Category Archives: Business News

By Paul Post

When Bob Blais—Saratoga Springs native and graduate of Saratoga High School—took the office of village of Lake George mayor there was only one special event in Lake George, a weekly Tuesday night band concert.

Now there’s an endless variety of year-round attractions such as Americade motorcycle rally, Adirondack Nationals car show, Ice Castles and a full lineup of events at Charles R. Wood Park’s Festival Commons like the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival and numerous concerts.

Together they draw tens of thousands of visitors to Lake George each year, which drives the local tourism economy. But without Blais’ leadership, it may not have been possible.

“People say, ‘How come you’ve been mayor for 52 years?’ It just takes me longer,” he said. “But I like to think when we get it done, we do it right.”

Blais’ career as America’s longest-tenured mayor is scheduled to end March 31 when his retirement takes effect. But his contributions to the area’s economic development will be felt for many years to come.

“His greatest attribute is his clear passion for the area,” state Sen. Dan Stec said. “It comes through in everything he says and does. Any time you talk to Bob Blais you can see this true love of Lake

The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce  is now accepting nominations for the 2023 Joseph Dalton Community Service Award.

The winner will be honored at the Chamber  annual gala on May 11. 

Nominations should be emailed to Todd Shimkus, Chamber president, at tshimkus@saratoga.org no later than Friday, March 24.

“Each and every day, we experience what it’s like to live in a thriving community thanks, in part, to individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to make Saratoga County one of the best places to live, work, and play,” said Shimkus. “It is an honor to have the opportunity to recognize a few select individuals who have made a remarkable commitment to our community.”

The award was created by unanimous vote of the Chamber board of directors in 2017. It  recognizes and honors Joseph Dalton, who served as president of the Chamber from 1970 to 2010. During his tenure, the Chamber’s membership, influence, and impact grew significantly as a direct result of Dalton’s leadership, passion, and commitment to establishing Saratoga County as a great place to live, work, and play.

Past recipients include Steve Sullivan (2018), Tom Roohan (2019), John Munter Sr. (2020), Julie Stokes (2021) and Cliff Van Wagner (2022).

By Jill Nagy

Eddie F’s New England Seafood, a Saratoga Springs mainstay, opened a second restaurant,  in Clifton Park on Feb. 1. 

The new outlet, at 1742 Route 9, is three times the size of the Saratoga restaurant and more of a conventional sit-down restaurant. The Saratoga restaurant, at 119 Clinton St. remains open.

In Saratoga, Eddie F’s specializes in what owner Eddie Fazzone calls “summer food.”  In fact, in the past, he has closed during December and January. 

Specialties at his restaurants include lobster rolls, fried fish, clams and similar seafood with most customers buying their food to take out. Orders can also be placed online at eddiefs.com. He offers gluten-free fried seafood, coated in corn flour. The regular fried items are lightly floured with no bread crumbs, he said. Most dishes come with a choice of onion rings or French fries.

During the Saratoga Race Course summer season in July and August, Fazzone operates a walk-up stand at the track.

by Jill Nagy

When Adam Foti’s PDT Marketplace opens later this month, it will be “not like any supermarket you have ever seen,” he said.  

The market, in the former Price Chopper store at 55 Railroad Place in downtown Saratoga Springs, will have seven aisles of groceries surrounded by prepared foods, flowers and plants, a variety of personal care and household products. It will also have a bar and places to sit and eat.

PDT stands for Pomme de Terre, translated on the PDT Marketplace website as “apple of the earth,” but more commonly, a potato.

Foti combines his skills and experience as a trained chef with what he has learned in more than 20 years in corporate retail. 

He describes the atmosphere of his business as having a “French and Italian feeling.” To produce that feeling, he had the building completely gutted and renovated.

“We just kept the shell of the old store,” he said. Bonacio Construction did the work, guided by ABN Design. 

By Susan Elise Campbell

Moby Rick’s Seafood recently opened its doors at 251 North Main St. in Mechanicville, the second restaurant in Saratoga County owned and operated by Rick Lofstad. 

According to Lofstad, by combining fresh product with good marketing, he and his chefs aim to get local patrons hooked on a variety of seafood dishes.    

“Right now you can’t put in a net 20 to 80 miles off the east coast without pulling up all kinds of delicious seafood,” he said. Lofstad wants to introduce people’s palates to a wider taste of the sea.  

“Craft beer brewers have a tasting room,” he said. “Why can’t a fisherman?”

His idea is to serve smaller flights of fish, not unlike flights of craft beers, for tasting. These are the “ugly fish with spines and horns to protect them from predators,” he said, whose flavors and textures have yet to be discovered by restaurant-goers.

Live harness racing returned to Saratoga Casino Hotel for its 82nd season on Feb. 4, starting a schedule that consists of 150 racing programs running through mid-December.

“We’re expecting some great racing this year,” said race secretary Peter Iovino. “We have over $18 million in purses, averaging $120,000 in purses per program.”

In addition, the track will be hosting sire stakes races starting in June featuring the best New York bred horses in the state who will race for over $1 million in purses. 

The premier event of the season will be the 14th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace with a $250,000 purse on Saturday, July 22.

“As in the past, we’re confident this race will attract a field of top pacers looking to break the track record of 1:48:4 set by Dancin Yankee in the 2014 Gerrity,” Iovino said.

The winter, spring and fall schedule will include matinee racing on Sunday, Monday and select Tuesdays, with a post time of noon, and Saturdays with a post time of  5 p.m.  

By Paul Post

Running counter to statewide trends, Saratoga County is one of New York’s fastest growing counties, thanks largely to the Capital Region’s vibrant technology industry led by GlobalFoundries’ huge semiconductor plant in Malta.

The U.S. Census Bureau says New York’s population declined by more than 400,000 the past two years, with many people driven away by high taxes and harsh winters.

In contrast, Saratoga County’s population rose 10 of 11 years from 2010 to 2021 including a 2.6 percent increase from 2019 to 2020 alone, as more and more newcomers are attracted to attractive employment opportunities and the area’s year-round cultural and recreational offerings.

“The Capital Region is a unique and special place,” said Jonathan Gertman, the Cleveland-based NRP Group’s senior vice president of development.

But business can’t succeed without an adequate workforce, which depends on providing a place for such people to live. NRP Group is helping meet this demand with construction of a $75 million, 202-unit affordable housing apartment complex called Tait Lane Reserve, off Route 9N on the west side of Saratoga Springs.

By Paul Post

What a difference a year makes.

In January 2022, new owners took over Park Manor Hotel in Clifton Park, which needed major renovations after being closed for more than two years after foreclosure on the property.

Last April, the 75-room establishment off Northway Exit 9 reopened. That was made possible by a multi-million-dollar renovation project.

“It was a tough project. There was a lot of damage, but we were able to revamp it,” said Yuvraj Chopra, whose father, Ravinder Chopra, purchased the property with partners Vinod K. Chand and Raman K. Aggarwal. “We’re the only unbranded hotel in Saratoga County that offers a boutique luxury experience besides The Adelphi in Saratoga Springs.”

Yuvraj, a 2020 RPI graduate, and his brother, Kuwar, have their own company, All Key Management. It runs the Park Manor Hotel and Hotel Key in Queens. The latter is also owned by their father, Chand and Aggarwal.

Yuvraj’s academic focus was on computer science and business management at RPI. Kuwar went to the University of Delaware where he studied finance and business management, graduating two years ago.

Amy Smith, owner of the Saratoga Arms Hotel on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, became the new chair of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce board of directors on Jan. 1.

Her mother, Kathleen Smith, held the same leadership position in 1998, so the duo becomes the first mother-daughter combination to lead the Chamber board in its 105-year history.

“My family is grateful to live in and serve this incredible community,” said Smith. “We believe the Chamber played a key role in the city’s turnaround, especially during the recent pandemic. Numerous local businesses, nonprofits, local leaders, and residents count on the Chamber to be a visible and vocal leader. 

“I’m honored to take on the responsibilities of this position as we look to move forward, from surviving to thriving, once again.”

Joining Smith on the board of directors are: Tara Pleat, of Wilcenski & Pleat, as immediate past-chair; Chad Kiesow, of Stewart’s Shops, as chair-elect for 2024; Randy Metevier, of Applied Materials, as vice chair; and Eric Hennessey, of UHY Advisors, as treasurer and secretary. 

Smith appointed three local leaders to serve one-year terms on the 2023 board. They are Najja Thompson of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Association, Maggie Fronk of Wellspring, and Johanna Friedman of the Saratoga Springs City School District.

The  board has a total of 27 members.