By Rachel Phillips
Fans of cigar culture have a new shop and lounge to visit in the heart of downtown Glens Falls.
Hometown Cigars & Lounge opened at 278 Glen St. Co-owner Brian Donovan had been familiar with the tobacco industry for many years and at the prompting of his friends, and now business partners, Jasiu Osakowicz and Jason Marchese, was inspired to open the business.
by Andrea Palmer
A new pub is open for business in downtown Hudson Falls.
Mullen’s Pub pub is located at 198 Main St., next to the Strand Theater, where Maxwell’s Pub used to be. Scott Boucher is the new owner and operator.
“I heard Tim and Jane Havens were purchasing the building, but weren’t interested in running a restaurant or pub. I’ve always thought it would be fun and challenging to operate one, so I introduced myself to Tim,” said Boucher. “He mentioned several times he wasn’t looking to make any money on the venture, just wanted to make sure it didn’t turn into a dive bar.
“They, along with others, have invested a large amount of time and money into building up the Strand and the town. So I gave them my word and we worked out a deal,” said Boucher.
He said Mullen’s Pub “is a comfortable, welcoming place to have a drink and a great meal. If you don’t know anyone when you walk in, you’ll definitely make friends before you leave.”
BY ANDREA PALMER
A new dance studio space has opened in Hudson Falls.
ACEntertainment is owned by husband- wife team Aaron and Christy Coulson. The company has partnered with Gospel Lighthouse Church to open a dance studio and event venue called The Verve at 30 La Cross St. in Hudson Falls.
Aaron Coulson is a professional ballroom and dance instructor, DJ and professional entertainer. He began performing professionally at the age of 7.
In early 2019, ACEntertainment came to a partnership agreement with Gospel Lighthouse Church in Hudson Falls to use of the church’s large fellowship hall. The hall was accessible, had ample parking and was centrally located. ACEntertainment and the church both saw the opportunity to increase community engagement through a mutually beneficial partnership.
The hall was badly in need of updating, and went through remodeling earlier this year.
The shared space is used by both the church and ACEntertainment. The large studio was re- modeled, and dance classes are held regularly. The space continues to be used as a fellowship hall from time to time by Gospel Lighthouse Church.
By Susan E. Campbell
In a competitive industry like interior design, the best way to stand out is to ask smart questions, listen to how your clients answer, and interpret that knowledge, according to veteran designer Judi Price, founder of First Impression Designs in Queensbury.
“A good designer never designs for themselves or their own taste, but guides the client according to their lifestyle and preferences,” said Price.
Price is a 25-year design veteran who pursued her interior design degree later in life, fulfilling a desire she had since age 18. She set up shop in the North Country eight years ago, returning from a successful career in New Jersey to the area where she grew up until junior high school.
“But I always returned every summer to grandma’s place on Lake George,” she said.
Those summers provided much opportunity to make contacts for her future interior design business. One in particular was a contractor she knew all her life who sent her many referrals, so projects had taken her back and forth for many years until she decided to resettle upstate.
By Jill Nagy
Gaslight, Frank Mineo’s new Mediterranean bistro in Lake George, continues a family restaurant tradition that traces back to his great grandfather, Danny Jordan.
“I thought I’d get back to my roots,” Mineo said.
The restaurant is located at 91 Canada St. in Lake George, next door to his mother’s DJ’s Nightclub and on property formerly occupied by Great Grandpa’s Papa Wow’s.
The kitchen is headed by executive chef Ray Bohmer, who also has a bit of a local history. He cooked at the Sagamore and other area restaurants and then worked as a butcher for a wholesale grocer. Mineo said, “He wanted to get back in the game.”
Bohmer will also continue butchering at Gaslight.
by Andrea Palmer
New storage units are going up on Bay Road next to Duke Concrete.
Bay Road Self Storage is in the midst of construction, with Cerrone Builders leading the project.
Cerrone Builders and DA Collins are partnering on the project. Kubricky Construction, a subsidiary of DA Collins, owned the property on which the units are being built.
Gianni Simone is a partner at Cerrone Builders.
“It’s a joint venture between us and DA Collins. We’re partnering with subsidiary Kubricky on the property and DA Collins on the construction,” said Simone.
“Right now we’re starting with Phase 1, which is four buildings. We’re going to end up with roughly 60,000 square feet of non-temperature-controlled space in the standard sizes. We’ll also have outdoor storage as well for boats and RVs,” said Simone.
By Jennifer Farnsworth
People looking for Asian cuisine can now travel to Greenwich to try authentic Thai food.
Sisters Sirilak Harsha and Siriporn Sutliff are the owners of Twins Thai Food at 465 Route 29, where they make Thai cuisine alongside Sirilak’s husband Brian, who is also a co-owner.
Brian Harsha said the business has been steady and the feedback positive since first opening the restaurant in late spring. After operating a food truck business for the last six years, the family members decided to open a more permanent location for food.
They officially opened their doors in early May and Harsha said they could not be happier.
The Center for Economic Growth (CEG) is merging with the Creative Economy (ACE) in an effort to expand on the economic development endeavors of both organizations.ACE was founded in 2016 to advocate and help grow the “creative industries,” which have now become the fourth largest employment sector in the Capital Region, generating over $1.4 billion in earnings in 2017, according to development officials.
By Jill Nagy
Photographer Holly LeBihan realized a long time dream when she opened Images by Holly Ann, her new photography studio at 206 Glen St. in Glens Falls, in mid-May.
After raising her three children, LeBihan returned to school in 2010, earning an associate degree from SUNY Adirondack and a bachelor’s degree at Fitchburg State University in Massachusetts. After that, she spent two years building her portfolio, moving around as the demands of her husband’s job required, and taking photographs on location, whether at schools, in clients’ homes, or out of doors.
Now, she has a studio on the fourth floor of the Covin Building.
“It’s nice to have consistent lighting,” she said. She looks forward to getting established.
Her work is primarily portrait photography, particularly of children and family pets.
“I love children,” she said, “My heart is drawn to kids.”
by Andrea Palmer
Natascha Pearl-Mansman is finishing her first year in business as Darling Doughnuts, and is pleased with the popularity of her company.
“I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit, but it wasn’t until after the birth of my daughter that I took the leap and started my own business,” said Pearl-Mansman. “I suppose I spent too much time watching baking competitions on TV while I was up at all hours of the day and night with a newborn. I’d sit there and wonder how all these people were lucky enough to be doing that for a living. I realized you can’t sit around and wait for the perfect time to start something, that you have to just get up and go for it.”