Stewart’s Shops recently opened a third in Moreau in a new building at 1311 Route 9, just off of Northway Exit 17N.
The new Moreau location is one of 10 brand new stores. Others were completely renovated and rebuilt
“I’m really excited. It’s a great opportunity for us,” store manager Matt Gould said. “We’ll have a great mix of local and commuter traffic.”
The company said the store is one more link in a very community-oriented chain that Stewart’s Shops has been steadily building for the past 75 years.
Former Merrill Magee Restaurant And Inn Will Be Transformed Into New Establishment
The former Merrill Magee Restaurant and Inn at 3 Hudson St. in Warrensburg will be re-opened under a new name by a local entrepreneur.
Ash Anand of the Lotus Group of Companies has acquired the property and will oversee the reopening through his group’s Hospitality Division.
That group ran the Grist Mill, which was recently damaged by fire. Plans are to use that staff to work on the new venture the Grist Mill , 100 River St., Warrensburg, is renovated and rebuilt as needed. The fire happened in November.
The Bond, 1786 will be dedicated to serving creative, original and affordable cuisine along with hand crafted cocktails, local brew selections and homemade desserts, Anand said in a news release.
The entire property will be called The Bond and the restaurant will specifically be known as 1786, Anand said.
The Merrill Magee House boasts several smaller private dining spaces, a rustic but elegant bistro area and a main dining room with cathedral ceilings, intimate beam work and several fireplaces. Anand said he has plans to cultivate the entire property into a destination vacation spot.
The house is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.
Hyde Museum Get New Chief Development Officer; To Remain Closed Through May 1
The Hyde Collection in Glens Falls has named John Lefner as its new chief development officer.
Lefner has over 17 years of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience.
The museum also has temporarily paused public visits to its galleries, exhibits, and historic home. It will open its doors to the public again on Saturday, May 1, with an exhibition titled “The Very Best of The Hyde.”
“Our first and most pressing priority always is to protect our staff and visitors,” said Chief Executive Officer Norman E. Dascher Jr., noting that the rising numbers of COVID-19 cases, predicted to continue this winter and early spring, led to the decision.
The Hyde will undertake internal improvement and maintenance projects during the period and its offices will remain open, though with reduced hours and staff. Some employees will be furloughed, others will work on limited schedules, he said.
In his most recent position, Lefner was the District executive director for the Capital District YMCA, where he led the strategic plan and oversaw all operations of YMCA Camp Chingachgook and the Schenectady YMCA. Prior to that, he was the director of operations for the Saratoga Independent School and the assistant director of operations for the Double H Ranch.
He has served as board member for Wellspring and the state YMCA Foundation, provided leadership to the Schenectady Foundation’s COVID-19 Coalition, and volunteers regularly in the Capital Region.
Trans-Border Global Freight Systems Meets Global Shipping Challenges With Experts
By Susan Elise Campbell
Global freight networks— needed to get the goods from manufacturers to customers—are complex and challenging. And when the COVID-19 pandemic came along, it threw a wrench into things.
Manufacturing was cut back, ports closed, truckers stayed home and delays increased, affecting the dynamics of an industry that consumers and businesses rely on.
“It was a total nightmare, but we have pivoted to adapt to the changing environment,” said Jake Oswald, an account executive with Trans-Border Global Freight Systems Inc. in Round Lake.
Trans-Border is an award-winning, licensed U.S. customs broker specializing in transportation logistics. Oswald said the firm manages goods as they travel throughout the supply chain by land, sea or air. They do so as safely, efficiently and cost-effectively as possible and in accordance with a litany of changing regulations and financial considerations.
The company has a staff of 65, as well as remote sales reps and independent reps sprinkled across the country. But it takes about 590 international partners, developed over the past 25 years, to manage the importing and exporting needs of companies, according to Oswald.
With the teams of import and export specialists and directors at Trans-Border, Oswald said “there are a bunch of eyes on the supply chain to make sure products get through quickly and efficiently.”
Adirondack Regional Insurance Agency In Queensbury Acquired By Marshall & Sterling
Marshall & Sterling Insurance, a Poughkeepsie-based firm with a large Albany presence, has acquired Adirondack Regional Insurance Agency in Queensbury. The acquisition closed on Jan. 1.“We are very excited to join the Marshall &Sterling family,” said Jeffrey D. Howard, president of Adirondack Regional Insurance Agency. “Being part of a much larger organization, we will now have in-creased capabilities such as additional insurance carriers represented, the ability to handle exposures in other states, in-house loss control services, employee benefits, and wealth management, just to name a few.” Adirondack was founded by Howard in 1997and has two offices located in Queensbury and Warrensburg, providing personal and commercial insurance coverage and services. With the acquisition of Adirondack, Marshall &Sterling’s operations will include 36 offices across five U.S. states and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Marshall& Sterling is already one of the largest in Albany with $848.22 million in total local insurance volume in 2019.The transaction is the latest in a number of recent independent insurance company acquisitions.
AARP And Public Private Strategies Start Resource Center For 50+ Entrepreneurs
ARP and Public Private Strategies launched thefree Small Business Resource Center for the 50+ toprovide resources to aspiring entrepreneurs andestablished business owners. Older entrepreneurscan find support, resources and practical guidanceas they start, manage and grow their business.“Small businesses are vital to our nation’seconomy and many are started by Americans age 50and up,” said Susan Weinstock, AARP vice presidentof financial resiliency programming. “The impactof the pandemic on small businesses cannot beoverstated and it is crucial that business owners andaspiring entrepreneurs have practical guidance andinformation in this moment.”A significant majority of small business areowned by entrepreneurs who started their busi-nesses later in life. More than half (54 percent) ofAmerica’s small business owners are over 50 and in2019 they employed almost half (47.3 percent) ofthe U.S. private workforce.“Always, but particularly as we build back fromCOVID-19, small business owners and entrepre-neurs are constantly adapting and evolving basedon their market and customer needs,” said RhettButtle, founder and principal of Public PrivateStrategies.
State Plans To Construct Two 20-Megawatt Solar Energy Projects In Fort Edward
FORT EDWARD —New York state has plans to construct two 20-megawatt solar energy projects in Fort Edward, part of an effort to reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
“As the world economy resets, and as change is a necessity, there is an opportunity to raise our efforts to the next level, and New York should seize this moment,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “We can establish ourselves as the nation’s leader for renewable energy innovation and production. And we will secure the jobs of the future right here at home for New Yorkers.”
The plan includes four components, including identifying large-scale projects that would generate sufficient energy; creating manufacturing facilities needed to construct green infrastructure; increasing the state’s transmission supply so energy created elsewhere can flow to other parts of the state; and expanding education and job training in order to meet the workforce needs associated with green energy.
MCW Janitorial Services Opens Glens Falls Office To Better Serve North Country Clients
Courtesy MCW Janitorial
By Jennifer Farnsworth
MCW Janitorial Services has been servicing the Glens Falls area for years, so opening an office in the city seemed like the next logistical step.
Operations Manager Reed Chronis said the new location allows the company to better serve what is already a strong client base. The company cleans businesses all over the Capital Region and North Country areas.
“We have been aggressively pursuing business in the Queensbury and Glens Falls area for some time, and the response has been steady. The new office will give us the opportunity to meet the needs of customers we already have in that area as well as new business,” said Chronis.
The new office is at at 175 Broad St., Suite 188, Glens Falls.
MCW services include commercial janitorial, same-day COVID-19 disinfections, carpet cleaning, maintenance, pressure washing, painting, parking lot maintenance, school consultations, and post-construction clean-up.
Business Report: Vaccines In The Workplace
By Rose Miller
When the news of an FDA approved Covid-19 vaccine was going to become available, I joined many with feelings of joy and hope. I envision a future where we can all live, work and play together again.
Personally, I am tracking vaccine availability closely and I will be seizing the day when I can get a shot. Sign me up. I will be carping a whole lot of diem when this is over.
In the workplace, the expectation was that my staff and the workplaces we support would be equally excited about getting vaccinated. Unfortunately, we are hearing that’s not always the case.
In fact, Dr. McKenna of Albany Medical Center believes that production of the vaccine will greatly improve, and supply will meet or exceed demand in the near future. One of his major concerns was the public’s resistance to getting vaccinated. He and public health officials know for these vaccines to truly turn the tide of the pandemic, there will need to be near universal willingness among Americans to get the shot.
It’s important to understand what’s behind the fear. According to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation and The Undefeated, some 70 percent of Black Americans believe that people are treated unfairly based on race or ethnicity when they seek medical care. Examples of malpractice and unauthorized experimentation are far from forgotten by the Black community.
Business Report: You Need More Than Skills
By Michael Cruz
Your new employee is starting Monday. You think, “I hope they work out well.” The worst thing that can happen to you is that you have to start searching all over again. Not, really the worst thing. The real worst thing is that they do not work out—and they stay on your payroll.
This can be avoided. The big mistake we make is to focus on their skill. Can they perform the tasks well? Let’s modify the question to what you should be thinking? Can they perform their tasks well, here? We often interview for skills. Why not, skills are often easier to measure. Yet the key question is whether they have the right soft skills to fit into your company’s culture.
Most people struggle to define ‘soft’ skills. Yet, those traits have more to do with our success than anything else. Does your company focus on getting results? Is it okay to be a free wheeler or do you need to follow specific structure? Do the people you work with give specific direction? Or do you expect others to figure it out? Answering these questions helps you hire better. This allows us to change the way we get to know candidates. Take the time to figure this out.