Buy Local: Family & Locally Owned Businesses 2019

BUY

Local

FAMILY & LOCALLY OWNED BUSINESSES 25-26 13 REASONS TO THINK LOCAL, BUY LOCAL AND BE LOCAL 27-30 MULTI-GENERATIONAL FAMILY BUSINESSES 32-37 UNIQUE AND ONE OF A KIND SHOPS 38-42 DOUBLE THE IMPACT: LOCALLY PRODUCED, LOCALLY SOLD 43,44 FARMERS’ MARKET IS LOCAL TO THE CORE 45,46 WE HAVE WHAT YOU WANT - SHOP LOCAL Alpine Sports Shops.

Photo by SuperSource Media, LLC

47,48 HOLIDAYS ARE EXTRA SPECIAL AT LOCAL SHOPS

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Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019

Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019

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13 Reasons to Think Local, Buy Local and Be Local Choosing to patronize locally owned, independent businesses benefits our community. Think Local First!

1.

Create more

Good Jobs

Small local businesses are the largest employer nationally and in our community, provide the most jobs to residents.

2.

Get

Better Service

Local businesses often hire people with a better understanding of the products they are selling and take more time to get to know customers. Local shops and businesses value their customers.

3.

More Products,

Affordable Prices

Local shops sell a wide range of great products at affordable prices. Many people fall out of the habit of shopping locally and are then surprised by the range of products and gifts available.

4.

Shopping local

Saves You Money

Marketers have done a good job of convincing us that local business equals expensive. If you add travel fees to transfer items and your time, the overall cost is often much higher.

5.

Shopping local

Retains Our Communities

People don’t like losing shops and services in their communities but don’t equate this to how they spend their money. Most people can get to their local shops easily and this is especially important for the elderly and young generations and those without transportation.

6.

Buy local and

Support Yourself

Several studies have shown that when you buy from an independent, locally-owned business, rather than nationally owned businesses, significantly more of your money is used to make purchases from other local businesses, service providers and farms – continuing to strengthen the economic base of the community.

7.

Support

Community Groups

Non-profit organizations receive an average of 250 percent more support from smaller business owners than they do from large businesses.

8.

Keep our

Community Unique

Where we shop, where we eat and have fun – all of it makes our community home. Our one-of-akind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of this place. Our tourism businesses also benefit. “When people go on vacation they generally seek out destinations that offer them the sense of being someplace, not just any place,” says Richard Moe, president of the National Historic Preservation Trust.

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Locally Owned 2019

9.

Reduce

Environmental Impact

Locally-owned businesses can make more local purchases requiring less transportation and generally set up shop in town or city centers as opposed to developing on the fringe. This generally means contributing less to sprawl, congestion, habitat loss and pollution.

10.

Invest

in Community

Local businesses are owned by people who live in this community, are less likely to leave, and are more invested in the community’s future.

11.

Put your

Taxes to Good Use

Local businesses in town centers required comparatively little infrastructure investment and make more efficient use of public services as compared to nationally owned stores entering the community.

12.

Encourage

Local Prosperity

A growing body of economic research shows that in an increasingly homogenized world, entrepreneurs and skilled workers are more likely to invest and settle in communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character.

13.

Buy What

You Want

A marketplace of tens of thousands of small businesses is the best way to ensure innovation and low prices over the long-term. A multitude of small businesses, each selecting products based not on their own interests and the needs of their local customers, guarantees a much broader range of product choices.

Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019

Locally Owned

Multi-Generational

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Family Businesses W

hen a small business becomes a family business, it grows and evolves.

Those generations of change form a perspective that has matured over time. This is a vision grounded in experience, with roots that stretch toward longevity.

FROM A DIFFERENT AGE When World War II ended, it left a much-changed world. This was the time when Robert and Brenda Lee met in Europe and travelled to America. Here, they opened The Wishing Well restaurant in 1968.

by Megin Potter

for Saratoga TODAY Photos provided.

Located in Wilton within a historic structure built in 1823, their family home was on the second floor, just above the restaurant kitchen and formal dining room on the main floor.

With their business and personal lives inextricably linked, the Lee’s four children witnessed an age when dining out was reserved for special occasions.

“It was a more rarified experience. Part of me misses that. Men would come in their hats and women would dress for dinner. It was an event,” said their son and The Wishing Well’s current owner, Bob Lee.

LASTING SIGNIFICANCE This put Bob in a unique position, a privilege that he appreciates.

“Being a small part of people coming in with their families and celebrating events at the restaurant gives us a sense of having shared experiences in life,” he said.

The restaurant business ebbs and flows over 50 years. At The Wishing Well, Rob Roy’s and cordials are no longer the most requested drinks on the menu but roast duck, calf ’s liver and prime rib are still among the favorites.

While some things have changed, much has stayed the same, including a guiding philosophy that if you treat people well, they will treat you well in return.

“One of my greatest satisfactions is providing someone with their first opportunity or a new opportunity. This is their first job, first paycheck, first opportunity to have some independence,” he said.

Teaching employees to recognize how best to serve and enhance someone’s experience is a way of life for Bob Lee, one where he has played all the positions.

“I’m happiest when I’m as close to the ground game as possible – whether it’s bussing tables, serving wine, or bringing out a birthday dessert. The closer I am to the guest experience, the more I enjoy my responsibility,” he said.

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Multi - Generational Family Businesses continued...

Roohan Realty

The Wishing Well

Bob & Mary Alice.

PRIDE AND RESPECT The Brook Tavern, a casual dining restaurant in Saratoga Springs that Bob opened with his wife, Mary Alice, in 2013, continues this vision.

“It comes down to respect. I have a tremendous respect for everyone at both restaurants. I’ve been in their position and worked their jobs,” he said.

Left to right: Tom Roohan, Kate Naughton, Dan Roohan and Conner Roohan standing before a painting of John Roohan, founder og Roohan Realty.

His experience has shown Bob that business mirrors life.

THE BUILDING OF A COMMUNITY

“The restaurant business is different today than yesterday and will be different tomorrow than it is today. It’s always evolving and changing,” said Bob.

A community doesn’t just appear, it must be built.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

In 1970’s Saratoga, native John T. Roohan saw beyond the city’s deteriorating abandoned structures and helped to build it into the elegant downtown we have today.

“What really makes a restaurant is its guests. At the end of the day, taking care of guests - that never goes out of style. The soul of a restaurant is its guests. That sense of service to them is something that’s cultivated over the years. I don’t know any other way,” he said.

A sales coordinator for construction company W.J. Grande and Son when he embarked on the project, John took on the job of marketing a collection of 82 foreclosed buildings centered around Union Avenue.

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IMMERSED IN THE ACTION Tom’s management style at Roohan Realty is more like that of a coach than as a taskmaster.

“He’s very approachable with a great head on his shoulders. He’s very easy to work for,” said Kate.

Of the 50 people now on staff at Roohan Realty, Tom’s sons, Dan and Trey, both work for him, as does his nephew, Conner.

Being a member of a large family business where they work as independent contractors within it, means that comradery and friendly competition go hand-in-hand.

“People don’t often leave Roohan Realty. We provide all the tools here for people to be a success. We have a good team,” said Tom. INDIVIDUALS FOR A COMMON GOOD “It was a real crossroads for the Saratoga Springs community. People thought he’d never sell those buildings and he sold (almost) all of them in two years,” said Tom Roohan.

Dan, who was licensed in April, combines his environmental impact education and experience working in New York City, with knowledge of the local market, to bring the language of energy efficiency into current restoration and construction projects.

The last two properties were sold later and are now part of the handsome Skidmore Apartments (consisting of 183 apartments just off Union Avenue).

Conner, who’s been at Roohan Realty for five years, sees working with his family as an exciting opportunity that goes beyond business. It also affords him the chance to contribute to the community.

A PATRIARCH OF EXCELLENCE

“It separates you from the crowd. It’s a great way to meet people and help out,” said Conner.

Tom was just 14 years old when his father, John, founded Roohan Realty in 1969. A decade later, he would become a real estate broker and take on many remarkable restoration projects of his own.

The entire Roohan Realty team contributes to urban renewal, neighborhood preservation and economic development by participating in charitable events and acting within a large number of community service organizations.

John T. Roohan’s daughter, Kate Naughton, started cleaning her father’s office when she was in sixth grade.

“We can’t help ourselves. Why sit on the sidelines and ask, ‘Why did they do it that way?’ when we can be part of these things and make the community better?

Our father’s father was like that, and there wasn’t much that our own father wasn’t involved in,” said Tom.

At 24 years old, she was a licensed real estate agent and was working for her brother, Tom. Tom and Kate both remember their father as an imposing 6’5”, no-nonsense man who insisted on getting the job done.

“He was right there in the thick of it. When he got involved, we all got involved,” said Tom.

“It’s just about being part of the community, shaping the community, keeping it strong, and making it better,” added Dan.

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2019

The Little’s have gained their insightful cooking tips through years of choosing great-quality meat. They honor the animal’s life (and your health) by selecting grass-fed beef. A good cut ensures less waste.

Just Meats

“Whether it’s a 2” thick porterhouse steak or a chicken breast with no fat at all, you can see it and touch it so you know it’s to your liking,” said Matt.

Their most popular meat is super-thin sliced sandwich steak for superb Philly cheese steak sandwiches.

“They’re amazing! You can’t get meat like that anywhere else,” he said.

BRINGING BACK BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR REMEMBERING TASTE

Daniel Little

It seems like we all have certain foods, that when we taste them, transport us to another time.

For Matt Little, it’s the freshly-smoked hot dogs that his father would give him after school when he got off the bus at Just Meats, the butcher shop his parents opened in 1980.

The Little family began cutting meat in the 1900’s. Little’s Dairy in Ballston Spa grew to become the Little Brothers in Milton.

In the 1950’s, Quentin Little began the Little Country Market on Front Street. Quentin and his brother, Daniel, worked together, serving up meats to customers waiting in lines that would extend out the door and wrap around the building.

While people today are no longer eating exactly like they used to (think ham, bacon, and sausage for breakfast) the demand for made-to-order meats is still fierce.

In 2013, Daniel’s sons, Matt and Mark Little, moved Just Meats to Schuylerville.

“We definitely know how to break down the cow, cut the meat and also, how to cook it,” said Matt.

HONORING LIFE Butchers want to give you a piece of meat that you’re going to love.

Matt’s favorite today is a nice grilled flat iron steak.

“You should be able to not put anything on it but salt and pepper so you’re able to taste the meat,” he said.

Whether you’re a foodie or just sick of the sterile supermarket experience, butcher shops bring back so much of what has been missed.

A big part of this is the friendliness of the butcher cutting up meat that comes from well-cared for animals.

“People want to see a friendly face and people that are happy to serve them in a pleasant atmosphere - someone that’s excited to see them, and who can’t wait to see them again,” said Matt.

A great butcher shop that gives you a nice nostalgic feeling is something the Little’s believe should be close to you.

Last year, they opened their second Just Meats shop in Greenwich.

“It’s definitely a balancing act but it’s also a great opportunity to serve multiple communities and people who can’t get to both locations. We’re proud to be bringing back that nostalgia of butcher shops and think there should be one in every town,” said Matt.

Winter hours begin in November. Just Meats, 1023 Route 29, Schuylerville, will be open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., and Sunday 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Just Meats, 5 Salem St., Greenwich, will be open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.

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Unique and

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One of a Kind Shops T

here are just some things you will never be able to buy online.

A SHARED PASSION Personalized service that ensures you get a great fit can’t be done virtually. A shared passion can’t be read in a review.

“We’re all skiers. There’s tremendous value added when you can talk to someone who shares the same experience. You can’t put a dollar value on it,” said Jack Hay, co-owner of Alpine Sport Shop.

by Megin Potter

for Saratoga TODAY Photos provided.

While other ski shops have come and gone, Alpine Sport Shop has remained.

“We’re the only ski shop in town now. We’ve been here since 1941, some people call that a legacy,” said Cathy Hay. Her parents, Thurlow and Dorothy “Dot” Woodcock, bought the business from its original owners and moved it into the ski chalet-style building that Thurlow designed and built himself.

Gone are the days of the indoor ski slope and yodeling contests, but even today, as you pull open the heavy front doors, you feel as if you’ve been transported to the mountain the moment you step inside.

A GOOD FIT “Things evolve and it’s good. Women can feel comfortable to be themselves and be honest about where they ski. We listen to the customer and work with you to help guide you, whatever your needs might be,” said Cathy.

Listening like this is something that banner ads and online pop-ups just can’t do.

When you visit Alpine Ski Shop’s website, it’s purely a space for information – where you can learn about their brands, events and services.

They’re not trying to sell you anything online because they want to ensure you’re getting the product that is right for you – in person.

“You sure can’t get a boot fit online,” said Cathy.

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Alpine Sport Shop

As skiers themselves, everyone at Alpine Ski Shop knows that asking questions now, means a better experience on the slopes.

“Our employees go through extensive training in boot fitting. It’s really an art to be able to properly fit someone. It enhances their experience and gives them more control because their feet aren’t cold and are in the proper position. With the right boot, their enjoyment level goes way up,” added Jack.

STARTING OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT There’s a lot of ways to live your life.

For action sports filmmaker and skier Warren Miller, a pair of skis were a passport to freedom.

“Warren Miller movies are the indicator that the ski season is upon us: winter starts here.

The Warren Miller movie is a family movie, and we’re a family shop,” said Jack.

For more than 20 years, Alpine Sport Shop has been hosting the latest Warren Miller

movie, with proceeds benefitting the Double H Ranch adaptive winter sports program and the Saratoga Springs High School Alpine and Nordic ski programs.

Kids are always growing but continuing to offer them that freedom means keeping them in good fitting skis. Alpine Sport Shop’s rental program makes that affordable with seasonal ski rentals priced at just $99/child and $199/adult.

“It’s the primary method of getting kids equipped,” said Cathy.

Already this season, they have rented 500 pairs of skis, 100 more than at this time last year.

“Every day that you don’t ski, you don’t get back,” said Jack.

Warren Miller’s “Timeless” will be shown at 7 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, at the Maple Avenue Middle School, 515 Maple Ave., Saratoga Springs. Tickets are $20 each at the door. Get $5 off/ticket when purchased at Alpine Sport Shop, 399 Clinton St., Saratoga Springs.

12 Unique and One-of-a-Kind Shops continued...

Finishing Touches Home Decor and More

Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019

Locally Owned 2019

PRECIOUS FINDS You’re not like anyone else, your life is uniquely yours, there will never be another like it, ever.

Your home should reflect that.

“The things I try to find are definitely the things you won’t find in other stores,” said Shelly Walker, an interior designer and the owner of Finishing Touches Home Décor & More in Wilton.

The unique vintage and handmade items you find in every corner of this amazing shop are a curated collection gathered by a designer with a discriminating eye.

Innovative pieces from New York City tradeshows, like NY NOW, are placed alongside spectacular antiques found within a 40,000 sq. ft. warehouse in Hudson, NY, and the plethora of vendors making products locally.

“Small businesses are very important to our local economy and being a small business owner myself, I believe we should all try to shop small all the time!” she said.

LIMITED EDITION BY DESIGN Walker mixes your heirlooms and beloved items with refinished and repurposed pieces, then blends in the new, to come up with a space that is exclusively your own.

“Instead of just selling products off the showroom floor, we are able to do floor plans to really know where things should be placed, and the exact sizing of furniture, area rugs, artwork and accessories,” said Walker.

Home is the place where we feel at ease, like we belong.

Walker’s goal is to give you this feeling by giving you a space where you can feel comfortable and happy.

“There is no better feeling than when they see their completed house (or room) and they just smile from ear-to-ear,” she said.

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IN YOUR ELEMENT Visit Finishing Touches Home Décor & More and you’ll know you’re in for a special experience right from the start.

Located in an historic award-winning renovated 1885 church, the moment you pull open the door you’ll be greeted by the high ceilings of a real sanctuary.

A different vignette is set up around every turn, showcasing items as they would appear in everyday life.

“People tell me, ‘Oh, I could move right in here’,” said Walker.

Which is easy to understand when you walk around and see so many welcoming things calling out to you.

There are two floors of squishy couches covered in velvet and fur pillows, fascinating artwork, creative tabletop décor and gifts galore.

Finishing Touches Home Décor & More, 217 Ballard Rd., Wilton, is open Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

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A Bead Just So

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VALUED FOR ALL TIME Throughout the world’s history, beads have held significant cultural value.

Made from materials such as shell, bone, glass, and stone, each one is different and as varied as nature itself.

The creative possibilities are endless. This is true even today when using industrially-made beads uniform in size and color.

“I love beads, making jewelry, and creating. I also love working with groups because you can give everyone the same beads and they all end up making something different,” said Kate Fryer, owner of A Bead Just So. A WORLD OF POSSIBILITIES Fryer’s fascination with beads began when she was a child visiting Saratoga Beads.

As a young adult, she began working there, and after eight years, the owner retired. Fryer saw an opportunity to open her own shop.

A Bead Just So open in 2013 and three years later moved to their current location on Milton Avenue in Ballston Spa. “People tell me, ‘If I can’t find it here, I’ll never find it. It doesn’t exist.’

Some say I have too many beads, but I think, when it comes to crafting, there are never too many choices,” said Fryer.

AMAZING AND UNEXPECTED By buying from wholesalers in New York and Chicago, Fryer has amassed a collection of thousands upon thousands of beads.

Items as uniquely interesting as sea glass and semi-precious jade stones are joined by crystal beads from China, high-quality Japanese seed beads and gorgeous American-mined turquoise individually handpainted with copper edging.

Czech glass beads are among Fryer’s favorites.

“They come in stunning colors and amazing finishes in all sorts of shapes that you wouldn’t expect to see,” she said.

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HANDMADE MASTERPIECES

INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION

Customers walking into the shop are invited to choose from the array of beads and string a number of easy-to-make items themselves.

Repairing and restringing jewelry is one of Fryer’s most-requested services, but she also hosts lots of classes and will even offer private one-on-one instruction at no additional cost.

In addition to jewelry, they can also craft a special bookmark or zipper pull, ensuring everyone gets a chance to get creative and leave with something truly one-of-a-kind.

“Everybody knows they can go online, search and find out how to make this or that. There are tutorials but there’s just something special about having someone stand next to you to help. People want someone with them to help guide them along the way,” said Fryer.

In addition to using her expertise to help you finish and secure your masterpieces, Fryer has an assortment of ready-to-wear woven jewelry that she’s made for sale, along with handcrafted candles, soaps, beauty and skincare products, silk-screened purses, and more.

“Most of it is made locally, but if it’s not local, then it’s still handmade,” she said.

A Bead Just So, 114 Milton Ave., Ballston Spa, is open Tuesday through Saturday10 a.m. until 5 p.m. To find a calendar of their upcoming classes, follow them on Facebook @ABeadJustSo.

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Double the Impact

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Locally Produced, Locally Sold

L

ocal businesses build the town around them.

For a century, the King family has been raising cows and supplying milk to the surrounding community.

That’s a long time to be in any business. While many things have changed during that time, looking back, what may prove to be one of their largest happened this May when the King Brothers Dairy opened a new ice cream parlor and farm store on their 90-acre property.

by Megin Potter

for Saratoga TODAY Photos provided.

BUILDING TOGETHER Hiring local businesses for this big change (including Olsen Associates Architects, Conover Electric, and John Bolster Design, to create, power, and design the 3,000 sq. ft. bottling plant and retail space) was an easy decision, because buying local is a practice that has been inextricably intertwined with the King’s success right from the start.

“That’s what we’re all about. We’ve been farming here for over 100 years and we have strong roots in the community. Our customers are our neighbors. They go out of their way to support us and as a local business, we support them,” said Jeff King, co-owner of King Brothers Dairy.

A COOL WAY TO WARM UP It’s never too cold for ice cream.

The 34 flavors of small-batch artisan hard ice-cream, milkshakes and more, available at King Brothers Dairy are made year-round on-site with super-premium quality milk from the cows housed just steps away.

“The ice cream is made with milk and cream as local as it can get,” said King.

Over the winter, a group of new products will take your taste buds beyond ice cream to the warming comfort of delights like pie `a la mode, soups and chili, muffins and pastries.

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King Brothers Dairy

The warmth that really melts your heart is knowing that enjoying an ice cream treat here gives someone near to you a sweet new future.

“One of the really exciting effects of starting this retail business is the fact that we’ve gained really great team members. Since they started with us, we have really been able to see them grow as individuals and as professionals. They’ve been able to grow with the business and have gone from renting apartments, to renting houses, to now having a home of their own.

It’s the support of our customers that helps them along that path,” said King.

the kid-sized milk truck or at their own ice cream stand.

In addition to their dairy products, the King Brothers Farm Store sells their own beef cuts, as well as coolers stocked with other local favorites from regional producers including Oscar’s Smokehouse, Cabot Cheese, Pucker’s Pickles, Thomas Poultry eggs, Smith’s Orchard Pies, and New Skete Cheesecakes, to name a few.

CENTERED ON SERVICE

King Brothers Dairy delivers milk products to homes and businesses in seven counties and will soon be expanding that network further into the Capital District, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

While grabbing a bite to eat, guests can sit in their spacious dining area and watch the bottling process through a glass viewing window while the little children play pretend in

“We have a significant production capacity here, so we will certainly continue serving our local customers. Working close to home is at our core,” said King.

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Stitches and Time

WELCOME TO MY TABLE Next time you sit down with friends and family, laughing and enjoying a nice meal, take a moment to notice the table itself. Feel its heft, smooth finish, and how it is made.

If it’s a substantial farmhouse table, take a peak underneath it and look for Denise Murphy’s signature.

She’s been building custom furniture from her Schuylerville workshop for more than 15 years.

Chances are good that you’ve dined at one of her tables or seen her work in a local shop.

STITCHING TOGETHER THE FABRIC OF A COMMUNITY Using locally sold rough-cut pine boards, Murphy builds the tables that people connect with each other at, the cupboards they find nourishment in, and the fireplaces that ignite instant romance.

Her heavy wood pieces can be seen in homes, restaurants and stores throughout the area, including at Doc Brown’s, Harvest & Hearth, the Saratoga Winery, and the Iron Roost. The list just goes on and on.

“People say to me, ‘I saw that table and I loved it, so I had to come see you’. Tables are my biggest thing,” said Murphy.

Stitches & Time, the shop Murphy opened in 1987 next to her 1874 farmhouse, began as a quilt store but grew to be so much more.

Murphy is always making something, and is so busy that even she may not realize just how much she’s connected the community with her products.

A SWEET HARVEST Early on summer mornings, Murphy picks blueberries at Winnie’s Blueberry Farm and adds them to some of the 35 varieties of jellies and jams that she cans in her kitchen and sells locally.

“I go nearly every morning before I open up shop here. His blueberries are the best. His bushes are nice to pick off of. The field is nice. I can fill a huge bowl in 15-20minutes, the picking is so good,” she said.

Murphy also picks apples and plums from the nearby Saratoga Apple Orchard and combines them with heirloom raspberries, blackberries, pears and rhubarb (from her own property) for the 800 jars of fruit spreads she sells each year.

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Locally Owned 2019

OVERFLOWING WITH LOCAL FLAVOR The luscious smell of fruit can also be found in the tempting jar candles that Murphy makes and sells at Stiches & Time.

“I can’t do everything though and if I had an empty shop, no one would want to come back. Instead, people say I have so much stuff it’s overwhelming. I tell them to take their time, walk around two or three times, and don’t forget to look up, look down, and look all around,” said Murphy.

She’s recruited the help of her sister, Kim, to help run the store, craft items such as hand-woven rag rugs, and hunt for antiques.

Local residents consign handmade items including jewelry, carved wooden maps, primitive dolls and more.

There is so much here in fact, that Stitches & Time quickly outgrew its original space and expanded into a furniture showroom built by her father, Les, and uncles, Ken and Clarence. Her husband, Jim, has also helped along the way to make Stiches & Time into a shopping experience flooded with a local charm that you can’t wait to dive into and explore.

SIMPLIFYING LOCAL Busy lifestyles require convenient solutions.

Just outside of Saratoga Springs, the 9 Miles East farm staff is simplifying eating healthy by busily growing, harvesting, preparing, and delivering local foods directly to you.

Their colorful salads, soups, entrees, and pizzas are made with the farm’s own locally-grown, seasonal produce and other healthy ingredients, making them a great choice for those with specific dietary preferences and restrictions or who just want to have a healthy meal alternative - no matter how busy they are.

9 Miles East catering and delivery services are making it easier than ever to eat clean at event venues, at work, and even at home.

9Miles East

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STEWARDS OF THE LAND A farm that delivers must first be a great producer, and at 9 Miles East, that means being rooted in responsible use of the land.

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9Miles East

Using fast-growing cover crops including rye, clover, sweet clover, and buckwheat on their fields ensures healthier soil on the 29 acres that they’ve been cultivating sustainably in Schuylerville since 2004.

The farm’s owner, Gordon Sacks, is invested in giving people healthy food, while also protecting the environment.

“Just one of our delivery vans replaces 10 cars that would be out on the road otherwise,” he said.

EXPANDING THE CIRCLE To support the community, in addition to delivering to their 100 home subscribers, 100 local companies, and numerous customers ordering pizza every day, 9 Miles East donates food to community causes.

They also strive to pay their 40 employees more than the average local wage.

“There’s a great quality of life here, terrific local farms and craft producers. We love living here and would never live anywhere else,” said Sacks.

Rather than limiting the idea of local, Sacks wants to expand it.

The farm’s name was derived from it being nine miles east of Saratoga, but Sacks wants people outside of that radius to have easy access to fresh food.

Already delivering close to home and to the entire Saratoga County community, 9 Miles East has also expanded further into the Capital Region and to Boston.

“You can be a purist and draw a circle around an area and say only this is ‘local’ but we’re not purists. Our mission is to fundamentally expand the market of local, healthy food,” said Sacks.

EVEN CLOSER TO YOU You can already order local 9 Miles East food online at your leisure.

Their many meal formats include the Go Box, Go Baskets, Dinners-to-Go, One-to-Go entrees, Go Bags, and more.

Plus, there is pizza. Delivery is available from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Their first restaurant will also be opening soon at 64 Excelsior Ave., Saratoga Springs.

The 40-seat 9 Miles East dining area will be open 7 days/week from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. and will be serving the same award-winning food that they’ve become famous for.

Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019

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Saratoga Farmers’ Market

Feathered Antler

Grows Entrepreneurship In pursuing a start-up business, what begins with a vision soon develops into a careful business plan.

by Julia Howard for Saratoga TODAY Photos by Pattie Garrett unless noted.

And while there may be common groundwork in building a strategy, the process is as unique as each idea. Farmers' markets have been a starting point for new entrepreneurs as well as well-established businesses looking to grow their sales on a local platform. From testing products with potential customers to establishing the financial resources to grow, pursuing opportunities through farmers’ markets is the logical ‘next step’ for some.

Gretchen Tisch of Feathered Antler.

Feathered Antler. Photo provided.

“The farmers’ market is the reason I have a storefront,” stated Gretchen Tisch, owner of Feathered Antler on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

Tisch began Feathered Antler as an online shop in 2010, selling custom painted items such as clothing, dishware, and artwork. In the fall of 2015, she became a vendor at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market and one year later she opened her store in downtown Saratoga Springs.

“The farmers' market has given me the opportunity to find my niche and discover who my customers are -- to truly create my brand.” said Tisch. Tisch added that gaining exposure at the farmers’ market also helped to give her business a boost. “When I get emails from customers wanting to purchase a product, the majority of them start with ‘I met you at the farmers’ market’,” laughed Tisch.

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Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019

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Saratoga Farmers’ Market: Grows Entrepreneurship continued...

Owl Wood Farm

Photo provided.

Mark Boscum and Lindsay Fisk of Owl Wood Farm shared similar feedback despite running a very different business as seasonal agricultural growers. “We like the idea of farmers’ markets because we get to meet the customers and get to know them and they get to know us,” said Fisk.

“We also decided on farmers’ markets as an outlet when we started because we felt we could have more flexibility with what we could bring and not feel the pressure that can come from pursuing wholesale outlets,” Fisk explained further.

Whether launching a new product or growing an established business, farmers' markets provide face-to-face interactions with customers as well as other business owners unlike any other sales platform. “Direct marketing at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market also allows us to make connections with local restaurants, meet other farmers and be part of a farmer network, and even creates an easy way to donate to local food pantries as volunteers gather food at the end of the market,” said Fisk.

How does one pursue vending opportunities at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market? Their website is a good place to start. There you will find

comprehensive information on the farmers’ market, the seasonal application dates, as well as a link to the application which is open twice a year for seasonal enrollment.

November marks the farmers’ market’s move indoors to the Wilton Mall. And with well over 50 vendors planning to attend, the farmers’ market is at capacity for the season. However, planning for the outdoor

markets in 2020 will begin shortly after the new year, and local producers are encouraged to apply.

The Saratoga Farmers Market is 3-6 p.m.

Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays at High Rock Park through October. On November 2, the market begins its indoor season from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Saturdays at the Wilton Mall. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for updates.

Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019

Locally Owned

We Have

2019

What You Want Buying local works.

The research is in. Buying local gives you the shopping experience you want while enriching the lives of the people you know.

Big retailers are scrambling, trying to cash in on consumer buying preferences by looking local.

Shop the shelves. You’ll see big corporations using names like “Farmers' Market” printed in rustic fonts on revised labels made to look like what you’d actually find from small local producers.

by Megin Potter

There’s no need to settle for looking local. Get what you want. Buy Local. Here are 10 reasons why:

3. Building Your Network Businesses thrive on word-of-mouth marketing.

Buying local gives you the chance to spread the word about what you do while you’re doing something else.

When you’re at a restaurant, you can mention the amazing cakes you make. When you’re buying a gift, you can hand out your card leading them to your Instagram page.

The possibilities are endless and the rewards are plentiful.

for Saratoga TODAY

4. Paying it Forward

1. Personalized Shopping Experience

Parks, roads, and other community improvements are funded by taxes.

When you frequent a local shop, they know your name and what you like. They also know their products.

Most importantly, at local shops they listen.

Their livelihood depends on them being good listeners.

They can quickly tell you why one item is better for you than another and ensure that you are getting what you want.

2. Friends When you buy from your neighbors, they become your friends.

They get to know you a little bit more each time you go into their store. They will often tell you a funny joke, an interesting story, or share the latest gossip.

Because of you, they get to make a sale and for each one, they do a little happy dance because you’ve helped them send their kid to college or helped to pay for their aging parent’s healthcare.

When you buy local, that money is paid in the form of taxes and used to build all the things you want to enjoy in your neighborhood in the future.

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24 We Have What You Want continued...

Locally Owned

Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019

2019

5. Creating a One -of -a -Kind Neighborhood 8. Giving You Less Do you want walkable, bikeable streets to stroll down?

Travel around the country and you’ll see why Saratoga is such a special place. Instead of a Main Street, there are lanes of congested traffic leading to massive parking lots outside of ginormous super-mega-warehouse stores, chain stores, and restaurants.

Saratoga has a mixture of parks and rural spaces, historic structures, modern buildings and industrial businesses all woven together.

6. Decidedly Good Design Local shops want your business and will use clever design, their building’s interesting architecture, and individual novel touches to charm and fascinate you.

More isn’t always better. Live easier. Simplify.

Shopping local often means you’re getting quality goods, crafted with care.

The result is less debt, less hassle and fewer headaches from the mass-produced junk cluttering up your house.

9. Sensual Shopping We experience the world through our senses, so why would we buy anything without them?

Local food gets to you faster, so it is fresher, left on the vine to ripen naturally, and picked at its peak to retain more nutrients.

Go where it’s fun to shop. A place where you’re compelled to linger, follow your eyes around the store, and explore.

Hold a local tomato in your hand. The flesh is firm but soft, it looks vibrant, smells sensational, and tastes so good you can already hear your family’s praise when you use it in their favorite dish.

7. Online Convenience

10. It ’s Smart

So, you can’t pop into your local shop or have the time to leisurely stroll down the street? Buy from local makers online.

We all want to feel confident that we’ve gotten a great product or service at a good price.

Almost everyone has a website or social media presence, all you have to do is click on it during your next product search.

Stop scrolling through online reviews and trust what your family, friends, neighbors, and big business already know –the smart choice is to buy local.

Week of October 25 – October 31, 2019

Locally Owned

Holidays are

2019

Extra Special at Local Shops

by Megin Potter

for Saratoga TODAY Photos provided.

H

appiness comes more from experiences than from products. Local shops give you the gift of an experience.

The holidays are a time to be entertained. There are festive decorations and whimsical window displays, smells of cinnamon, spruce and peppermint, smiles and yummy samples everywhere for you to enjoy.

While shopping for everyone else on your list, give yourself the gift of visiting local establishments. You deserve it.

Unbelievable taste is a memory maker. Whether you’re stopping in for a breakfast sandwich, refueling with a hearty lunch, or buying your special meal, Just Meats treats you right.

“Holidays are special, it means family, a big meal, coming home to see each other and eat. It’ s the taste of your aunt’s pecan pie, your mom’s gravy and a prime rib roast. People splurge on themselves for the holiday. It can be an expensive meal and we’re honored that people trust us to feed their family,” said Matt Little, co-owner of Just Meats.

A gift certificate for a food delivery subscription makes a tasty gift that lasts longer than the holiday. Try 9 Miles East prepared healthy local foods, or King Brothers Dairy this season. Watch for the Saratoga Santa – he’ll be stopping by King Brothers Ice Cream Parlor. At their Holiday Open House sample products, visit with the farm animals, and take a tour. There’s eggnog and ice cream in seasonal flavors, local foods and gifts for your friends and neighbors.

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26 Holidays are Extra Special at Local Shops continued...

Locally Owned

Three sparkling trees, wreaths and poinsettias decorate The Wishing Well restaurant.

Their fireplaces are roaring as you dine on continental cuisine and enjoy live entertainment every Friday and Saturday night.

“The holiday season is one of the most special times to be at the restaurant, outside of the racing season, it’s our busiest time of year. For bus groups, families and friends, it’s a tradition to visit the restaurant at some point during the holiday. The holidays are a time to celebrate as well as reflect. A restaurant steeped with history provides that celebratory environment,” said Bob Lee, owner of The Wishing Well.

Small Business Saturday, on November 30, is the time to shop for unique local gifts at special prices.

Stop in at A Bead Just So for jewelry or a gift certificate for a private class, at Stitches & Time for a one-of-a-kind handmade gift, and at Finishing Touches Home Décor & More

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for a stylish addition to your holiday home.

If you’re starting to think you might be ready for a move, the holidays are a great time to stop in at Roohan Realty. They are a family of problem solvers who can guide you through the ever-changing real estate market. They also have the largest non-church indoor nativity scene in the area.

Stepping into Alpine Sport Shop is a holiday in itself, as kind staff, amazing equipment, free gift wrapping and a generous return policy make your shopping worries melt away.

“You get transported. Not just because you’re buying stuff for Christmas but because the ski season is here and it’s such an emotional time. That’s a big part of the excitement that people have and it’s fun because you know soon, you’ll be sitting on the side of a mountain,” said Jack Hay, co-owner of Alpine Sport Shop.