By Christine Graf

After two years of planning, business partners Kushan Patel, Pratik Shah, and Jay Patel have opened the doors to Clifton Park Beverage Center. Located in North Country Commons at 1208 NY-146, the store had its soft opening on May 10.

The owner of beverage centers in Colonie and Troy, Kushan Patel has more than two decades of industry experience. Shah is an assistant vice president of business development for Trustco Bank, and Jay Patel has a background in operations.

“Kushan has been in the business for many years,” said Shah. “He always wanted to open up a beverage center in Clifton Park. He was surprised there wasn’t one there.”

After becoming business partners, the trio embarked on a search for the perfect location, ultimately choosing a 7,000-square-foot space at North Country Commons.

“There is a lot of growth in that particular area with new construction homes coming in, and the nearest beverage center is five miles out, radius wise,” said Shah. 

Muroff Hospitality Group has announced the sale of The Lamplight Inn Bed & Breakfast at 231 Lake Ave in Lake Luzerne. Known as “The Jewel of the Adirondacks,” this award-winning property features 12 luxurious suites, a sun-drenched dining room and a spacious owner’s apartment. The expansive wrap around porch leads into the grand 1890 Victorian building. The Carriage House is behind the main building where there are five large ground floor suites in a modern building surrounded by acres of wooded privacy.

The sellers are Eugene and Linda Merlino. Gene Merlino has been the long-time town supervisor of Lake Luzerne, and will continue in that role. The buyers are George and Mary Haleem of Pennsylvania. This will be their first investment property in New York state. 

Mitch Muroff of Muroff Hospitality Group represented the seller and secured the buyer in this exclusive listing. The sale price was $1,255,000 and the transaction closed on May 1 in Queensbury.

The Inn was built in 1890 as the summer home of wealthy bachelor Howard Conkling. Conkling was a lawyer from New York City and a member of the New York State Assembly. He was well traveled and wrote multiple books of his travels. No expense was spared for his home. A 12-foot beamed ceiling, chestnut wainscoting and keyhole staircases enhance the spacious Great Room, now used as the guest sitting area.

Cars on Union, the highly anticipated exotic car show, is gearing up to transform Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs into a paradise for car enthusiasts, all while supporting a noble cause. 

Scheduled for Father’s Day, Sunday, June 16, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Cars on Union promises to be an unparalleled celebration of automotive excellence, showcasing an exceptional lineup of exotic cars from around the Northeast. From sleek supercars to rare vintage gems, attendees will have the opportunity to feast their eyes on some of the most coveted automobiles ever produced, all amongst some of the most beautiful homes and architecture in the Saratoga region on Union Avenue. 

“We are thrilled to bring a car show into the community, the Wilton Fire Department is even joining in on the fun and bringing their beautiful 1944 International Crash Fire Truck,” said Megan Hennessey of the Saratoga Automobile Museum. 

Belmont on Broadway, a multifaceted celebration planned for the week of the 2024 Belmont Stakes Racing Festival, was announced recently by leaders in the Spa City.  

Belmont on Broadway activities slated for June 4 through June 9 include a downtown window decorating contest, a pre-festival event called Embrace the Belmont, The Belmont Gala, HARDY at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Opera Saratoga’s Annual Gala and a free, outdoor concert with headlining act Blues Traveler to take place on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

This is all in addition to the four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course, which officials see as a historic opportunity to showcase Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County as a major event destination.

By Paul Post

Burlington, Vt. residents Jim Doyle and Christine Dunbar are fortunate to own a second home in downtown Saratoga Springs.

Even so, they and weekend guests will likely spend $400 per night at local restaurants during the June 6-9 Belmont Stakes Festival. They’ll also buy souvenirs and make plenty of other related purchases.

“Without a place here, I can’t imagine what it would cost for a hotel, breakfast and parking at the track,” Doyle said.

Their Belmont Stakes budget is a drop in the bucket compared to what international horse people, who arrive early and stay long afterward, will likely spend — explaining why the Festival is expected to have a more than $50 million economic impact on the surrounding area.

“Beyond the excitement and energy around a Triple Crown event at the sport’s most beloved venue, the Belmont Stakes at Saratoga Race Course will generate important economic impact and drive tourism throughout the Capital Region,” said David O’Rourke, New York Racing Association president. “We are thrilled to add a new chapter to the story of thoroughbred racing in Saratoga Springs this June.”

A recent study prepared for Saratoga Economic Development Agency says the regular summer meet’s economic impact has increased 57 percent to $371 million since 2014, across the nine-county Capital Region. Saratoga Race Course is also responsible for generating almost 3,000 jobs.

Many merchants says the summer meet is like having a second Christmas shopping season. The Belmont Stakes Festival is a third major boost.

Marianne Barker, owner of the popular Broadway gift shop Impressions of Saratoga, has already seen sales skyrocket for a special Belmont Stakes at Saratoga poster and T-shirt created by prominent Capital Region artist Greg Montgomery.

The Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce has announced that Cynthia Hollowood is the 2024 Joseph Dalton Community Service Award recipient. 

This recognition, created by unanimous vote of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors in 2017, is a community service-focused award to honor an individual who has been faithful and loyal to the Saratoga County community for more than 25 years.

Hollowood has served as the Executive Director of Saratoga Sponsor-A-Scholar since 2020. This organization is dedicated to the philosophy that every student showing academic motivation and potential should have the opportunity to finish high school and continue to college. 

Prior to this role, Hollowood was General Manager and Partner at the Holiday Inn Saratoga Springs for a total of 38 years. 

Hollowood has volunteered countless hours within the Saratoga community over the past four decades, serving on boards and committees of more than a dozen area nonprofit organizations, including but not limited to the Saratoga Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Saratoga Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Saratoga Economic Development Corporation, the Saratoga Hospital Foundation, the City of Saratoga Springs Special Assessment District Committee, Discover Saratoga and the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. 

She is also a Distinguished Alum of Leadership Saratoga, was named Tourism Executive of the Year by the New York State Hospitality and Tourism Association in 2015 and was honored a Woman of Distinction by the New York State Senate in 2016. 

The Manufacturing Institute (MI)—the workforce development and education affiliate of the National Association of Manufacturers—honored two outstanding women from GlobalFoundries at their annual Women MAKE Awards.

Jennifer (Jenny) Robbins, senior director, Central Facilities, was recognized as a 2024 Women MAKE Awards Honoree, while Katelyn Harrison, senior integration engineer, was honored as an Emerging Leader. The Women MAKE Awards is a prestigious national program that honors women who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and excellence in their careers, representing all levels of the manufacturing industry, from the factory floor to the C-suite. 

For over two decades, Robbins has been an influential leader at GlobalFoundries. In 2023, she made a successful transition from a manufacturing leadership role to a global facilities role, where she built her new central facilities engineering team. In 2022, she established the Community Engagement Team at GlobalFoundries’ Vermont facility in Essex Junction, which has significantly boosted employee engagement, inclusion and belonging. She continues to be a mentor, recently serving as the executive sponsor of GlobalFoundries’ Early Tenure Professionals employee resource group. Robbins played a role in the final stages of enabling GlobalFoundries in Vermont to become its own electric utility, GF Power. She and the team are in the planning stages of installing solar arrays at the site. 

“I am empowered when my contributions positively impact my team, my company, and my community,” said Robbins. “Receiving the MI’s Women MAKE Honoree Award is a great honor, and I am deeply grateful.” 

The Women MAKE Awards are part of the MI’s Women MAKE America initiative, which is the nation’s marquee program to close the gender gap in manufacturing. Women account for about half of the U.S. labor force but represent less than one-third of the manufacturing workforce. Women MAKE America aims to build the 21st-century manufacturing workforce by empowering and inspiring women in the industry.

By Susan Elise Campbell

Herzog Law Firm, P.C., has expanded its presence in Saratoga Springs and is making further growth possible with a new location and a quadruple ribbon cutting that took place on April 25 at 60 Railroad Place.

With its flagship office in Albany and another location in Kingston, Herzog Law Firm is now in its 78th year of operation, said David A. Kubikian, principal, one of the firm’s three partners and hosts of the grand opening. 

“When I spoke a few words to our employees and guests at the event, I said that we are on the shoulders of all the previous attorneys who have done really good work here,” Kubikian said.

There were about 60 family members, friends, employees and business partners in attendance, including representatives of all four area chambers of commerce: Saratoga, Colonie, Adirondack Regional and Capital Region. A representative of each cut a ribbon and a member of Saratoga Chamber of Commerce served as master of ceremonies.