MALTA — Balet Flowers & Design celebrated the grand opening of its new barn last week on Earth Day.

The Flower and Arts Barn is stocked with bushes, perennials, annuals, herbs, vegetables, hanging baskets, handmade pottery, and additional gardening supplies.

The company also specializes in creating floral designs with a “unique country flair” for weddings and other special events.

Until July 3, the new barn located at 5065 Nelson Avenue Ext in Malta will be open daily from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. From July 5 until December 23, it will be open every day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (except Thanksgiving).

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The New York State Department of Transportation recently shared photos detailing construction progress on the Saratoga County Airport, which is getting a new terminal building, restaurant, 20,000-square-foot hangar, and various interior spaces for concessions and rental car facilities.

The images revealed a horse racing statue outside the terminal, as well as a cavernous, window-filled space inside the terminal with a large staircase.

“Once complete, the upgraded airport will offer a better experience for travelers, support local businesses, and strengthen the region’s economy,” the Department of Transportation said. “We’re proud to help bring this project to life and keep Saratoga County moving forward.”

As previously reported by Saratoga TODAY, a public hearing is set to take place on May 13 regarding a proposed lease agreement with Alexi’s at the Airport, Inc. for the exclusive operation of a restaurant space in the airport.

The restaurant would be located inside the terminal, which includes a newly constructed commercial-grade kitchen, bar, dining area, back-of-house storage, and catering area.

If the agreement is approved, Alexi’s at the Airport Inc. would be the airport’s exclusive provider of food services.

ALBANY — Uncommon Grounds, a local coffee shop chain that first opened in Saratoga Springs in 1992, celebrated the grand opening of its newest location at the Albany Airport last week.

The new shop, which is located just past security, will be open daily from 4 a.m. until 2 p.m.

“[Uncommon Grounds’] coffee and bagels have been a community favorite for years, and now they’re bringing that same warmth, quality, and energy to our travelers,” said Albany County Executive Dan McCoy in a statement.

Uncommon’s original location is at 402 Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs. It has two additional shops in Albany, and another in Clifton Park. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga has been selected as a charity partner for the Seen Through Horses campaign, which convenes individuals, mental health professionals, celebrities, and influencers to increase awareness, drive engagement, and raise funding for nonprofit organizations.

“Being part of this campaign is more than an honor, it’s a powerful affirmation of what we witness every day on our farm,” said Kim Weir, director of strategic growth for Therapeutic Horses, in a news release. “Across the country, programs like ours are proving that horses have a unique ability to support people in their most vulnerable moments. We are proud and excited to participate in this national effort to shine a spotlight on the powerful positive impact of horses in our communities. Coming together through this campaign shows the world that equine therapy isn’t just an interesting alternative, it’s an effective resource within the mental health landscape.”

The mission of Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga is to give retired racehorses a second career as therapy partners, which can help individuals, children, families, couples, veterans, and service members improve their mental health through equine-assisted psychotherapy and wellness programs.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — For over 20 years, Bodywork Professionals owner Nick Pavoldi has been building his business into what it has become today. After spending time training in massage therapy across Florida, Colorado, and even Hawaii, he returned to his home region in Upstate New York to begin building his brand, which has now become Bodywork professionals. 

The business started with Pavoldi working as a one-man operation, before things started to get busier, prompting him to slowly hire more and more therapists to help take care of each customer that came in. It’s been 20 years since Bodywork Professionals first opened, and the business now has a team of 30 dedicated massage professionals. Pavoldi says that anyone that comes into any of the three locations can feel assured that they will be taken care of by any and all of his employees.

“I recognize that lying face down on the table can often be a little intimidating in the beginning,” says Pavoldi, adding, “I think one of the things that I’d really like people to know is that they really are in good hands with the therapists that I have here, and they’re all really dedicated and caring professionals.”

Pavoldi also says that the main goal of the business is for every customer to walk out with their body feeling better than before. Rather than just focusing on massaging, the business focuses on bodywork, which Pavoldi explains is a process that goes deeper than the traditional relaxation and rejuvenation of a massage. While bodywork does provide those experiences as well, the main goal of a bodywork professional is to help improve the function and support of a customer’s muscular and skeletal systems. 

To accomplish this, Bodywork professionals offers a wide variety of services for their customers, including softer options like the Swedish massage, up to more intense muscle work with deep tissue massages. They also offer medical massages, which aim to tailor the whole experience toward helping to relieve whatever pain the customer is experiencing. 

“So, if you say you’re having a medical massage and your shoulder hurts, the whole massage is about your shoulder,” Pavoldi explains. “And it may not only be in your shoulder. You may have to work on the other shoulder, your low back, or your chest, or your neck.”

One of the newer services being offered at the office in Saratoga Springs is what’s known as a vibroacoustic table. It uses audio frequencies to produce vibrations throughout the table that then go through the person’s body, creating a relaxing atmosphere. Customers also have the option to wear headphones while they are on the table so they can be fully immersed in the music or sounds that are giving them that tactile experience. Customers that book an appointment in the Saratoga Springs office and arrive ahead of time can spend 10 to 15 minutes on the table. There is no extra cost associated with having this vibroacoustic experience. 

Bodywork Professionals can be found across three locations: 109 Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs, 578 New Loudon Road in Latham, and 1343 Balltown Road in Niskayuna. All three locations are open from 8am to 8pm Monday through Friday, and 9am to 4pm on weekends. 

Visit bodyworkprofessionals.com for more information.

BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa National Bank (BSNB) announced last week that it will begin a historic rehabilitation of its original headquarters located at 87 Front Street, beginning June 2.

The building, which first served as a private residence in 1824, has been serving customers and businesses in the Village of Ballston Spa for over 187 years.

The rehabilitation project will be made possible through the partnership with Landmark Consulting LLC, Historic Preservation and Architectural Services, hcp architects, and BBL Construction Services. The bank is also applying for approval with the National Register of Historic Places and New York State Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Program under the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). 

“This is more than a renovation—it’s committing to our future and honoring our past,” said BSNB President and CEO Christopher R. Dowd in a news release. “We’re updating the space with the latest technology improvements while preserving our historic appearance and heritage that define BSNB.”

The 87 Front Street Branch will temporarily close beginning Monday, June 2 and will remain closed until construction is completed. New and existing customers can visit the Ballston Spa Corporate Branch, 990 State Route 67 (1.1 miles) or the Milton Crest Branch, 344 Rowland Street, (3.3 miles) for all banking services.

BSNB plans to celebrate the newly renovated branch in late 2025 and will keep the community informed with updates on their website.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce announced this week that Colleen Carlson will be its 2025 Joseph Dalton Community Service Award recipient.

Chad Kiesow, the COO of Stewart’s Shops, will also be honored by the Chamber for serving as its 2024 Chair of the Board.

Carlson is the Director of Sales for the Saratoga Casino Hotel and has been with the organization for more than 40 years. She is a founding member of the Board of Directors at Jake’s Help from Heaven and currently serves as the organization’s treasurer. The nonprofit helps to create opportunities for individuals with complex medical needs and disabilities to thrive.

“When we started in 2011, I cried over each grant,” Carlson said in a statement. “Now I find joy in the support and quality of life opportunities Jake’s Help from Heaven gives to so many families.”

Carlson’s past volunteer work includes serving as the general manager and host family coordinator for the Saratoga Phillies baseball organization. Her involvement with the Phillies led to her appointment by Mayor Scott Johnson to the Saratoga Springs Recreation Committee, where she became the vice chair. For the past ten years, she has served on the Adirondack Trust Fund Advisory Committee. From 2013 to 2022, she served on the Board of Directors of the Saratoga Hospital Foundation. And in her role with the Saratoga Casino Hotel, Carlson has worked with numerous local charitable organizations to organize successful fundraisers from the Wesley Community to Saratoga Hospital, to Sponsor-A-Scholar, and more.

Past recipients of the Joseph Dalton Community Service Award include: Steve Sullivan (2018); Tom Roohan (2019); John Munter, Sr. (2020); Julie Stokes (2021); L. Clifford Van Wagner (2022); Dr. William Long (2023); and Cindy Hollowood (2024). 

Carlson will be presented with the 2025 award at the Annual Chamber Celebration on Thursday, May 8. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Stroll through the grounds of the Saratoga Race Course on a balmy summer afternoon, and amidst the ballyhoo and thundering of hooves, your nose will likely catch the scent of floating, dissipating cigar smoke.

The enjoyment of premium cigars (handcrafted, artisanal cigars as opposed to mass-produced products) has long been a staple of horse racing. That’s partly why the Saratoga area has more than a few cigar lounges with stocked humidors offering celebrated brands like Arturo Fuente, Davidoff, and Rocky Patel.

Of course, no matter how elegant or meticulously rolled these sticks might be, they are still tobacco products that pose potential risks to smokers (The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warn that “cigar smoke contains toxic compounds and chemicals that can cause cancer”). Thus, New York State slapped a 75% tax on the wholesale price of cigars and other tobacco products in an attempt to discourage their use. This tax is the second-highest in the country (after Utah), and local cigar shop owners say it’s hurting their mom-and-pop businesses.

Kathleen Kelly, the president of the New York Cigar Association and the owner for more than three decades of Queensbury Cigar and Pipe, said this tax burden has made it difficult for new shops to open, especially because cigar aficionados can purchase less expensive products online or in a neighboring state with lower tax rates (Pennsylvania doesn’t have a tax on cigars, New Jersey’s rate is 30%, and Connecticut has a 50-cent cap).

“Cigars are more than just cigars,” Kelly said, referring to the economic impact of the hundreds of premium cigar shops in New York.

“We can’t compete with the online [stores] because of that 75% tax,” said James and Sons Tobacconists’ Kyle “Moe” Kommer, who has both a store in downtown Saratoga Springs and a booth at the racetrack. “Especially as manufacturers increase their prices, that just puts us further and further away.”

Kelly said her organization has spoken with a number of state legislators, such as Senator Jessica Ramos, who represents parts of Queens and is currently running for Mayor of New York City. Ramos is the sponsor of the bipartisan Senate Bill S4413A, which would create a flat tax cap of 50 cents on premium cigars. A similar bill in the Assembly (A3376A) was sponsored by Carrie Woerner, who represents Saratoga Springs. A 50-cent tax cap, Kelly said, would help increase “fairness” and “level the playing field.”

“Losing a small business, any small business, is a tragedy, given how important they are to their respective communities and to the [state] economy,” the New York Cigar Association says on its website. “Our members all want to pay their fair share, but a 75% tax rate is not fair and if we can’t make a change, more shops will close.”

Another piece of legislation, sponsored by Assemblyman Philip Ramos (no relation to Jessica) would allow cigar lounges to serve alcohol.

In total, the bills are designed to help support struggling small businesses that, in addition to selling their wares, also have a strong social component.

“You create a family in a cigar lounge,” Kelly said. “It means a lot to people.”

Stop by the family-owned James and Sons on Broadway, and you’ll likely see what Kelly means: friends, strangers, and solo smokers all enjoying each other’s company in a laid-back setting.

“Guys go out on their boats together, vacations, have dinner together all the time,” Kommer said. “That’s what’s nice about it. That sense of community, everyone just kind of takes care of each other and hangs out and becomes lifelong friends.”

A short walk from James and Sons is the former home of the Adirondack Cigar Shoppe on Putnam Street, where locals used to pass the time together enjoying cigars and watching football. The now-empty store could be a sign of what’s to come.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Purdy’s Discount Wine & Liquor in Saratoga Springs recently announced on social media that it would be expanding with a new wine-tasting area and an “even bigger selection of wines.”

“Stay tuned for more details, and stop by soon to check out the progress,” the company said.

Purdy’s has had a presence in the Spa City since 1960. The 15,000-square-foot space includes 9,000 products. The store also sponsors the summer music stage at the Saratoga Race Course.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Nothing Bundt Cakes, a specialty cake franchise with more than 600 locations nationwide, has come to Saratoga Springs.

The new shop, which took over the former Edible Arrangements location at 6 Lowes Drive near the Wilton Mall, is spearheaded by Colonie native Melissa Gleason, who said she fell in love with bundt cakes after her mother-in-law sent her one.

“I got to try, for the first time, white chocolate raspberry, which I absolutely love, and that kind of sold me,” Gleason said.

With her kids in school, Gleason decided the time was right to open up her own business. So in 2017, she opened Nothing Bundt Cakes’ first shop in New York State in Albany. Three years later came a location in Clifton Park. Now there’s one in Saratoga. Another outpost in North Greenbush is next on the agenda.

“Albany really took off. We’re actually still one of the biggest bakeries in our region. It just kind of encouraged us to open up more stores to spread it out and take some pressure off that bakery,” Gleason said.

The Saratoga bakery had a soft opening in late March, and is now officially celebrating its launch with a series of events this weekend. Friday, April 11 is both the official ribbon cutting and AIM Services Benefit Day, when 20% of sales will be donated to an organization that supports people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. On Saturday, April 12, the first 50 guests age 18+ will receive a Free Bundtlets for a Year punch card valid for one personal-sized Bundtlet per month for 12 months.

Nothing Bundt Cakes is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, visit nothingbundtcakes.com.