SARATOGA SPRINGS —Quad Graphics, a magazine printing company, is closing its Saratoga Springs facility by May 4 of this year, according to multiple reports. A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the New York State Department of Labor last Friday stated that all 406 employees at the site would be affected by the closure. Layoffs are expected to begin on March 2 and end by May 4, according to the notice.
Multiple local organizations issued responses to news of the facility’s closure.
Phil Barrett, Saratoga County Chairman of the Board, said that “as the lowest taxed county in New York State, Saratoga County does everything possible at the local government level to maintain positive policies that keep the cost of doing business low here. The Saratoga County Department of Workforce Development will work to identify new career opportunities for displaced employees and the County will continue to work closely with Saratoga County Economic Development Corporation and our local Chamber of Commerce to attract new private sector business investments in Saratoga County.”
Greg Connors of the Saratoga Economic Development Corporation said it was “a blow to lose the company as an employer, but we understand that industry conditions have changed, and Quad must adapt as they see fit. In the coming weeks, I will convene meetings with members of the business community and local elected officials to address with our partners the important issue of finding new opportunities in the Saratoga/Capital Region for the 450 displaced employees. I believe the future remains bright across many sectors in our local economy. SEDC is working doggedly to expand business in Saratoga County and bring new employers to our region.”
The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce stated in an X post that “assisting those employees must be priority number one, and we are already hearing from area employers with job openings.” The post then linked to www.saratoga.org/find-saratoga-area-jobs/.
As of press time, Quad Graphics had not responded to multiple requests for comment.
Swan Lake. The NYCB stages at SPAC July 9-13. Photo Erin Baiano.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The 75th anniversary celebration of the New York City Ballet will continue with its seasonal return to Saratoga Performing Arts Center this summer.
From July 9 – 13, the company’s 58th season at SPAC features more than 90 dancers under the direction of Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, accompanied by the New York City Ballet Orchestra, led by Music Director Andrew Litton.
Opening the season on July 9 is “NYCB On and Off Stage,” hosted by NYCB principal dancers for a unique “behind the curtain” experience featuring excerpts from the week’s ballets and culminating with a celebratory after party. Highlighting the residency is George Balanchine’s three-act work Jewels, returning for the first time since 2016 and featuring Fauré’s elegant Emeralds, Stravinsky’s jazz-inflected Rubies, and Tschaikovsky’s symphonic Diamonds.
Also featured are two evenings dedicated to works by contemporary choreographers including a new work by Amy Hall Garner, which is set to hold its world premiere as part of NYCB’s 2024 spring season; Gustave le Gray No. 1, a SPAC debut choreographed by Pam Tanowitz and set to the music of Caroline Shaw; Ulysses Dove’s dynamically charged, abstract work Red Angels, set to a riveting score for electric violin, and Justin Peck’s sneaker ballet The Times are Racing, heralded by audiences and critics alike since its premiere in 2017.
Rounding out the season will be two performances of some of Balanchine’s most beloved works, including the classic story ballet Swan Lake; the exuberantly patriotic Stars and Stripes; the SPAC-commissioned work The Steadfast Tin Soldier, based on Hans Christian Andersen’s charming fairytale; and scenes from Coppélia, featuring children from the Capital Region, in celebration of the work’s 50th anniversary, which held its world premiere at SPAC in 1974.
New York City Ballet: July 9 – 13
NYCB On and Off Stage – Tuesday, July 9 @ 7:30 p.m. NYCB principal dancers host a unique “behind the curtain” experience featuring excerpts from the week’s ballets. A compelling evening for newcomers and aficionados alike. Immediately following the program is a celebratory “dance party” in the Hall of Springs.
Jewels – Wednesday, July 10 @ 7:30 p.m. and Thursday, July 11 @ 2 p.m. Emeralds (Fauré/Balanchine); Rubies (Stravinsky/Balanchine); Diamonds (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine)
Contemporary
Choreographers – Thursday, July 11 @ 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 13 @ 7:30 p.m. New Garner* (TBA/Garner); Red Angels (Einhorn/Dove); Gustave le Gray No. 1* (Shaw/Tanowitz); The Times Are Racing (Deacon/Peck).
Swan Lake & Stars and Stripes – Friday, July 12 @ 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 13 @ 2 p.m. Swan Lake (Tschaikovsky/Balanchine); Scenes from Coppélia (Delibes/Balanchine and Danilova, after Petipa); The Steadfast Tin Soldier (Bizet/Balanchine); Stars and Stripes (Sousa, orch. by Kay/Balanchine).
*Indicates SPAC premiere
Tickets will be available beginning on Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. for members (tiered by level) and on Feb. 22 at 10 a.m. for the general public. Visit spac.org for details.
Ballston Spa Education Board approves tax exemption for volunteer firefighters. Photo: Fire Department enacts ‘Smart Choices’ drill program for BSCSD Seniors this past May.
BALLSTON SPA — Ballston Spa Board of Education member Holly Barker-Flynn struggled to hold back tears as she spoke of the “sacrifices” made by volunteer firefighters, including her husband. “They put their lives on the line, lose sleep, and miss time with their families all without pay,” she said.
At a Board of Education meeting on January 3, Barker-Flynn abstained from voting on a resolution to provide property tax exemptions for volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers because she would benefit from it. Moments later, the board approved the resolution to a round of applause from attendees.
For Ballston residents who have served as volunteer firefighters or ambulance workers for at least two years, the exemption has an estimated annual value of $389 for an average single-family home. As local fire companies struggle to find volunteers, the exemption is designed to entice more firefighters to sign up.
Ballston Spa Mayor Frank Rossi spoke in favor of the resolution during public comments. “We are with you essentially in this quest to make sure we’re doing what we can to benefit our firefighters, and we’re going to try to take every step we can,” Rossi said.
Ballston Spa Fire Chief Mike Bashore also supported the resolution. “Our volunteer firefighters are hardworking individuals that are dedicated to our community and provide an invaluable service for no personal financial gain,” Bashore said. “Getting individuals to dedicate their free time and volunteer in our community has become increasingly difficult over the past decade.” Bashore said that the exemption could help his department add and retain more firefighters.
Ballston Spa joined several other local school districts, such as Shenendehowa, Burnt Hills, and Mechanicville, in approving the exemption.
Color-coded rendering by phases of Schuylerville’s Revitalize Plan.
SCHUYLERVILLE — The village of Schuylerville has been awarded $4.5 million to revitalize its downtown, New York Gov., Kathy Hochul announced during a recent gathering in Lake George.
“When people look back and say: What was the turning point? You’re going to remember this day,” said Hochul, using a phrase often referenced by historians regarding the 1777 battles at Saratoga and the surrender of the British army in Schuylerville as the “turning point” of the American Revolution.
“This is the day it all begins,” Hochul said. “We have the 250th anniversary of the battle(s) of Saratoga coming up soon. Let’s celebrate 2027. Our goal is to greet the world with a really transformed village in time for that, so that’s the timetable we’re looking at.”
The $4.5 million awarded Schuylerville in the NY Forward grant measures about three times the village’s annual general fund budget and will be used to partially aid a handful of large projects. Among them are improvements to building facades, fixing broken culverts to revitalize the canal way, assisting the eventual development of a proposed multi-use building at a key location on Broad Street that currently sites vacant property, and helping fund a multi-year, multi-million-dollar project at Fort Hardy Park.
Schuylerville, which calls itself “America’s Most Historic Village” is home to about 1,400 residents. In 2022, its Village Board of Trustees appointed a 7-member committee for the NY Forward Task Force to lead the public participation and grant-writing process, and subsequently submitted a letter of intent to apply for the $4.5 million NY Forward Grant.
Timewise, most, if not all the projects, are anticipated to first “break ground” in 2025, Schuylerville Mayor Dan Carpenter said during the monthly village board meeting Jan. 8.
The Fort Hardy Park project specifically, will likely result in a potential tax increase in order to see the $20 million, 20-year project through to its completion – a tax burden shouldered by households in the village, which currently number about 700.
Any such increase related to the park, however, would be “miniscule,” compared to the more immediate circumstances regarding the infrastructure of the local water system as it pertains to Schuylerville and the neighboring village of Victory, the mayor cautioned.
A handful of years ago, the Schuylerville-Victory Board of Water Management (SVBOWM) retained C.T. Male Associates to prepare a Water System Master Plan. That 51-page report was released In May 2020 and notes that “the majority of the water mains within the Villages of Schuylerville and Victory are 100 to 120 years old and are well past their useful life.” Included was a $7 million water project infrastructure upgrade, Mayor Carpenter said. Most of the funding for the upgrades has potentially been identified, Carpenter added, but the SVBOWM has yet to act on securing the funding. “This water upgrade is going to affect both villages… inaction is going to cost us.” Costs associated with the upgrades would be shared by the two villages.
“Our water rates are going to go up – and that’s nothing to do with the (downtown revitalization) project we’re talking about today,” Carpenter said. “When people are upset about taxes going up because we’re improving the village, because we’re bringing in new businesses and we’re doing an upgrade to the park – the amount is miniscule compared to what will happen with the water if they continue to do nothing.
“That’s going to be because for the past 30 years we’ve had an aging infrastructure and we’ve had our head in the sand. We have done nothing to update or fix it and have been doing emergency repairs for the past 30 years,” Carpenter said. “Sitting down with CT Male, we identified that had we applied last year – in early 2023 – almost 75% of the ($7 million) cost of that water upgrade should have been eligible to be covered by grants. But, I cannot promise you if the Water Board takes another year that it’s going to be covered 75%.”
The Schuylerville-Victory Board of Water Management holds meetings monthly. The next scheduled meeting will take place 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 22 at Victory Meeting Hall, 23 Pine St. in Victory Mills.
GLENS FALLS — Some say revenge is a dish best served cold. In this case, ice cold. The Adirondack United girls’ hockey team defeated Clinton in a rematch of the 2023 state championship last month, then followed it up with three more victories during the holidays. The team is now 7-0 on the season.
Against Clinton, the United scored three goals in the first period, cruising to a 4-1 victory. Coach Jeff Willis said his team was “definitely wound up to play against [Clinton] emotionally and it showed in the first period.”
Despite the big win, Willis said the United are primarily focused on their end goal: a state championship. “I don’t think we’re really getting caught up in any individual game because their goal is really pointing toward the end of the season,” he said. “So a lot of activity right now is really built around development.”
Bayley Duffy, the team’s leading scorer last season, had two assists against Clinton and continues to be one of the United’s biggest scoring threats. But Coach Willis also praised Tekla Fine-Lease, a player he said has stepped up this season. “She’s showing some great leadership, as well as improvement on the ice,” he said. “She’s shown an ability to create her own shot.”
Despite being undefeated thus far, Willis said his team is always focused on improving. “We beat Saranac-Lake Placid eight to nothing and we were talking about different things we need to do better,” he said.
Last season, the United finished with a 19-2 record. Both of those losses came at the hands of Clinton. The squad’s next game is on Friday, January 5 at Ithaca.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — John Safford shuffled among the three-dozen or so public spectators attending the night’s gathering inside the Saratoga Music Hall, exchanging pleasantries and engaging in conversation.
Draped in a dark navy blazer and a white button-down shirt accented by a burgundy tie, Safford carried with him a bottle of Saratoga-label water and a rectangular leather organizer from which unfolded the night’s meeting agenda and a draft copy of new “Public Meeting Expectations and Rules” the council will, in some form, be looking to implement.
“Can we be seated please?” said Safford, as the clock ticked closer to the 7 p.m. start of his first meeting as the city’s new mayor. “Let’s get this thing going.”
Mayor Safford and Public Safety Commssioner Tim Coll represent the two new members of the five-person City Council. They are joined by council returnees Jason Golub (Commissioner of Public Works), Dillon Moran (Commissioner of Accounts) and Minita Sanghvi (Commissioner of Finance). The city’s long-standing Commission form of governing equally provides each of the five councilmembers one vote at the table.
Two city Supervisors do not vote at the council table, but instead represent the city with voting power at the county level as members of the Board of Supervisors. They are: returning Supervisor Matt Veitch, and new Supervisor Michele Madigan – the latter of whom had for a decade served previously as city Finance Commissioner.
The most immediate change of the first-and-third Tuesday of the month council meetings featured a return to a previous format; council meetings will now have a 7 p.m. start-time – one hour later than had been the case the past six months, and the relocation of the supervisors’ reports to the meeting’s end.
The Public Comment period which had allowed each speaker up to four minutes to address the council has been trimmed to three minutes, and a 30-minute limit overall set to allow members of the public to address the City Council.
“Public Comment has been a subject that was very much a part of this last election,” Mayor Safford said. “The other thing we’re going to be very interested in doing is making sure there are no comments… or response that you might give from the audience to what’s being said. And this is true as well at the council table.”
A clock will be displayed atop the council table indicating to speakers how much of their time remains, the mayor added. “We’re going to be quite strict about timing.”
A two-page draft titled “Public Meeting Expectations and Rules” was made available at the meeting in the Music Hall Tuesday night.
The draft calls for those wishing to speak during the Public Comment period to sign their name and address on a sheet prior to the start of the meeting – a process similar to the method used at county Board of Supervisors meetings.
The proposed Rules of Decorum and Order prohibit behaviors disruptive to the conduct of the meeting. Specifically, the draft reads: “disorderly, disruptive, disturbing, delaying, or boisterous conduct which may include, but is not limited to, handclapping, stomping of feet, whistling, making noise, use of profane language or obscene gestures, yelling or similar demonstrations.” Signs, placards, and the distribution of literature are also to be prohibited in the meeting room during a meeting.
Should the rules be violated, Safford will first request the rule violator to cease their conduct, with a verbal warning to follow should the violation continue.
“If the person does not cease the violation the presiding officer shall declare the person to be out of order at which time the Sergeant-at-Arms may take steps to remove the person(s) from the meeting room,” according to the draft copy of Public Meeting Expectations and Rules. “If applicable, such person may be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties that may apply to their conduct.”
A lengthy council discussion was had regarding the restriction of “handclapping” and general displays of emotion and what may be allowed, as any expression – celebrating the recognition of an achievement award, a response to a statement albeit popular or unpopular – may temporarily cause interruption of the rhythm of any meeting.
“There is a certain amount of flexibility that the chairman (the mayor) has as to what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable,” Safford said. Members of the council subsequently initiated discussion about how to best ensure that the rules for allowing any public expression are applied equally to all meeting attendees, whether they be popular or unpopular. There is more work to be done.
Initial discussions regarding the proposal took place at the council’s hour-long pre-agenda meeting earlier that day. Safford stressed that the pre-agenda meetings are where he would like much of the council’s debate over agenda items to take place. The pre-agenda meetings – typically held in the past on a Monday morning and lightly attended by the public, have preceded the much larger publicly attended Tuesday night regular meetings.
“If we’re going to have any controversy over any of these, I’d like to air them out here, before we have a problem tonight,” he said at the morning pre-agenda meeting on Jan. 2, later adding “this is what we want to do at this meeting: get all this stuff aired out so we don’t have this kind of conversation tonight.” Of the Tuesday night gatherings, Safford said, “this should be the most boring meeting of the month.”
The mayor said he hopes to have the new Public Meeting Expectations and Rules document fully prepared and ready for vote at the council’s next meeting, on Jan. 16.
Ticket booth and entryway of the previous cinema at the Wilton Mall in October 2021. Photo by Thomas Dimopoulos.
WILTON — Four years after hosting what was widely thought to be its final screening, Wilton Mall Cinemas is slated to re-open in February.
The theater will be operated by Scene One Entertainment, the company announced Jan. 2.
The Wilton Mall Cinemas will feature eight screens including one large-format auditorium. The large format auditorium has a 2,000 square foot screen and enhanced Dolby Digital surround sound. All auditoriums will feature luxury leather rocking chairs, wall-to-wall screens, and Dolby Digital surround sound, according to Scene One Entertainment.
The Wilton Mall venue will mark the second theater operating for Scene One Entertainment in upstate New York, the other being Movieland in Schenectady.
“The theater is in fantastic shape and the mall has maintained it beautifully since its pandemic closure,” Joe Masher, owner and CEO at Scene One Entertainment (formerly Bow Tie Management) said in a statement. “The developments happening around the mall are encouraging. The theater will feature fresh hot popcorn with real butter, and other treats such as chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, hot pretzels, and more.” A private party room will also be made available for birthday parties and other events.
“Scene One Cinemas fulfills one of the most-requested uses from guests and brings the former theater space in the Food Court back to life. It’s just one more element in our ongoing, thoughtful redevelopment that makes Wilton Mall a great place for people to live, work and play,” said Wilton Mall General Manager Mike Shaffer.
The Wilton Mall has seen some large-scale changes in recent years, and more changes may soon be underway. In 2020, Saratoga Hospital set up its medical offices in a repurposed vacant space previously occupied by Sears, and a project currently under discussion seeks to develop nearly 400 apartments alongside the existing mall.
The project, as proposed by the Macerich Corporation and Paramount Development, includes 382 new “luxury, market-rate rental residences,” including both apartments and townhomes, and will feature “premium resident amenities with a sophisticated design.”
The plan for that potential development continues to move through the town’s approval process, and developers are hoping to next stage a public appearance before the Wilton Town Board on Feb. 1.
The Wilton movie theater originally opened in October 2013 by Bow Tie Cinemas and closed during the early on-set of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bow Tie Cinemas also opened on Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs in 2013. In April 2022 AMC announced it had struck a deal with Bow Tie to take over operations of the Saratoga Springs theater.
Tourism Parking Plan for Saratoga Springs, as presented to the city Council on Dec. 19.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The city is hoping to institute a “tourism parking program” this spring that it says will ease parking access for visitors, increase the availability of resident parking and generate about $2.5 million in gross revenue.
The seasonal program would charge visitors $2 per hour for parking at the three city-owned parking garages and two surface lots from May 1 – to Sept. 30, DPW Business Manager Michael Veitch explained during a presentation to the City Council on Dec. 19.
The three affected garages and lots are located on Putnam, Walton and Woodlawn – where visitors would use pay stations, or pay attendants. Time-limited parking would be instituted on some downtown streets, although Broadway will pretty much remain as it currently is.
On-street permits would provide free parking for residents and downtown business employees. How those permits would specifically be secured has yet to be decided.
“What’s being proposed is paid tourist parking in the garages and surface lots and limiting the availability of free parking on city streets for visitors. This program prioritizes however, the continuance of free parking for residents and employees,” said DPW Commissioner Jason Golub.
The results of a study performed by DPW last summer estimates the tourism parking plan could generate $2.468 million via hourly sales in new revenue during the busy summer season. Costs for implementing the program and operating the plan would cost approximately $1 million, leaving an estimated net revenue of more than $1 million that could be used for other city costs or programs.
The departments of Public Works and Public Safety would both have responsibilities for administrating the program, and changes to the City Code to accommodate the plan, as well as initiating contracts with vendors for pay stations and permit plans would also need to be addressed before implementation.
The city is hopeful the program can be installed by April 2024 with implementation on May 1.
•In other city news, the Council temporarily tabled a proposed one-year contract through the 2024 calendar year with RISE Housing and Support Services that will pay up to $387,160 for the agency to provide homeless shelter services. The contract is expected to be approved during the council’s Dec. 28 meeting.
Earlier this year, the city approved an agreement with RISE to operate the first year-round low barrier facility in Saratoga Springs. Located on Adelphi Street, just west of South Broadway, the 30-bed facility began operations on June 12. Local developer Sonny Bonacio, who secured a five-year lease on the Adelphi Street property, renovated the building and is providing it rent free to RISE until 2025.
The city has aggressively pursued a search for a permanent location to site a homeless shelter and navigation center; the ad hoc Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness offered several option locations earlier this year. With the start of 2024, a new mayor will be seated at the center of the City Council table and members of the Task Force publicly expressed their interest in meeting with mayor-elect John Safford in February.
•The Council also adopted a resolution opposing the construction and operation of Saratoga Biochar Inc.’s sewage sludge and wood chip burning plant in the Moreau Industrial Park. According to the resolution, the plant at full capacity is expected to burn up to 720 tons of sewage sludge per day, with the sewage sludge processed at the Moreau Industrial Park and shipped by large diesel trucks with a likelihood that large trucks filled with sewage sludge will travel through Saratoga Springs.
Photo from the Saratoga Springs Parks & Recreation Department
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The trendiest sport in America right now is pickleball, and the Saratoga region is paddling furiously to keep up with demand.
“We’ve been watching the sport grow like crazy in Saratoga Springs,” said Brandon Mackie, co-founder of the Pickleheads website. “We’re seeing new courts being built all over. East Side Rec Field now has 10 dedicated courts and Wilton Town Gavin Park has 10.” Mackie also said that searches for pickleball in the Saratoga area have increased 213% since April.
A number of regional locations are now hosting pickleball games, including the Saratoga Recreation Center, the Saratoga Regional YMCA, McGregor Links Country Club, The Paddocks of Saratoga, and the Burgess Kimball Memorial Park.The Malta YMCA branch hosted its first pickleball tournament earlier this year, and a Legacy Pickleball Club location is set to open soon in Ballston Spa.
But how exactly does one explain the public’s voracious appetite for this sport? “The most important thing that happened at the [recreational] player level is that the sport is really easy to learn,” Mackie said. “Our theory is that COVID was an important catalyst for this.”
According to Mackie, COVID turned the primarily indoor sport of pickleball into an outdoor game played at gyms, churches, and recreation centers. “I think we’ve just seen a snowballing of it over the last year,” Mackie said. “So now, depending on what data you believe, between ten and forty million players have tried the sport.”
According to Pickleheads, pickleball has seen a 158.6% growth rate over the last three years and has become “the fastest-growing sport in America.” There are now around 400 places to play pickleball in New York State, with dozens scattered throughout the Saratoga region.
To learn more about pickleball or to find a court, visit www.pickleheads.com.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Forged on the roads and trails that cross this country, The Local Branch has now opened at 447 Broadway, in Saratoga Springs, selling Americana that touches on the nation’s culture and folklore.
Founded in San Franciso in 2009 by Blaine and Mackenzie Vossler, The Local Branch specializes in small-batch, American-made products. Working with more than 100 vendors, the space is stocked with handmade pieces that resonate with nostalgia.
“It’s sourcing with a story – items with a soul,” said Mackenzie.
A Shared Experience
Located in the former home of Saratoga Coffee Traders (which originally opened in 2006, and closed in October), The Local Branch’s soft opening on Saturday came after just one month of renovations to the building.
“I love making sure people feel welcome and inspired by the products. I set the palette and the tone so that it has a communal soul similar to what a coffee shop does,” said Mackenzie.
While structural supports were added and the floors refinished, most of the changes to the shop have been cosmetic. By layering colors and textures amid aged wood displays and salvaged antique light fixtures, Mackenzie’s grandmother’s rugs ground the space, while in the back corner a brass National Cash Register (like the one her father had) sits refurbished and ready to ring up this curated assortment of consciously-made products.
Conscious Consumerism
In an effort to move away from the pitfalls of fast fashion and overconsumption, before having their two children, Hawk, 6, and Wylie, 2, the Vossler’s spent two years traveling the country and creating goods from a mobile workshop inside an Airstream trailer.
“I’m inspired by outdoor adventures, hiking, camping, farming, and those activities that are part of our shared identity as a people,” said Blaine, who, after a brief stint studying at New York University, turned his artistic talents to screen printing apparel.
Influenced by Indigenous American ideals, rituals, and values, Blaine’s hand-drawn designs honor their heritage with bold bison, detailed images of the moon, and natural elements.
Stylish, Functional Heirlooms
After finding a free sewing machine by the side of the road, Blaine began creating functional, heirloom-quality items by applying the traditional skill of leatherworking to solve modern problems.
Tired of sitting on his wallet during those long hours on the road, Blaine made The Local Branch’s stylish underarm holsters, which provide a unique utilitarian way to carry your phone, wallet, passport, or other essentials, so that they’re easily accessible when you’re on the go – whether you’re sitting or standing.
Before leaving for a four-month excursion on the Pacific Coast Trail, Blaine created the Crossroads Backpack Tote – a leather tote bag that seamlessly transitions into a backpack.
The Local Branch’s blanket capes (with leather buckle closures) are also extremely versatile – they can be worn as a scarf, then laid on the ground to watch concerts and festivals.
A Caring Community of Creators
In 2018, the Vossler’s traded their mobile workshop for a brick-and-mortar store in Skaneateles (located in Central New York). Finding their dream home nearby, the 1854 Kester Homestead Barn, a rambling Victorian on 10 acres in Onondaga County, also once housed their leatherworking shop, but now operates exclusively as a wedding venue. The Local Brand’s manufacturing has been moved to a warehouse in the area that once belonged to Mackenzie’s parents (who were also entrepreneurs).
Introduced to Saratoga by friends who attended Skidmore College, it has been the city’s vibrant music scene, happening night life, historic charm, and small town feel that keeps them coming back, said Blaine.
The Local Branch, which emphasizes the importance of shopping small and buying local, is currently looking to hire a store manager and shop keepers for their Saratoga store.
“Here, you get to work with friends who care about the products and the stories behind them,” said Brand Manager Sidney Glass.
Just in Time for the Holidays
In addition to Blaine’s work, The Local Branch collaborates with a network of blacksmiths, weavers, jewelry makers, and other craftsmen to offer an assortment of sustainable items for the outdoorsman or homesteader in your life.
Stop in and start an in-store Wish List filled with super soft tees, sweatshirts, socks and other apparel, cabin blankets, belts, wallets, canvas bags, candles, books, kitchen provisions, apothecary items, and more, or grab a few goodies from the Stocking Stuffer Bar (including leather ornaments and key clips) just in time for the holidays. Customized initials and monogramming can be completed on leather items in 2-3 weeks.
The Local Branch, 447 Broadway, Saratoga Springs is open every day 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Follow them @TheLocal Branch on Instagram, on Facebook @TheLocalBranchApparel, and order online at thelocalbranch.co
