By Paul Post

Alan VanTassel stays in business by working himself out of a job.

After 30-plus years in corporate America, he recently launched his own Moreau-based firm, Velocity Sales, which helps entrepreneurs achieve their sales vision and goals.

“Sales is an area of difficulty for most small business owners,” VanTassel said. “They’re passionate about what they do, but their experience is not often in sales. At some point they get to a place where sales are declining or they’re frustrated with revolving-door salespeople coming and going, and can’t attract good talent. Clients hire me on an interim business. We don’t just consult, we actually do the work for them.”

“The model is to help them build a sales structure they don’t have, to help them get their business to the next level,” he said. “I’ll help them hire salespeople, do weekly ride-alongs and attend sales meetings. I can be part of the business and run sales while developing a long-term strategy or plan. After 12 to 24 months I’d be gone.”

VanTassel is an alum of Queensbury High School and Adirondack Community College (now SUNY Adirondack). Early in his career, he traveled the country for Melville Corp., the parent company of numerous nationwide chain stores such as Thom McAn shoes, Marshalls and KB Toys. Then he was a regional sales manager for Stride Rite shoes before moving to Verizon, where he managed sales in its upstate New York market’s messaging division.

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.

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.

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. 

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.