SARATOGA SPRINGS — As visitors fill up downtown hotels for the start of track season, less than four miles away, Hotel Brookmere is buzzing with activity. Construction workers scattered across the 90,000-square-foot property only have about five months left until opening day, and there’s still plenty of work to be done before guests can arrive and kick their feet up.

Come December, this active construction site will transform into what Brookmere General Manager Julian Miller called an “all-encompassing resort where folks can get everything right here.”

Nestled on nearly 10 acres of tree-filled land (the former home of Longfellows Hotel & Restaurant), the 88-room luxury hotel will include a ballroom, courtyard, outdoor swimming pool, and fitness center. But the two jewels of the property will probably be the appropriately-named Arbor Spa, and Regent, a French restaurant and bar that Miller said would be “approachable” and “not stuffy.”

“We want the restaurant and the ballroom and the event spaces to really feel like the living room of Saratoga, in a way,” said Amber Mathias, director of project management at Bonacio Construction. “We want people to come here and for this to be their go-to choice.”

Unlike some of the bustling accommodations on Broadway, Brookmere advertises itself as a tranquil retreat. The hotel’s interior design “plays with upstate New York and the change of the seasons,” Mathias said. The ballroom and lobby will have a blue, wintery vibe. The restaurant area will be brighter, invoking summertime. The guest rooms will have an autumnal feel, with green walls, dark brown furniture, and stag-covered wallpapers that bring the Adirondacks to mind. 

Indeed, nature is a recurring theme throughout the property. Step outside the spa where the swimming pool will be and you’ll find the entrance to a nature trail. Launch a golf ball towards the trees and it might land on a fairway at the Saratoga National Golf Club. Stroll towards the golf course and you’ll come upon Lake Lonely, which borders the property.

The amount of space at Brookmere, both inside and out, might be its defining feature when compared to other Saratoga hotels. So it’s probably no surprise that Miller is already booking events scheduled for next year. 

“People are already looking at Belmont next summer. People are already looking at racing season events. And weddings, we’ve already had 2026 inquiries,” Miller said.

Although the hotel won’t be open until December, guests may be able to start booking rooms as soon as August. Brookmere will also be working on beefing up its staff in the coming months. Miller said he expects the hotel to hire around 90-100 employees. Positions are currently open for executive-level staffers.

To learn more about Hotel Brookmere, visit www.hotelbrookmere.com, or follow their recently-launched social media accounts on Facebook and Instagram. 

CLIFTON PARK — The RISE dispensary in Clifton Park celebrated its first day of adult-use cannabis sales on Saturday. Prior to June 29, the dispensary only sold cannabis products for medical purposes.

The occasion was commemorated with a DJ set, free bagels, and a performance by mentalist Dustin Dean. Profits from the day were donated to Hicks Strong, an organization that provides free mental health services to veterans and active-duty service members.

KJ’s Barbershop, located at 426 Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs, celebrated its grand opening on June 28 with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Photo provided by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

BALLSTON SPA — Saratoga Springs-based lawyer Theresa M. Skaine has been appointed to the Ballston Spa Bancorp board of directors. Ballston Spa Bancorp is the parent company of the Ballston Spa National Bank. 

Skaine has practiced law for more than three decades, and is the owner of Skaine & Associates, LLC. She counsels clients in the areas of business formation and expansion, merger/acquisition transactions, contract review, property purchases, financing, and economic and property development. Prior to starting her own practice, Skaine was managing partner of Lemery Greisler, LLC. She also sits on two other boards: the Albany Medical Center Hospital and the Albany Med Health System.

Skaine has won various professional awards and recognitions, including a 2013 Saratoga TODAY Woman of Influence and a 2021 Women’s Business Council Woman of Excellence in the Professions.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Ann Marie Chimiak has opened three luxury salons within the past five years. Accomplishing this, Chimiak said, largely revolved around prioritizing customers and maintaining a first-class reputation.

“Once you start that ball rolling and you hold true to it, your reputation means everything,” Chimiak said.

Chimiak’s salons have a team-oriented, commission-based approach. New hires undergo a 40-week apprentice program. Staffers are sorted into six different levels of experience and expertise. Employees are also expected to keep tabs on the latest products and trends with ongoing education initiatives.

This approach to running a salon contrasts with other owners who rent out their chairs. Chimiak compared that style of management to a restaurant owner who allows every server to be their own boss, resulting in each table having a different menu. 

“When salons went to that kind of method where the salon owner doesn’t have to deal with anything and they just rent their chairs out, you don’t know what you’re going to get,” Chimiak said.

Ensuring that customers know what they’re getting when they walk through the doors of one of Chimiak’s salons seems to be a winning strategy. 

Chimiak opened The Crown Salon in downtown Saratoga Springs five years ago. Despite a pandemic closing its doors for more than a year, The Crown survived and created a reputation that Chimiak has since utilized to open two new luxury spa bars: The Ruby at the Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls, and The Jewel at the Adelphi Hotel in Saratoga.

Both of these spa bars offer express services, such as blowouts, updos, makeup, and 30-minute facials. The Crown is more full-service, focusing on haircuts and hair coloring.

The Ruby opened earlier this year. The Jewel’s storefront officially opens in August, but the salon is already providing services to Adelphi guests and residents.

Much like a four-star hotel, Chimiak’s salons prioritize customer experience above all else. “We’re customer-driven and we’re service-driven,” Chimiak said. “It’s not about our employees, it’s about our customers.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs-based interior design company Plum & Crimson commemorated its 20th anniversary this month.

“We are thrilled to reach this milestone anniversary,” said co-owner Erika Gallagher in a statement. “It’s a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team, as well as the trust and support of our clients over the years.” 

“As we look ahead, we remain committed to delivering innovative design solutions while staying true to our core values of creativity, integrity, and client satisfaction,” added co-owner Denise Rappazzo. 

Located at 51 Ash Street, Plum & Crimson serves primarily residential clients. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs Publishing (not to be confused with Saratoga Publishing, which is responsible for the Saratoga TODAY newspaper) recently celebrated the grand opening of its new location at 70 Washington Street in Saratoga Springs. 

The boutique publishing company, which started 13 years ago, is a full-service publishing firm that can assist with illustration, editing, story development, book design and production, printing, marketing and more.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Adirondack Foot Sanctuary recently celebrated its grand opening in Saratoga Springs during a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. The business started in Lake Placid and now has a second location at 6 Phila Street in downtown Saratoga. 

The company offers a variety of treatments, massages, and rituals designed for feet and legs.