By Christine Graf

With ski season officially underway, staffs at Gore Mountain and West Mountain are gearing up for what is likely to be another very busy winter. Last season, Gore had a record-breaking year for both revenue and season pass sales. 

According to Gore’s general manager James “Bone” Bayse, pass sales for the 2022-2023 season have been strong.

“I’m not sure that we will break last year’s record because it was so high, but we will be very close. At the moment, we are tracking that way.”

Meanwhile at West Mountain in Queensbury, “Last winter was a good, solid, profitable year,” said co-owner Spencer Montgomery. “Coming into this year, revenue-wise which includes season passes, we are up about 20 percent over last year. We pre-sell school programs, and that has been really strong this year. We’re on a fiscal year that starts May 1 and we’re probably pushing a 30 percent increase in sales for the same period last year.”

During the off season at Gore, an additional 230 snow guns were added to the snowmaking fleet. Some of these guns will be used on the new trail that was cut into Burnt Ridge Mountain. 

By Susan Elise Campbell

Only one year after starting her own residential interior and architectural design business, Stuidio K owner Kennedy Taylor has opened a retail showroom called Motif Home Gallery that she says  “bridges the gap” for homeowners, design professionals and vendors. 

The new venture comes at a time when home renovation has been in high demand, especially for the large scale remodels and luxury construction that is Taylor’s niche.

“Motif is a one-stop shop where homeowners can have their spaces deigned from the ground up,” she said. “We display some favorite vendors of lighting, fixtures, wall coverings, fabric and furniture and assorted items of cool and unique home décor, all under one roof.”

Taylor plans to introduce cabinetry displays in the spring, she said.

Describing her style as “a mix of classic Americana and modern with some rock ’n roll,” Taylor said, “I like high-end glamour and elegance with a little glitter among the refined.”

By Christine Graf

In response to the growing demand for coworking spaces, SARATOGA CoWorks has opened its third location at 92 Congress St. in Saratoga Springs.

SARATOGA CoWorks provides fully remote, hybrid, or independent professionals with a shared workspace that features all of the amenities of a traditional office. The company’s other locations are at 462 Broadway and 153 Regent St.

Owners Dan Bullis and Dorothy Rogers-Bullis also own drb Business Interiors, a commercial design and furniture company. That company designed and outfitted each of the three SARATOGA CoWorks spaces.

After purchasing the building at 92 Congress Street, the couple transformed the second floor into a state of the art coworking space.  It features private offices, suites, private desks, best in class internet, security, kitchen and on site parking.  Falkbuilt wall systems were used for floor to ceiling privacy and reduced sound.

Skidmore College announced that Dr. Dorothy E. Mosby will serve as the college’s next dean of the faculty and vice president for academic affairs following a national search. 

Mosby will join the Skidmore community on or around June 1. She will succeed Michael Orr, who will return to a faculty role in the Department of art history. 

 “Dr. Mosby brings exceptional experience, skill, and leadership that will be key in supporting and leading our faculty and staff,” President Marc C. Conner said. “She also prioritizes students, will be a wonderful addition to Skidmore’s leadership team, and will act as an integral partner in the College’s efforts to support a more welcoming, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible campus community.” 

Mosby most recently completed a two-year term as interim dean of faculty and vice president for academic affairs at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass., where she has been a faculty member since 2003 in the Department of Spanish. 

She earned a master’s degree in Spanish and a doctoral degree in romance languages from the University of Missouri-Columbia. At  Mount Holyoke, she served in a wide range of leadership roles, including chair of the Spanish, Latina/o and Latin American Studies Department, faculty director and resident director of the MHC-Goucher Costa Rica Program, chair of the African and African American Studies Program, and the inaugural associate dean of faculty for faculty diversity, inclusion, and development.

Discover Saratoga was honored by the Northstar Meetings Group at the organization’s sixth annual Stella Awards. 

Discover Saratoga was named a bronze winner in the Northeast category for Best CVB/DMO. 

The Stella Awards are the meeting industry’s highest honor, recognizing hotels, convention centers, conference centers, airlines, cruise lines, DMOs/CVBs and DMCs that consistently deliver quality service and innovation to meeting and event professionals.

A total of 220 organizations from around the globe are honored for consistently delivering quality service and innovation to meeting and event professionals.

“What an honor,” said Darryl Leggieri, president of Discover Saratoga. “We are thrilled to be recognized as one of the top Convention and Tourism Bureaus in the industry. We’re so grateful to our hospitality partners for their service, and for making Saratoga Springs a popular destination for meetings and events.”

By Christine Graf

Less than six months after selling his Ballston Spa Citgo station, longtime village resident Matt Akari opened Havana Cigar Lounge in the former Stewart’s building on Route 50 and Northline Road. 

Before establishing his own lounge, Akari visited cigar lounges throughout the United States.

“I’ve been visiting cigar lounges all over the country for the past 18 years,” he said. “I was invited by vendors because I was selling tobacco products at the gas station.”

Akari found the cigar lounge experience to be so relaxing and enjoyable that he resolved to one day open a lounge of his own. After selling his Citgo station in May, he realized that day had come. He purchased the former Stewarts building that same month and got to work remodeling it.

“It’s a good location and a good-sized space, and it has plenty of parking,” he said. “There was nothing in there. It was wall-to-wall empty. We built some walls and redid the whole insulation and all of the electrical and ventilation.”

By Jill Nagy

One could easily get lost browsing in the Dark Gem Shoppe, jewelry designer Jessica Boshek’s new shop at 30 Beekman St. in Saratoga Springs. 

There is jewelry everywhere, much of it designed and made by Boshek, and trays of jewelry-making supplies including pearls, precious stones, silver and gold.

Elsewhere, there are crystals, candles, incense holders, and enough skeletons and moons for year-round Halloween celebrations. 

She describes the decor as “dark academia” mixed with “steam punk.” There are pillows, a bird cage, paintings and other wall hangings, beauty products and shelves of odds and ends. On the whole, more jumble shop than Harry Potter.

Boshek makes custom jewelry and also offer classes for the do-it-yourself crowd. She plans “design and wine” and “design and dine” classes, probably beginning in January. 

By Christine Graf

After eight years of being located in downtown Ballston Spa, real estate attorney Kimberly Salerno has relocated Salerno Law PC to 16 Round Lake Road in Ballston Lake.

She has been practicing law for 20 years and specializes in residential and commercial real estate. Salerno also owns a title company that operates out of her law office.

It was after outgrowing her leased space in Ballston Spa that Salerno began looking for a larger office. Although she initially planned to remain in the village, finding a space with adequate parking proved impossible.

“For closings, sometimes we have 10 people coming,” she said. “I needed a parking lot.”

Salerno lives less than a mile from her new office which is conveniently located just off Northway Exit 11. Before purchasing the building—a former Stewart’s shop—she drove by it every day on her way to work. It sat empty for many years.

While driving by one day she realized the empty building could function as a law office. She purchased the property in April and embarked on a major renovation project. Prime Construction is the contractor and Jenna Burger is the interior designer.

Spoken Boutique, located at 27 Church St., Saratoga Springs,is under new ownership.

 Pam Worth created the business in 2010. With over 40 years of experience as a buyer and merchandiser, she made it her goal to provide an extraordinary customer experience for patrons of the boutique.

The new owner is Tina Powell.

“I am excited to announce that I am taking a step-back to start a new chapter in my life,” said Worth. “I have decided to transfer the continuation of my vision to someone I feel completely comfortable handing the reins over to—Tina Powell.”

Worth will work with Powell in the store as buyer, merchandiser and sales associate. She plans on spending extra time with her husband and family, with opportunities to travel.

“I feel privileged that Pam trusts me to carry on her legacy,” said Powell.  “I have been working as a full-time employee at Spoken for the past year. During that time, I have grown to love our staff, our customers, our vendors, and of course the fabulous clothing. I am excited to have Pam by my side as I continue to build relationships and grow.”

Worth’s decision to launch her business in an off-Broadway location was facilitated by the incubator program offered by the Adirondack Trust Co. The program was initiated by the bank, to place first-time business owners in their  storefront on Church Street at a fair price.