ALBANY — Union Hall Supply Co., the men’s boutique clothing retailer located on Broadway in downtown Saratoga, is opening a second location at the Stuyvesant Plaza in Albany this summer. The shop will be located on the south side of Stuyvesant Plaza, adjacent to Felthousen’s Florist.

The flagship location opened in July 2019 and is owned by Heidi Owen West, who also operates two womenswear shops in downtown Saratoga: Lifestyles and Caroline & Main. Union Hall Supply Co.’s Stuyvesant Plaza location will be West’s fourth clothing store, and her first storefront outside of Saratoga Springs.

“Stuyvesant Plaza is the ideal home to complement my flagship stores in Saratoga Springs and, much like downtown Saratoga, is a popular and highly desirable shopping destination,” said West in a statement. “We’re looking forward to joining the Plaza’s incredible collection of retail shops and restaurants and to introduce the Union Hall experience to a new and expanded audience.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Ladies, an organization that honors fallen veterans and offers condolences to their families during internment ceremonies at the Saratoga National Cemetery, is seeking new members. The group is an all-volunteer community of women throughout the Capital Region. 

Members are expected to participate in internment services at the Saratoga National Cemetery a minimum of one day per month, or offer other crucial talents in support of program activities. No dues or clothing expenses are required.

For more information, visit saratogaladies.org.

SARATOGA SPRINGS —In the wake of Accounts Commissioner Dillon Moran’s proposed short-term rental regulations, an opposition group called the Saratoga Springs Rental Rights Alliance (SSRRA) has been formed. In a press conference on the steps of City Hall on Monday morning, the SSRRA said the city should “slow down, stop, and think before proceeding with proposed short-term rental regulations.” 

In a statement, the group called for a reconsideration of both the proposed $1,000 biannual registration fee and the requirement that rental units be “owner occupied.” The SSRRA also supported the creation of a “cross-sectional working group to examine the proposed regulations and propose agreeable changes.”

Spokesperson Anna Smith, a local mortgage broker, told Saratoga TODAY that her group was created by a dozen or so “passionate” speakers from a city council public hearing two weeks ago. Since then, the SSRRA Facebook group has accumulated more than 400 members, and its Change.org petition opposing “rushed” short-term rental legislation collected more than 1,100 signatures.

Smith disputed Commissioner Moran’s assertion that city law renders short-term rentals illegal. “The way that [the law] reads, it does not appear to apply to actual short-term rentals,” Smith said. “It would be more of a boarding house kind of situation.”

City law defines a “rooming house” as “a single-family or two-family private residential structure, owner-occupied or under the supervision of a resident manager, in which rooms are made available to lodgers for compensation. Rooming houses shall provide lodging to people for a rental period of no less than 28 consecutive days.”

Moran has said that this law means that any rental under 28 days is not allowed. The SSRRA said in its statement that “short-term rentals are not, and have never been, illegal in the City of Saratoga Springs.”

Smith also disputed Moran’s belief that the city would be better off regulating itself rather than waiting for state-mandated regulations. “If you read the state legislation, it’s actually more lax than what Dillon Moran is proposing,” Smith said. “Right now, I would rather go with the state rules.”

Governor Kathy Hochul’s executive budget plan called for sales taxes to be collected on vacation rentals. The proposal was supported by Airbnb, but it remains to be seen if or when it will become law. According to Finance Commissioner Minita Sanghvi, Saratoga Springs does not currently collect any sales or occupancy taxes on short-term rentals.

Other local organizations, such as the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, took a more moderate stance on Moran’s proposals. In a statement, Chamber President Todd Shimkus said he agreed that short-term rentals should be subjected to some regulations, but also said that the $1,000 registration fee was too high. “[Short-term rentals] are a business and city zoning must balance the legitimate concerns of people living in residential neighborhoods where some [short-term rentals] – mostly those operated by absentee landlords – cause nuisance issues related to traffic, parking, noise, and trash,” Shimkus said.

One study from the American Economic Association, which was established in Saratoga Springs in 1885, said “there is some evidence that short-term renters can create a nuisance and disrupt year-round residents.” But Smith said that laws are already in place that “can be leaned on in that situation.”

Commissioner Moran has previously promised to address some of the public’s concerns. For now, Moran said that public hearings on short-term rentals “will remain on the agenda until we vote and conclude this matter.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga National Bank and Trust Company has promoted Arleen Girard, Candice Healy, and David Riihimaki to Senior Vice President.

“We are excited to recognize Arleen, Candice, and Dave for their accomplishments within the Arrow Family of Companies,” said President and CEO Dave DeMarco in a statement. “Their knowledge and experience will help lead our continued growth and excellent customer experience.”

Each will continue in their management roles for Saratoga National Bank and Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Company, part of the Arrow Family of Companies.

ALBANY — Hattie’s, a southern restaurant chain based in Saratoga Springs, has announced that it will open its new Albany location at 121 Madison Avenue on Thursday, March 14.

“Fans of Hattie’s date back 85 years,” said Hattie’s Albany Executive Chef Mark D. Graham in a statement. “It is my goal to give another generation the beloved Hattie’s experience, both in food and restaurant atmosphere, as we open the doors of the newest location.”

Starting March 14, Hattie’s Albany will be open for dinner Monday through Saturday, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Brunch will be served on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Franklin Square Market, formerly known as PDT Market, has in its own words “made every mistake a young business can make.” But now a new leadership team is taking the helm. 

Mark Delos and Jullie Delos will be the “collective driving force” behind “culinary innovation” at Franklin Square, according to a statement released by the company last week.

 For the past seven years, Chef Mark Delos has overseen all culinary operations for Mazzone Hospitality’s catering division. Jullie Delos, Franklin Square’s new Director of Hospitality and Operations, was formerly Director of Sales and Events for Friends Lake Inn in Chestertown. She also managed the pop-up restaurant division of Mazzone. At Franklin Square, Jullie’s first order of business will be revamping the Market Bar and Cafe.

“Mark and I have wanted something of our own to be part of; something we could invest ourselves in,” Jullie said in a statement. “Nothing was the right fit until now.” 

Originally named PDT Market, Franklin Square underwent a name change when its original founder, Chef Adam Foti, left the business in September 2023. “The effort required to build and sustain PDT Market, and simultaneously keep PDT Catering functioning at the very high standards we set for ourselves, was not always compatible,” Foti wrote in a social media post at the time. Shortly after Foti’s departure, PDT announced its name change, writing that the business had “made every mistake a young business can make. But we’ve listened, we’ve learned, and we’ve adapted.”

Earlier this month, the Albany Business Review reported that Chef Foti leased a building in Malta near the Roosevelt Inn and Suites that will become the new homebase for PDT Catering.

Meanwhile, Franklin Square will enter a new era. “With Mark and Jullie joining the team,” the company wrote in a statement, “Franklin Square Market is poised for great things.”

SARATOGA — The judging is complete at the 55th annual World Dairy Expo, and once again Stewart’s Shops has some of the best dairy products in North America. The judging is based on flavor, body and texture, melting quality, appearance and color.

Stewart’s Shops had a total of four ice cream winners at the competition, one first place winner, a second-place finish, as well as two third place finishes. This year’s competition received over 1,400 submissions from dairy producers across North America. 

According to the expo, Stewart’s Shops officially has the best peanut butter ice cream in North America, Stewart’s Peanut Butter Pandemonium Ice Cream was the winner in the Peanut Butter Ice Cream category. It is also the top-selling flavor at Stewart’s Shops. Stewart’s Shops’ Mint Cookie Crumble is a customer favorite, and it took second place in mint category. The two third place finishes were in the frozen dessert division—Mango Dragon Fruit in the sherbet category, Salty Caramel in the gelato category. 

“Coming off the heels of winning Best Milk in New York State, we are so proud that our ice cream has been recognized at the World Dairy Expo! We’ve been making quality dairy products for over 100 years,” said Stewart’s Shops president Gary Dake. All of Stewart’s Shops dairy products are made fresh at their plant in Greenfield, New York with milk picked up from 20 local family dairy farms. 

Philly Vanilla, Chocolate, Mint Cookie Crumble, French Vanilla, Milk Chocolate Gelato, and Crumbs Along the Mohawk, have been honored at the World Dairy Expo in previous years.