Glens Falls Business Journal

Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center Owners Buy New Bowling Facility In Latham

March 21, 2023

Doug and Alison Bohannon, owners of Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center in South Glens Falls, pose in their recently acquired second bowling center, Spare Time, in Latham, New York.

By Susan Elise Campbell

The husband and wife team of Doug and Alison Bohannon, owners of Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center in South Glens Falls, added a second location to their business portfolio with the purchase of Spare Time bowling alley and arcade at 375 Troy-Schenectady Road in Latham.

The Bohannons said they closed the transaction on Nov. 30 for $3.2 million.

“I have been in the bowling business since 1999, starting out as a pin changer and working my way up through management,” he said.

In 2013 the opportunity was presented to purchase the Spare Time lanes in South Glens Falls. The Bohannans re-named the business Kingpin’s Alley Family Fun Center and in February 2022 was approached by Spare Time Entertainment about purchasing the Latham location.

“This is a company I was employed by for 13 years and who sold us our South Glens Falls alleys 10 years ago, so we are very familiar with each other,” said Bohannon. “Negotiations went pretty quickly.”

The Bohannons changed the name of the center but have no plans to renovate at this time. Neither will there be staff changes among the 30-plus employees.

Wing Fest Returns To Downtown Glens Falls; Activities Include Live Music In City Park

March 21, 2023

The Glens Falls Collaborative will hold its Wing Fest on Saturday, April 29.
Courtesy Glens Falls Collaborative

The Glens Falls Collaborative will host its annual Wing Fest event on Saturday, April 29, in downtown Glens Falls.

The event is a competition between restaurants for the best wings. Tasting is from noon to 3 p.m. and an awards ceremony at the bandstand in City Park at 3:30 p.m. will close out the event. There will be multiple categories that restaurants can win.

There will also be entertainment in City Park.

The second annual Michael DuBray Inferno Wing Eating Competition will also takes place at 2 p.m. on Glen Street. Competitors will pay a registration fee of $25 that will go into a Michael DuBray Scholarship Fund and will determine who can eat the most hot wings. The winner will receive a trophy and bragging rights.

The contest honors Michael DuBray, also known as DeeJay DuBray, who helped found the event and served as its chair and champion for many years. Register for the eating contest at www.glensfallscollaborative.com.

The Collaborative is still seeking participating restaurants for the event. Restaurants are invited to apply online at www.glensfallscollaborative.com.

Charles R. Wood Foundation Awards $2.3M In Grants; Seeks Applications For 2023

March 21, 2023

The Charles R. Wood Foundation is accepting grant applications from IRS approved 501(c)3 organizations whose projects or programs assist children, healthcare or the arts in the Lake George Region and surrounding areas.

Eligible applicants are invited to visit www.charlesrwoodfoundation.com to submit online applications by April 1 for consideration at the spring meeting of trustees or by Sept. 1 for consideration at the fall meeting.

Over the past five years, the foundation has awarded nearly $9.7 million dollars to charitable organizations in the Capital Region, North Country, and western Vermont.

“We are so pleased to be able to invest in so many worthwhile projects. From the smallest soup kitchens to the larger capital projects, we are committed to investing in children, healthcare and the arts in our geographical focus area,” said Charlene Wood, chair and trustee.

The foundation’s Special Healthcare initiative aims to improve the overall health of the population in the region and will continue to accept collaborative applications from organizations serving Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties.

Charles R. Wood established the foundation in 1978. Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations with an emphasis on programs for children, healthcare and the arts.

Express Pack N Ship In Hudson Falls Now Includes UPS and FedEx Shipping Services

March 21, 2023

Rick Gallup, who established Document Solutions more than 20 years ago, now owns Express Pack N Ship in Hudson Falls, a packaging and shipping company.

By Christine Graf

At the beginning of 2023, Express Pack N Ship in Hudson Falls became a franchisee of Package Hub Business Center. There are more than 1,000 independently owned and operated Package Hub franchises throughout the country.

Located at 3316 Route 4, Express Pack N Ship is a full-service packaging and shipping company that operates out of the same space as Document Solutions of the North Country.

Both businesses are owned by Rick Gallup who established Document Solutions more than 20 years ago. In addition to selling and servicing office equipment including copiers and printers, the company offers cloud solutions, computer network support, and managed print services.

According to Gallup, before becoming a franchisee of Package Hub, Express Pack N Ship offered Federal Express shipping only. They are now able to offer UPS shipping as well as a variety of virtual office services designed to meet the needs of the growing number of individuals who work from home.

GlobalFoundries Providing General Motors With Chips For Advanced Vehicle Technology

March 21, 2023

General Motors Co. and GlobalFoundries have entered into a strategic, long-term agreement for the Malta-based company to supply computer chips for the automobile maker.

Through this agreement, GlobalFoundries will manufacture for GM’s key chip suppliers at GlobalFoundries’ advanced semiconductor facility in upstate New York, bringing a critical process to the U.S., officials said.

The agreement supports GM’s strategy to reduce the number of unique chips needed to power increasingly complex and tech-laden vehicles, the company said. With this strategy, chips can be produced in higher volumes and are expected to offer better quality and predictability, maximizing high value content creation for the end customer.

Semiconductors are the foundation of the technologies that are powering the electrification, autonomous driving and connectivity of the auto industry, and they have been center stage in the global chip shortage that has impacted automakers the last couple of years.

“We see our semiconductor requirements more than doubling over the next several years as vehicles become technology platforms,” said Doug Parks, GM executive vice president of global product development, purchasing and supply chain. “The supply agreement with GlobalFoundries will help establish a strong, resilient supply of critical technology in the U.S. that will help GM meet this demand, while delivering new technology and features to our customers.”

Business Report: EDC, Our Communities And The Way Forward

March 21, 2023

Jim Siplon, president, CEO, EDC Warren County.

By Jim Siplon

Earlier this year EDC Warren County shared a stark view of the future economy as we age, try to compete with a smaller and smaller workforce, and still build a community and economy that works.

To help catalyze the needed investments, public policy work, and collective actions needed to attract new, younger residents that can support our diversified economy for the long haul, EDC is adding “convener” to our list of roles we play supporting our businesses and communities.

Last year we brought Dr. Rachel Sederberg to Warren County from leading labor market research firm EMSI Burning Glass to share deep insights on the “demographic drought” we are all experiencing. Using that groundbreaking research and aggregating it with local economic data that is current and novel, EDC is now engaged in meeting with as many audiences as we can to share the underlying foundation for our position.

Convening as many groups as we can, EDC is sharing the data over the last 50 years that led to where we are so we can have informed discussions and public discourse on what we must do to navigate and adapt to our new normal.

One lesson I learned over and over in my previous chapters as a military, business and sustainability leader was the value of not rushing to action, especially on problems that took generations to develop.

SEDC Stakeholders ‘Have A Seat At The Table’ That Helps Bring Its Projects To Fruition

March 21, 2023

Tori Riley, vice president, Saratoga Economic Development Corp.
Courtesy SEDC

By R.J. DeLuke

The Saratoga Economic Development Corp. (SEDC) has been a driving force in the economic development in the area for more than four decades.

Functioning as an independent, nonprofit group, its purpose is to create jobs and diversify the tax base. It is always examining what business or industry might be a good fit for the community and how to entice them to the area.

To that end it has helped attract companies like QUAD/Graphics, SYSCO Food Service, Ball Metal Corp., the Ace Hardware and Target distribution centers, Arnoff Global Logistics, Greenfield Manufacturing, AgroChem and many more to the area.

It was also a key player in the development of the $200 million Luther Forest Technology Campus.

Business retention is also important. SEDC works with state and regional officials on economic development programs available to encourage continued growth of existing industries.

Funding from the organization comes from businesses who pay memberships and thereby help the SEDC continue to work for a stronger economy that benefits all businesses. It also receives some funding from Saratoga County (though SEDC remains politically neutral).

Those that pay the SEDC fees are called “stakeholders.” And to retain and grow those entities, having tangible benefits is important. Retaining stakeholders (and growing them) is on a par with keeping Saratoga County’s existing businesses within the thriving business community.

Maple Syrup Season In The Region Attracts Visitors From Capital District And Beyond

March 21, 2023

One of the workers at Valley Road Maple leads a tour, talking about how maple syrup is made, during Thurman Maple Days, which also features pancake breakfasts.
Paul Post

By Paul Post

How important is maple production to Warren County’s tourism economy?

Just look at where people come from.

Last spring, thousands of visitors flocked to Thurman for its annual Maple Days, spread out over three weekends, to enjoy one of nature’s sweetest taste treats.

Most, of course, made day trips from the Capital Region, but many others traveled hundreds of miles to celebrate this annual rite of spring. Points of origin, based on electronic transaction data, ranged from Boston to Buffalo and cities throughout Pennsylvania, while some visitors were on hand from Norfolk, Va., and St. Paul, Minn.

“We get literally thousands of people over the course of those three weekends,” said Randy Galusha, co-owner Toad Hill Maple Farm with his wife, Jill. “It accounts for about 20-25 percent of our annual sales. The promotion from Warren County Tourism, Lake George Chamber of Commerce and others out there really pays off and gives us repeat customers. People that learn about us keeping coming back.”

This year’s dates are Saturdays and Sundays March 11-12, 18-19 and 24-25. Guests are invited to visit five different maple operations to see how syrup is made, take tours, talk to producers, enjoy samples and buy a variety of pure Adirondack maple goods.

Carly Trerise, Owner Of Dinner And Flowers, Has Pre-Cooked Meals Delivered As Gifts

March 21, 2023

Hudson Falls native Carly Trerise is the owner of Dinner and Flowers.
Courtesy Dinner and Flowers

By Christine Graf

After giving birth to her first child in 2015, Hudson Falls native Carly Trerise was especially grateful to the friends and family members who delivered home cooked meals to her house. It was out of that gratitude that the idea for a business was born.

With the help of her father, Jim Quinlan, she came up with the idea for Dinner and Flowers (previously known as Send A Meal Today), a business that delivers pre-cooked refrigerated meals that can be reheated in the microwave or oven.

The meals make perfect gifts for new parents, people who have just had surgery, or those who have suffered the loss of a loved one. In addition to entrees, a variety of homemade desserts are also available.

After a lot of time spent brainstorming with her father, Trerise enlisted Tamberlyn Dickinson to provide meals and baked goods for the business. Dickinson and her husband, Jon, are the owners of Dickerson’s Delight, an eatery in Glens Falls. They also sell their baked goods at the Glens Falls Farmer’s Market.

“After that, I started putting the word out that my dad and I had an idea that we were working on and that we were in the beginning stages and wanted to do test orders,” said Trerise. “I would use social media, including Facebook, to get orders.”

They accepted test orders for an entire year before officially launching the business in 2017. Trerise hired Kate Austin, owner of Advokate, a Glens Falls PR and marketing company, to help her as she worked to get the business off the ground.

“Kate helped us iron out all of the little details. She also helped us to really get our business name out there into the community,” she said.

Amy Roman’s Company Helps Businesses By Providing Specialized Staff And Training

March 21, 2023

Amy Roman has owned CEFO Advisors for 10 years.
Courtesy CEFO Advisors

By Jill Nagy

When a company needs a controller, a staff accountant, a chief financial officer (CFO), or similar staff member, but not on a full-time basis, CEFO Advisors can step in.

The Saratoga company provides a variety of professional staff members on a part-time basis.

Amy Roman has owned the company for 10 years. For the first five years, however, Roman was the only employee. Eventually, she realized that clients “needed more than just me,” and for the past five years, she has been hiring staff members and placing them with clients.

In the early days, one of her clients described her as ”the bridge between CFO and CEO.” That is the origin of the company name, CEFO.

Roman has 18 employees including managers, accountants, bookkeepers, controllers, CFOs, and staff training specialists, that she matches with companies needing their skills and expertise. Many are part-timers, working parents, or semi-retired people ready for a second career. They work flexible hours, including working at home, but must be available when the client company needs them on site, Roman said.

Typically, the CEFO specialist will remain with a company for year or more, coming and going as needed.

Company offices are at 125 High Rock Ave., Suite 103, in Saratoga Springs.

Roman creates a team for each client company and she hires people for specific companies.