Category Archives: Business News

by Andrea Palmer
Christian and Bert Weber have opened the temporary taproom for Common Roots Brewing Co. at 30 Saratoga Ave. in South Glens Falls.
The brewery was issued a Certificate of Occupancy on May 7, and held a soft opening for the temporary taproom later that day.
The temporary building is owned by Elizabeth Miller, who reached out to the Weber shortly after a March 25 fire badly damaged their building just as an expansion had begun.
“The optics of the temporary location being right next to the original site are important,” said Weber. “Being able to see the new building as we put it up, as construction continues, as progress happens this summer … It’s important to us that we’re right in the middle of the action.”

By Andrea Palmer
Pam Fisher is pioneering an initiative to install an audio loop for the hearing impaired at the Charles R. Wood Theater.
The project, known as “Let’s Loop The Wood,” is raising funds to purchase and put in place a hearing loop (also referred to as an audio induction loop).
A hearing loop provides a wireless, magnetic signal to hearing aids. The loop utilizes a microphone to pick up audio, an amplifier to process and send the signal and a loop cable strategically located around a specific area. In this case, the loop cable would surround the theater seats.
The loop cuts out background noise as the sound is channeled directly into the user’s hearing aid. The hearing loop is unseen to general public, inconspicuously installed.
The project is being undertaken by a group of students, including Pam Fisher, in the University of Albany Weekend MBA program. The students will be graduating in June.

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) board of directors has unanimously appointed David O’Rourke as NYRA CEO and president.
O’Rourke had been serving as interim CEO since Jan. 23 following the resignation of Chris Kay.
“David has made significant and lasting contributions to NYRA since he joined the organization more than a decade ago,” said NYRA board chairman Michael Del Giudice. “He possesses broad expertise in nearly every facet of the industry, enjoys deep respect among his NYRA colleagues and industry peers, and understands how the sport and the business will continue to evolve in the future. His combination of skills and obvious leadership ability made this an easy choice and we congratulate David on this appointment.”
O’Rourke, 45, first joined NYRA as director of financial planning in 2008 before becoming vice president for corporate development in 2010. In 2013, he was appointed chief revenue officer and senior vice president.

by Andrea Palmer
Bari Flatley, owner of the previously named Studio Bari, is moving locations and expanding her operations to include additional services.
The collaborative beauty studio has opened up shop at 48 Lawrence St. in Glens Falls. The space has been completely renovated. Most of the renovation was done by Flatley’s father, who is an aircraft mechanic.
Flatley started her own salon service business in 2016, after several years in the industry. The original company name was Studio Bari.

By Christine Graf
Cousins Paul and Dan Fronhofer, owners of Grey Ghost Bicycles, hope to relocate their Glens Falls bike shop to Lawrence Street by early June.
The shop, currently located in a leased space on Glen Street, will be moved to the former Post Star advertising office building. The men purchased the two-story, 10,000-square-foot building from Elizabeth Miller, owner of Miller Mechanical, in February.

The artwork that moved juror Katie Chwazik the most was an image that ultimately was not selected for The Hyde Collection’s 28th annual High School Juried Show.
The photograph — one of more than 600 works submitted by students in 19 area school districts — was of a gun control rally outside Empire State Plaza.

by Susan E. Campbell
JUST Goods Inc. is proceeding with plans to lease additional production and warehouse space to keep up with demand for its original product, JUST Water, packaged and bottled in downtown Glens Falls since the brand’s inception in 2012.
According to corporate spokesperson Kara Rubin, vice president of brand and product strategy, “We need to be able to accommodate a growth trajectory based on current experience and the present facility doesn’t allow that flexibility.”
JUST Water is on the shelves of approximately one-third of all U.S. grocery stores across 50 states, plus other retailers, according to the company.