Category Archives: Business News

By Christine Graf

The Body Barre dance studio has found a new home in the former Social Security building at 17 Cronin Road in Queensbury. 

Owners Annie Lafontaine and Katie Langdon spent hundreds of thousands of dollars renovating the 12,000-square-foot building before opening their doors in July.

Lafontaine and Langdon met while teaching classes at the Glens Falls Ballet and Dance Center, and they opened The Body Barre in the Aviation Mall in 2018. At that time, they were primarily teaching classes for children.

“We then expanded into adult classes,” said Lafontaine who is also a real estate broker and the owner of Selling ADK in Lake George Village. “That program has taken off. We now have more than 70 classes a week that we offer, at least 3 to four classes each a day are adult dance or adult fitness– Zumba, indoor cycling, barre, and now yoga.”

Dance offerings for adults include ballet, tap, and hip hop. The studio also recently introduced a new circus arts class that incorporates hoops, silks, and aerial arts.

All adult classes are totally beginner friendly, and for those with more experience, joining the studio’s dance team is also an option. The adult dance team currently has about 30 members and performs in local parades as well as at Boo to You in Glens Falls. 

By Ann Donnelly

Walking into the new HiFi Loft shop and listening room at 32 Dix Ave. in Glens Falls, it can feel like returning to a 1970’s “rec room.” 

When owner and audiophile Jason Tavares saw the space, formerly Glens Falls Business Machines, with its wood paneling and a wall of windows looking out onto the street, he knew he had found a space to create his vision of what a hi-fi store should be. 

With the wood paneling, there are now geometric patterned rugs, artwork, a feature wall with retro wallpaper imported from Europe, armchairs, and sofas with throw pillows where fellow audiophiles can relax and enjoy what’s on the turntable. 

HiFi Loft offers a carefully curated assortment of amps, loudspeakers, turntables, and digital sources for any budget, level of experience, or musical taste. They also have a wide range of second-hand and new vinyl record albums. 

“The records bring new and younger customers into the shop,” says Tavares.

While HiFi Loft’s typical customer is a middle-aged male, Tavares’ ideal customers are  young people who love music. 

“They don’t know what they are missing, only listening to music recorded and reproduced digitally. They will see that, with better equipment, they can get much closer to the vibe of a live concert performance,” he said.

Fort Ticonderoga is now hosting private events including weddings, meetings, and other celebrations at pavilions and on the scenic grounds. 

Fort Ticonderoga is situated on Lake Champlain, nestled between New York’s Adirondack Mountains and Vermont’s Green Mountains. From the newly restored 1826 Pavilion, to the 60-foot Carillon boat, to the King’s Garden and to the heights of Mount Defiance, couples and groups can choose their unique venue to hold their picture-perfect destination event.

One of the on-site venues is the Pavillion.

An 1826 National Historic Landmark home, the Pavilion has a rich past of hospitality and luxury.  Located on the shores of Lake Champlain and surrounded by gardens, the estate is now a location for weddings. The house itself is also a place to host small meetings, intimate gatherings, and cocktail parties.

It features a lake front setting and multiple locates available for ceremonies and receptions. The King’s Garden frames the Pavilion. There is a private bridal suite with private entrance and  family and bridal party waiting rooms.

By Paul Post

Think of a high-powered speed boat that can do circles around ocean liners still leaving the dock. According to M&M Digital Printing officials, that’s the advantage its small size creates over bigger firms by allowing it to shift gears and get jobs done right away.

 “We get a lot of  ‘I need it yesterday’ type calls,” owner Matt Flint said. “There aren’t many printers that you can call and say, ‘Hey, can you print these and do it today?’ That’s where we specialize—that same-day, next-day service.”

 To keep up with growth and customer demand, Flint moved his decade-old business from 95 Broad St., Glens Falls, to a larger space at 726 Upper Glen St. in Queensbury last year.

 “We added some software and equipment including two of our wide-format printers, which streamlined production and we’ll be upgrading our production presses before end of this year,” he said.

 Flint plans to attend next month’s Printing United Expo, in Atlanta, to keep up with industry trends and technologies, and connect with others in the field as well.

 “I try to go every year,” he said. “They have all the most modern printing presses with the latest features, whether it’s UV or spot coating. All of the printing manufacturers’ latest equipment will be there.”

By Ann Donnelly

The Adirondack Folk School, based in Lake Luzerne, has started the process of expanding its facilities by 10,000 square feet to accommodate its programs on the main campus. 

Executive Director Terri Cerveny sent out  Request for Proposals(RFP) to architecture and design firms and expects to award the project sometime in October. He will then have a better sense of the cost and fundraising required to complete it, he said.

The courses, events, and programs the school provides aim to “bring us back to our roots,” said Cerveny. “In the past, people had to make their own baskets, bowls, etc. We want to ensure that the next generation can continue to practice these kinds of crafts.” 

The school has 22 categories of courses, including blacksmithing, canoe making, cooking, nature studies, soap making, and more.

While the pandemic was brutal for many businesses and nonprofit organizations, it brought many people to the Adirondack Folk School. 

“People wanted to get out from behind their computers, use their hands, and get back to their roots,” he said. Demand for the existing courses and new courses continues to grow.

By Paul Post

Christine Powers founded Asa Adirondack during the COVID-19 pandemic to create a haven where people could find rejuvenation, calm and unity away from the pressures of politics and daily life.

 In Latin, the name Asa means refuge and sanctuary.

 On Aug. 1, Powers and her husband, Larry, welcomed dozens of guests to their 100-acre Johnsburg property to help dedicate a new Legacy Labyrinth, a new tourist attraction.

 “The popularity of the labyrinth is evident from the increase in website traffic for Asa Adirondack, reaching up to 4,000 visitors in a single day since the ribbon-cutting ceremony,” said Gina Mintzer, Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce executive director. “The positive response demonstrates the hunger for experiences that offer peace, connection and self-discovery. 

‘To date more than 500 visitors have walked the Adirondack Labyrinth, which represents a powerful testament to the potential for innovative and mindful tourism projects to unite communities, inspire individuals and create a sense of hope and unity amid global challenges and divisions.”

By Paul Post

A downtown parade, evening gala and record number of high-flying special shapes are among the events in store for people  at this year’s Adirondack Balloon Festival and its 50th anniversary celebration.

The five-day event, slated for Sept. 20-25, gives a  boost to the local economy by generating thousands of overnight stays, creating a bonanza for hotels, restaurants and retail shops in addition to state and county coffers, which collect related sales tax.

Founded by the late Walt and Joan Grishkot, this is the East Coast’s largest balloon festival, attracting people from throughout the U.S. and overseas, and third largest in the entire country behind only events held in Albuquerque and Reno.

In keeping with the Grishkots’ wishes, the Adirondack Balloon Festival is organized and run strictly by volunteers and is entirely commercial free. There is no admission charge for any of the six flights or moonglow activities, all held weather permitting.

By Paul Post

State and local officials say the region’s strong economy should be able to absorb the 300 people forced out of work by Essity paper company’s sudden exodus from New York state.

The Sweden-based company unexpectedly shuttered its large South Glens Falls mill on July 20 and plans call for closing a Greenwich converting facility and Saratoga Springs warehouse-distribution center this fall.

Meanwhile, the union representing the workforce is urging the company to change its mind and not close operations.

Essity is the area’s second large heavy industrial employer to shut down this year as Lehigh Cement, less than a mile away, is in the process of leaving, too. The fate of two large old mills is a major concern as potential public safety hazards if they can’t be repurposed or new buyers found.

Parts of Essity date back to 1864.

“I don’t think having an empty shell of an industrial plant is a good idea,” said state Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner. “The good news is that our employment situation is very strong. We have many unfilled jobs in a variety of different industries. But that said, you want to make sure you aren’t leaving an eyesore in a community that perhaps becomes an environmental nuisance. There’s still a lot of questions about what condition they’re (Essity) going to leave the buildings in and what can be done with them going forward.”