Category Archives: New Businesses

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Amy Stumvoll has been making pizza since she was 18 years old. Working her way up to manager at a pizzeria, she started thinking of what it would be like to own her own place.

Originally from central New York, she worked and managed pizzerias in that area for 15 years. Then she worked for Caputo’s Pizzeria in Saratoga Springs for another nine years. When the opportunity came to take the next step and run her own business, she believed the time was right. Her Fort Edward pizza place, Stumpy’s Pizza is located at 165 Broadway, will open after renovations are complete.

Stumvoll named the business after a fictional moose character, based on her  husband’s childhood nickname.

“I wanted something fun and memorable and Stumpy’s fit the bill perfectly,” she said.

For Stumvoll, Stumpy’s will not be just another pizza place. The dedication she has to the industry will be reflected in the food and atmosphere of the restaurant.

“Pizza has been my passion since I picked up my first dough ball. I truly love everything about this industry, from the constant movement, to the staff, to the relationships that are formed with customers,” she said.

By Jill Nagy

Tiki Tours is a new boat touring business on Lake George.

Greg Teresi, an owner of the company, said he and his staff were spending an hour or two a day in early June fielding inquires and booking tours. The first tour went off June 8.

He anticipates running two tours a day, each Thursday through Sunday in June, and expanding to a seven-day-a-week service in July.

The boat, decorated like a small Tiki lounge, measure 15.5 feet and by 16.5 feet and is powered by a 30-horsepower, outboard engine. The boat has an octagonal frame,  a thatched roof and bar stools and is built with 20 55-gallon drums underneath.

A boat can accommodate six passengers. It is manned by a captain and a deckhand.

There are few amenities: an ice chest and ice, a portable toilet with a privacy shield, and a radio equipped with blue tooth technology, Teresi said.

It is a slow cruise, moving at about 5 miles per hour. Cruises leave from the Lake George Village Dock at 13 Beach Road and last 90 minutes. The fare is $300. Passengers determine where to go and whether to make stops on the way, said Teresi.

By Liz Witbeck

Robin Brewer has a lifelong passion for art.

She worked as an art teacher for Glens Falls City School District for 30 years, before retiring in 2014. Retirement did not keep her settled for long, and soon she found herself working at Sip & Canvas, a painting studio at 21 Bay St. in Glens Falls.

She is now the new owner of the business.

The painting studio was originally opened in 2014 by Amanda and Trevor Westcott. The two wanted to sell the business. When the opportunity came up, Brewer jumped at the chance.

“It seemed like a good fit. I think I can do some good things with it,” said Brewer.

She took over ownership of the studio in May.

At Sip & Canvas, people are led by an instructor to produce a painting. They can enjoy a beverage while creating their own piece of art.

Each day at Sip & Canvas, there is a unique painting being offered, she said. Interested participants can go onto the Sip & Canvas website to see a calendar of paintings. People can find a painting that looks interesting to them and make a reservation online for that night.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

People driving  by the Queensbury Smart Car Wash may assume it’s an average car wash with a quick drive-through. They may want to think again.

The company not only provides the most modern technology for cleaning automobiles, but it also operates with a business philosophy that goes beyond just washing cars and being successful, according to owner Krystal Greenough.

The family owned business—at 166 Saratoga Ave., South Glens Falls, and 708 Quaker Road, Queensbury—wants to not only bring customers in, but to treat them in a way that will keep them coming back.

In addition to quality service, Greenough said they are always striving to bring in the latest technology when it comes to one of the most important items a person is in possession of—their vehicle.

“We are constantly working to make it a better experience for our customers,” said Greenough.

By Maureen Werther

Chelsey Barrett and her husband, Claude, are excited about the upcoming opening of their eatery, Bonnie and Clyde’s Gourmet on the Run at 25 Feeder St. in Hudson Falls.

The husband-and-wife team have been creating culinary magic together for the past several years, but this is their first take-out restaurant venture as owners.

Both Claude and Chelsey have extensive experience in the restaurant business. Claude Barrett, who is self-taught, has been cooking since the age of 16 and was executive chef at Luisa’s Italian Bistro in South Glens Falls for 14 years. Chelsey received her culinary training under the expert eye of Ian Monahan, executive chef of Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

Chelsey, who is originally from Texas, relocated to Glens Falls area in 2011 and began working at Luisa’s as Claude’s sous chef. And the rest, as they say, is history.

For the past three years, the couple ran “Top of the World” restaurant overlooking Lake George. For two and a half of those years, they have been cooking up their plan to open their own restaurant.

“We both have always loved the story of Bonnie and Clyde,” said Chelsey. They did their research about the notorious couple and began developing their menu and putting together their theme for a restaurant.

By Jill Nagy

A late May opening is planned for a new restaurant in the old Washington County courthouse in Hudson Falls.

Called forged, it will feature “new American cuisine,” according to general manager Bill Dingman, along with craft beers and a variety of imported and domestic wines.

The courthouse itself is owned by the organization Phoenix Rising Hudson Falls, which is overseeing the renovation of the building. So far, forged is the only tenant but plans call for community meeting spaces and a youth center.

Locally sourced ingredients, fresh seafood, and gourmet fare will be offered in a menu that changes with the seasons. The kitchen will be supervised by Certified Executive Chef AJ Richards.

Richards has cooked at several area restaurants and trained at a Chicago restaurant with a three-star Michelin rating, Dingman said. Christina Ostrander, a local resident and Richards’s fiancée, will be involved in the operation of the restaurant.

forged will have a main dining room seating about 50 people and a pub area seating another 30 or so.  The two sides of the restaurant will have separate menus with fine dining in the main room and more informal pub fare in the other area. There are also plans for a small room for private parties, wine tastings and similar events.

Dingman, who has managed several Glens Falls eateries, has extensive wine knowledge and will oversee the wine cellar and wine tastings, with the assistance of a wine consultant. He said that forged will combine “unique cuisine” with “a beautiful wine and beer experience.”

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Steve Babson II started his professional career almost 20 years ago in downtown Glens Falls, and it now appears to be coming full circle.

Today, the Glens Falls native is an Edward Jones financial advisor with a new office at 55 Bay St., Glens Falls.

“I like to say that I started my career a block out of the heart of downtown Glens Falls 17 years ago and I’m finishing a block out of downtown Glens Falls in the other direction. I want to continue to help people as best I can, listen to them intently and create strong plans so they can have the future they envision,” said Babson.

Babson graduated from Glens Falls High School and SUNY Oswego before opening a coffee shop at the old Triad’s building, currently Rock Hill Café. He spent some time with The Chronicle, before working with the Regional Radio Group as a sales representative. He then started to follow a path in business and finance working in banks in both Glens Falls and Mechanicville.

By R.J. DeLuke

R.S. Taylor & Sons Brewery in Washington County hopes to open soon in Saratoga Springs a tap room for its farm-brewed products.

“We hope to be open by Memorial Day weekend,” said Rich Taylor, owner of the farm brewery business at 3602 County Road 30 in Salem.

The company currently operates a tap room on the farm property where people go to quaff the locally made product and occasionally listen to music. Under the farm brewery license, companies like R.S. Taylor & Sons are allowed to open up to five tap rooms. The one in Saratoga Springs will be the second. A third is being planned in the Albany area, Taylor said.

The 1,600-square-foot space is in Congress Plaza in downtown Saratoga Springs, in an end unit in the southern portion of the plaza. The space was formerly Bubbles Laundromat.

Renovations involve putting in a bar and tap service. “It shouldn’t take long to do what we need to do,” he said. The main issue is getting all the necessary operating permits.

By Liz Witbeck

Comic books and games have always been a part of Troy Rollins’ life. His childhood centered on enjoying games and comics with friends.

“We’d travel for hours to get to a cool game store,” said Rollins.

Now the time has come for Rollins to open up his own game store. He has been involved in independent software development and media production for the past 25 years.

The Freakopolis Geekery is a comic book and game store located at 120 Main St. in Whitehall.

Rollins operates the store with his sons, T.J. and Ian. Both went to SUNY Adirondack. He wanted to create a business that they could be involved in together as a family.

Darren Porter operates Fat Kid Foods based in Glens Falls. By Jennifer Farnsworth Darren Potter is betting that everyone at some point has wished their favorite restaurant would deliver. Tired of being limited to pizza delivery, Potter decided to...