By Ann Donnelly

Chef Christian Raeth, originally from Erlangen in the Bavarian region of Germany, is looking forward to the opening of his new restaurant, Spargel on Nine, later this month. As the name suggests, the restaurant is located at 925 Route 9 in Queensbury, in the former location of Outback Steakhouse and, more recently, 40 Oak.

“While this is my first time owning a restaurant,” says Raeth, “The vision of what we are trying to accomplish has been clear to me for decades. It has always been my dream.

Raeth started his culinary training with an aprenticeship in his native Germany in 1984 and has worked in some of the top restaurants in Germany, Italy, France, and Switzerland. In 1991, Raeth came to the USA, where his sister had relocated, and found a position at the Albany Country Club, where he worked for four years until he returned to Germany.  

After his father died in 2000, Raeth returned to New York State to stay. He worked in fine dining in country clubs and restaurants like Van Patten Golf Club in Clifton Park, Fort William Henry in Lake George, and Pumpernickle’s in Bolton Landing. For the last 13 years, Raeth spent most of his time out of the kitchen, working in sales for Sysco, the world’s largest wholesale food distributor.

Raeth aims to offer a more authentic German dining experience. “I want to give the customer the experience of walking into a restaurant in Germany, but not in a tourist area. There are no dirndls, no lederhosen. No ‘oompah’ music. If it’s your birthday, nobody will do the chicken dance.”

By Paul Post

Newly renovated Heritage Hall got off to a strong start by hosting the recent third annual Sandy’s Clam Bar Reunion, featuring popular local bands to benefit Operation Santa Claus.

 The event space at Cool Insuring Arena was given a $1 million makeover this summer , highlighted by new flooring, ceilings, walls and electrical wiring along with multi-colored lighting and a stone countertop bar. A new storage room was created at the west end of the room so table and chairs no longer have to be kept behind curtains in the hallway.

 “It’s a multi-purpose room for whatever someone envisions,” said Jeff Mead, arena general manager. “The plan is to host weddings, business events, chamber mixers, birthday parties, comedy shows. Anybody who has an event, we’ll work with them. We’re also going to show Thunder away hockey games on new 70-inch TVs. There will be a full bar and menu to order from.”

 The project was paid for with public and private dollars including $500,000 from Warren County and $200,000 from the City of Glens Falls, the building’s owner.

 “Then we realized, if we do this room and make it beautiful, the hallway is still outdated,” Mead said. “It wouldn’t have the same ‘wow’ factor. So we redid the halls as well.”

The Arrow Family of Companies recently opened its renovated corporate headquarters at 250 Glen Street in downtown Glens Falls. 

The multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment includes the Glens Falls National Bank and Trust Co. Main Office branch and lending offices that are now open to customers. 

The building also houses administrative and operational support for Arrow Financial Corp. and its family of companies, which includes Glens Falls National Bank, Saratoga National Bank and Trust Co. and Upstate Agency, LLC. 

“The completion of this multi-year renovation project is more than just a revitalization of our bank and offices. It’s an investment in the future of our customers, our employees and our communities,” said President and CEO Dave DeMarco. “Our 172-year history is in Glens Falls, and we are so proud to contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the city’s downtown. 

“As we look to the future, this space will help us enhance the customer experience and show our team how much we value their expertise and collaboration.”

Extensive upgrades were made throughout the building. Aging equipment was replaced with new energy-efficient systems, including a full overhaul of electrical and HVAC. The newly renovated space includes solar panels, rooftop green space, energy-saving lighting and water-conserving plumbing, helping to reduce the environmental footprint of the company.

Approximately 500 runners finished in the seventh annual ADK 5K, a record for the race since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, organizers said.

Officials said the event brought about 1,000 people total to Lake George, counting spectators who came to cheer on friends and family. People came from 11 states including Florida, Arizona, and Wisconsin to run the race on Sept. 16. There was also an international runner from Quebec.

The race—part of the Great American Brewery Runs Series—began and ended at Adirondack Pub & Brewery with a family-friendly party afterward complete with music, beer, lawn game zone, and more. 

Many participants make a weekend out of the event.

“It was great to see all the runners enjoying one of the most beautiful 5Ks in New York state. It was also exciting to see how many of the Adirondack Brewery staff ran in it. A great day for everyone,” said Adirondack Pub & Brewery owner John Carr.

This chip-timed certified USATF 5K has grown steadily over the years and was one of the few 5K races that was allowed to take place during the COVID-19 pandemic with health and safety measures in place, leading to broader exposure of the race and its continued growth. 

Access Anvil Corp. in Greenwich has acquired the Overhead Door Co. of Glens Falls and Overhead Door Co. of Hudson River Valley.

Access Anvil officials said the acquisition was completed Sept. 25.

“This strategic move marks a significant milestone in Access Anvil’s journey, enhancing its capabilities to serve both residential and commercial customers,” the company said in a statement.

Officials said Overhead Door Co. has been  a trusted name in the garage door industry for over a century, building its reputation on reliability and quality. With this acquisition, Access Anvil Corp. strengthens its position in the market by adding two of the over 450 distributors in North America to its portfolio.

“The acquisition aligns perfectly with The Fort Miller Group’s vision, celebrating 75 years in business this year,” the company said. “It underscores the company’s commitment to diversify its product offerings while keeping jobs local and contributing to the economic growth of the communities it serves.”

Overhead Door Co. of Glens Falls has been serving its community for more than 30 years, and Access Anvil “is eager to build upon the excellent reputation it has earned during that time. Furthermore, this acquisition enables Access Anvil to expand its presence in the Hudson River Valley, reinforcing its commitment to local engagement,” the statement said.

Six Flags Great Escape has transformed into a chilling scream park for its annual Fright Fest during the Halloween season. 

The park’s celebration is back for its 25th year and features new entertainment, enhanced scare zones and the brand-new Hell Block VI. The high energy event delivers an experience that will leave guests with goosebumps, officials said.

People can go to Thrills by Day at Boo Fest, with family-friendly activities on Saturdays and Sundays. At  5 p.m., there is Frights by Night. 

The all-new Hell Block VI attraction, populated with terrifying prisoners, expands the Fright Fest experience with a fourth haunt location. 

Guests at Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Water Park can enjoy the lodge Boo Fest  with themed activities for the entire family on Fridays and Saturdays in October.

At Hell Block VI, “dangerous monsters have escaped their cells after a prisoner revolt. Daring guests traverse the terrifying prison to reengage the security system and keep deranged prisoners from the outside world,” said a company news release. There are increased fog, sinister lighting, “blood-chilling sounds and creepy props.”