Marissa Gonzalez

Marissa Gonzalez

Thursday, 16 August 2018 14:21

If The Shoe Fits...

Photos by Marissa Gonzalez.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Shoe Company, located at 5 Spring St. in Saratoga Springs, opened on June 1 and since then has sold well over 700 pairs of their handmade shoes. “Cobblestone to cocktails" is the shoe's motto and owner of the store Cheryl Mcswiggin truly stands by it.

The Saratoga Shoe Company is a sister store of the larger brand, Charleston Shoe Company. Other locations include Charleston, N.C., Nantucket, Mass., stores across Florida among others across the country; however, items are wholesaled as well. Sister stores include Sedona Shoe Company located in Arizona and Spring Lake Shoe Company in New Jersey.

“Well, I had heard about the comfort level of these shoes on the Today Show years ago. Kathy Lee Gifford lived in Nantucket, Mass., at the time and she was promoting the shoe because she couldn’t believe how comfortable they were but then I just forgot about it for a while,” Mcswiggin said.

“So we were vacationing in Martha’s Vineyard, Mass., and there was a Charleston shoe store that had just opened and we went in and my feet were killing me... I went and tried them on; I couldn’t believe how comfortable they were,” she added.

The brand is all about comfort. According to Mcswiggin the soles are made of rubber and covered with padded suede footbeds. The tops are made with elastic uppers and in most cases form to your feet.

“The shoe is a lifestyle brand because of its comfort level. It’s stylish, it’s hand washable, machine washable... They’re handmade shoes for the modern woman,” Mcswiggin said.

There is no shortage of styles: between summer shoes, flats, two to three-inch heels/wedges, sandals, loafers and even various boot styles for the fall/winter season. There are 14 different colors just for the classic shoe, called “Cannon;” it is a best seller.

“You can come in here and pick a shoe for pretty much any occasion and people do; they leave with several pairs of shoes,” she added.

“We are a walking city, we do have the racetrack, we don’t have a lot of shoe stores here and I thought the way to do this is to not just have a couple styles but to bring in the line. Show the spring/summer line, show their fall/winter line, bring in a good representation of the line so that people understand how comfortable they are and get to know the shoe,” Mcswiggin said.

As far as the business goes for the new storefront McSwiggin says “It’s good, we’re new so people have to get to know us and know where we are and know about the shoe. We’ve had a very good response... I’m hoping we have continued success as we go into the fall and I’m hoping our customers will take to that as well.”

SARATOGA SPRINGS — WholesalersPropertyCoLLC purchased property at 5 Finley St. in Saratoga Springs on July 25 for $1.28 million. The property was purchased from the real estate development group Saratoga Prime Properties LLC. Saratoga Prime Properties LLC owns and operates marinas andcommercialrealestatein Saratoga County.

According to a special use permit that was applied for in March of 2018, plans include a plumbing supply store and warehouse. Applicants include Wholesalers Property located at 50 West Avenue in Saratoga Springs. Security Plumbing and Heating Supply is located here.

John Dowd, President of the Saratoga location of Security Plumbing and Heating says they are hoping to begin construction next week; Bonacio Construction will be doing the building. Expected completion date is in late January 2019. Dowd added that the company had outgrew their current location years ago.

According to a representative from Syversten Rigosu Architects (SRA), the warehouse and show room will be 15,500 square feet and replace the storefront for Security Plumbing and Heating Supply. Previously located at 5 Finley St. was a house, which was removed in order for the construction. All that’s left is approval for a building permit.

Security Plumbing and Heating Supply has been in operation since 1934 and has locations in Albany, Glens Falls, Johnstown, Kingston, Schenectady, Plattsburgh and the lower Hudson Valley regions like Poughkeepsie and Middletown among others. Security Plumbing and Heating Supply Company is a leading wholesale distributor of quality plumbing, heating, and airconditioningproductswith12 locations serving the lower Mid- Hudson Valley north through the Adirondack Region of New York, and into Western Massachusetts.

In April of 2015 the Winsupply Group of companies headquartered in Dayton, OH acquired Security Supply Corp. to operate as an independent entity. Mr. Kim Willey, formerly COO of Security Supply, was named President of the new company; Security Plumbing and Heating Supply Co. Brian Fowler was named Vice President Sales and Marketing. The partnership with Winsupply now positions Security Plumbing and Heating Supply to continue to serve customers, associates, and vendors with a broader range and national resources of Winsupply.

Photos provided. 

WILTON — On August 10, Wilton resident Marcia Lyon was just getting into her car when she spotted a black bear in the middle of her road. Surprisingly enough, she’s not the only one in her neighborhood that has had an encounter with this creature.

Following a string of black bear sightings and posts to Facebook, Wilton residents may now be fined if they do not heed the warning of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to avoid nuisance black bears.

According to Jim Stickles, a DEC Region 5 wildlife biologist, as of today, Saratoga has 50 recorded nuisance bear complaints this year, 30 of which are from Wilton. The bears have also resisted several attempts to haze and chase them off.

He adds, “Unfortunately, either the message is not getting to everyone, people are choosing to ignore DEC guidance, or they are not fully comprehending DEC’s message. For example, when people call to file a complaint about the bear being on their property they often say they are only putting out their bird feeders during the day.”

“He was really big and about midway on the street when he stopped. He must have heard me... He turned his head and kind of looked at me and then I was like ‘Oh!,’” Lyon said. She was right next to her car at the time of the encounter.

“He started to gallop and then ran away,” she added.

Lyon, who lives near Lake Elizabeth, believes the bear has been in her yard at least twice, and according to Lyon has knocked down two of her neighbor’s bird feeders and broke another neighbor’s chain-link fence.

“He’s gotten very used to being in the neighborhood, I wasn’t scared at all when I saw him. I was actually excited, I wanted to see him,” Lyon said of the bear she believes to have been in and out of her neighborhood for the last three years.

In mid-July the DEC was dealing with a nuisance black bear in the Timberlane Drive area of the Town of Wilton. The bear continued to get into garbage and bird feeders to obtain food and resisted attempts to haze and chase it off.

Now the DEC has been forced to take an enforcement stance; “Residences with bird feeders and other bear attractants will be given a written warning. If they fail to heed the warning they will be issued a ticket that could result in a maximum penalty of $250 fine and 15 days in jail,” a notice on Wilton’s website reads. Black bears are often attracted to bird feeders because bird seed is an easy source of calories and will be sought out over other natural foods. They’re also more likely to seek out human food sources when natural food is scarce and especially during the summer during periods of drought.

“I truly think somebody needs to go around and put flyers in everybody’s mailboxes because so many people aren’t aware of what’s going on, they’re not on social media, they’re not paying attention,” said Lyon, who is also in favor of this new rule.

Intentionally feeding bears is already a ticket-able offense because once a bear gets fed by humans they will continue to seek food from the same source. The DEC advises residents to rid their properties of other bear attractants such as open garbage cans, household pet foods, food grills and outdoor refrigeration systems.

According to the DEC there are an estimated minimum of 6,000-8,000 bears in areas open to hunting and 50 percent to 60 percent of them inhabit the Adirondack region, which Saratoga County is also a part of. The town of Wilton is asking residents if they see a bear, report it immediately to the DEC wildlife unit at 518-897-1291.

Photo by SuperSource Media.  

WILTON — Civil War Weekend took place this past weekend on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12 at D.A. Collins’ Ballard Road property in Wilton. It was a fundraiser for The Friends of the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage and celebrated the Town of Wilton’s bicentennial.

 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A Saratoga Springs local is taking her Tequila brand national. Lisa Elovich, owner of One With Life (OWL) Organic Tequila, launched the tequila brand in 2015 and since then has won numerous awards including Wine Enthusiast’s Best of Year award in 2017. 

“I look at life like an adventure, I like to keep life fun and interesting and never get stuck in a rut. I like to get out of my comfort zone and learn new things and really have fun with life, so I don’t normally stick to one career very long,” Elovich said.

Elovich has worked in criminal justice for 28 years. She was a prosecutor in New York City, worked at the Attorney General’s office and was an administrative law judge for child abuse cases. In the last 10 years, she was on the parole board as the parole commissioner. 

“But I always believed in having a second job,” she added.

And so began her career in life coaching, which she still does today, and infused a lot of which she preaches into her tequila brand. After that, she was a professional boxing promoter. Her initial interest in boxing began with just attending classes to lose some baby weight. In her seven years as a boxing promoter she had shows on ESPN and MSG. 

“I wanted to start a new business and I wanted to do something that was exciting like boxing… When I thought about what’s fun and light-hearted, I thought about tequila,”
Elovich said. 

“I’ve always associated tequila with a reason to celebrate, it’s always been a time when I had fun with family and friends, and it reminded me of just being happy. So what I wanted to do was use the bottle as a vessel to spread a message of what it means to be one with life and to be light-hearted and enjoy your life and be present for family and friends. So the bottle represents all that,” she added. 

Elovich is the true embodiment of her brand and message. Her tequila is handcrafted and small batch, and every bottle has a different inspirational message on the inside, no batch is the same. Elovich looks to the brand’s consumers and fans to find new quotes to use in each batch. There is also a toast on the packaging that reads “join us in a toast to: being fully present, listening deeply, speaking with love and being one with life. Salud!” 

One With Life Organic Tequila got its name from a book that Elovich read called “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle

“I read the book multiple times and I was so moved by it and it was so life changing for me that I wanted to name the tequila One With Life which means being aligned with the universe, going with the flow, not carrying the past with you and not spending your time creating a story in your head and worrying about the future,” she said.

“I thought if I could use the bottle to spread that message it would make me feel good about what my team and I were doing,” she added.

Elovich encourages consumers to enjoy the beverage in moderation, “I’m all about balance… Nobody should ever have too much just; enjoy it as part of a balanced lifestyle,” she says.

“Tequila is a very spiritual type of alcohol. It takes seven years to grow the agave plant before you can pick the center of the plant to make it into tequila. It is harvested by the Jimador, which is agave plant farmers. They are in the fields for seven years to grow these beautiful plants and then they take out the center of the plant by hand, so it really is a labor of love,” Elovich added. 

So far OWL Tequila is distributed in Saratoga and the surrounding counties and throughout South Florida. Since Elovich says the brand is still in the start-up phase, she believes this is something she will continue to do and if she decides on another career path, it will incorporate the OWL message. 

Right now, you can find OWL Tequila in every liquor store in Saratoga Springs, and some surrounding areas. It’s also in many restaurants on Broadway as well. Owl Tequila sells between $37 and $39 per bottle.  To find out where you can get OWL Organic Tequila, visit OneWithLifeTequila.com. 

Photos provided.

WASHINGTON COUNTY — Cow rustling; the act of stealing cattle. In the American old West, cattle rustling was considered a capital offense punishable by hanging. Fast-forward to present day; and states are still tightening up the punishment for livestock theft. In Oklahoma livestock theft is punishable by fine and or jail time. In Texas, it is considered a felony. Who would have thought this form of theft, popular in the 1800s, would make a come back and hit so close to home, just days before the Washington County Fair?

The Washington County Sherriff’s Office is investigating a reported seven missing cows from a farm in the town of Argyle, according to a Washington County Sherriff ’s Office news release.One of the cows missing is a show cow named Roxy and is reportedly worth $30,000. The cows consist of different breeds including Holstein, Guernsey, and Jersey Cows. According to Ida Williams, a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington County Fair, Roxy’s owner John Violette planned to bring his cows to the fair, some of which are thought to be stolen as well.

The Washington County Fair begins on Aug. 20 and ends on Aug. 26, and takes place at 392 Old Schuylerville Road in Greenwich. Fairgoers can expect to see agriculture displays, dairy shows, beef shows, swine, poultry, sheep, goats, rabbits, and calves, along with horse and draft animal competitions. This year for the first time, the fair will host a birthing center, The Big Push Birthing Center. The birthing center will be at the dairy show tent on Saturday and Sunday. Fairgoers will be able to see six mother cows give birth to their calves. 

Activities will start on Aug. 20 with with Stoney Roberts Demolition Derby on the motorsports track and fairgoer favorite, The Greene Brothers Music in the entertainment tent.

Other fair highlights include cheese art, Buffalo and Brandy, Buffalo Barfield’s Unherd Entertainment, Jeff Williams Music, Master of the Chainsaw, Hot Dog Pig Races, Sylvia and the Magic Trunk, and the Agri-Puppets. After being absent from the fair for a couple of years, Hansen’s Spectacular Acrobatic Thrill Show will return, and Extreme Illusions and Escapes. New this year is the Cowboy Circus, a family- friendly show featuring juggling, music and stunts.

The farm museum adds a new heritage demonstration with John Charles Bielik: Period Paper and Design. This heritage demonstration will complete the space in front of the museum where you will find The Wood Bowl Turner, The Pottery Lady, and Little John – Broom maker.

The County Bounty Building will host a Washington County Craft Beverage Corral and Tasting event on Tuesday, August 21, from 4 to 8 p.m. In addition, Cabot Cheese and The Argyle Cheese Farmer will be providing samples of their farm-to-table products.

The Washington County Fair also has a free mobile app where fairgoers can access the full schedule along with details of each event, view the fairground maps, and receive notifications of schedule changes and reminders.

For more information visit www.washingtoncountyfair.com

Photos Provided. 

WILTON — The Civil War Weekend, a fundraiser for The Friends of the Ulysses S. Grant Cottage, will be held on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12 at D.A. Collins’ Ballard Road property in Wilton at Northway Exit 16.

Civil War Weekend is the official bicentennial celebration event of the Town of Wilton. The celebration includes dozens of Civil War era re-enactors. Camp life, infantry, artillery, cavalry drills, battle scenarios, and firing demonstrations will bring the period to life. There will be musical performances by The Iron Jacks, the 77th NY Regimental Balladeers, and The Veterans in the New Field will perform under a tent during the weekend. Children’s activities, book signings, military artifact displays, Selfies-with-Soldiers, food, beverages and ice cream offer a weekend of learning and excitement for the whole family.

The weekend’s highlight includes 28 re-enactors coming to the event from Canada. They will be the Confederate fighting the Boys in Blue (about 60 men) in one of the many battle scenarios being re-enacted.

Admission is $10 each day for ages 13 and up; entry is free for children 12 and under and active duty military with I.D. cards. Paid tickets include a complimentary admission pass to Grant Cottage for use during the 2018 season. The project is supported with funding from the New York State Park and Trail Partnership Program (NYSPTPP) and New York’s Environmental Protection Fund. The NYSPTPP is administered by Parks and Trails New York, in partnership with the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

Civil War Weekend Schedule:

Saturday, August 11th

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

9:30 a.m. Infantry Drill

10:00 a.m. Cavalry Demonstration

10:30 a.m. Welcoming Ceremony featuring Musical Fanfare by the Iron Jacks

11:00 a.m. Artillery Demonstration

12:30 p.m. Meet the Generals and their Ladies: A Civil War Press Conference        

2:00 p.m. Battle

2:30 p.m. “Rally ‘Round the Flag” Performance by the 77th NY Regimental Balladeers

Sunday, August 12th

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

9:30 a.m. Period Church Service

10:30 a.m. Infantry Drill

11:00 a.m. Cavalry Demonstration

11:30 a.m. Artillery Demonstration

12:30 p.m. Civil War Fashion Show

1:00 p.m. Battle

2:00 p.m. Musical Performance by The Veterans in a New Field

For more information or to purchase tickets call (518) 584-4353 or visit www.GrantCottage.org.

Thursday, 02 August 2018 15:23

The Downtowner Now Open

Photos provided. 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — On July 30 Lark Hotels opened The Downtowner, formerly known as the Saratoga Downtowner located at 413 Broadway. The property was sold to Lark Hotels for $4.5 million in Nov. of 2017. Lark Hotels is a boutique hotel collection with 21 properties in New England and California; The Downtowner is their first hotel in New York. 

The Downtowner's 42 newly renovated guest rooms pay homage to the hotel’s past as a retro motor lodge and the surrounding area’s thriving creative community of writers, performers, and visual artists. Located on what is known as the “50-yard line” of Broadway at the corner of Division Street, The Downtowner is a short walk away from the racetracks and Saratoga Springs’ many bars, restaurants, and shops.

Originally a motel in the 1960s, the building has long been home base to the many artists that have been drawn to Saratoga Springs for decades. The Downtowner celebrates these legends in literature, music, visual, and performing arts through its sleek, stripped-down design and curated artwork. Designed by California-based EDG Design, each guest room represents artists through a variety of pop, edge, and art styles. Minimalist rooms reflect sophistication through modern, loft-like spaces with polished concrete floors, white gallery walls, and accents of hot pink against a bright, white palate.

The building’s common space centers around an open, window-filled atrium with a retractable glass roof. The atrium’s focal point is a dramatic painted floor depicting the narrow pool that once existed on The Downtowner’s base level.

“Before and during our construction process with The Downtowner, we’ve felt so embraced by the Saratoga community,” said Rob Blood, CEO of Lark Hotels.

“We hope this renovation adds to the incredible culture of downtown Saratoga Springs, and more importantly, to celebrate the area’s existing art and music scene,” he added.

The Downtowner’s accommodations span from a 180-square-foot micro-queen to a spacious Lark Suite, along with standard king and queen rooms, double queens, and the friend zone, a larger, suite-like option for up to four people. Unlike other guestrooms, the property’s Lark Suite will feature a more colorful palate and a brightly colored, surprise staircase that leads to a secret rooftop garden. Pets are welcome in the friend zone and king dog-Friendly rooms, and The Downtowner features two ADA-accessible (Americans with Disabilities Act) kings that can be booked over the phone.

Room rates at The Downtowner range from $199 to $499 per night for double occupancy, depending on room type and time of stay. Hotel amenities include a daily, curated small plates breakfast spread, afternoon treats, Lather bath amenities, hospitality stations with coffee, tea and water, 24-hour front desk and concierge service, and room essentials like wine glasses, corkscrews, irons and hairdryers.

To find out more visit www.larkhotels.com.

Photo provided.

BALLSTON SPA — On July 27 a state health inspector shut down seven-year-old Brendan Mulvaney’s lemonade stand outside his home in Ballston Spa. Mulvaney sells lemonade, water and sno-cowns to those attending the Saratoga County Fair since he neighbors the fairgrounds. Mulvaney was saving money for a family trip to Disney World.

According to Sen. Jim Tedisco, who drafted new legislation to keep child-run lemonade stands open in New York, the state Health Inspector triedtaking a picture of Mulvaney and his sign selling lemonade. Mulvaney was forced to stop selling lemonade and was told he needed a permit or else he would be fined. Since the incident the New York Department of Health (DOH) has issued an apology on July 29 and stated that the “agency does not inspect children’s lemonade stands” and that the DOH “does not issue permits for or oversee lemonade stands.” However, the DOH has since retracted that statement and said that Mulvaney needs a permit.

In a dramatic turn of events, by July 31, Governor Cuomo personally issued an apology to the Mulvaney family and stated, “Today I directed the Department ofHealthtoreacharesolutionwith the Mulvaney family to ensure that Brendan’s Lemonade Stand can continue to operate. If a permit is needed, I will personally pay for any necessary fees. We support Brendan’s entrepreneurial spirit and wish him the best of luck.”

According to state regulations a “temporary food service establishment” is a place where food is prepared or handled and served to the public, with or without charge, and which operates at a fixed location in conjunction with a single event or celebration of not more than 14 consecutive days duration. It also states that a temporary food service establishment shall obtain and display a valid permit from an issuing official authorized by the State Commissioner of Health.

“Based on that directive that the governor issued, we had a thoughtful conversation with Mr. Mulvaney, during that call we clarified was does and does not require a permit by department practice. Mr. Mulvaney indicated that his son wishes to sell lemonade only and we told him if that’s the case then no permit would be required,” said Gary Holmes, a spokesperson for the DOH.

“As part of this overall discussion, we spoke in Senator Tedsico’s office as well... What made this situation unique is that we arrived at the lemonade stand at the request of four permanent vendors inside the fair, and when we arrived at that location we did not see children present, we interacted with an adult and we were of the opinion that the set up was very much inline with what the vendors who were on permit were doing,” he added.

It is not out of the ordinary for the DOH to attend county fairs. The DOH inspects fairgrounds and requires permits to ensure public health and to protect the public from potential food born illnesses.

Tedisco’s bill would exempt children who operate pop-up lemonade stands under adult supervision from having to obtain and pay for any state permits.

Thursday, 02 August 2018 14:52

So Long Doughboy, HELLO OBOY

Photo provided.

MECHANICVILLE — On a July 24 Mechanicville planning board meeting, William Pouch owner of Esperanto located at 4 Caroline St., was approved to operate a commercial bakery at 55 Viall Ave. in Mechanicville. The property located at 55 Viall Ave. is approximately 8,481 square feet and the asking price is listed as $399,000.

“We’ve been talking for some years of attempting to expand our already good concession business and we’ve wholesaled the “Doughboy” but now we’re calling it “Oboy” since we are rebranding, we wanted to get it further and wider to the world,” Pouch said.

“We do Beer Fest, all the SPAC concerts and so on, and what prompted it, is the desire to take a product that everyone seems to love, even though it has common ingredients, there’s some kind of magical element to it. So we want to take the product and get it further out into the world,” he added.

According to Pouch, he has been looking at other locations as well since he has not purchased the property in Mechanicville as of yet.

“We are going to build a Doughboy bakery somewhere and we’re hoping it’s this place in Mechanicville but we’ve worked with a lot of really cool people and really cool spaces up in Glens Falls and Queensbury and Luther Forest. So we have a home for our doughboy bakery and we’re hoping we found it... We got some backups just incase and what’s next is we open a USDA inspected bakery to bake what I consider to be pretty magical product,” Pouch said.

In late 2017 Esperanto partnered with Stewart Shops to bring Doughboys to more fans and have been selling to Live Nation at SPAC for 14 years. Right now Doughboys can also be found in some convenience stores in Troy as well as Skidmore College. Pouch aims to bring Doughboys to Connecticut, New Jersey, other concert venues like the Times Union Center, outdoor amp theaters, more colleges and convenient store chains. As for the rebranding Pouch said it was intentionally done quietly to see the reaction. However, the Fourth of July is considered the official kick off of the rebranding.

“If you’re a fan and you want the doughboy to grow up and become a big boy and become more independent, I guess this is our path way,” Pouch said.

But why change the name of one of Saratoga’s favorite late night snack?

“At fairs and concession stands, people see dough boy and think fried dough with sugar but also... Lets just say OBoy is a good name, we’re told because people say ‘Oh boy I love it’ and it’s also just a cool logo, “ he added.

But Pouch says fear not, “It’s Oboy now but it’s okay it’s the doughboy you know and love. Call it whatever you want but it will be available near you.”

Page 12 of 17

Blotter

  • New York State Police The New York State Police announced that it issued 5,576 tickets during this year’s St. Patrick’s Day enforcement initiative. The campaign began on Friday, March 15, and continued until Sunday, March 17. During the campaign, funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, State Police utilized sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols, and underage drinking and sales to minors detail. State Police also ticketed distracted drivers who use handheld electronic devices. State Troopers arrested 132 people for DWI and investigated 199 crashes, which resulted in 25 people being injured and no fatalities. As part of the enforcement, Troopers also…

Property Transactions

  • BALLSTON Heather DiCaprio sold property at 473 Garrett Rd to Justine Levine for $288,000 Sharon Willman sold property at 99 Jenkins Rd to Charles Lemley for $165,000 CORINTH George Montena sold property at 422 Oak St to Stephen James for $142,250 Mark Makler sold property at 313 Oak St to Sabrina Sinagra for $195,000 GREENFIELD Landlord Services of Upstate New York sold property at 1935 NYS Rt 9N to Cochise Properties LLC for $210,000 MALTA  Linda LaBarge sold property at 35 Snowberry Rd to Qu Haozheng for $270,000 Dennis Mitchell sold property at 60 Village Circle North to BGRS Relocation…
  • NYPA
  • Saratoga County Chamber
  • BBB Accredited Business
  • Discover Saratoga
  • Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association