites on Bridge will be held. To find out more, look them up on Facebook at Brick Corning NY or email brickcorningny@outlook.com.

~Lilace Mellin Guignard

Market Street Brewing Company

In 1997, Market Street Brewing Company, at 63 W Market Street, was the first brewery to open in Steuben County after the repeal of Prohibition. Theresa McClellan opened the brewpub with her late husband, who is still fondly remembered as the godfather of local breweries and in fact mentored many younger colleagues. Theresa, reading industry newsletters, convinced her husband that creating their own brewpub could be a good idea. They hired a brewer and worked as his apprentice when they opened. But it was the food, particularly the recipes Theresa developed, that really took off.

Wanting to keep their menu seasonally relevant, like their roster of beers, MSBC tried changing it up every few weeks. But customers objected. “We had to bring back the spinach dip and keep it on the menu. It’s amazing,” Theresa says, admitting that it, like the brownies people go nuts over and their special grilled cheese sandwich, are her own recipes. What’s so special about the Theresa Margaritas? “You’ll have to come in and find out,” she says with a smile. Their ever-popular steak salad and sushi tacos are other staples that stay on the menu. All sauces and marinades are crafted on-site as well.

The attractive building that boasts plentiful outdoor seating, including a rooftop dining area overlooking Market Street, was not beautiful when the McClellan family bought it. Theresa says she could visualize the former garage and NAPA store’s potential, but when she took her mother on a walk-through, the older woman wept—not tears of joy. Pre-opening renovations and repairs included working with an architectural salvage company to source leaded glass windows, constructing a kitchen and a bar, and installing a floor in what’s now the dining area (formerly an oil-change pit). The result landed the building on the National Register of Historic Places and won them an award for their renovation.

After Theresa’s husband died in 2020, their son, Pelham (above), “jumped into the kitchen to help one day, and he’s been there ever since,” she says, and now runs MSBC with his mother. In 2022, they decided to take a break from brewing and showcase other local craft beers, along with a curated selection of wines and specialty cocktails. There’s a kids’ menu too.

Market Street Brewing Company is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, find them on Facebook, at 936-beer.com, or call (607) 936-BEER (2337).

~Karey Solomon

Deer Haven Park, LLC

After more than seventy years of clandestine military operations behind twenty-plus miles of guarded six-foot-high fencing with eighteen-inch angled barbwire atop, the public is allowed access into what was once the Seneca Army Depot. Constructed in 1941 and nestled between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes on Rte. 96-A in Romulus, little did officials realize that they were not only fencing out the civilian population, but also fencing in a plethora of mammal species. As fate would have it, mysteriously concealed within the resident whitetail deer exists an awe-inspiring recessive gene for leucism, the total loss of pigmentation in the fur.

The result? The world’s largest known herd of white whitetail deer, called the Seneca white deer. In 2016, a conservation site dubbed Deer Haven Park, LLC was created on the former Depot land. Paired with a fascinating military history, DHP is a unique ecotourism site of over 3,000 acres that the public is welcome to tour, see original military munition’s areas, and enjoy its vast flora and fauna.

Open seasonally on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from late May through late October, DHP offers ninety-minute bus tours hosted by seasoned guides who entertain guests with fascinating military and wildlife information. Frequent stops are made to not only appreciate the birds and wildlife, but also to enter antiquated facilities that played vital military roles from WWII throughout the Desert Storm conflict. Visitors may also choose virtual guided auto tours, where it is required to remain within one’s own vehicle, or private bus tours where your guide is reserved for your group alone.

Encounters with the white whitetail deer are surreal and mesmerizing. Be advised that the Park is not a zoo, so sightings cannot be guaranteed; but the variety of wildlife is vast including the resident bald eagles and their offspring in their decades-old, human-sized nest, which is readily visible on all tours. Turkey vultures may be lofting over the designated roadways, and wild turkey may strut their stuff. The beavers may make their presence known at their massive dam, visited on guided bus tours, and fox or coyote may be on prowl. Then there are the brown and white whitetail who seize any moment to provoke gasps of astonishment.

The Park’s Visitor Center boasts a museum and gift shop. Visit deerhavenpark.org for further information, including about their annual fall festival this year on September 30, 2023.

~Dee Calvasina

Light’s Bakery & Coffeeshop

Light’s Bakery & Coffeeshop, located at 211 W. 2nd Street in Elmira, greets a visitor with the smell of fresh baked goods. Booths line the left wall, and a breakfast bar is filled with patrons enjoying coffee and a meal. It might smell just like grandmother’s kitchen—if Gramma was Italian. And a man.

Patrons have been gathering at this establishment, owned and operated by the same family since the 1940s. Recently it was purchased by Gaetano Ruggiero, owner of Louie’s Hanover Square and Giuseppe’s Pizza, both in Horseheads, who has been in the restaurant business for over thirty-five years. What began as a joke when Jodi Skroskznik, daughter of the previous owner of Light’s Bakery, sat at Louie’s bar and suggested Gaetano buy the bakery led to the purchase a year later. Jodi says, “My family owned the business for eighty-two years. We wanted someone who values what has been established throughout the years, and that is exactly what he has done.”

Gaetano adds, “Some of these folks have been coming here for forty-five years. This is their place to hang out, and they want it to stay the same.”

New ownership can’t help but bring some change, however. When done respectfully, customers are happy. Famous for white cakes, cupcakes, and tea cookies, these will remain a staple of the bakery. The half-moon cookies—soft devil’s food cake base with a generous amount of sweet chocolate buttercream frosting on one side and vanilla on the other—aren’t going anywhere, assures Gaetano. But now customers can purchase the cookies and other baked goods and have them shipped to their home or business. New Italian baked goods have been added—Italian cookies, cannolis, biscotti, ricotta cookies, and fresh Italian bread—and customers can buy homemade Giuseppe’s spaghetti sauce and Italian dressing, also famous in the Southern Tier. The bakery serves breakfast and lunch items like eggs, homemade toast, home fries, hamburgers, tuna melts, hot dogs, and French fries that will remain on the menu. Gaetano will soon expand hours of operation and add new menu items such as pizza, wings, stuffed shells, and other Italian dishes. Knowing that with the change in ownership the bakery will keep providing the same pleasant atmosphere, full belly, and to-go goodies, you could say Elmira residents are experiencing sweet relief.

Find them on Facebook or call (607) 732-5600.

~Joanne Knapp-Elvidge

Enjoy local favorites like Prime Rib and London Broil in the Spacious

Room. Check our website for breakfast and dinner hours.

Lodging is also available. Come stay in one of our many cabins or motel rooms at a reasonable price.

Watkins Glen/Corning KOA Resort

Tucked between Watkins Glen and Corning at 1710 State Route 414, this KOA campground has so much to offer it will please everyone in the family, whether they want to bounce, swim, slide, climb, or swing gently in the evening breeze. Driving up to the A-frame Kampstore to check in, you’ll see the mini golf course on the left followed by a row of iconic brown cabins. Branden Martin, marketing director, and Lavender Bush, the general manager, and her dog, Onyx (above l to r), keep things running smoothly. The Kampstore is stocked with souvenirs, yes, but also with local honey, syrup, and jams, as well as cheese curds and milk from nearby Sweet Acres Creamery. They purchase as little as possible from big box stores.

With 198 RV sites (mostly pull-throughs), thirty-five cabins of various sizes, and twelve tent sites, when full this campground’s population rivals or surpasses that of the local towns. Those with large RVs who want a quieter experience should reserve a space in Sunset Acres near the food truck and, new this year, Trails End bar pavilion. Most sites have stamped concrete patios with a table and chairs and a freestanding two-person porch-less swing. The Wi-Fi here is good—as in you-can-work-remotely good.

The central area has a mix of cabins and tent sites near an activities pavilion (bingo, anyone?) and playgrounds. The largest one is the Pirate Ship Adventure Playground, where staff bury plastic coins that kids can dig up and turn in to the Kampstore for a quarter. Next to the Kampstore is the indoor pool and spa, with hot tub and twenty-four-hour exercise room. There is also a twenty-four-hour laundry.

At the other end of the resort is the real draw for kids of all ages. A jump pillow and pad, fifty-foot-high outdoor climbing wall, and the Plunge waterslide are set up beside a fishable pond. The outdoor pool—heated to the same temperature as the indoor pool—is here near the outdoor movie theater. There are places for parents to sit in the shade or sun while children get all their ya-yas out. A wooded nature trail follows the creek along the length of the campground.

“Most folks who come use this as a base camp for the area,” says Douglas Bullivant (above far right), who does a little of everything there. Of course, some choose to hang out here all day too. Make your reservation at koa.com/campgrounds/watkins-glen/ or call (800) 562-7430.

~Lilace Mellin Guignard

Root to Rise Wellness Center

“When people ask ‘What do you do?’ our response is ‘What do you come for?’” says Jen Share, a certified nurse midwife and one of the practitioners at Root to Rise Wellness Center. Their goal is to “help you learn how to feel your body better,” she adds. The women’s health services practitioners at 21 East Market Street offer options including routine health screenings, family planning, holistic primary care, yoga, Ayurveda, herbal/nutritional consultations, various types of massage, LGBTQ services, and mental health counseling.

Jen and co-creator Tess Interlicchia, a family nurse practitioner, have known each other for eight or nine years. Both nurses, they were looking to go back into provider roles and were interested in the idea of a family health center where they could treat the whole person.

“It’s important to help people become their own agents,” Tess says. “There is so much gaslighting in medicine.”

“Good care is high touch,” says Jen, and requires a commitment of time on the part of both provider and patient. They found space in a former radio station (they hope, at some point, to find a fun use for the “on air” lights over the office and treatment room doors) and started seeing patients at the end of 2021 (the pandemic was something of a catalyst for their transition). From that point, “business kind of exploded a bit,” says Tess. They’ve staffed this warm and welcoming space with providers who can offer the diverse kinds of services a busy holistic healthcare practice wants to deliver.

Jen does women’s health and holistic wellness, and Tess does holistic primary care. Laura Koratsis, licensed massage therapist, does massage, including myofascial release, which focuses on loosening the tension in the connective tissue that runs throughout the body, and craniosacral therapy, a light-touch therapy to help the body relax and self-correct; Maigan Button, licensed mental health counselor, does mental health counseling and trauma informed care, which stresses the importance of getting to know patients and their life situation in order to help facilitate wellness. Marcia ReSue, licensed practical nurse, does Ayurvedic nutrition, which helps the body, mind, and soul maintain a balance and Pranayama, which is a breathwork practice.

Call (607) 377-6832 for more information about any of these services or to make an appointment, visit them at corningroottorise.com, or find them on Facebook.

~Gayle Morrow

Williams Auto Group: A Driving Force

Established in 1984 in Towanda, Pennsylvania, the Williams Auto Group now has dealerships in Big Flats and Binghamton, as well as Sayre. Actually, says Vice President Dalton Williams (above, right), the parent business began further back in 1956 as the Williams Oil company, which today owns sixty-six Dandy Mini Marts, Inc, of which brother Dyson Williams (above, left) is vice president of food service and merchandising.

The auto group works with five car manufacturers—Toyota, Honda, Kia, Subaru, and Ford. There’s a body shop in Binghamton and full repair services available at dealerships. “We’re most proud of our brilliant repair technicians,” Dalton says. “I call them car doctors.”

Printed on each license plate holder on the cars they sell are the words “Partnering with the community.” It’s a family value he grew up with, Dalton says. “I’m passionate about marketing and developing our team members, making sure our people are learning and taking great care of our customers. I’m also passionate about how we’re involved with communities.” The Williams family, through its businesses and a family foundation, has a major impact on the well-being of the communities where they do business, and beyond.

“For example, in the Gaffer District, we wanted to help kids in general and the community. And, as a result, we sponsored some summer and fall activities like the farmer’s market and a movie night outdoors at the north end of town and summer concerts,” he explains.

Dating back to his grandparents, “The spirit of giving has always been really central,” he says. “We’re thankful to our customers and communities, and we feel it’s important to do our job and recognize areas that need support. A lot of our focus is on helping kids, hunger-related things, and groups of people that are in need. Throughout the area in general, we’ve supported more than 200 nonprofit organizations.” Including recently donating $50,000 to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Arnot Ogden Hospital in Elmira.

With 1,500 employees spread between the car dealerships and the Dandy Mini Marts, “There are people who join the team because of the things we do,” he says. Their “team playbook” is filled with affirmations like “Yes before no” and “Make your environment fun and respect those around you.”

Find out more about the company’s charitable giving and locate a dealership for sales and service at williamsautogroup.com or call (570) 888-9691 or (607) 796-9600.

~Karey Solomon