Category Archives: Business News

By Paul Post

“That guy’s got a lot of potential,” a young baseball fan remarked.

“Yeah, most of it’s unrealized,” his sports sage uncle replied wryly.

He might have been talking about East Field, too, which has hosted professional and collegiate league baseball almost every summer for nearly the past half-century.

Dozens of future big leaguers honed their skills there, including an American League Rookie of the Year (Ron Kittle) and two Cy Young Award winners (Doug Drabek and John Smoltz); Smoltz is enshrined among baseball’s all-time greats in Cooperstown.

The cozy ballpark is now home to the Glens Falls Dragons, which team owner Ben Bernard has kept alive for the past 10 years while operating on a shoestring budget. It’s a labor of love for everyone involved. Team members pay to play, and ticket takers, concession stand workers and the public address announcer are all volunteers.

“See the kids here tonight? That’s what it’s all about, this is the way it’s supposed to be,” Bernard said.

By Paul Post

“I’ve always wanted to open an Italian meat market event though I’m not Italian,” Mark Monahan said, smiling. “I’m Irish and French.”

The Hudson Falls native’s dream came true recently with the opening of Monahan’s Meats, adjacent to Massie’s Restaurant, at 67 Main St. in South Glens Falls.

Guanciale, soppressata and speck Alto Adige are just a few of the long line of fresh meats available, much of it from famed Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, renowned as New York City’s “Real Little Italy.”

Monahan, 52, has been a professional butcher for most of his adult life, having worked for Grand Union, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Hannaford and the well-known Fred the Butcher in Clifton Park. But he got the idea for launching his own business during a stint at Tops Friendly Markets in Bolton Landing.

“That’s where I was working when Covid was in full swing,” he said. “A lot of people have sold their house and moved up here from Long Island, New York and New Jersey since then. I’m offering things they could get in the city, but can’t find up here.”

By Rod Bacon

After being without one for 20 years, Whitehall now has a full-service retail supermarket.

Whitehall Market opened at the end of May, providing customers with a wide variety of food, beverage, and household items. 

Selections include open-case meats, fruits and vegetables, breakfast foods, condiments, soft drinks, and cleaning and paper products. Refrigerated cases hold milk and juices, prepared meals, lunch meats, and dessert items. There is a full-service deli serving hot and cold sandwiches, pasta salads, and fish selections.

The owner/manager is Muhammad Bilal, who has owned Green Mountain Food Services in Whitehall since 2019. It was incorporated in 1979 as a wholesale food company that delivers refrigerated, frozen and dry goods throughout Vermont, New Hampshire, northern Massachusetts and Upstate New York. In 2005 it was opened to the general public.

“The warehouse is ninety percent bulk items,” Bilal said. “We have a very limited number of items for the retail customer. The Whitehall Market is a proper grocery store.”

He noted that there is one aisle of the more popular bulk items so customers who want larger quantities of some items don’t have to visit two locations.

By Susan Elise Campbell

KPM Restoration now has five fully staffed offices in the Capital Region, three in the Hudson Valley and one in Vermont, allowing it to handle 30 or more jobs each week, according to President and founder James Kennedy. The firm restores homes and buildings damaged by water, fire, mold and sewage caused by natural disasters or system failures due to age or accidents.

Kennedy said clients range from Lake Placid to Long Island and that the Bronx is the latest market he is entering. He is moving into the boroughs by “getting out there networking and keeping relationships tight,” which has been his approach since starting KPM Restoration in 2017.

“The growth we are experiencing goes back to taking a chance and getting a network of good vendors, building managers, insurance companies, construction project managers, plumbers, and others to partner with,” he said. “And it is about making a foundation of people with grit who are like family to me.”

The firm is shifting to larger jobs from its new location in southeastern New York because, as Kennedy said, “bigger buildings need bigger restorations.”

By Ann Donnelly

The Lake George region boasts a thriving, multibillion-dollar economy, but sustaining that momentum requires tackling affordable housing shortages, navigating complex development regulations and expanding the year-round experiential economy.

Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Regional Chamber and CVB, moderated the Spring Economic Outlook Breakfast at the Courtyard by Marriott Lake George on June 16. Themed “Where Tourism Meets Development,” the event featured a panel of finance, real estate and economic experts who provided key insights into the region’s fiscal health.

Jim Siplon, president of EDC Warren County, set an optimistic tone, noting that the region’s economic base is historically and quantitatively spectacular.

“Our economy is a $5 billion GDP economy,” Siplon said. “More than a billion of the $5 billion of value that gets produced here is directly attributed to what we call the experiential economy.”

Siplon, who has led the EDC for six years, added that Warren County is one of the few places in New York seeing a net influx of taxpayers, with 3,000 more people filing returns in 2023 than the previous year.

Dave DeMarco, who has served as president and CEO of Arrow Financial Corp. for the past three years, echoed this sentiment. “It’s been a very stable period for us, for our history, which speaks to the economic growth trends here,” DeMarco said. “We don’t see the high highs or the low lows that other parts of the country do.”

By Paul Post

Thousands of motorcyclists roared into Lake George recently for Americade, ushering in what promises to be an extremely vibrant summer tourist season.

The highly anticipated June 30 opening of Shepard Park’s new performance stage is expected to be a major attraction, with events every day of the week.

But first, the next big event on tap is the 10th annual Adirondack Wine & Festival, set for Saturday and Sunday, June 27-28, at Charles R. Wood Park’s Festival Commons.

“We host over 120 wineries, breweries, distilleries, cideries and artisan food trucks,” said Sasha Pardy, Adirondack Winery and festival owner. “In the first year we had 40 vendors and 2,500 attendees, generating 3,300 room nights with a $374,000 economic impact. This year we expect 139 vendors and 6,000 attendees for a $3.5 million impact.”

By Paul Post

Sasha Pardy’s childhood home in New Hampshire was always the one friends wanted to visit, and her welcoming parents were “second parents” to many other cahildren.

Hospitality was ingrained in her at a young age, and the trait has proved invaluable in life and business.

Pardy and her husband, Michael, co-own Adirondack Winery and Extreme Heights Cidery, and she owns the Adirondack Wine & Food Festival, scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, June 27-28, at Festival Commons in Lake George.

On June 2, Pardy was recognized as one of the New York State Restaurant Association’s “10 Women to Watch” in Hospitality at the 2026 Women in Hospitality Conference at Google St. John’s Terminal in New York City.

“For me, hospitality is where it’s at,” she said. “That’s what I’ve been doing for 18 years. It gives me joy to bring people together, whether it’s throwing a party or hosting one of our many events. The reason we do them is we want to give people joy.  I think we do that well.”

The 10 honorees were cited for leading the hospitality industry forward through innovation, leadership and impact. They are women “who seem to do it all and do it with excellence,” while inspiring others to follow their example through resilience, vision and dedication, the Restaurant Association says.

During the conference, Pardy met and networked with industry leaders and keynote presenters such as Lilia & Misi chef and founder Missy Robbins; Crane Club Executive Chef and partner Melissa Rodriguez; and Culinary Agents CEO and founder Alice Cheng.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce has named Lindsey Kenna programs and partnerships manager.

“Lindsey brings a strong background and a fresh perspective that aligns perfectly with the ARCC’s mission, values and vision for the future. We are thrilled to have her join us during this exciting time of growth,” said ARCC President Tricia Rogers.

Kenna previously spent two and a half years with the Lake George Association, where she supported environmental stewardship initiatives through education, community outreach and regional collaboration. She also worked with the organization from 2017 to 2020 as an environmental educator.

“I am incredibly excited to join the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce and be part of an organization so dedicated to supporting our local businesses and communities. Having grown up in Lake Luzerne and spent much of my career working throughout this region, this opportunity is especially meaningful to me. I look forward to building relationships, supporting the Chamber’s mission, and continuing to contribute to the community I care so deeply about,” said Lindsey Kenna.

By Paul Post

Strong corporate backing and fan support are more important than ever as the Adirondack Thunder deal with the rapidly rising cost of doing business.

Under a new collective bargaining agreement reached after a brief midseason strike, the leaguewide salary cap has increased $3,000 per week.

In December, the Thunder will make one of their longest road trips in franchise history when they play the ECHL’s newest team, the New Mexico Goatheads, in suburban Albuquerque.

“The Thunder are no different than everyone else,” team President Jeff Mead said. “We travel a lot and fuel, air fare and hotels have increased significantly.”

Adirondack, playing in the league’s smallest market, had a record 20 sellout crowds this season, and average attendance (4,539) was the highest ever. But six large-market teams, playing in much bigger arenas, averaged more than 7,000 fans per game, including league leader Jacksonville (9,198).

The salary cap helps level the playing field when it comes to signing premier players. But some big-city teams with larger budgets may offer amenities the Thunder can’t afford.