By Rachel Phillips
For the businesses in Warren County, the end of summer sometimes means business slowing, or even coming to a full stop as they close up shop until next year.
Tourism in the Adirondacks is a $1.5 billion industry, which supports over 21,000 jobs, officials say. Of that sum, Warren County takes in 42 percent of the region’s tourism sales.
Officials report the 2019 summer tourist season was strong for local businesses.
Data collected from Smith Travel Research reports that Warren County’s occupancy was up to 78.63 percent in July, and 81.6 percent in August, an increase of 4.6 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively.
The report is compiled from the data offered by participating hotels in the area. In addition to the percentage of available rooms booked during each month, it also follows the prices of rooms throughout the seasons. For example, the average rate of a hotel room in August was around $203, and in February it was only $128. While only one source of data, the report can help locals and business owners to understand the area’s economic patterns.
According to Gina Mintzer, executive director of the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce, there were a number of factors that played into the area’s successful summer season. In addition to new large-brand hotels in the area, Mintzer said the new Adirondacks welcome center, located between Northway exits 17 and 18, helped increase business.

The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) announced that Michael Barrett was appointed as the new executive director of the organization, which will be effective in November.
The appointment was unanimously approved by the ADK board of directors at its Sept. 28 meeting.
ADK’s previous executive director and current chief executive officer, Neil Woodworth, will remain with ADK for several months to facilitate the transition and will remain of counsel to ADK for the near future.
“Michael is a proven and dynamic leader with years of success as an advocate and policy maker. We look forward to him joining ADK,” said John Gilewicz, ADK board president.“We thank Neil for his decades of service and his tremendous contribution, not just to ADK but to New York state.”
“We welcome Michael Barrett to the Adirondacks and we look forward to working with him in the years ahead,” said William C. Janeway, executive director of the Adirondack Council. “His experience will serve him well as we all work to protect the park’s ecology, beauty and wilderness, and improve public recreation.”
“For more than 35 years, Neil produced results through his dedication, passion, expertise, knowledge, vision and ability to lead volunteers and staff,” said Janeway. “Neil has had an incredible positive impact on the preservation of wildlands, protection of and opening to the public of waters such as Little Tupper Lake, the Boreas Ponds, and education of outdoor enthusiasts.”
Barrett is a former foreign language interrogator for the U.S. Army. He went on to obtain his law degree in 2002 before serving as an attorney to the NYS Assembly Codes Committee. He later held executive-level positions in both the Spitzer and Paterson governor administrations.

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) will hold its annual Business Expo on Wednesday, October 16, from 4-7 p.m. at The Queensbury Hotel in Glens Falls.
Featuring over 80 businesses, the showcase event encourages networking within the business community. Many businesses will be engaging with attendees through games, contests, product demos and more.
This business showcase features exhibit booths from regional businesses, as well as food samples, drink specials and door prizes
“The ARCC Business Expo is an excellent way to discover, connect and network with regional businesses,” said Amanda Blanton, ARCC marketing and communications manager. “We love the excitement this event brings to the region.”

by Andrea Palmer
CRAFT on 9, a brew pub and restaurant has moved from South Glens Falls to 7 South St. in downtown Glens Falls and has expanded its business..
The building was purchased about a year or so ago by Chris Patten, and completely renovated. There are about 18 new apartments upstairs. The building is also home to Hometown Cigars & Lounge at 278 Glen St.
Rob Murphy, owner of CRAFT on 9, and Bill Dingman, general manager, met when they worked together for many years at Bistro Tallulah in Glens Falls.
“When we were designing the place, we wanted to separate sections for dining and for the bar. So we designed the whole front area with the purpose of being a bar and lounge,” Murphy said. “We put the big windows in to keep the place open. Then we invested in a lot for the dining room in the back, apart from the bar area. We think it will be super beneficial to people who just want a drink. We’ll have a smaller, condensed menu with less entrees and more bar fare,” said Murphy.