SARATOGA SPRINGS — Tree House Brewing Company’s hotly anticipated Saratoga Springs location is not quite open for business, but it did allow some locals to pick up to-go cans on December 13 and 14. A few days later, the company announced that it would be allowing pickups of can orders Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m.

Some of the cans featured “Hello Saratoga” designs depicting local institutions such as the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) and the Saratoga Race Course. A message on the cans read, in part: “We couldn’t think of a better location for a new step outside our home state, and we’re honored to be your neighbor…This beer represents our gratitude and invites you to join us in celebration.”

The company is also ramping up its hiring process for the new Spa City outpost. On its website, Tree House currently has five positions listed. The brewery is expected to create “at least” 60 jobs and generate $30 to $40 million in economic activity. The new facility will include a brewery, taproom, and “expansive indoor and outdoor experience” located at 3376 US-9, in between Saratoga Honda and Homewood Suites.

To learn more about Tree House or to place a pickup order, visit www.treehousebrew.com.

MILTON — A new dispensary owned by a United States Navy combat veteran with over 20 years of healthcare experience is set to open soon in the Town of Milton. 

Sashies Dispensary will utilize owner Sachmarie Crowley’s background as a board-certified family and psychiatric nurse practitioner to help educate patrons about cannabis’ medicinal benefits.

Crowley said she’s been prescribing medicinal cannabis since 2016, primarily to geriatric patients who were having pain and sleep issues but didn’t want to take the usual prescribed medications. Over the last eight years, she’s seen cannabis’ health benefits firsthand.

“If we can provide the right education to people, they’ll realize that the plant is really incredible,” Crowley said. “Especially now, [when] people are a little more skeptical of our pharmaceutical industry.”

Although Sashies is not technically a medical dispensary, the staff will be “educated beyond the normal training that a budtender would get,” Crowley said. “We’re just trying to bring a true holistic wellness to our dispensary and a lot of people aren’t doing that.”

Thus far, five employees have been hired during Crowley’s selective process that is seeking passionate and knowledgeable candidates. Some staffers even have pharmaceutical experience in their background.

Sashies Dispensary will offer a wide selection of cannabis products, including flower, edibles, gummies, concentrates, and topicals. Located at 201 Northline Rd (the same site as the Havana Cigar Lounge), the store will have a soft opening on January 3. Eventually, it’ll be open 7 days a week and offer delivery service. 

For more information, visit www.sashiesdispensary.com. Those interested in working at the store can email their resume to hello@sashiesdispensary.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The team behind Hamlet & Ghost, the acclaimed restaurant/cocktail bar on Caroline Street, will soon be opening a “Montreal-inspired” wine bar on Phila Street in downtown Saratoga Springs. 

Named Familiar Creature, the new eatery will serve local meats and cheeses, roasted chicken, French small plates, and, of course, wine. The kitchen will be led by Chefs Michele Hunter and Alex Johnson.

An exact opening date has not yet been revealed, but Familiar Creature is currently hiring cooks to staff its kitchen. Applicants are encouraged to email leah@hamletandghost.com.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Omakase Sushi & Grill’s swanky design and unique dining experience have made it one of the more anticipated Saratoga Springs restaurant debuts in recent memory. Owner Briana Lin celebrated the official opening of her seventh Capital Region establishment on Tuesday afternoon with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“We’re proud to bring something new and exciting to the Saratoga community that has been very welcoming to us,” Lin said via her manager/translator. “We look forward not only to serving you but building lasting relationships.” 

The eatery is named after the Japanese tradition of omakase, which literally translates to “I leave it up to you.” When ordering omakase, patrons entrust the chef to choose their meal for them. The restaurant also features a standard menu with a la carte sushi and other Asian dishes for less adventurous diners.

At the time of the ribbon-cutting ceremony, the restaurant did not yet have a liquor license, although numerous elected officials in attendance assured Lin they could solve that problem. Event attendees included Mayor John Safford, State Senator James Tedisco, and County Supervisor Michele Madigan.

“One of the great privileges of being mayor of this wonderful city is that we can welcome places like this and people like yourself who want to make a mark in our city and provide something really unique,” Mayor Safford said. 

Lin’s ever-expanding restaurant empire includes Azuma Sushi Bistro in Malta and five other establishments in Latham, Glenmont, and Niskayuna. An eighth restaurant is due to open in February 2025.

Omakase Sushi & Grill is now open at 30 Lake Ave in downtown Saratoga Springs.

STILLWATER — Saratoga PLAN (Preserving Land and Nature), a nonprofit land trust, announced on Tuesday that it will permanently protect 280 acres of agricultural land in the Town of Stillwater through a conservation easement with the owner of Questroyal North Farm, Barry Ostrager. The legal agreement ensures that the land will remain farmland forever, supporting the local agricultural community.

Questroyal North is a full-service breeding and mare boarding operation. The farm is home to Bucchero, currently the leading sire in New York, as well as Courageous Cat, a stallion with more than $10 million in progeny earnings.

Ostrager’s boarding operation continues the land’s agricultural legacy. The farmland has been used continuously for agriculture for over 250 years. Originally part of General Philip Schuyler’s Saratoga Patent, it later became the property of his daughter, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, the widow of Alexander Hamilton.

“By permanently conserving Questroyal North Farm, we honor the rich agricultural history of the land, support the local farming economy, and connect the important landscapes that define our region,” said Robert Davies, executive director of Saratoga PLAN, in a statement. “This is a powerful example of how working together at the community level can create lasting benefits for future generations and make a broader positive impact that doesn’t stop at a line on a map.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Nearly two decades ago, Bonnie Grolley visited a small consignment shop while vacationing in the Cape. The store lit up an idea that changed her life.

“I was thinking to myself the minute that I left that literally it was something that was sorely needed in our area, but on a much larger scale,” Grolley said. 

About a year later, Grolley’s idea became a reality and the Saratoga Consignment Studio opened in Ballston Spa. Before long, the store had outgrown its first home and was relocated to a 10,000-square-foot showroom on South Broadway in Saratoga Springs.   

The studio’s consignment process is a relatively simple (and popular) one. Someone interested in selling a well-maintained piece of used furniture can contact Bonnie. If she’s interested in selling the piece, it will be displayed in both the physical showroom and the business’ online inventory. This process gives shoppers access to items that are both less expensive and more unique than what they might find at a typical furniture store.

“I am vetting every single thing that comes into the store,” Grolley said. “It’s imperative to me that what we select is something that I clearly think I can sell. I’m looking for things that are ready to go into someone’s home.”

Grolley’s search for new pieces is a constant one. She said she has new inventory coming in every day and several appointments on the books every day as well. All that work and attention to detail is her responsibility, though perhaps one day that will change.

“I’m looking to bring someone on that we can capitalize on those aspects of things; someone who can help me do the curating so that we’re always on point when it comes to what we offer everyone,” Grolley said. 

In the meantime, Grolley runs both the brick-and-mortar store and the online shop. She ships online orders all over the country while also working with in-store customers from Vermont, Connecticut, and all across the Capital Region.

“We’ve been doing this since 2008, so we’ve built a pretty significant reputation,” Grolley said. “Interior designers are very familiar with the store and they know they can come here and get their clients high-quality inventory at a fraction of the price it would cost new.”

To learn more about the Saratoga Consignment Studio or to view their current inventory, visit www.scsdecor.com. Their showroom is located at 3306 South Broadway and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.

MALTA — NBT Bank celebrated the unveiling of its new office at 51 Luther Forest Boulevard in Malta on Monday.

“NBT Bank has seen tremendous growth in the Capital Region,” said Regional President Al Testa in a statement. “We’re looking forward to serving this active community while further expanding our service network along New York State’s semiconductor chip corridor.”

The new 1,325-square-foot retail office is co-located next to a Stewart’s convenience shop. In addition to providing a meeting space to connect with NBT financial experts, the office features a drive-through, 24-hour ATM, and night drop services.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Arms Hotel will be featuring limited-time Holiday Brunch service on Saturday and Sunday mornings between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Seatings are from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Menu items include cranberry spice pancakes, vanilla eggnog challah french toast, and fresh berry crepes with chantilly cream and chocolate hazelnut drizzle. Special cocktails include Holly Jolly Citrus (vodka, elderflower liqueur, orange juice and a splash of prosecco garnished with pomegranate seeds and fresh thyme), Snow Globe Toast (prosecco, a touch of cranberry juice, fresh cranberries, and fresh rosemary), and Cider Maple Old Fashioned (bourbon, pure maple syrup, apple cider, orange bitters, cinnamon stick garnish).

Reservations can be made online at https://tables.toasttab.com/restaurants/a8887a6a-3716-46ff-ad7b-42328f250a71/findTime.