Saratoga Business Journal - October 2015 by Saratoga & Glens Falls Business Journal

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • AUGUST 2014 • 1

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

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Two Companies Propose Multi-Use Buildings Churchill Downs’ Transition To Ownership With Parking, Housing, Shops Off Broadway Of Casino And Gideon Putnam Moves Ahead The first phase of the partnership between Saratoga Harness Racing Inc. and Churchill Downs Inc.’, in Louisville, Ky., is complete. The acquisition of a 25 percent stake in Saratoga Casino Holdings LLC was first announced last fall. It was said to be a $30 million deal at the time, but is now listed at of $24.8 million. Churchill Downs is the site of the annual Kentucky Derby. Saratoga Casino Black Hawk in Black Hawk, Colo., Saratoga Casino and Raceway in Saratoga Springs, and a 50 percent interest in a joint venture to manage the Gideon Putnam Hotel and Resort in Saratoga Springs by Delaware North Companies, are included in newly formed Saratoga Casino Holdings. “The purchase price remains subject to final adjustments for SCH’s working capital related to the transferred New York operations,” as obtained from Louisville Business First. Due to the transfer of interest expected to take several more months,

This rendering shows the ‘promenade’ area of the proposed Highrock Village on the spot where city-owned parking lots between Maple Avenue and High Rock now exist. Housing is on both sides. Courtesy Parmount Development Group LLC

By R.J. DeLuke Two groups—a Syracuse-based development company and a Capital Region partnership— have proposed multi-million dollar plans to build mixed-use projects on the city-owned parking lots along High Rock, Maple and Lake avenues in Saratoga Springs. Both have presented plans to the City Council. Mayor Joanne Yepsen said she will try to set up a meeting this month—date to be determined by her planning staff—where representatives from both development groups will give a public presentation. It will be open to the public. She said she will also form an internal technical review team that will go over the proposals. “We want to move swiftly,” she said. The mayor said the mixed-use aspect is preferable to the somewhat controversial first proposal that emerged, involving Saratoga City Center. She feels the council can make an informed choice this year and construction could start in 2016. The City Center had proposed a $10.4 million, 480-space parking structure on 1.62 acres of the site. The city center would have leased the land from the city for 20 years. But it is opposed by some in the community, including a citizens group named Citizens for High Rock. Members of the group didn’t care for the city center’s project design. It has said it prefers a dense, mixed-use development. The two new proposals contain plans for housing, parking and retail shops and perhaps offices. Paramount Realty Group LLC in Syracuse plans a $77 million multi-use project called Highrock Village Richard deVito, a partner with the group, said his proposal consists of housing priced to appeal to some of the local workforce, senior housing, condos, shops and a pedestrian promenade. It will also provide parking spaces for residents and the general public. The group has partnered with Community Builders, which has an office in Albany, on the project, located on 2.6 acres of land behind City Hall. The other proposal is from Hyman Hemispheric LLC of Voorheesville and Sequence Development LLC of Troy. Jeff Hyman of Hyman Hemispheric LLC said his plan is in the area of $82 million. There is flexibility in the plans and there

could be many “tweaks” while the process moves along, through meetings with the city and other stakeholders, he said. But basically, there would be about 100 market-rate apartments for rent, and retail and office segments. Hyman said about 656 parking spaces would be included that would be divided among the City Center, the city itself, residents and shoppers. Said deVito, “We’re talking about 259 parking spaces for the City Center, more than they requested. Then 30 or so spaces to the city. About 140 for the residents and about 178 for the general public,” de Vito said. The public spaces, he said, would be free for first hour, and a small fee for extra time; yet to be determined. The company is seeking a 49-year lease on the land and tax-exempt bonds for the parking garage. Paramount’s funding, deVito said, is already in place. He said once built, the city would get a base rent, plus a 50 percent share of revenues. He estimated that could be some $100,000 per year for the city coffers. “The mix of shops and restaurants occupying the space will compliment the offerings in an already thriving downtown, extending the vitality of the Broadway corridor to Maple and High Rock avenues and helping to activate space, creating a vibrant, plaza-type atmosphere,” said the 98-page report submitted by Paramount to the city. The courtyard, at grade with Maple avenue, will be open to the public and “serve as a focal point of activity for residents and community members and will be a logical connection between points of interest in the surrounding neighborhood.” From the Mouzon House restaurant in the north end of the lot, the view would not be of a mammoth parking garage, but of the scenic promenade with shops and activity, he said. Because of the slop of the land, the view from Maple Avenue would appear like a three-story building and from High Rock as a five stories, the developer said. “Our project is a reflection of the needs of the community,” he said. The project is dubbed Highrock Village. The developer said he was staying at the Hampton Inn Suites, across the street from the project site, and became curious about the lot, when the lot caught his attention. He viewed it as Continued On Page 15

the deal will be split into two separate transactions,“Upon receipt of applicable approvals from the Colorado Division of Gaming, (Saratoga Harness Racing) will contribute its controlling interest in Saratoga Casino Black Hawk in Black Hawk, Colo., to (Saratoga Casino Holdings),” said a news release. “At such time, CDI will pay the remainder of the purchase price to SHRI of approximately $6.4 million for CDI’s pro-rata ownership of Colorado operations, subject to adjustments for working capital,” according to the agreement reached between Saratoga Harness and Churchill Downs Inc. The $40 million hotel expansion under construction and expected to open in the spring is included in Saratoga Casino and Raceway. A five-year management contract signed last year between the two companies stipulated that Saratoga Casino and Raceway and Saratoga Casino Black Hawk would be managed by Churchill Downs.

Healthy Living Market Offers Sandwiches And More At Cafe´ In Downtown Saratoga Springs

Kathryn Medeiros, left, of Healthy Living Market, poses in the company’s new café in downtown Saratoga Springs with Marta Townsend, bakery manager, and Brian Page, café manager. ©2015 Saratoga Photographer.com

BY LIZ WITBECK Healthy Living Market has opened a new café in downtown Saratoga Springs. Located at 420 Broadway, the café is housed in the Washington Building alongside Northshire Bookstore and Saratoga Cycling Studio. The café and grocery store was interested in expanding their brand to downtown Saratoga Springs. They started seeking out locations in 2014. “We were interested in expanding,” said Brian Page, sous chef at Healthy Living. “We wanted to get more people in the area interested in our store.” “People have been very receptive to the fact that we exist,” said Marta Townsend, an employee at the café. “It’s more convenient for them to come here, downtown.” Many customers are now finding it easier to stop into the Broadway location to pick up their favorite cup of coffee or sandwich than travel to the main Healthy Living supermarket, located in Wilton. The café offers a pared down menu that is

rotated often with customer favorites. Customers will find breakfast sandwiches, deli sandwiches, freshly made salads, bakery items and pastries, as well as a coffee and juice bar. Healthy Living Market is known for catering to many types of diets and food sensitivities. Customers can find vegan and gluten-free options. One of Page’s favorite items is the black bean quinoa salad. “We try to diversify everything we do,” said Page. The staff believes it is the dedication to high-quality ingredients that helps Healthy Living Market stand out from other options in the area. “Everything is made from scratch with the best ingredients we can find,” said Townsend. “We try to buy organic when we can.” The café is open every day of the week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call 682-3501. Healthy Living Market opened its main store in the Wilton Mall in 2013. The main market’s website is www.healthylivingmarket.com.

2 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015

Personnel Briefs •

rant and lounge. * * *

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service agreements with vendors, advised department management on program compliance matters and best practices, as well as provided counsel on education issues. Raines graduated Albany Law School of Union University in 2012, where he served as senior editor for the Albany Government Law Review. He received his B.A. in political science from the University of Tennessee in 2008.

McPhillips Insurance Agency appointed Anthony Metivier as an account executive real estateAd_2015_BLK_Layout career began in 1994 where she Two m or t gPlanning_Path_SBJ age Financial 1 7/31/2015 10:55 for AM Warren, Page 1 Washington and Saratoga counsold homes throughout New England and ties. originators recently worked her way to broker while creating her Metivier will focus on developing new joined the residential own real estate company. She also created a business and meeting the insurance needs lending department home renovation and rehab business that of existing customers in the tri-county area. at Ballston Spa Naemployed three construction crews. He joins the agency with more than 20 * * * tional Bank. Charbonneau is a U.S. Army veteran and years of experience in insurance and busiNoelle Kahler and graduated from UMass-Amherst with a ness development, including most recently Saratoga National Joshua Myers will bachelor of science in computer science and for Safeco Insurance, a Liberty Mutual Co. Bank and Trust Co. be responsible for business. He has a bachelor’s degree in economhired Allison Holworking with new ics and finance from Bentley University. land as vice president and existing custom * * * Active in his community, he serves on the and regional manager ers to originate residential mortgage loan Queensbury Town Council and is president of its branch network. products while maximizing customer relaEmbassy Suites of the Ski West Mountain Education FounShe assumes the tionships and enhancing the customer expein Saratoga Springs dation. role from Belinda rience. announced two new Cross Kucharski , Kahler joined BSNB in April 2012 workhires. * * * who was appointed ing in the retail lending department. The Michael Spilman regional sales manSchuylerville resident earned her Take associate that first step and arrange a complimentary meeting was named director The Law Firm of McNamee, Lochner, Tiager. degree from SUNY Adirondack, is a member ® , PC announced that Hunter with one of our financial planners, of sales. HeJohn comesConroe, to tus &CFP Williams Holland will oversee branch operations of the bank’s Customer Service Committee the Embassy Suites D. Raines has joined the firm as an associand staff. She comes to Saratoga National and is active in the community. As part of ® Kim Gallo, CFP , or Chris Rose today. with over 30 years of ate, working in its corporate law, commerwith over 25 years of banking experience, the BSNB Volunteers in Action program, she hotel experience in cial real estate, federal and state taxation, having served most recently as vice presihas volunteered with Junior Achievement, the Capital District. banking and thrifts, and nonprofit organident and financial center manager at Bank Rebuilding Together Saratoga County and Spilman, of Queensbury, will oversee the zation practice areas. of America. has also participated in BSNB’s annual Elecsales and marketing efforts at the Embassy. Raines provides counsel to clients in conShe has an associtronics Recycling and He spent the last 12 years working for the nection the formation and operation of corate’s degree in busiDocument Shredding Turf Hotel Corp. as general manager of the porationsjconroe@adirondacktrust.com and limited liability companies, ness administration Day. Holiday Inn Resort in Lake George. Prior mergers 518-584-3409 and acquisitions,(x) purchase and sale from Hudson Valley Myers has been 2311 to that, he was the director of sales at the of businesses, commercial real estate and Community College. with BSNB since 2010 adirondacktrust.com Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls. He curleasing transactions, and commercial lendActive in the comwhen he was hired as rently serves on the board of North Couning transactions. also assists nonprofit munity, she has been a customer service Visit yourHeneighborhood branch try Ministries in Warrensburg, and is a past organizations on issues of formation, feda volunteer for the representative and Products are:board member of the Adirondack Regional eral and state tax exemption, and general Stillwater Commuwas mostInvestment recently INSURED • NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK • NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY • MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE © 2015 The Adirondack Trust Company Chamber of Commerce. operational concerns. nity Center, Saratoga promoted NOT to A DEPOSIT mort-• NOT FDIC Stuart Marc de Raines was previously employed at a Salvation Army and gage originator. The Voe, of Clifton Park, downstate law firm where he represented Shelters of Saratoga. Ballston Spa native earned his bachelor’s was named director entities in merger and acquisition transacCross Kucharski will lead the bank’s overdegree from Sage College of Albany. An acof food and bevertions, commercial real estate lending transall business development efforts. She joined complished runner, Myers has represented age. He has 25 years actions, and in the preparation of commerSaratoga National in 2013 as a vice president BSNB in multiple events over the years. of hospitality/restaucial entity organizational documents and and branch manager and has over 25 years rant experience. agreements. He further assisted with the of banking experience in the Capital Region * * * He spent 10 of prosecution of real estate foreclosure acand North Country. those years in Las tions, and assisted in matters related to fedCross Kucharski holds an associate’s deKaren Charbonneau has joined the MiVegas and 15 years in eral and state income tax issues. gree in business administration from Clinranda Real Estate Group based in Clifton the Capital District, Raines was also previously employed as ton Community College. She is active in the Park. primarily with Mazzone Hospitality. He will the senior attorney to the deputy commiscommunity as a member of the CAPTAIN Charbonneau brings 21 years of experibe managing the food and beverage operasioner of higher education at the state EduYouth and Family Services’ executive board, ence. She will represent buyers and sellers tion with focus on building up the Diamond cation Department. He regularly led negothe Chamber of Southern Saratoga County’s throughout the Capital Region. Club Grill, the Embassy’s in-house restautiations of complex contracts and master Continued On Page 16 She is past president of Saratoga BNI. Her

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New Leadership Saratoga Class Is Under Way; ‘2 West Bar & Grille’ In West Avenue Complex Efforts Will Benefit Four Area Nonprofit Groups Offers Beer, Pizza, Burgers, Wraps And More

These members of the 29th Leadership Saratoga Class are being taught skills for stronger leadership, group dynamics and issues facing Saratoga County and area nonprofit organizations. Courtesy Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce

Leadership Saratoga, a program of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, announced its 29th class of participants. The group held its opening retreat on Sept. 13 and 14 at Minnowbrook Conference Center in Blue Mountain Lake. The Leadership Saratoga program selects up to 24 people each year to participate in an intensive nine-month training program designed to teach them skills for stronger leadership, group dynamics and issues facing Saratoga County and area nonprofit organizations. After completion of the program participants are expected to volunteer as leaders in their communities within Saratoga County. Members of the Class of 2016 are: Nashua Alexander, (Wilton Emergency Squad), Jennifer Allen (Saratoga Eagle Sales and Service), Mark Bellantoni,(Saratoga Springs Fire Department), Ryan Bouchey, (Bouchey Financial Group, Ltd.), Paul Budlong (Wellspring), Molly Bush (Informz), Brian Carroll (Quad Graphics), Nick DeCelle (William J. Burke and Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes), Carmine DeCrescente (DeCrescente Distributing Company).

Ann Dejnozka (Skidmore College), Jennifer Howard (Stewart’s Shops Corp.), Floria Huizinga (Town of Malta), Angela LaTerra (Saratoga Convention and Tourism Bureau), Timothy Maguire (Saratoga Hospital), Peter Martin (Saratoga County Board of Supervisors), Elissa Mazza and Christopher Meyer (Whiteman Ostermand & Hanna), Lisa Munter and Dawn Sauer (Adirondack Trust Insurance) Tom Schin (Accustaff), Ian Townsend (NBT Bank), Marissa Wendolovske (AIM Services) and Jaime Williams (Franklin Community Center). In addition to the various sessions they will attend, participants will also work on group projects to benefit four area nonprofit groups: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Moreau Community Center, Saratoga County EMS Association and Saratoga Foundation for Innovative Learning. The Leadership Saratoga program has been in existence since 1985 and has an Alumni Association of more than 500 graduates. For more information, visit www.LeadershipSaratoga.org or contact program director Kathleen Fyfe at kfyfe@saratoga. org or 584-3255, ext. 201. Applications for the next class will be available in April 2016.

A new restaurant with a takeout service, 2 West Bar & Grille and 2 West Express, will open in the 2 West Ave., Saratoga Springs, apartment community this winter. “We are excited that 2 West Bar & Grille and 2 West Express will complete the community,” said Sonny Bonacio, president of Bonacio Construction and owner of the complex. The new 2 West Bar & Grille and 2 West Express is a sister restaurant to Beer Wine Pizza (BWP), located in another Bonacio complex off Weibel Avenue in Saratoga Springs. Tim and Colleen Holmes, who own Wheatfields restaurant on Broadway in Saratoga Springs and BWP, will own and operate the new business. BWP opened in September 2014 at 74 Weibel Ave., part of The Springs apartment complex. The new 2 West Bar & Grille will feature the favorites currently served at BWP—all natural burgers, hand-tossed pizzas, and New York craft beers. 2 West Express will boast healthy, quick, made-to-order options, such as hand-tossed salads, artisanal pizzas, and wraps, as well as “grab and go” items. “We are excited to bring a local hang-out place to the West side of Saratoga,” said Tim Holmes. “Similar to BWP, 2 West Bar & Grille will have plenty of big screen TVs for game viewing, outdoor dining, and a comfortable bar with a modern feel.” Colleen Holmes said the new addition, 2 West Express, is “a convenient option for the thriving business community, offering fresh, fast selections for those of us on the run. From burgers and pizza to salads and healthy snack packs, we will have something to satisfy every palate.” The community includes a fitness center, community room, off-street parking/garages and

This space at the new 2 West Ave. apartment complex houses a new bar/restaurant.

secure buildings. Bonacio said they include one-, two- and three-bedroom apartment choices, featuring contemporary finishes, gourmet kitchens and fireplaces. The apartments at 2 West are open and leasing. The apartments feature fireplaces, high ceilings, open floor plans, large terraces, ample closet space, standard cable & wireless internet included, full size washer/dryer in each home, custom gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances and more. 2 West is the latest custom home project by Bonacio Construction. For more information on 2 West Bar & Grille and 2 West Express, visit www.wowrestaurantsinc.com. For more information about leasing apartments or commercial space at the complex, call 587-7600 or visit 2westave.com.

CAP COM Federal Credit Union Embarks On Construction Of New Branch Office In Malta CAP COM Federal Credit Union broke ground recently on its 10th branch location to open at 2439 Route 9 Malta in January. The branch will improve access and services for more than 3,400 CAP COM members in the greater Malta and Ballston Spa areas and will expand the banking choices available to 15,000 households and hundreds of businesses and organizations, according to Paula A. Stopera, president and CEO. “We continue to expand our mobile technology to keep banking in the palm of your hand. However, we know the demand also exists in this region for our unique brand of top-rated customer service and we will continue to invest in brick and mortar, putting our credit union just around the corner from your home,” said Stopera. She said the new branch will give Malta community residents and businesses access to a credit union that is not only a financial institution, but makes significant contributions to nurture the community through the work of its charitable entity, CAP COM Cares Foundation. “Our roots run deep in communities that we call home. We look forward to making our mark on the town of Malta and supporting members financially and philanthropically to make dreams into reality,” said Amanda Goyer, foundation administrator. With more than $1 billion in assets, the growing credit union recently joined the CO-OP Shared Branch Network, expanding its footprint by offering transactional services in 5,000 locations throughout the nation. The company said its mortgage subsidiary, Homeowners Advantage, has tripled its business over the past four years. “Our credit union delivers a different experience that only our members can explain. We welcome the residents of Malta to come see what

we are all about and experience our unmatched, person-to-person branch experience,” Stopera said. BBL Construction is the general contractor andAoG_SBJ_7-5 Woodward, Connor, Gillies & Seleman Ar-1 x 5_2015_BLK_FINAL_Layout chitects designed it.

9/24/2015 5:04 PM Page 1

Autumn of Giving MATCH Campaign Join our third annual campaign to help our local nonproﬁts, and Adirondack Trust will match all donations made in October. Please visit www.atccf.org to donate and learn more about our business partners’ promotions. Join the conversation at #GiveAoG www.facebook.com/adirondacktrustcompanycommunityfund The Adirondack Trust Company Community Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by the law. No goods or services are provided in exchange for your donation.

Business Partners

Ways you can help: Text COMMUNITY to 55155 to pledge a tax-deductible donation from your mobile phone. Make a donation during the month of October at any ATC branch, business partner location, or online. Visit any one of our participating business partners to take advantage of their money-saving promotions to support the campaign. Attend our Evening of Autumn of Giving event on October 21 at Longfellows Hotel & Restaurant. All ticket proceeds will support the campaign and be matched! Register at www.atccf.org/events. Media Partners

4 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015

NEXT ISSUE

SPECIAL SECTION

Nutrition Therapist Offers Online Program To Provide Guidance On Eating Healthier Foods

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Nutritional therapist Kathryn Kos created Real Food Rescue, an online service that helps people address nutrition issues and discover and nurture healthy eating choices.

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BY JILL NAGY such topics as fats and carbohydrates. There are A newjconroe@adirondacktrust.com business, Real Food Rescue, promises recipes, gift offers and discount coupons as well online help with food issues. and a private Facebook page. 518-584-3409 (x) 2311 A team of three nutrition professionals offer The cost for the online program in $179. Prices adirondacktrust.com information and advice to help clients get into for individual mentoring vary with the length the habitVisit of “eating real food,” according yourmore neighborhood branch and intensity of the program. to its owner, nutritional therapist Kathryn Kos. In addition to Kos, a certified nutritional “This is a whole food, real food, real people, therapist, the Real Food Rescue team consists Investment Products are: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK • NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY • MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE © 2015 The Adirondack Trust Company real life program,” according to her website. “You of Laura Ligos, a registered dietician who also will transform your life by gasp eating real foods,” teaches Crossfit, and Robin Morgan, a nutritional the site states. health coach who specializes in advising on The first online series began in August. Kos gluten-free and grain-free foods. is now “fixing some glitches in the system,” and Kos has a bachelors degree in movement plans to offer a new series in October or January. science from Westfield States College in MassaKos has been a nutritional therapist for about chusetts and a masters degree in rehabilitation a year, advising individuals on food choices, counseling from Springfield College, also in Masnutritional issues, digestive issues, weight loss sachusetts. Her nutritional therapist certification problems and related matters, always emphais from the Nutritional Therapy Association. sizing the use of whole foods and “real foods.” Kos is also beginning to offer the Real Food Her business, called Primal Bliss, operates Rescue program to businesses. She envisions out of rented office space in Saratoga Springs, weekly “lunch and learn” sessions, either brown Ballston Spa and Gansevoort. Kos also makes bag lunches or meals catered by a Ballston Spa house calls. She offers one-, three- and sixcompany. She would supplement the weekly month packages. The one-month package inlunches with daily emails and printed matericludes three meetings with Kos. The other two als. She sees such a program as a way to boost packages are less intensive, providing one or two employee morale. meetings a month. The program website is www.realfoodrescue. The online program begins with a group telecom. Primal Bliss Nutrition recently opened its phone call (recorded for those who cannot attend third office, at Custom Fitness, near Exit 16 of the in person). After that, there are weekly meetings Northway in Gansevoort. The Ballston Spa office and daily supportive emails. The program also is on Rowland Street. The telephone number is provides a program guide and guidebooks on 260-9749.

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015 • 5

Mens Clothing Business, Started Online, Now Henry’s Irish Tavern In Ballston Spa Features Has Saratoga Springs Storefront On Broadway Craft Beer And A Variety Of ‘Comfort Foods’

Local officials and the owners of Cinch Men’s Wear LLC on Broadway in Saratoga Springs cut a ribbon at the official opening of the store. Customers can meet there with wardrobe stylists.

BY ELIZABETH WITBECK Samuel Gonzalez had been working for several years as a law enforcement officer for the Schenectady Police Department. He worked long hours and did not have time to shop for clothes on his days off. He decided to create a clothing subscription service that would make putting together an attractive outfit “a cinch.” Cinch Club was started as an online subscription service for men in 2014. Men create a style profile on the website, where they enter their style information, what brands they like, what their budget is, and their sizes. In July, Cinch Men’s Wear LLC opened a storefront at 517 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. “We recognize that some people are hesitant about online shopping,” said Gonzalez. “So we opened a storefront where they could come in and try the clothes.” The boutique shop offers a space for men to sample designer labels and meet with a wardrobe stylist. “We intentionally have a small space,” said Gonzalez. “It’s very intimate here.” He said men can become overwhelmed in large, big box men’s clothing stores. A small shop allows men to shop with ease and personalized attention. “There are so many women’s options in Saratoga Springs. People were very excited to have a men’s clothing option,” he noted. Cinch Men’s Wear offers suiting options for men. On Mondays, the boutique is open by appointment only so that men can come in and be fitted for a suit or tuxedo for an upcoming event. Gonzalez is considering expansion into women’s and children’s clothing in the future.

They are also considering opening stores in other cities. Online, clients choose between a monthly or on-demand service. With on-demand, customers receive clothes only when they want them. The monthly service delivers clothes every month. The stylists will put together an outfit based on the needs of the customer. The customer receives an email depicting the contents of the box, so they can approve the outfit before it is shipped. Once the clothes have arrived, the customer has 10 days to try on the clothes and return them. The client is not charged until after they have received the clothes. The clothes arrive in a cardboard box, outfitted with a handle to resemble a men’s suitcase. Inside are the clothes requested, plus a return envelope. If the client is not satisfied, they can return them by scheduling a package pickup at their house. The business does not charge a styling fee. Men who sign up with the company can skip as many months as they would like without being charged. Clothes that Cinch Club ships include shirts, chinos, blazers, belts, shoes, tuxedos and more. Brands include 34 Heritage, Maceoo, Mavi, Big Star, J Shoes, and more. The company ships to customers all across the U.S. and Canada, as well as military personnel overseas. People can subscribe to the online service at www.cinchmenswear.com. The Broadway store is open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Mondays by appointment only. For more information, call 889-9322.

BY JILL NAGY Comfort foods and craft beers are featured at Henry’s Irish Tavern at 19 Front St. in Ballston Spa, described by owner Matt Hickey as “a neighborhood tavern and restaurant.” The tavern has been open for six months and, according to Hickey, it has been packed every night. It’s “a very very busy place,” he said. The eclectic menu includes a few Irish dishes, like shepherd’s pie and fish and chips, A recent special called hog wings was such a hit that it will become a regular menu item, he said. Hog wings are pork shanks with a spicy sauce. There are a variety of fish and seafood dishes, steaks, and burgers on the dinner menu. For a smaller dish to go with the craft beer, the tavern offers poutine, nachos, garlic bread and flatbread pizzas. Poutine is a Quebecois dish consisting of French fries with gravy and cheese. Hickey felt that the time was right for an upscale bar in Ballston Spa. “It’s one of the few places to go in Ballston Spa right now,” he said.

In addition to food and drink, Henry’s Irish Tavern has live music three nights a week. There is indoor seating at tables and at the bar and an outdoor patio that will stay open as long as the weather allows. They take reservations for large parties: six or more people. Currently, there are 25 employees. Hickey spent three months remodeling a building that had been a plumbing shop and then a hydroponics store. He put in a copper bar and a 14-foot stone fireplace. Previously, he rehabbed several other buildings in the village but “I really liked this building,” he said. When no one else seemed to be interested in developing it into a restaurant and bar, he decided to do it himself. Hickey is a novice in the restaurant business. Aside from rehabbing buildings, he owns a mortgage company. He has been in that business for almost 20 years and the company now has about 50 employees. He grew up in Ballston Spa and graduated from Ballston Spa High School. The tavern’s website is henrysirishtavern. com. The telephone number is 573-8221.

6 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015

Local Restaurants Will Showcase Wide Variety Of Foods At Downtown Saratoga ‘Flavorfeast’ Financial Planning_Path_SBJ Ad_2015_BLK_Layout 1 7/31/2015 10:55 AM Page 1

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Saratogareaching Internationalyour Flavorfeast. This year’sgoals. event is Oct. 10. We look forward to helping you on your pathyear’s toward financial

Courtesy Network Saratoga

Saratoga International Flavorfeast will be held National, Ravenous, Saratoga 5 Points Market & jconroe@adirondacktrust.com on Saturday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., on the Deli, Saratoga Tea & Honey Company, Sushi Thai (x) Springs 2311 . streets of 518-584-3409 downtown Saratoga Garden, The Ice House, The Merry Monk, The Participants will be able to visit various resSavory Pantry/Hungry Spot, Three Vines Bistro adirondacktrust.com taurants and taste a variety of food styles during & Bar, and Wheatfields Restaurant & Bar. neighborhood branch the event,Visit for $1your per sampling. “By offering $1 samples and free admission, “The Saratoga Region bursts with a rich, the International Flavorfeast will allow attendInvestment Products are: diverseAGENCY blend and variety of restaurants eesCompany the opportunity to enrich their palates and NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK • NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT • MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE © 2015 The and Adirondack Trust eateries,” said Fran Dingeman, owner of Network taste foods they haven’t tried in the past,” said Saratoga.“The Saratoga International Flavorfeast Ashley Dingeman, owner and writer of saratogawas created in celebration of the international foodfanatic.com. “This will also allow chefs to food styles that make the Saratoga area such a showcase their talents, providing a food sample unique culinary experience.” that’s specific to the ethnicity they have chosen Beginning at 11 a.m., people can pick up to represent.” a Flavorfeast “passport map” of participating In addition to food samples at various restaurestaurants/businesses in front of Fingerpaint rants on Broadway, Lake Avenue, Henry Street, Marketing on the corner of Broadway and DiviPhila Street, and Caroline Street, there will be sion Street. restaurants from outside the center of town set up The map will help people plan a day’s itinerary in the Fingerpaint parking lot on Division Street. of travel to the following destinations for food The event will include cultural entertainment and samples from countries all around the world: trolley tours throughout the streets of the city. Alaturco Mediterranean Grill, Boca Bistro, Bon The Saratoga International Flavorfeast is Bon Brazil, Capriccio Saratoga, Druthers Brewpresented by Saratoga Food Fanatic and Neting Co., Esperanto, Four Seasons Natural Foods, work Saratoga, with support from DeCrescente Gaffney’s Restaurant, Halfmoon Cellars, HarDistributing Co., Driscoll Foods, Adirondack 2002 Business Of The Year vey’s Restaurant & Bar, Henry Street Taproom, Trust Co., Skidmore College, Social Radiant, The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County Maestro’s at the Van Dam, Mango Tree Imports, Fingerpaint Marketing, Saratoga Flag Company, Mexican Connection, Mingle Saratoga, One Saratoga Today, Explore Saratoga, Coffee News P.O. Box 766 • Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 Caroline Street Bistro, Park Side Eatery, Parting and Saratoga.com. (518) 581-0600 • Fax: (518) 430-3020 • www.saratogabusinessjournal.com Glass Pub, Peabody’s, Phila Fusion Noodle Bar, For more information, visit www.saratogaflaEditorial: RJDeLuke@saratogabusinessjournal.com Prestwick Chase at Saratoga, Prime at Saratoga vorfeast.com or call 365-3459. Advertising: HarryW@saratogabusinessjournal.com

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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 Barbara Brewer LaMere Jill Nagy Liz Witbeck Jennifer Farnsworth Barbara Pinckney Dave Windsheimer 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. Saratoga Business Journal is independently owned and is a registered tradename of Weinhagen Associates, LLC, P.O. Box 766, Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 (518) 581-0600. Saratoga Business Journal is a registered tradename in New York. Saratoga Business Journal has been founded to promote business in Saratoga county and to provide a forum that will increase the awareness of issues and activities that are of interest to the business community. Subscription price is $25.00 per year. Third class postage paid at Glens Falls, New York. Rights to editorial content and layouts of advertising placed with Saratoga Business Journal which are the creative effort of its contractors, and printing materials supplied by Saratoga Business Journal are the property of Saratoga Business Journal and may not be reproduced by photographic or similar methods, or otherwise, without the specific authorization of Saratoga Business Journal.

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A tribute to Vietnam Era Veterans and their families is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 21 at Saratoga Springs City Center. The event will run 7-10 p.m. Admission is free. All city, county and area Vietnam era veterans, their family members and the public are invited to participate. This program is underwritten by the City Council, the Saratoga County Board of Supervisors, the Association of the US Army, the Dominick Smaldone Post 35 of the Italian American War Veterans, Challanan Industries, and the Saratoga Springs City Center. The program, “A Tribute to Vietnam Era Veterans: Service, Valor, Sacrifice,” concludes the city’s nearly two-year-long salute to Vietnam Era veterans. For additional information contact David Wallingford, event chairman, at dwallingford@ nycap.rr.com. * * * Saratoga Hospital’s laboratory services—including the labs at the hospital, Wilton Medical Arts and Malta Med Emergent Care—earned accreditation by the College of American Pathologists (CAP). The hospital has maintained CAP accreditation since 1995. More than 7,600 facilities worldwide are CAP accredited. As such, they must comply with standards that meet or exceed those set by the U.S.

government. CAP reaccreditation is awarded every two years following a rigorous site inspection that includes a thorough examination of lab records and quality control procedures. The accreditation team also reviews laboratory staff qualifications, inspects equipment and facilities, examines the lab safety program and record, and assesses overall management. * * * FuzeHub will hold a Dairy Solutions Forum, free to dairy farmers and manufacturers from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga County building, 50 West High St., Ballston Spa. The provide in-person meeting opportunities with select groups of business and technical experts to analyze, problem solve and identify solutions to meet specific company needs. Organizers said that like other industries, dairy farmers and manufacturers have a host of challenges and initiatives: energy use, waste management, policy/ regulation acumen, workforce and training and succession planning. The Solutions Forum aims to connect farmers with available resources to address needs. FuzeHub officials said those who should consider attending include any dairy farmer who is selling milk or milk products, either through a co-op or Continued On Page 17

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015 • 7

Ballston Spa Mansion Becomes Home Of New CEO Of Empire State Development Will Speak Italian Restaurant Operated By Balsamo Family At Center For Economic Growth Oct. 21 Session

BY JILL NAGY Things have been busy at the recently reopened Villa Balsamo, on Route 50, between Saratoga Springs and Ballston Spa. The restaurant, a Georgian-style mansion, is owned by Joseph Balsamo. It had been closed since 2013 and opened its doors in mid-August. Balsamo bought the 1929 mansion and opened the restaurant in 1976. At the age of 83, he remains active. “He is in the dining room every day of the week,” said his son, Ralphie Balsamo, who cooks and is involved with the operations. Business has been going “absolutely beautiful,” said the younger Balsamo.“People used to say the place was a sleeping beauty. She’s now awake and still the beauty she’s always been.” The restaurant has been booking private parties, banquets and similar events. Old customers are flocking back, Balsamo said, along with new customers, he noted that about 10 families have come in several times a week. Adults are coming to the Villa now who remember eating there as children, he said. 14 acres of property on which Villa Balsamo stands, surrounded by four shimmering ponds, wooded stretches and a long, smooth lawn. Natural springs are found on the land, and a buck pays a visit every morning, Ralph said. The structure was originally built for knitting magnate Floyd J. Shutts, then went through a

series of other owners. In addition to sprucing up the existing mansion, the Balsamo family plans additions to the original three-story, 10,000- square-foot home. There will eventually be a private dining room, as well as nine master bedroom suites. A future plans is to open the mansion’s top floors as a bed and breakfast. The family took a brief vacation in September, but will now be open year round, six days a week (closed Mondays), serving a southern Neapolitan menu, including seafood and “the freshest of fruits and vegetables,” Balsamo said. He noted that there is no walk-in freezer, so the restaurant has to stock fresh ingredients. Prices are in the $50 range without drinks. He described the wine list as “very approachable,” with European and California selections dominating. There is a variety of different brands of champagne. The restaurant comes upon its southern Neapolitan label honestly. Joseph Balsamo, the restaurant’s founder, comes from Sorrento, south of Naples. He came to the United States in 1950 and served in the Merchant Marines before settling in Brooklyn. He was part owner of a restaurant near the Aqueduct Racetrack in the New York City area before moving upstate. Villa Balsamo is located at 2255 Route 50, about three-quarters of a mile south of the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The telephone number is 885-3227.

The Center for Economic Growth (CEG) will hold its 2015 annual member meeting on Oct. 21 at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) in Troy. Event registration begins at 5 p.m. Howard Zemsky, president and CEO of Empire State Development (ESD) will deliver keynote remarks. A reception will follow the business portion of the meeting from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Zemsky works closely with Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul and the respective regional co-chairpersons to implement the Regional Economic Development Councils, the state’s decentralized, collaborative and strategic approach to economic development. Zemsky has co-chaired the Western New York Regional Economic Development Council during the past four years and has worked closely on the state Buffalo Billion revitalization initiative. His company, Larkin Development Group, has redeveloped approximately 1 million square feet of historic building space in Buffalo since 2002, with a particular focus on reclaiming Buffalo’s earliest industrial neighborhood, the Larkin Historic District. “We are extremely excited to have Howard Zemsky join us for our annual meeting. Our region is excited about having our first comprehensive economic development strategy. Getting insights from Mr. Zemsky on the governors’ and his vision for economic development in New York state provides a compelling platform for our evening,” said Michael Hickey, CEG’s interim president and CEO. More than 300 business, government, academic and community leaders are expected to attend the event. Organizers said it is one of the region’s top executive networking events of the year and an opportunity to celebrate regional successes with fellow CEG members. The member meeting will include official CEG

business, as well as an update on the Upstate Revitalization Initiative Capital Region strategy, and the direction the organization is headed in 2016 from Hickey. Additionally, as part of the meeting, the organization will conduct elections for the 2016 board of directors. “The annual meeting is a time to share CEG’s accomplishments for the year, with a look into 2016 and its increased opportunities as the regional economic development organization to bring transformational economic change to the Capital Region” said Dr. Laura Schweitzer, vice president for health sciences and biomedical initiatives at SUNY Albany, and chairwoman of CEG. The meeting is open to CEG members and is sponsored by: SEFCU; Bank of America; Janitronics Facility Services; M+W Group; Walrath Recruiting; Accent Furniture; Ballston Spa National Bank; Capital Bank; CDPHP; Hixny; Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership; Saratoga Economic Development Corp.; Teal, Becker & Chiaramonte CPAs, PC and Turner Construction. For more information on event pricing or to register contact Andrea Swank at 465-8975 or email andreas@ceg.org. Online registration is available at www.ceg.org. CEG is the regional economic development organization for the greater Capital Region and New York’s Tech Valley and also serves as the Capital Region’s designated Regional Technology Development Center. In addition, in its role as the Regional Technology Development Center designated by ESD NYSTAR as part of the NY Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the federal NIST/Manufacturing Extension Partnership, CEG assists local manufacturing and technology companies with generating new sales, creating stronger operational infrastructure and overcoming barriers to growth and innovation.

Kelly Armer Executive Director Saratoga Regional YMCA Reads

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL

8 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015

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Entrepreneurial Women Financial Planning_Path_SBJ Ad_2015_BLK_Layout 1 7/31/2015 10:55 AM Page 1

Audra Herman Gained Experience, Skills On Sisters Personify Entrepreneurial Spirit With NOW OFFERING Her Way To Marketplace Director For NYCOM The Operation Of Putnam Market In Saratoga

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BY MAUREEN WERTHER Audra Herman humorously describes herself as having a “long and storied life.” Like most entrepreneurial types, her journey has been neither straight and narrow nor routine. Born and raised in Manhattan, Herman Take that first step and arrange a complimentary meeting now resides in Saratoga Springs, where she acts as marketplace director for New Yorkwith Statesone of of our financial planners, John Conroe, CFP®, Mind LLC (NYSOM), an innovative and artfully Kim Gallo, CFP®, or Chris Rose today. produced digital magazine and online marketplace devoted solely to New York state-based makers of goods and services. Initially acting as NYSOM’s strategic new business consultant, Herman drew upon her diverse background and experience, first in fashion and retail, followed by careers in funjconroe@adirondacktrust.com draising, real estate project management, and 518-584-3409 (x) 2311 more recently as executive director of the New York state Executive Mansion, where she was adirondacktrust.com in charge of the “greening” of the Governor’s Visit your neighborhood branch Audra Herman is marketplace director for Mansion. New York States of Mind LLC. Herman credits her abilities to forecast Investment Products are: ©2015 Saratoga Photographer.com NOTdevelop A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK • NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY • MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE © 2015 The Adirondack Trust Company trends, analyze market data, and “ground-up business planning, including opmeet new people, they bring their own set of erational functions, best practices, and product ideas and concepts to the mix. Fluidity is the Cathy Hamilton, right, and Gloria Griskowitz are sisters that own and operate Putnam Market, marketing” to skill sets she has developed, ability to flow with those changes and welcome a business that started on Putnam Street in 1995 and is now a popular Broadway store. honed, and added to throughout her career. new ideas that come along the way.” ©2015 Saratoga Photographer.com She sees entrepreneurship as a set of talents She also sees fluidity as not being afraid to BY MAUREEN WERTHER the ranks at General Electric to become general and characteristics that enable a person to crechange course or switch gears, as well as the Pinchot University defines entrepreneurship manager for sales and marketing at GE Plastics ate an idea, product, or service and nurture its ability to transfer skill sets and utilize them as “the willingness to take risks and develop, for 10 years prior to opening Putnam Market. development as it grows, evolves, and responds effectively across business platforms. She has organize and manage a business venture in a After years of pursuing – and achieving – to the needs of the marketplace and the busidemonstrated these traits throughout her own competitive global marketplace that is constantly corporate success, Hamilton and Griskowitz ness environment. career, and cites her fashion and retail experievolving ... They are dreamers and most imporboth felt it might be time to think about making One key characteristic is fluidity. Herman ence as an example. tantly – doers.” more time in their lives for things like family described this trait as a person’s ability to be After opening her own retail store in Business partners and sisters, Cathy Hamilton and community. open to new business ideas. Manhattan while her children were growing and Gloria Griskowitz, are local personifications Hamilton had been impressed with Saratoga “You can start out with one business plan up, Herman later used the skills she learned of that entrepreneurial spirit. Springs and talked with her sister—who was or idea and it doesn’t always come out the way in merchandising, marketing, and advertisAt the forefront of the “foodie” revolution, they commuting into New York City from New Jersey you’d originally imagined it,” she said. “As you Continued On Page 12 took a leap from highly successful jobs in the at the time—to consider relocating to Spa City. corporate world and opened the Putnam Street Both women recall frequent trips into New York Marketplace on Broadway in Saratoga Springs in City with their mom while growing up and visit1995. They’ve never looked back. ing shops like Dean & DeLuca. They saw the need Born and raised in Philadelphia as the chilfor a similar kind of store in downtown Saratoga dren of entrepreneurs—their father started a Springs and began creating their vision for the construction business and their mother owned Putnam Street Marketplace. a furniture store—Hamilton said that “growing Opening in 1995 in an 11,000-square-foot up within the context of a family owned business space on Putnam Street, devoted to gourmet is a specific mind set.” “whole foods” retail, the sisters were ahead of Out of eight children in their family, three their time. of their brothers continue to run their father’s “Initially, we didn’t make anything of our construction firm and a fourth, a geologist, has own,” said Griskowitz. But as the store grew and his own firm. Hamilton and Griskowitz see entreevolved, so did their vision. preneurship as something of a “family tradition.” By 2000, they made the move to Broadway, However, neither woman specifically planned shortening the business name to Putnam Market to pursue entrepreneurship initially. Griskowitz and shifting steadily to the making and selling had a successful career as national sales and merof their own products. By 2013, they completely chandising manager for Clairol, while Hamilton, revamped their business goal and dedicated the a self-confessed “science nerd,” steadily rose up Continued On Page 17

We look forward to helping you on your path toward reaching your financial goals.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015 • 9

Two Women Launch Website Offering Tips And An Experience On A Party Boat Led Pair Of Content On Food, Home And Lifestyle Topics Women Into Starting A Tour Boat Business

Kimberly Hickok, left, and Angela McFarland recently launched FoodHomeLifeStyle.com, an online resource offering practical and doable lifestyle tips to women ages 25-54. ©2015 Saratoga Photographer.com

Kimberly Hickok and Angela McFarland, longtime Capital District media and marketing professionals, have launched FoodHomeLifeStyle.com, an online resource offering practical and doable lifestyle tips to women ages 25-54. The startup, launched earlier this year, is presently in a web and social media stage and will evolve into an online and wireless service for digital TV channels, the women said. “About a year ago, two well-respected lifestyle celebrity web brands were feuding,” said Hickok, referring to Martha Stewart and Gwyneth Paltrow. “What we learned from watching the spat unfold, and listening to the fallout in the media and online was this: People, women in particular, are looking for practical information they can use; information from a source that they can relate to.”

Food and lifestyle blogger Hickok (www. kimversations.com) of Ballston Lake, is the CEO, executive editor and strategic content creator. She is a 20-year marketing expert and business strategist and has served a number of national and regional brands. Hickok has owned her own graphic design business, lent support for a national nonprofit agency and has been a top sales performer in the print and web development industry. McFarland, of Ballston Spa, is the COO, creative director and brand strategist. She has over 20 years in advertising and marketing experience, is the former owner of several print hyper-local publications and current publisher and partner in Newzmedia Holdings LLC, parent company to the Ballston Journal Online, a Continued On Page 14

BY ANDREA PALMER Marla Hodge and Maria Saavedra are the owners and captains of Mohawk Maiden Cruise, a company that provides excursions and tours out of Schuylervillle of the Champlain Canal and Upper Hudson River. They run the tours on the Caldwell Bell, an authentic, chain-driven sternwheel paddle boat. The 45-passenger vessel operates out of Loch C5 near Schuylerville and travels the entire Champlain Canal and Upper Hudson River. The boat is also available tobe the site of special events. “We were living in Albany and I was feeling like something was missing in my life—I was in a rut,” Hodge said about the idea for the company.“I grew up in Georgia, on the water—so I thought, I need to get back on the water. “ “I got on the internet, just looking for boat rides, and found Champlain Canal Tour Boat. And I saw the boat was for sale. I didn’t think that much about it at first because I thought, I can’t afford to buy a big ol’ boat, let alone drive it. Fast forward six months, and a friend of Maria’s gave her some tickets to a party boat down in Troy,” she recalled. “We went and had a great time, and Maria said to me, ‘You know, I could do this every day’. I said to her, ‘Well you know, there’s a boat for sale on the Champlain Canal.’ Next thing I know, here I am,” said Hodge. Both women were working in retail at the time. Saavedra also owns Eagle Ink LLC, a graphic design firm. Hodge and Saavedra put their entire livelihoods into the boat venture. “We threw in everything we had. The opportunity presented itself and we took it”, said Hodge. “This is our third season and it has been our best season yet. Each year we grow a little more, especially as we get more savvy about marketing,”

she said. “Our biggest concern is always weather, specifically wind.We had a group from California that did the entire canal and unfortunately, we got some of the weather from [Hurricane] Joaquin. It was very wet and windy weather. They were a hardy bunch, but it was just brutal on the water,” said Hodge. Hodge and Saavedra are both captains, and their children are involved as well. “It’s a totally family-run business. Maria and I run the boat. Our sons have worked for us as deckhands for the past three seasons,” said Hodge. The website is www.mohawkmaidencruises. com. The business is also on Facebook.

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Office / Tech / E-Commerce Financial Planning_Path_SBJ Ad_2015_BLK_Layout 1 7/31/2015 10:55 AM Page 1

Internet Marketing Can Be Done In Different NOW Ways And Is Often Key OFFERING To A Firm’s Success

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• BY JILL NAGY store in the middle of a busy mall. People happen When it comes to using e-marketing to proupon it naturally, browse and buy.” mote a business, the landscape keeps growing To test whether a website is functioning and “there are more choices, more options, more properly, she said, “you should be able to Google room for errors,” said Julia Ingersoll of Allegory your keywords and find your business on the BY CRAIG STEPHENSON Studios in Saratoga Springs, a marketing firm first page.” Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is the Take that first arrange a complimentary meeting that helps businesses develop digital marketing Forstep a smalland business, in particular, digital top of mind request for most of our customers, campaigns. media can offer a cost-effective way to get out whether with one of our financial planners, John Conroe, CFPit’s®,to upgrade to a better system, or In deciding what to do, a business owner the company’s message. for a first time install, but the “newest thing” ® , or Chrishas Rose today. Kim Gallo, CFP should begin by defining the culture and brand “Every business to make every dollar isn’t always the best product for your business. of the business and design its advertising to count,” Ingersoll said. “Usually paying for adverThe term VoIP is being thrown around as reflect that, Ingersoll said. In addition, the busitising is not in the budget of a small business.” a catch-all for many levels of service and it’s ness owner should look at the business’s ideal Electronic media are far less expensive to important to understand what you are actually customer and ask where that person is located. use, in both money and time, than traditional getting when you are offered a VoIP Solution. Before joining a network, she advised, find out advertising. Within your business, a true VoIP system who else is on it. Ingersoll provided two examples: Someone uses yourjconroe@adirondacktrust.com existing network to manage both your Beth Moeller of Interactive Media Consultproducing children’s lunch boxes may want to computer traffic and your phone traffic on the 518-584-3409 (x) 2311 ing, also in Saratoga Springs, agrees. Begin by reach “fashion forward moms.” One approach same data lines, therefore saving you the cost of deciding who you are trying to reach, she said. would be to team up with a local parenting additionaladirondacktrust.com cable runs. This is best implemented The variety of media available can seem overblogger to provide a series of blogs about healthy in new construction, or for companies upgradVisit your neighborhood branch whelming but, she noted, different media suit lunch options. A company that cleans commering their entire network infrastructure. In this different audiences. cial kitchens could reach potential clients with instance, integrating your telephone service over Investment Products are: For example, a business tryingNOTtoA DEPOSIT reach• NOT FDIC a program explaining safety standards. INSURED • NOT GUARANTEEDOSHA BY THE BANK • NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY • MAY GO DOWN INcan VALUEsave you © 2015money; The Adirondack Trust Company your company network consumers might try an email newsletter. ResAll three of the companies offer advice and but if not implemented correctly, can bring Craig Stephenson is sales and marketing taurants, hotels and the like may do best with assistance to businesses venturing into the world your network to a crawl and introduce a layer manager at Tech II Business Services Inc. a FaceBook page. Someone trying to convey a of electronic media. Mannix, for example, offers a of complexity that can impact your call quality, Courtesy Tech II Business Services message from business to business, could benefit free digital marketing review to help companies and ultimately your customers. from a LinkedIn account, she said. see what is working and what is not. They also These integrations need to be planned and sion Initiation Protocol (SIP) where the data line Sara Mannix, founder and CEO of Mannix provide training. implemented by experienced professionals with coming into your building caries both your voice Marketing in Glens Falls, suggested that, for Mannix finds that most small businesses “dive a solid telephony and networking background. and data over the same line. You may still have most businesses “the first stop is your website, into social media and love it.” However, she recTesting the existing bandwidth is required prior the old digital phone system you purchased five the foundation of any digital marketing plan.” ommended professional training. “Social media to installing a VoIP system. years ago. However, the service provider will inShe said, “a properly-built website is like a Continued On Page 14 Some service providers will sell VoIP or SesContinued On Page 14

Is VoIP Best For Your Business?

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SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015 • 11

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Commercial / Residential Real Estate Construction Projects, New Hotels, Housing New Stewart’s Store To Be Built On Ground Point To Strong Real Estate Market, Experts Say Where The Company’s First Shop Was Located BY ANDREA PALMER Realtors and developers alike agree that the real estate market is Saratoga County is on the rise. Scott Varley, owner and broker of RealtyUSA Saratoga Branch, has seen the rise and fall of the market in his 20-plus years as a Realtor. Varley states the market is on a steady rise in both the city and the county of Saratoga. “Overall, the market is very strong here. Average sale prices have been rising for the past few years. We may even be close to where we were pre-bubble. What’s fueling that is a very, very vibrant downtown area,” Varley said. Varley cites construction or renovation of various hotels, restaurants and other venues as a driving force behind the city’s residential desirability. “Notably the construction of the Washington on Broadway, the movie theater, the new Price Chopper, the new Park Place and High Rock condo projects. There’s a host of new restaurants. All of these really took place post-bubble,” said Varley. “Landmark downtown construction and buildings are building the fervor to get housing that’s within walking distance to Broadway— and there is a fervor,” said Varley. Varley’s office is located at 28 Division St. in downtown Saratoga Springs, in what he described as “condo canyon”. Varley credits the leaders of the city and county Chambers of Commerce for their active involvement in the area’s events and community draw. “The city has a very strong, active chamber of commerce and downtown business association. They have piled on the Broadway activities and festivals,” said Varley.

Jeff Pfeil is among the local real estate developers who say business is booming. “County-wise, we certainly have to credit our leaders for the GlobalFoundries phenomenon, and all the spin-off companies that revolve around that. We have to credit TechSmart Campus, the excellent rating that the Saratoga County schools get, the Malta roundabouts, the county waterline—all of these things are postbubble and fuel development and opportunities, particular because of access to water,” said Varley. Tom Roohan, owner and broker of Roohan Realty, said the market has seen steady and continuous improvement in recent years. “The market continues to improve year over year. When you start to look at the agendas of planning boards, or design review commissions, Continued On Page 14

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Stewart’s Shops has announced plans to rebuild a store on the site of the very first shop, opened 70 years ago. The shop on Church Avenue in the town of Ballston will have a new look, from the ground up. Plans were approved Oct. 1 by the Ballston Planning Board. “Everyone always asks me where the Stewart’s name came from, and this is where it all started,” said Stewart’s President Gary Dake about the shop. “Donald Stewart’s business already had an identity and good reputation— one we could build from—so we kept the name.” In September of 1945, brothers Charles V. and Percy Dake purchased the dairy and ice cream business on Church Ave from Donald Stewart. At the front of the dairy plant was a small store that became the first Stewart’s Ice Cream Shop. The ice cream shop evolved into a Stewart’s Soup and Sandwich Shop with booths and waitresses. It was heavily damaged by a fire in 1984, which lead to its demolition. A new Stewart’s Bread and Butter store was constructed the following year, focusing on groceries like

milk and bread, as well as ice cream. Another 30 years later, the shop the company looks to expand its food service. Company officials said the new shop will be an increase of about 1,500 square feet, with a wider variety of “easy food” items including fresh made pizza and subs. A larger footprint also provides more seating, a walk-in cooler called a beer cave, and two bathrooms. Outside, a larger parking lot will pave the way for two more fueling points than the current store (six total) and include diesel fuel. The new shop construction is anticipated for 2016. “We are thrilled that 70 years after my grandfather and great-uncle purchased the property in the town of Ballston that we are able to redevelop and continue our long history with the town,” said Dake. “We look forward to continuing to serve this community and thank the town as well as the village of Ballston Spa for their long-standing support.” There are 331 Stewart’s shops located in 31 counties across upstate New York and southern Vermont.

12 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015

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Business Report A Staged Property Is A Sold Property

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Business Report Technology Shapes Industry Changes

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Financial Planning_Path_SBJ Ad_2015_BLK_Layout 1 7/31/2015 10:55 AM Page 1

BY JANET BESHEER BY ANNIE SCHWARZ The real estate industry has been an exciting No matter what’s happening to the real estate roller coaster ride over the past 10 years, as the market, when it comes time to sell your home or Great Recession, major shifts in the ownership commercial property, there are two simple rules structure of the industry, and new technologies to follow to assure a quick sale. Price it well with available to clients and agents have redefined the assistance of a good real estate agent, and opportunities and competitive advantages. make it look amazing with the assistance of a While the substantial economic impact of professional home stager. these factors cannot be overlooked, significant One of the costliest mistakes made by home upheaval has occurred in the last decade for all sellers, and also inexperienced real estate real estate players—just based on technology agents, is to ignore the visual psychology indevelopments alone. volved in gaining a buyer’s immediate attention. Here are four of the most noticeable changes Staging is all about creating a space that makes we have seen that are driven by technological buyers connect emotionally to it. advancements: Just like a product in the store, the better it’s • Clients are better informed. packaged the more desirable it becomes Takeand that first step and arrange a complimentary meeting Most clients now begin a relationship with the more people are willing to pay for it. When ® , withthey one of our financial planners, John Conroe, CFPthrough a realtor online inquiries rather than someone sees a beautifully staged home, making a phone call or stopping into an office. immediately equate that with higher Kimvalue. Gallo, CFP®, or Chris Rose today. Gone are the days of going to an office to view a New home builders learned a long time ago Janet Besheer, owner of Equitas Realty, with Annie Schwarz is a Saratoga Springs-based printed book of homes or sitting with an agent that model homes sell their houses. offices in Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls. interior designer and home stager. at a computer in order to see the MLS listings. Home Stagers market the house from the Courtesy Equitas Realty Clients usually have done some homework inside and real estate agents market the house by visiting a brokerage website or by using an their profession, income level, number of kids at form the outside. Both services are essential to of time. National statistics say a staged home online tool such as Zillow or Trulia. Agents and home, outstanding mortgage balance and lender, a seller that wants to sell at the highest price usually sells within a month and a half and will jconroe@adirondacktrust.com brokers must stay on their toes knowing that etc. This makes the buying process more efficient. possible. dramatically increase the opportunity to sell at the consumer is armed with • Virtual showings are possible 24/7. Homeowners are not able to be impartial a much higher profit. 518-584-3409 (x)more 2311information than ever before. In terms of the marketing implications of about their belongings. Homeowners get used Trying to wait and see how it sells on its own adirondacktrust.com Success is reserved for those real estate profesthis faster-paced, technology-driven environto their furniture and accessories being laid out is one of the worst mistakes a seller can make. Visit your sionals who have theirneighborhood own “data mining branch toolkit,” ment, any agent who doesn’t understand the in a particular way and often it takes a fresh Home staging can certainly be done months who can customize marketing information that importance of photography and feature-rich pair of eyes to see how it could be rearranged into it if it doesn’t sell, but doing it from the beProducts are: delivers to clients exactly what they seek, accordwriting will lag behind. Similarly, agents must to create a more inviting, light and Investment airy space. ginning is always the best rule of thumb. HavNOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK • NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY • MAY GO DOWN IN VALUE © 2015 The Adirondack Trust Company ing to their individual needs. have cutting-edge video tools and understand A home stager will be that neutral party who ing a property on the market for an extended • Agents can harness data-rich profiles to how to use them. can make the most effective decisions to bring period of time is never a good selling feature. jump start client relationships. Words, photos and videos build a listing’s out the best features of your home. They are not A home stager attends to what needs to be To the benefit of both buyers and sellers, online portfolio, and create a “walk-through” emotionally attached to your personal belongrearranged, repaired, removed, and repainted. technology-savvy agents can now understand experience for the buyer before he or she ever ings so this enables them to work quickly. They Dated can sometimes equate as neglect. If their customers’ needs better and deliver higher takes a step through the door. do not get bogged down with the trip down you’ve chosen to overlook torn carpeting or quality, targeted information about listings. • Transactions are completed more efficiently. memory lane, a hurdle which often paralyzes damaged walls, now is the time to set things Depending on the sophistication of an agent In the final transaction process, both buyers homeowners when sorting out their belongings. right – buyers won’t be attracted to a poorly or their brokerage’s systems, it is now possible and sellers (and agents) now save enormous Staging can be a deal maker and sell a propmaintained home, and will doubt that it’s only to know in advance of a client meeting about Continued On Page 15 erty for the best price in the shortest amount Continued On Page 15

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MAKING IT WORK. When it comes to business, it takes a team to make it work. At NBT Bank, we’re committed to understanding your business and being a responsive and valuable member of your team. Your NBT business banking team can provide for all your deposit, lending, cash management, retirement planning and investment needs. So, when everyone else is counting on you, you can count on us. Call Daniel Burke, Regional President, 518.745.5261 Member FDIC

ing in her role as development officer at the Children’s Museum. During her tenure there, she increased the revenue from the museum’s income streams and used her entrepreneurial skill sets as an effective fundraiser. Collaboration and partnership are two other hallmarks of Herman’s entrepreneurial endeavors. In her current role, she travels across the state, identifying other entrepreneurs and bringing them together with others who can help promote and grow their businesses in ways that they may not have been able to on their own. The NYSOM website, www.newyorkstatesofmind.com provides a “platform for makers across the state to have a venue for their goods,” said Herman. The digital magazine is one component of that collaboration and, coupled with the online marketplace, “New York Makers,” puts makers’ goods and stories into cyberspace. Two local examples of “makers” who are benefiting from partnership with Herman and NYSOM are Sundaes Best in Saratoga Springs, makers of small-batch chocolate sauce and fritelli & LOCKWOOD, makers of handwoven textiles located in Saratoga’s historic Arts District. Another key component of entrepreneurship is “understanding how to incorporate and involve the broader community and work toward what works for both the business and the community itself,” said Herman. A good example of this is the upcoming “Chef en Pointe,” a benefit for the National Dance Museum’s School of the Arts, to be held Nov. 6 at the museum. Herman has been instrumental in putting it together. Drawing upon her relationships with local and regional entrepreneurs, the food and spirits will be provided by Catskill Provisions and Finger Lakes Distilling. Local chefs and bartenders will also be on hand to offer small plates and cocktail pairings. By merging the interests of the community with the interests of local businesses and entrepreneurs, everyone benefits from the collaboration.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015 • 13

Winners Of 29th Showcase Of Homes Lauded Bethesda Episcopal Church Will Build A New At Event In The Vapor Lounge At Local Casino Parish Building Adjoining Its 1840 Building

Representatives from the 11 participating construction companies pose at the awards ceremony for the annual Showcase of Homes, a three-weekend event that ended Oct. 4

This rendering shows what the parish building for Bethesda Episcopal Church on Washington Street will look like when completed. The existing historic church, built in 1840, is on the left.

The 2015 Saratoga Showcase of Homes completed its three-weekend run recently, with awards going to some the area’s top builders. Award winners were announced at a celebration on Sept. 17 at the Vapor Club at Saratoga Casino & Raceway. Nearly 300 attendees were treated to an evening of food, cocktails and entertainment. The awards ceremony was emceed by Liz Bishop of CBS-6 News and Donna Pennell, TV producer/personality. The Saratoga Showcase of Homes celebrated its 20th anniversary. Participating builders this year were: Bella Home Builders, Belmonte Builders, Bordeau Builders, Executive Builders, Heritage Custom Builders, McPadden Builders, Marini Homes, Saratoga Builders, Stillwater Landings, The Michaels Group and Witt Construction, which had two homes in the event. A panel of 12 professional experts in their particular fields judged the 12 homes in three home categories: Classic, Executive and Luxury. There were 40 awards given in subsections of each of those three main categories. There were also three Realtors Choice awards. The 2015 Saratoga Showcase of Homes awards went to: Realtor’s Choice Awards: Classic Home, McPadden Builders. Executive Home, Belmonte Builders. Luxury Home, Witt Construction. Classic Homes Category: Landscaping: winner, The Michaels Group, Peak Environmental; runner-up, McPadden Builders/ Brookside Nursery – Ian Murray. Workmanship: winner, McPadden Builders; runner-up, The Michaels Group. Best Master Bath: winner, McPadden Builders; runner-up, The Michaels Group. Exterior Design: winner, Bordeau Builders; runner-up, Marini Homes. Interior Decorating: winner, Marini Homes, Monika Ohl; runner-up, The Michaels Group, LM Interiors – Laurie Michaels Cerrone.

Best Kitchen: winner, McPadden Builders, Curtis Lumber – Heather Bodnaryk; runner-up, The Michaels Group, Builder’s Kitchens – Nicole Childs. Interior Floor Plan: winner, The Michaels Group; runner-up, Bordeau Builders. Smart Living: winner, The Michaels Group; runner-up, Bordeau Builders. Executive Homes Category: Landscaping: winner, Belmonte Builders, CPI Landscaping – Chris Gennoy; runner-up, Bella Home Builders. Workmanship: winner, Bella Home Builders’ runner-up, Belmonte Builders. Best Master Bath: winner, Bella Home Builders; runner-up, Belmonte Builders. Exterior Design, winner: Belmonte Builders; runner-up, Witt Construction. Interior Decorating: winner, Bella Home Builders, Andrea Z.; runner-up, Belmonte Builders. Liberty Design Group – Chris Liberty. Best Kitchen: winner, Witt Construction; runner-up, Bella Home Builders, Builder’s Kitchens – Andy Nolan. Interior Floor Plan: winner, Belmonte Builders; runner-up, Witt Construction. Smart Living: winner, Belmonte Builders; runner-up, Witt Construction. Luxury Homes Category: Landscaping, winner Witt Construction, Mandy Spring Farm Nursery. Workmanship, winner Witt Construction. Best Master Bath, winner Witt Construction. Exterior Design, winner Witt Construction. Interior Decorating, winner Witt Construction, DeRocker Design Firm & West Associates. Best Kitchen, winner Witt Construction. Interior Floor Plan, winner Witt Construction. Smart Living, winner Witt Construction. This annually event has contributed nearly $900,000 to local charities. Proceeds go to Rebuilding Together Saratoga County and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties.

Courtesy John G. Waite Associates

BY JENNIFER FARNSWORTH Bethesda Episcopal Church on Washington Street in Saratoga Springs, a block up from Broadway, is planning the construction of a new multi-purpose building that will hold offices and rooms for use by the church community. The new structure will be built on a 0.68acre plot of land next to the church. Ground will be broken in the spring, church officials said. The parish received approval from the Saratoga Springs Planning Board in early September for the new parish house, which will adjoin the existing church, a stately stone building built in 1840. Dean Marshall J. Vang, interim rector said it will house parish administrative offices, a dining hall with capacity for 200, a chapel, early childhood education facilities and a commercial rental space. He said the building will allow for the parish to focus on connecting with the community. “Christ’s miracle at the healing springs of Bethesda impels us to focus on missions that heal families and communities. Hence our focus on these priorities for the new facility,” said Vang. Bethesda sold its existing parish house and former rectory. They also have a pending sale

for a third property it owns near Saratoga Lake, according to Parish Building Committee Chairman Gordon Boyd. Boyd said designers for the project are John G. Waite Associates of Albany. Boyd said they have guided the design with Gothic revival elements. The new wing keeps in line with the original church design by Richard Upjohn, and its addition by A. Page Brown. “The new facility is the first major change in Bethesda’s configuration in more than a century,” said Boyd. Michael Ingersoll from the LA Group, Landscape Architecture and Engineering will be implementing the design for the four-story mixed-use center. “The new building is modern, but respectful of the church, using similar materials and colors,” Ingersoll said. The Bethseda Parish also plans to improve on its current building through a fundraising effort with the help of the New York Landmarks Conservancy, which awarded a matching grant to the parish this year. Through the grant the church plans to cofund a condition assessment that will examine key elements such as conditions of the roof, plumbing, electrical, accessibility measures and other infrastructure. Boyd said the goal is for the new building to be up and running by 2017.

14 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015

Local Company, Death Wish Coffee, Shooting For A Chance To Land Super Bowl Commercial

VoIP

Real Estate Booming

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BY LIZ WITBECK or zoning boards—their agendas are heavier stall a converter so your phone system can send When Michael Brown started Death Wish than they were two years ago. There’s a lot more your phone calls through those new data lines. Ad_2015_BLK_Layout 1 7/31/2015 10:55 AM Page 1 Coffee Co. in 2012, he didn’t knowFinancial it wouldPlanning_Path_SBJ get going on for different things. For example, on Although technically a VoIP system, this is so famous, so fast. Broadway, you have the expansion of Saratoga not an end-to-end solution and you still have Just three years later, the Round Lake-based Honda,” Roohan said. separate phone and data lines within your company that calls its product “the world’s Roohan states the market for both new and office, and you retain your old phone system. strongest coffee,” is one of the top 10 finalists existing homes is somewhat balanced. This option can save some companies money in Intuit’s Small Business Big Game competi“We don’t have any mega-builders in our area, on their monthly phone bill, so don’t be quick tion that could land the company a commercial like the Toll Brothers or U.S. Homes. The builders to dismiss this as a viable option. Ask your during the 50th Superbowl in February. in our market are happier than they have been in technology provider for an assessment of your More than 15,000 businesses entered into the past, and it’s getting better, but it’s not where carrier services so you can determine the actual the competition. Intuit makes QuickBooks and everyone would like it to be,” he said.“Buying an savings you could receive. other software programs for small businesses. existing home is easier. There’s less choices, less The last option is fully hosted VoIP. With this Brown was the owner Saratoga Coffee Traddecisions to be made.” type of system, the phone on your desk coners and sought to create the most caffeinated “We’ve seen new businesses growing. Renects directly to the internet, and ultimately coffee possible for his customers. He created duced interest rates have been a stimulus for to software in the cloud, which manages your Death Wish Coffee, which he said contains 200 that. Saratoga County is still the place to be,” phone calls. percent more caffeine than the average cup, said Roohan. With a large number of the hosted services due to its combination of beans and roasting Jeff Pfeil and wife Deanna are commercial currently in the marketplace, your call quality Take that first step and arrange a complimentary meeting process. property developers and owners of Pfeil & Co. is at the mercy of the internet. Once that call Death Wish Coffee Co. in Round Lake could ® network, you may have one call He heard about the Intuit Small Business Inc. in Saratoga Springs. Pfeil has been in busileaves your with one ofland oura commercial financialduring planners, the SuperJohn Bowl. Conroe, CFP , Big Game competition last year and watched ness for 30 years. that is crystal clear, while the next call sounds ©2015 Saratoga Photographer.com as GoldieBlox, a company that makes Kim scienceGallo, CFP®, or Chris Rose today. “We have as much business as we want. We like you are connected to someone hiking in and engineering toys for girls, won a Superbowl email newsletters and also Facebook advertisework as hard as we want to work. The real estate the Adirondacks, talking on a cell phone from commercial. This year he entered Death Wish ments. market in Saratoga Springs is booming, by the the 1990s. There are, however, companies that Coffee Co. Brown said word of mouth advertising number of construction projects going on in have refined the technology to manage and Each year, large companies pay millions of has helped Death Wish Coffee become such a town right now. Restaurants are opening, buildmonitor the call quality. These companies will dollars for advertising during the Superbowl. popular brand, as the fans are loyal to the coffee ings are going up,” Pfeil said. provide guaranteed reliability, so be sure to do The mission competition is to level the playing and urge their friends to try it. Varley has seen a rise in new housing as well. your research before considering a hosted VoIP jconroe@adirondacktrust.com field by giving small businesses the chance to Marketwatch, a website that tracks trends “The demand for new homes comes from a lack provider. This application is best for companies 518-584-3409 (x) 2311 promote their business. in business, tracked coffee companies in the of supply of existing homes. One fuels the other. with multiple locations across geographically “Winning this contest would be a giant United States and their social media presence. Right now, we are doing much better with new diverse regions. adirondacktrust.com boost in sales and recognition,” said Brown. “It Death Wish Coffee Co. was the top-ranked home construction. We’re not at the level of new The key consideration in any VoIP solution your neighborhood branch would be a great kickstart to the year.” coffee brand on Facebook, ahead of companies home construction that we were pre-bubble, but is to haveVisit a network audit to determine your The winner will be determined by votes at such as Folgers, Keurig and Chock Full O’Nuts. we are doing the best we’ve done in probably current status, and the appropriate bandwidth Investment Products are: thee website www.smallbusinessbiggame.com/ he uses social toINSURED interact seven years as far as new home sales,” Varley said. necessary to•implement a VALUE VoIP solution. NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDICBrown INSURED •said NOT GUARANTEED BY THE media BANK • NOT BY ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY MAY GO DOWN IN © 2015 The Adirondack Trust Company contests/sbbg. People can vote once a day for with customers, at any time of day. Despite a downturn in the market in years Understanding the different flavors of VoIP their favorite. “Customers can call me whenever they past, Varley states that Saratoga Springs is a will help you decide which, if any, is the best Voting runs until Nov. 3. Brown and his have an issue with their order, and they can highly desirable place to live regardless of maroption for you. team, along with the other finalists, will then always talk to me. You can’t get that at Dunkin ket conditions. VoIP systems are perfect for many of today’s be flown to California for the QuickBooks Donuts,” he said. “The allure of owning or renting something business needs; however, the current premiseConnect conference to see the results of the Death Wish Coffee Co. produces a signawhere you can walk downtown—developers based phone systems available today allow for competition. ture blend, Death Wish, in either ground or are scrambling to meet that demand. Even in hybrid solutions that could provide you with Death Wish Coffee operates a warehouse and whole bean form. For the fall, the company has a down economy, people are looking for fun, additional options. a team of eight employees and one temporary crafted a Death Wish Pumpkin coffee. entertaining things to distract themselves,” Stephenson is sales and marketing manager hire. Almost all of their sales are conducted The company also produces Valhalla Java, as said Varley. at Tech II Business Services Inc. online, through its own website and Amazon. well as the Barrel Brand line, coffee beans that The company also sells some coffee at Saratoga have been aged in oak barrels to give them a Coffee Traders in downtown Saratoga Springs, flavor of various spirits. All of the coffee is fair as well as at Price Chopper supermarkets. trade and organic. Marketing is also conducted mainly online. The company website is www.deathwishcofContinued From Page 9 The company engages with customers through fee.com. Its phone number is 400-1050.

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Lifestyle Website

Internet Marketing Continued From Page 10 is easy to do. Social media marketing requires expertise to do it right.” Interactive Media Consulting calls its introductory program Social Media Jumpstart. They will walk people through the process of, for example, getting a FaceBook page up and running. For an email campaign, they will help set up a template that reflects the company’s branding. They provide training and documentation to help a business’s employees run the program. Allegory Studios has spent 15 years as a brand development company and they build on that

experience. They begin with a culture survey to help define a company’s culture and personality and then help the company use that information as guidance for blogs, advertising, and other promotions. “It’s frequently better to define yourself,” Ingersoll said. “You may turn off some people but you probably don’t want them on a longterm basis.” All three experts said electronic media can provide effective and cost-effective means of promoting a small business if it is used correctly.

digital news media formed in 2013. McFarland is experienced in all facets of media and operations, including traditional print, direct mail, radio and billboard to the newest forms of digital message delivery. She has held advertising sales leadership positions, targeting small to medium-sized businesses, for most of her career. “We all eat, have a roof over our heads, deal with life’s challenging situations and wear clothes,” Hickok said. “Ang and I met and the name FoodHomeLifeStyle just clicked. If we had to dream big, and we do, we’d love to see our site eventually be the Huffington Post for all things related to food, home, life and style.” Since the site’s launch, Hickok and McFarland have been experimenting with the content

to see what resonates most with readers. “To be honest, we didn’t expect our site traffic to increase the way it has. That just proves that there is room in the marketplace for our brand of content,” said Hickok. “It’s been a period of trial and error and we are learning that people not only want tips to help make their lives easier but they also want to be entertained. We were surprised when a post, about the importance of making sure your backside is covered when you wear leggings, went viral,” said Hickok. “Kim and I have known each other for several years,” said McFarland. “Our career paths in media are almost identical from working telephones at small newspapers many moons ago to diving in full steam with everything digital media has to offer ... We share humble beginnings, a common passion for information and an equal desire to educate and have fun doing it with like-minded women.” The website features a range of topics from do-it-yourself home decorating, fashion and beauty, food, health and finance. McFarland expects to see a dabbling of pop culture, relationship discussions and more travel added to the lineup by first quarter of 2016. She said the content is generated by a small team of relatable women, each are committed to inspiring the audience with easy-tomanage tips and ideas. The two continue to seek content providers and are looking to incorporate more doit-yourself tutorials. Eventually, they plan a regular form of interactive media with their followers. FoodHomeLifeStyle.com’s current launch is focused on the Northeast region consisting of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts. The partners have identified five additional target regions across the country that will replicate the business concept, with content specific to each region. Visit the website at foodhomelifestyle.com.

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015 • 15

Staging Helps Property Sell

Major Downtown Development Eyed

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on the surface. They think, if the tile is cracked, maybe the roof leaks. If you’re selling a dated home, it’s well worth the expense to make some updates to sell it at the highest price. Maybe you’re moving because your family has outgrown the house. Fine, but if there’s but if evidence in every room like closets jammed to the max, and vanities piled with extra clothes, then you’re immediately telling buyers ‘this house is too small, and doesn’t offer enough storage. Realize that buyers respond to clean, well laid out spaces. And, the added touches of fresh cut flowers, pretty throw pillows, fresh towels in the bathrooms, nice bedding and soft music playing in the background are pleasant additions that convey the message that someone prepared for your visit. Also, because a potential buyer wants to envision it as their home not your home, it’s very important to remove all personal pictures, religious items or moody artwork. The more you can appeal to all buyers, the better. Hotel rooms have been doing this for years. The best way to think of it is you have to pack anyway, so start packing before the first showing. Less is more when it comes to staging a house. People want to see the house not the stuff. And, when they do see your stuff, they want it to be nice or they’ll devalue the house in their mind. However, selling a vacant house is the kiss of death. A stager will help you do a partial staging you so people can still see familiar items in the rooms to help them realize their furniture will fit and the space will function well for their family. It’s best to contact a stager before you move so you can leave key pieces and accessories behind to avoid additional expenses of renting furniture. In order for a buyer to even consider looking at the inside of your home, they must first be impressed by the exterior’s condition or what’s commonly known as curb appeal. Make sure that the lawn is neatly mowed and unsightly branches removed and bushes are trimmed. Weather appropriate plants added for color and beauty are a huge plus. If you have a dog, make sure there is no evidence of your buddy on your lawn or in your house. Although we love our pets, don’t expect a potential buyer to feel the same way,

it’s best to remove them and their toys for all showings. Using a home stager is not expensive. Most homes can be staged between $350-$800. Compare spending that up front and having it show well from the beginning, to having to drop the price by tens of thousands of dollars if the home is not selling several months in to the process. There is just no comparison. You can’t afford not to stage it. Similar staging principals are recommended for selling a commercial property. You want the building to convey a positive impression as soon as people enter the building. Potential buyers want a building that is move-in ready, and are likely to be turned off if they feel a great deal of cleanup or repairs are needed before they can begin operations. Unique architectural features of your commercial building should not be overlooked. These special features could be what sets your property apart from others, and could mean a much higher rental or sale price. Fine woodwork or flooring is very desirable and good lighting is also an important benefit when people are searching for commercial spaces. Just like in the home, by staging office furniture in the right way, potential buyers will be able to envision themselves setting up shop in your space rather than looking at a vast open area and wondering what they would do with it. It also adds to the notion that your building is move-in ready, making it more likely they’ll consider your property for their needs over others. For showing large commercial spaces, using a free online architectural program can show the potential of a space by presenting a couple 3D models to a perspective buyer or renter on how the space may suit their needs. This can go a long way to help them envision their business in a large open space. Going this extra mile to sell a commercial property can be very profitable in the long run. The bottom line, is people don’t want to work so hard to buy a property and they want to feel that the person before them took care of what they are about to purchase with their life savings. Schwarz is an interior designer and home stager and owner of Interior Harmony, Saratoga Springs.

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a prime development spot. He spoke with Mayor Yepsen and learned about the RFP process and what the city was looking for. “We’ve done a pretty good job of turning around the downtown in Syracuse by brining housing downtown,” he said, referring to the development which turned an old warehouse district into Armory Square, with retail, restaurants and apartments, revitalizing that section of the city. He said he also met with Citizens for High Rock, a group that is advocating for a comprehensive multi-use design for the publicly owned land and explained what he had in mind. He called it a “win-win for everyone.” “One of the main needs in the community, I’ve been hearing over and over, is there is no workforce housing,” he said. The project includes 64 apartment units for seniors and 42 designated as for workforce. There will also be condos and apartments available for rent or purchase at market-rate prices. While there are pricing decisions still to be made, deVito said the condos”you can probably get for about $600,000, not $1.5 million.” The project will be about 12,000 square feet and parts swill be six stories high. There will be below-street-level parking for some residents. The report indicates it would also create jobs. There would be in property management and maintenance for the apartments, and also senior housing administration and maintenance.

The report estimated payment of about $1.9 million annual taxes for the city, county and local school district and could generate about $627,000 a year in sales tax revenue. The city does not have a time schedule for approving any project. But deVito said if the city acted quickly, construction could start in the spring and phase I, the parking garage and part of the senior housing, could be done in about a year. Hyman said if the city selected his partnership, construction would start next year. There would be an effort made to keep some of the parking available while construction goes on, so as not to make parking problems in the downtown area any worse. “There’s a way to make it work for everybody,” said Hyman, a former investment banker who has experience in gathering funding for multiuse projects over the years. “Hopefully, all the stakeholders will come together and make it work.” Hyman said Saratoga Springs has a very strong real estate market and he expects that 100 units would be absorbed and meet a need in the city. “We suspect there’s going to be lot of back and forth [with city officials] on some of the details of the design, which we would welcome in order to get it right.” “We’re tremendously excited. It’s a unique opportunity,” he said.

Technology Shapes Real Estate Industry Continued From Page 12 amounts of administrative time due to online transaction management and digital signature technology. This improves client relations and reduces brokerage expenses in terms of the staff production time required to prepare for closings. For instance, today, Equitas uses an online transaction system for all document storage and communication for all agents. We are a completely paperless office. Digital signatures are used in over 30 percent of the transactions and that comfort level is growing annually. As a realtor for the past 16 years, and owner of a growing brokerage since 2008, I’ve found it imperative that the brokerage lead agents through the dense forest of online marketing/ technology options and evaluate them relative to ROI value. With online real estate search sites like Zillow/ Trulia and Realtor.com in a heated competitive

battle and new technologies rising up monthly, it is incumbent on the brokerage to stay on top of these competitive changes. Agents don’t have the time or background to act as industry analysts. We must do it for them. Indeed, it is the existence of these services that helps fuel the trend toward a growing number of independent brokerages. Brokers are no longer required to set up shop within the expensive confines of the traditional franchise system. The net result of this ever-changing real estate environment is that brokerages have the opportunity to think through and deliver solutions to agents on all of these technology fronts. Indeed, we see the future of real estate as a merger of industry professionals’ real estate expertise with the processing power of technology. Besheer is the owner of Equitas Realty, with offices in Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls.

16 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015

REGIONAL STOCKWATCH Stock Name

Closing Price 9/04/2015

Personnel Briefs Continued From Page 2

Closing Price Closing Price Closing Price 9/11/2015 9/18/2015 9/25/2015

Education and Business Committee, vice significant financial donations to support president of the Chamber’s Angels board hospital facilities, programs and services. Financial Planning_Path_SBJ Ad_2015_BLK_Layout 1 7/31/2015 10:55 AM Page 1 CAVS certification candidates must fuland a member of the Chamber’s AmbassaAlbany Int’l 30.30 29.20 29.91 29.23 dor program. fill requirements for education, experience, The company also and adherence to professional standards of Arrow 26.94 27.16 26.40 26.51 hired Patrick Shaconduct. Candidates also must pass a rigfer as assistant vice orous exam that covers six areas: planning AT & T 32.56 32.72 32.55 32.33 president and branch and program development, management of manager of its West human resources, finance, organization and Avenue office. management of services, professional develBall 64.01 66.61 66.96 62.96 Shafer will oversee opment, and outreach, advocacy and public operations and develrelations. Ballston Spa op banking relationships for the branch * * * National Bank 36.00 36.00 36.00 36.00 at 91 West Avenue in Saratoga Springs. McPhillips InsurBank of America 15.65 16.04 15.56 15.89 Shafer joins Saratoga National with eight ance Agency appointyears of banking experience. He has an ased Toni Tuttle as a sociate’s degree in business administration sales executive for Barnes & Noble 15.85 12.49 13.26 12.79 Take that first step and arrange a complimentary meeting from Hudson Valley Warren, Washington ® Community College. and Saratoga coun, with one of our financial planners, John Conroe, CFP Best Buy 36.62 38.01 37.53 36.53 Lisa Shields reties. Kim Gallo, CFP®, or Chris Rose today. cently joined the Tuttle will focus on team at Mannix Margrowing the insurCitizens Bank 24.09 24.32 23.75 23.61 keting, Inc. as a client ance customer base support specialist. and meeting the inEspey 25.35 24.81 24.91 24.50 Shields holds a surance needs of existing customers in and bachelor’s degree in around the tri-county area. She joins the First Niagara computer science agency with 19 years of experience in insurjconroe@adirondacktrust.com from SUNY Potsdam ance and sales. Financial Group 9.06 9.27 8.96 10.36 (x) 2311 in office and has518-584-3409 substantial experience Tuttle has a bachelor’s degree in business management as well as marketing and webmanagement from Empire State College. adirondacktrust.com General Electric 24.00 24.95 24.80 24.92 site client support services. Active in her community, she serves as an your her neighborhood branch ambassador for the Adirondack Regional After Visit beginning career in California as a member of the sales and support staff Chamber of Commerce and secretary for the Hilton 24.60 25.59 23.96 23.09 Investment Products are: at the AGENCY Hewlett-Packard worked Glens Falls Collaborative. NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NOT GUARANTEED BY THE BANK • NOT INSURED BY ANY GOVERNMENT • MAY GO DOWN IN Co., VALUE Shields © 2015 The Adirondack Trust Company for Ascension Lutheran School where she Home Depot 114.42 115.44 115.12 116.74 directed the implementation of school-wide * * * computing and assisted with launching their website. For the past nine years, she Continuum Wealth Int’l Paper 41.70 41.64 40.42 38.70 has worked for several nonprofit organizaAdvisors LLC, an intions in the Saratoga Springs area. dependent registered Key Corp 13.27 13.51 12.92 13.20 As client support specialist, Shields will investment adviser provide clients with customer service and (RIA) and integrated assist with website edits and adjustments. wealth management Lowe’s 67.80 68.63 68.19 68.69 She will also serve as office manager. provider, announced that Stephen M. CutMartin Marietta 166.46 171.48 169.89 159.39 * * * ting-Miller, CPA has joined the firm a seM&T Bank 117.06 121.03 118.33 121.21 Cost Control Asnior vice president of sociates announced advanced planning. that Lisa A. Miller of He will focus on providing targeted fiMcDonald’s 94.85 97.41 97.05 97.59 Saratoga Springs was nancial planning services to individuals and hired as marketing company retirement plans. National Grid 64.40 66.16 66.44 67.69 and communications Cutting-Miller has over 12 years of exmanager. perience in advanced operational, financial Miller brings more and tax expertise. Before joining Continuum NBT Bancorp Inc. 25.73 26.70 25.98 26.86 than 25 years of exWealth Advisors, he was a director for Tag perience in marketing Associates, LLC, a wealth management firm Panera Bread 178.30 182.62 184.49 190.71 and corporate comlocated in New York City. He also worked as munications to her new position. She spent the principal advisor for SMC Advisory LLC 22 years with KeyCorp, including 12 years and as a vice president/account manager for Plug Power 1.72 1.70 1.89 1.93 at its international affiliate Key Equipment The Ayco Co. LP. Finance where she was marketing and emHe graduated cum laude with a Bachelors Quad Graphics 13.74 14.09 13.73 12.80 ployee communications manager. of Business Administration from Siena ColFor the past eight years, she has run her lege in Loudonville. In addition to being a own business developing marketing comCPA, Cutting-Miller also holds a Financial Staples 13.60 13.86 13.51 12.37 munications and by-lined articles for a naIndustry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Setional business clientele. She is a member ries 66 license. He is also an active member Starbucks 54.28 56.53 56.84 57.99 of the Rotary Club of Saratoga Springs and of both the Financial Planning Association serves on the club’s board of directors. She and the New York Society of CPAs. is also a member of Albany Pro Musica, the Sysco 39.57 39.95 39.48 39.73 capital region’s premier choral group, for * * * which she serves as administrator, section Target 76.42 77.88 76.62 79.05 leader and singer. Miller earned her B.A. Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co. apfrom Skidmore College. pointed David Kruczlnicki to its board of Time Warner 70.01 70.01 69.64 67.87 directors. * * * Kruczlnicki also serves on the board of the bank’s parent company, Arrow Financial Trans World 3.69 3.94 3.68 3.80 Elizabeth St. Corp., a role he has held since 1989. He prePierre, associate diviously served as a director for Arrow’s other Trustco Bank 5.73 5.81 5.63 5.95 rector of volunteer banking subsidiary, Glens Falls National Bank services at Saratoga and Trust Co., from 1989 to 2015. Hospital, has been A resident of Malta, Kruczlnicki currently Verizon 44.82 45.73 44.57 44.22 awarded the Certiteaches at Siena College and is president of fied Administrator of a consulting firm that advises nonprofits on Walmart 63.89 64.65 63.34 63.78 Volunteer Services business-planning. From 1989 until 2013, he (CAVS) credential by was president and CEO of Glens Falls Hospithe Council for Certital. His also currently serves on the boards of fication in Volunteer the Greater Adirondack Home Aides and the Administration. The national certification Glens Falls Symphony. distinguishes St. Pierre as being among the He holds a bachelor’s degree from Siena elite in volunteer management in healthCollege, an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic care. Institute, and is recipient of the Life FellowThis list of quotations is provided through the courtesy of Robert M. Schermerhorn, St. Pierre oversees more than 300 memship of the American College of Healthcare ® CFP , Saratoga Financial Services, Securities offered through LPL Financial /Member bers of Saratoga Hospital Volunteer Guild. Executives. Active in the community, he is a FINRA & SIPC, located in Saratoga Springs, NY. Together, Guild volunteers donate more than Rotarian and a member of various chambers www.SaratogaRetire.com 55,000 hours of service each year and make of commerce throughout the region.

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Local BNI Group On Pace To Pass $1 Million In Sales Leads For the Second Straight Year BNI Winners Circle chapter in Saratoga Springs was recognized by its parent organization, BNI, for its milestone achievement of generating more than $1 million in business in 2014 and being on target to exceed that total in 2015. The BNI Winners Circle chapter is comprised of business professionals representing companies and professional firms operating in and around the Saratoga Springs area. Embracing the BNI motto of “givers gain,” they meet weekly to help grow each other’s businesses and support the local economy by passing referrals to one other. BNI said to be the largest business networking organization in the world, with 7,375 chapters in 63 countries. According to BNI, its success and longevity can be attributed to its members’ adherence to the concept of word-of-mouth marketing, one of the most effective sources of both new and repeat business. By developing and leveraging trusted professional relationships, BNI members help

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drive economic growth for each other, as well as for their local business communities. This announcement not only recognizes BNI Winners Circle for excellence in generating referrals and revenue, but also for exemplifying the highest level of commitment, credibility, enthusiasm, and attitude of positivity and good will for each other and for the communities that benefit from their diligence, the organization said. “Members of BNI Winners Circle chapter have pushed themselves from day one and continue to make their goals and set new ones, always raising the bar higher for themselves,” notes BNI Executive Director Lesley Shimer. The Winners Circle chapter, which began in June 2005 with 20 professionals, now has 41 members who pass on an average of 91 business referrals per month. The group meets at The Mill Office Building at 125 High Rock Ave. every Thursday from 7-8:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.BNIUpstate.com or call Lesley Shimer at 280-8752.

Putnam Market Continued From Page 8 majority of space to their own products. Today, said Hamilton, Putnam Market is really more of a manufacturing business than a retail company. Hamilton described the corporate mind-set and the family owned business mind-set as being distinctly different. “In the corporate world, you feel like a captain of industry. You’re connected to the business, but in a specific role. And you are measured closely by your accomplishments.” Whereas, in the world of family owned business, the focus some days is on “making sure the toilets flush,” she joked. In addition to the daily operational challenges, there are external challenges. With the “foodie” culture present in the upstate region, Putnam Market has competition that was non-existent in 1995. Remaining current, innovative, and relevant is critical to the sisters’ continued growth and success. Paying attention to details and being advanced technologically is one key to their ongoing success. Griskowitz excels at analyzing data and tracking product performance. If it’s not selling, they stop buying it or producing it. Each item made in the store is scrupulously broken down into measurable components. Hamilton gives the example of making a

sandwich.“Think if everyone here put a different amount of meat on a sandwich. It may not initially seem like a big deal, but over time, it could mean a huge difference in profitability.” They also have a loyal and well trained team, something they said is a tangible component of the store’s profitability. Built on a cornerstone of collaboration and open communication, the Putnam Market staff is invested in the success of the business and takes ownership of their work. Griskowitz credits the success of the team to “lots of training, lots of oversight and a little bit of nagging.” And there’s risk-taking. Like true entrepreneurs, Hamilton and Griskowitz aren’t afraid of a challenge and are always trying new things. “It keeps us relevant and has fueled our success,” said Hamilton. Their advice to women considering making a move into the world of entrepreneurship is to “cultivate leadership skills, whether it’s through athletics or work experience. Also, learn how to present yourself and manage your voice in a way that gets people to go your way.” And, Hamilton noted with a nod to Griskowitz, “it helps to have a good team with complimentary skills.”

Business Briefs Continued From Page 6 directly from the farm as a producer-processor; aspiring dairy/food entrepreneurs; small businesses wanting to launch a dairy product; small/ medium dairy manufacturers who want to grow their businesses; and food technicians, scientists and product developers. Information is available from Steve Schriber at steve@fuzehub.com. * * * SaxBST LLP has been ranked among the Top 100 accounting firms in the nation by INSIDE Public Accounting (IPA) for the second consecutive year. The annual IPA ranking is based on U.S. revenues and compiled by analyzing the data of more than 500 accounting firms across the country. SaxBST premiered on the IPA Top 100 list in 2014 following the successful merger of its predecessor firms, Sax Macy Fromm & Co., PC and Bollam, Sheedy, Torani & Co. LLP, earlier that year. In addition to the Top 100 distinction, IPA named SaxBST among the 2014 Top 5 “Best of the Best” firms in the Northeast Region. SaxBST also maintains a consistent presence on top accounting firm lists compiled by publications such as Accounting Today, and the Albany Business Review. IPA is a publication of The Platt Group, an award-winning source of research on benchmarking data, financial surveys, and best practice tools in the accounting industry.

Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co.’s newest office is now open for business in Troy. The 1,200-square-foot branch is a co-tenant with Starbucks at 120 Hoosick St. in the Hudson River Commons Plaza. The office features a full range of financial services and has resulted in four new jobs, including a manager, two tellers and a commercial lender. President and CEO David S. DeMarco said the expansion represents a commitment to serving the Capital Region and growing beyond the bank’s Saratoga County roots. The Troy location is Saratoga National Bank’s third in three years and its first in Rensselaer County. Last year the bank expanded to Colonie, and before that to Clifton Park. * * * Four of the top Realtors in the Bethlehem market have moved from a major national franchise brand to Equitas Realty, based in Saratoga Springs. The group, Kirsten Blanchard, Mary Canova, Paula Rice,Audrey Williams, have been responsible for selling over 1,000 homes in the Bethlehem market during their careers, according to Equitas. The company said Equitas Realty is the largest woman owned brokerage in the Greater Capital Region with over $53 million in sales last year. Equitas Realty, currently with offices in the Saratoga Springs and Glens Falls, will open a third office in Delmar serving the Bethlehem and Albany markets.

Richard Kessinger Owner

P.O. Box 187 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

(518) 944-0359 saratogalawnmaintenance@gmail.com

18 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015

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For those who are looking for an evening of exquisite food and elegance, may we recommend Nové Italian Restaurant on Route 9 in Wilton. This popular eatery offers casual, traditional Italian cuisine in an elegant atmosphere. The main dining room seats approximately 180 guests, so there’s room for everyone. A spacious stone patio overlooks a forest waterfall in the rear of the property – a quiet setting for dessert or cocktails. The extensive wine and cocktail list features an international selection of luscious reds and whites, including favorites Tignanello and Caymus. The menu, prepared daily from scratch, ranges from classic Italian-American favorites such as chicken parm, and lasagna to featured dishes with a more exotic flair. From hearty Italian bolognese sauce, a family recipe, to a prime cut strip steak, the options are endless. Tempting desserts, including Stephanie’s award-winning cheese cake – a creamy delightful family recipe – should not be overlooked. Nové is open 11:30 am til 10 pm daily. Catering and take-out are also available. Call 583-8877 or visit www.novesaratoga.com. Buonappetito !!

SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015 • 19

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20 • SARATOGA BUSINESS JOURNAL • OCTOBER 2015

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