By Jill Nagy

With an early July ribbon-cutting, Toga Heritage, a Saratoga-themed “lifestyle shop” emerged in its own space at 398 Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

Toga Heritage began in 2016 as a “pop-up” store in the Paper Dolls stationery store in the Saratoga Marketplace, just down the street.

The new space was part of Silverwood Home and Gallery. Toga Heritage owner Deborah DePasquale is renting from Silverwood. She hired a contractor in March to build out the space and “what was once a storage closet is now my retail facility,” she said.

The new store is larger—about 400 square feet—and the range of products has grown tremendously. She said she began with 20 products and now has approximately 150 in stock.

By Maureen Werther

A 12-stall private boarding stable for horses is being built in Greenfield. Mike and Stacey Isles, owners of what will be Graphite Hill Farm, hope to be accepting boarders by September or October. 

The Isles purchased the 100-acre parcel of land in Greenfield in 2016 and have cleared approximately 15-20 acres for paddocks and an outdoor arena. They plan to keep the remainder of the property natural and they will develop riding trails. 

Mike Isles is a farrier— a craftsman who trims and shoes horses’ hooves—and owner of MFI Farrier Services. Stacey Isles has owned horses her entire life. She grew up riding and training Appaloosas in the Binghamton area. 

By Jennifer Farnsworth

A Jewish style delicatessen has been added to Saratoga Springs’ eclectic list of eateries. 

Daniel Chessare said when considering getting into the business, he thought a lot about what Saratoga didn’t have and decided the Spa City needed a Jewish deli. Since opening Saratoga Broadway Deli on July 17, he said his instincts have proved him right. 

It is located at 420 Broadway, Suite 2, in the Washington Building, behind Kilwins candy shop.

“Business has been fantastic so far. We are pretty busy at the lunch rush between 11 a.m. and noon, and weekends have been solid,” said Chessare.

DeCrescente Distributing Co. in Mechanicville announced in July a partnership to distribute Davidson Brothers Brewing Co. products. 

DeCrescente is now distributing draft versions of Davidson Brothers core beers, including their flagship IPA brewed with English hops for a hop aroma and dry finish; Brown Ale, a malty British brown ale; and Irish Red Ale, medium bodied with a sweet maltiness.

“We are very excited about our partnership with DeCrescente,” said Rick Davidson, brewer and owner of Davidson Brothers. “We feel that we have found the right partner to champion our efforts in the Capital Region market.”

DeCrescente also has plans to distribute Davidson Brothers’ I-87 series, a family of American-styled IPAs named after the Adirondack Northway. 

By Jennifer Farnsworth

The owner of a new boxing gym, Ole Hustle, wants people to know that his 1,000-square-foot facility is packing a punch in the world of fitness. 

James Boyd said he had a clear idea for what he wanted to happen at the 51 Caroline St., Saratoga Springs, location. 

“My vision for this facility was to have a fun and inviting environment and also to have the equipment and trainers that give the best workouts possible,” said Boyd.

By Maureen Werther

The Dark Horse Mercantile, a gift and clothing shop, opened in June at 445 Broadway in Saratoga Springs. It is owned by Maddy Zanetti and Marianne and Dave Barker, co-owners of the popular Impressions of Saratoga on the other side of the street, at 368 Broadway.

The owners launched a Dark Horse brand in 2014 to mark the Saratoga’ Race Course reputation as the “graveyard of champions.” The tagline, prominently displayed on a wall of the new shop, is “The best bet is always the Dark Horse.”