The Lake George Winter Carnival takes place each weekend throughout February, featuring family friendly events, may of them free and open to tourists and area residents as well.

 For 2022, the dates are the weekends of  Feb. 5 -6, 12-13, 19-20 and 26 -27.

Through the course of those weekends there are chowder, chili, BBQ, and chicken wing cook-offs. There are activities like outhouse races, ATV races, polar plunges, fireworks and more.

Events are coordinated by the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Kids can participate in children’s activities like pony rides or  toast marshmallows on the beach. 

Although Lake George is usually frozen solid by February, there are some years when mild temperatures cause the ice to be unsafe for normal activities. If ice-dependent events need to be canceled or relocated, that information will be announced on the Winter Carnival’s Facebook page or website.

 There are plenty of places for tourists to stay overnight. 

For more information and schedules, visit www.lakegeorge.com/winter/carnival.

By Susan Elise Campbell

Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service is in the process of acquiring two companies that will expand its reach distributing beer, wine, soft drinks and water to an additional eight counties upstate, according to president and chief operating officer Jeff Vukelic. 

With roots stretching back to Buffalo in 1928 with parent company Try-It Distributing, what started as a beverage bottling business by the late Stephen Vukelic is now a multi-generational family company. With the most recent acquisitions the company will hold exclusive distribution rights to such brands as Budweiser, Rolling Rock and Michelob in a total of 21 counties in upstate New York. 

According to Vukelic, the new acquisitions are Northern Eagle Beverages Inc. out of Oneonta and Seneca Beverage Corp. of Elmira, both Anheuser-Busch distributors. Both will operate under the Saratoga Eagle name.

Saratoga Eagle has been in a growth-through-acquisition model since 2004-2005. This is the time frame when Try-It expanded into the Saratoga and Glens Falls areas with a new distribution hub subsidiary out of Saratoga Springs and grandson Jeff Vukelic took on the role of COO.

“Typically we are purchasing the rights to distribute beverages in the territories of the companies we acquire,” said Vukelic. “Occasionally we acquire a brick and mortar facility, but it is more typical to lease the space where the trucks are loaded for delivery to customers.”

by Jill Nagy

Premium Velocity Auto LLC has purchased nine Jiffy Lube franchises that were part of the  the Hoffman Car Wash chain. The sale closed Dec. 15. 

This is the first venture into New York state for the purchaser, which operates 55 Jiffy Lube franchises in 10 other states.

The car wash chain decided to get out of the Jiffy Lube  business and concentrate on expanding the car wash side of thingss, according to owner Tom Hoffman Jr. His last new Jiffy Lube franchise opened in 2004. Meanwhile, other companies were aggressively expanding their Jiffy Lube portfolios.

Hoffman recently opened a 23rd car wash in Yorkville, a suburb of Utica. Plans for 2022 include outlets in Rome, Gloversville, Cohoes, and Queensbury. When Hoffman opens a new car wash in Oneonta, they will be joined by a Premium Velocity Jiffy Lube franchise.

The newly purchased Jiffy Lube franchises “fit our network,” said Don Hill, president of Premium Velocity. The new owner purchased all of the assets of the Hoffman Car Wash Jiffy Lube outlets and plans to continue operating all of them. Seven of the nine franchises are in buildings  owned by Hoffman. The new owners will lease the buildings from Hoffman. 

“So, we are now landlords,”  Hoffman said. 

All 145 employees will keep their jobs and benefits. 

By Jennifer Farnsworth

After decades of sitting vacant, Wallie’s of Greenwich is once again open for business.

Owner Ted Bearor said the restaurant and pub has gone through a complete restoration on both the interior and exterior of the building at 52-54 Main St., while still maintaining the charm for which it was once known.

Bearor said renovating and re-establishing the business was something he felt confident in taking on because of his industry related background. Taking his experience in the restaurant business, Bearor said, and opening up his own place with a silent partner, felt risky at times, but it was well worth the wait.

“I have been director of food and beverage at the Whiteface Lodge in Lake Placid as well as the director of operations at the Lodge at Six Flags.  Following my hotel work, my business partner and I have been involved in other area restaurants, notably the iconic George’s in Lake George from 2013 to 2020, and finally opening Wallie’s.  We have been challenged, along with many other businesses, during this time due to the pandemic, however we have been fortunate to have great staff and community support,” said Bearor.

First-floor renovations included taking out apartments to make room for what is now the pub area. He said during the demolition phase, the building was discovered to have had five to six additions over the past century or so. Other renovations included replacing the roof, kitchen, bathrooms, ventilation equipment, along with adding in a separate walk-in cooler that can hold up to 12 kegs