Month: May 2016

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers And Brews Is Set To Open On Former Pizzeria Uno Site In July

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

This rendering shows a typical Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews building in the 500-plus restaurant chain. Company officials are anticipating a July opening.

Courtesy Red Robin

By Liz Witbeck

Red Robin will open a new restaurant in summer 2016 at 3008 Route 50 in Saratoga Springs, on the site that was once Uno Pizzeria & Grill, which closed last year.

“We can confirm that Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews is planning to open a new restaurant in Saratoga Springs in summer 2016,” said Les Lehner, senior vice president of real estate at Red Robin.

He said the restaurant is tentatively slated to open in July. It is located on 1.3 acres of property.

Lehner said renovations for the site include improving the patio space with lighting; moving the dumpster and enclosure areas; and enhancing the curb. The exterior will also be modified to have the Red Robin look and signs. There will not be a drive-through at the location.

Bike Party Returns To Henry Street In June With A Race, Parade, Family Activities, More

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

Bike riders enjoy themselves at last year’s Henry Street Bike Party, organized by the Henry Street Business Group. It will take place again on June 16 between Lake Avenue and Caroline Street.

Nicole DeHaven, Two Danes Photography

Business owners on Henry Street Saratoga Springs will hold the second annual Henry Street Bike Party from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, June 12.

It will feature an adult big wheel race, a kids bicycle parade and story ride in Congress Park, a bike decoration contest and exhibit, a bike rodeo, free bike helmets and safety gear, bicycle stunts and tricks contest, live surf rock music, food, drinks, vending and more.

All activities are suitable for the entire family, organizers said.

Officials said this year’s event seeks to attract bike enthusiasts of all ages, and aims to promote bike culture, safety and expanded citywide programs to support bicycle-friendly initiatives.

A block of Henry Street, between Lake Avenue and Caroline Street, will be closed to traffic beginning at 7 a.m. that day.

Persistence Pays Off For Tom Stock, A Local Photographer Marking 25 Years In Business

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

Tom Stock, a Gloversville native, started his local photography business in 1991 and never looked back. He celebrates 25 years in business in 2016.

By Maureen Werther

Tom Stock recalled an exact moment just like it was yesterday. He was driving home after a long day of work–a 16-hour day, to be precise–when he found himself driving behind a new, bumble bee-yellow Jeep with a bumper sticker that read, “If you’re not the lead dog, the view never changes.”

That bumper sticker was the impetus Stock needed to become his own boss.

Born and raised in Gloversville, he moved to Delaware after graduating from Syracuse University and began working for a commercial and industrial photography company. While he was doing the kind of photography that he loved, he realized that he needed to be working for himself.

Two months later, after doing extensive market surveys, he packed his equipment in his car and drove to Saratoga Springs, where he set up shop. He hasn’t looked back.

Stock recalled that in January of his first year in Saratoga, his business earned a whopping $6. But he was undaunted. His mother phoned him to tell him about jobs she saw in the classified ads. He would tell her, “Mom, I already have a job.” Her reply would be something like, “How many hours did you spend today doing photography?”

His answer, he said, was: “I’m working on my business.”

$350,000 Grant Coming To Corinth To Help Improve Housing For Income-Eligible Buyers

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

New York state has more than $1.2 million in state grants to promote home ownership and improvement programs for low- and middle-income New Yorkers, including $330,000 for Corinth to significantly improve a dozen homes for income-eligible households.

“By expanding home ownership opportunities across the state, we are building stronger, more vibrant communities from the ground up,” Gov. Mario Cuomo said. “This is one more step toward ensuring that all New Yorkers have a safe, affordable and decent place to call home.”

Home ownership, improvement and preservation programs are among the many initiatives that form the foundation of Cuomo’s new, $10 billion House New York 2020 program to create or preserve 100,000 affordable units over the next five years.

According to the governor, since 2011, HCR community renewal programs have awarded more than $440 million in grants for various projects ranging from public facilities improvements to home ownership.

The Corinth Home Improvement Program will use the $330,000 in funds to improve 12 single-family homes located on scattered sites in Corinth, placing the highest priority on ensuring that residents are living in safe homes. Most of the homes in the town were built over 70 years ago, and grant funds are needed to address typical repairs that may be too costly for many homeowners to afford, according to the governor.

Huntington Learning Center Prepares Students For College Entrance Exams And Other Testing

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

Katherine Hagen is the executive director of Huntington Learning Center.

By Jill Nagy

Huntington Learning Center in Clifton Park offers individualized tutoring for young people trying to catch up, attempting to get a leg up on their peers, or looking for help preparing for college entrance exams or other standardized tests.

The center, a franchise of a national company, has been owned since 2014 by Randal and Katherine Hagen. Hagen is the executive director. Her husband, Randal, is part owner but not active in the business. The facility opened under other ownership in 2008.

The tutoring facility serves children in grades K-12, and a few adults working toward high school equivalency certificates. There are three tracks: academic skills, exam preparation and subject matter tutoring.

The first track concentrates on reading, math, writing and study skills for grades K-12. The students are trying to get caught up or, in some cases, get ahead and move into an accelerated track in school, she said.

Exam preparation provides one-on-one instruction for students preparing for college entrance examinations, military placement tests, the high school equivalency (TASC) exam, and Common Core exams. It is a Common Core-aligned center, she said, with a curriculum that tracks Common Core standards. Time is also devoted to test-taking strategies and techniques to minimize test anxiety and stress.

Business Report: Image Matters For Your Development

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

Rose Miller is the president of Pinnacle Human Resources LLC.

Courtesy Pinnacle Human Resources LLC

By Rose Miller

Many businesses have incorporated a less formal dress code and everyone agrees that dress in general has expanded to incorporate a wider variety of acceptable attire. Talk to the business owners who sells suits and they will tell how things have changed.

This fact lead many to believe that image doesn’t matter anymore and that is far from the truth. The real fact is our actions and motives are constantly being scrutinized by others. If you doubt it, tell me the last time you saw an ad, the cover of a book or a Facebook post where you didn’t make judgments about the person based on what you saw. Now, be honest.

People are constantly observing your behavior, including how you dress and forming theories about your competence, character and commitment based on the image you send out to the world. So it’s only wise to add your voice in framing other’s theories about who you are and what you accomplish. Basically you want to strategically present yourself in a way that communicates your desired professional image.

M&M Consulting Provides Coaching, Training For Job Seekers, Employees And Businesses

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

Michelle Mitchell, owner of M&M Consulting, expanded her business to Saratoga County.

Courtesy The Saratogian

By Maureen Werther

Michelle Mitchell, owner of M&M Consulting, grew her business drawing on years of experience, first as a member of the armed forces and, later, working for engineering and computer technology companies that serviced the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.

After serving her country as a member of the Air Force during the mid-1980s, Mitchell worked for a time in Germany for a computer company before returning to continue her career back in the states. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, she continued in the field of computers and computer technology, working in downstate New York as inside sales and support for her company’s engineering team.

She then moved on to become a component engineering consultant, where she was, in effect, the “gatekeeper,” managing the acquisition of highly specialized parts for submarine assemblies and other military equipment and components.

During this time, Mitchell began to develop the ideas for a consulting business.

“I knew a lot of people from my years in the armed services and in business,” she said. When engineers she knew from work got laid off, she began helping them by rewriting their resumes and helping to connect them with other companies.

Business Report: Customers Are Key To Success

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

Michael Cruz is president of Lighthouse Advisors LLC in Queensbury.

Courtesy Lighthouse Advisors LLC

By Michael Cruz

Whenever I speak with new business owners, I ask a simple question: “What do you think the number one key to your success will be?”

All too often the answers are money or having the right people on board. The real answer–the only answer–is customers.

Most entrepreneurs tend to be product centric. They know a lot about specific products in their industry. They “know” what their customers need. Often they are right. But that’s not enough.

Knowing what customers need, and knowing what they value are not the same thing. Sales is all about establishing value. It requires us to focus on the economic proposition. What will customers trade their hard-earned cash to get from us? Sales is the ultimate form of customer feedback. We ignore building a customer base at our own peril.

Work On New Bridge Crossing Mohawk River Into Rexford, Part Of Route 146, In Underway

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

This bridge from Rexford in Saratoga County to Niskayuna is being replaced.

Courtesy NYS Department of Transportation

Construction of a new Rexford Bridge carrying Route 146 over the Mohawk River between Rexford in Clifton Park to the town of Niskayuna began in April.

The project is expected to cost $33 million, state officials said.

“The Rexford Bridge is a vital link between these communities that thousands of Capital Region residents depend on every day,” said Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “This project will ensure this bridge remains viable for years to come and is yet another example of our commitment to improving the safety and strength of our transportation infrastructure across this state.”

Work will begin first on constructing a new roundabout at the intersection of Aqueduct Road and Route 146 in Niskayuna and intersection improvements at Riverview Road in Rexford, the governor said. Motorists should allow additional time in their travels, particularly during commuting times, during construction of the intersections.

Construction Of La Quinta Hotel In Clifton Park Nearly Complete; June Opening Expected

May 5, 2016November 8, 2017

This rendering shows a new design concept used by the La Quinta hotel chain, called Del Sol. It is the style of the new hotel being built on Route 9 in Clifton Park that is near completion.

Courtesy Anthony Casale

By R.J. DeLuke

Construction of a new La Quinta hotel is nearing completion on Route 9 in Clifton Park and should be open some time in June, its owner said.

Anthony Casale, who owns Casale Rent-All in Clifton Park, is the sole principal for the four-story, 104-room hotel. It is located at 1749 Route 9, near Northway Exit 9. It sits on a 4.5-acre lot.

Bette & Cring in Latham is the general contractor for the project. The company has done projects in the area including the Hampton Inn in downtown Saratoga Springs, Saratoga National Golf Club and Hyatt Place in Malta.

Casale said construction crews are working on the stucco exterior and also doing some interior sheetrock work. But it could be open as early as June 20.

Construction began in November.