By Andrea Harwood Palmer
Molly Malone’s Irish Gifts at 295 Canada St. in Lake George is under new ownership.
Owner Robin McDonough has owned an Irish gift store in Troy, The Counties of Ireland, for almost 20 years.
“My family is Irish and I’d travelled back and forth to Ireland to vacation and to purchase different gift lines to bring home,” said McDonough. “Most are small cottage, craft industry vendors who may not have a retailer in the United States. I told myself I was going to open an Irish store, and six months later, in Troy, I did. Twenty years later, I’m still here.”
Previous owner Bill Manion reached out to McDonough when he began planning his retirement. Manion and McDonough knew of each other through networking, trade shows and a sharing of mutual customers.

By Christine Graf
Construction is underway on Regan Development Corp.’s Broad Street Commons, a four-story mixed-use complex located on a four-acre site on Broad Street in Glens Falls.
The $19.2 million complex will contain 73 affordable housing apartments and 6,300 square feet of retail space. U.W. Marx of Troy is the general contractor for the project and their crews will work through the winter.
Albany-based Regan Development Corp. has developed more than $384 million worth of real estate in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The company’s area of expertise includes market rate housing, affordable rental apartments, and special needs and active adult development.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) announced that the 31st annual J. Walter Juckett Community Service Award will be presented to Paul L. Dowen, CPA and managing partner of Whittemore, Dowen and Ricciardelli LLP in Queensbury.
The award will be presented at the ARCC annual dinner on Friday, March 6, at the Sagamore Resort, 110 Sagamore Road, Bolton Landing.
A cocktail hour runs 6-7 p.m., followed by dinner and a program 7-11 p.m.
Dowen grew up in Saratoga Springs and made his way up to the Glens Falls region in 1976, attending Adirondack Community College (now SUNY Adirondack). Upon his graduation from Castleton State College (now Castleton University) in 1980, he returned to Glens Falls and started his accounting career with the CPA firm of Silverstein and Loftus.
Dowen started his own firm in 1987 and has been in partnership with Phillip Whittemore, as well as other partners, since 1994. His long-standing partnership with Phillip Whittemore merged with Edwards, Williams, McManus & Ricciardelli to form Whittemore, Dowen & Ricciardelli in April of 2006.

by Andrea Palmer
April Fresh Cleaning celebrated 20 years in business this year by expanding its services into carpet and floor cleaning, as well as mold, water, fire and smoke damage mitigation.
The company serves clients in Saratoga, Queensbury and Latham. The company is also seeking to open an office in Queensbury.
April Fresh Cleaning specializes in commercial janitorial services, commercial and residential floor cleaning and upholstery cleaning.
April Fresh Cleaning recently purchased a new Butler carpet cleaner. The van-powered system allows them to clean carpet, upholstery, tile and grout, and other stone flooring. They recently finished the certification classes for water, mold, fire and smoke remediation.

By Christine Graf
Matt and Rebecca O’Hara, owners of Freedom Boat Club in Lake George, are seeking final approval to construct a private hospitality room for their members at the Queen Boat Co. (formerly the Dunham’s Bay Boat Co.) their marina on Lake George.
The O’Haras opened their boat club franchise after relocating to the area in 2016. In October of last year, they purchased what was Dunham’s Bay Boat Co. Their proposed hospitality room will be located in an existing building within marina.
Matt O’Hara said the proposed hospitality room would provide members with a place to socialize when they aren’t out on the lake. He also envisions the space being used to conduct trainings and safe-boating classes. Food and alcohol will not be served in the hospitality room.

By Rachel Phillips
After over a year of vacancy, the building that was once Dango’s Dugout in South Glens Falls is under new ownership.
The building at 43 Main St. was purchased by James Atherton of Atherton Painting and Renovations. He said he put in an offer in the spring, and it was finally accepted in September. Pending approval from the Village of South Glens Falls, he plans to gut the restaurant and convert the building into apartments.
In addition to the restaurant portion, the building contained nine apartments. Atherton has already gutted and renovated the units, including painting, and adding new carpeting and floors, he said. Each unit has one bedroom and one bathroom.
Atherton also intends to repaint the exterior and fix the sidewalks and blacktop.