BY LIZ WITBECK
For those shopping for holiday gifts, the
Beekman Street Arts District in Saratoga
Springs offers some unique alternatives.
A newcomer to the Beekman Street Arts
District is Yoicks! gift shop. Owner Michael
Finney recently relocated his store from
Stevenson, Md., to 74 Beekman St.
Yoicks! offers high quality clothing, a style
that Finney refers to as “a classic look without
any apologies.” Clothing for men and women
includes dress pants and shirts, ties, coats
and vests, belts, socks and sweaters. Some
of the items Finney buys direct, but most are
customized exclusively for Yoicks! The shop
also features a vast array of gifts: stuffed
animals, paintings, glassware, cologne, books,
statues, antiques, and more.
He offers brands such as Barbour, Smathers
& Branson and Penhaligon’s.
Items come from either the USA or the
UK. British items include Corgi, a brand of
Welsh socks, and brushed cable knit Shetland
sweaters that Finney has imported from
Scotland.
“I buy what I like and then I sell it,” said
Finney. He looks for items that are unique,
interesting and fun. “If somebody needs a
unique and quality gift, there are all types
of gifts here.”
Rena’s Fine Flowers at 51 Ash St. has been
in business for eight years, providing floral
arrangements to customers in the Saratoga
Springs region. Rena Zeppetelli, owner, said
she has seen a trend toward purchasing silk
flowers, wreaths and trees for the holiday
season. She said they are easy to hang up
and put away each season and clean when
necessary.
“For the holiday season people are really
moving that way,” said Zeppetelli. She notes
that there are plenty of people who still want the scent of real plants and pine in
their home.
During the holiday season, some of the
most popular flowers are amaryllis, orchids
and holiday greens. Rena’s Fine Flowers sells
seasonal decorations and centerpieces for all
holiday needs.
The floral shop provides arrangements
for weddings, fundraisers, corporate events,
as well as business decorating. Zeppetelli
and her staff come into local businesses
and provide all aspects of decorating for
corporations.
“I love Beekman Street,” said Zeppetelli.
“It’s a great mix of homeowners and business
owners. It’s a very tight-knit community.”
Merle Norman Cosmetics, 70 Beekman
St., is a franchise operated by Terri Guerin.
She has been involved with the company for
33 years. Previously located on Broadway,
she moved to the Arts District in April 2013.
The store will hold its Holiday Open House
on Saturday, Dec 6. Customers will be treated
to beverages and light snacks. There will be
giveaways and holiday gifts. Last year, more
than 200 people attended.
All products at Merle Norman are made in
the U.S. The store has a policy of “try before
you buy.” Guerin and her staff offer free
makeovers and skin analysis to customers.
Guerin said she loves being on Beekman
Street, enjoys having a larger store as well as
more parking space for customers than she
did on Broadway.
Spa City Bicycleworks, 79 Beekman St., is
dedicated to cycling. The store offers mountain,
commuting, and road bicycles. Brands
include Serotta, Scott, and Salsa.
The staff offers service and maintenance
repairs for all cycling products, including
cleanings, tune-ups, adjustments, bike fittings
and rentals.
The store is holding a holiday sale through
Jan. 1.
The Barrelhouse is a new bar/restaurant,
at 68 Beekman St. The menu is casual, offering
burgers, sandwiches, and soups paired
with comforting sides such as potato salad
and baked beans.
Almost all of the meats are smoked inside
the restaurant, with the rest coming from
Oscar’s Smokehouse in Warrensburg.
At the restaurant, the artwork of Jeremy
Fish lines the walls. The Barrelhouse sells
his prints, and proceeds go to benefit On
Deck Saratoga, a nonprofit organization
that preserves the Saratoga Skate Park. The
prints make unique holiday gifts, according
to co-owner Charlie Usas.
The Restaurant at 62 Beekman offers new
American dishes with ingredients that are
sourced from local farms. Owner Dominick
DeVietro is head chef. He said the Beekman
Street location helps the restaurant cater
to a local crowd, rather than just tourists
on Broadway. Even on rainy November days,
DeVietro is busy in the kitchen preparing
plates for a full house.
The menu is constantly changing to reflect
the seasons. DeVietro recently implemented
his fall menu, featuring specials like a carrot
ginger soup with cranberry and walnuts and
a yellow fin tuna dish.
“We do a lot of holiday parties for companies,”
said Darren DeVietro, who manages
the front of the house. He said they are busy
with catering from Thanksgiving until Valentine’s
Day.
While the restaurant is closed on Thanksgiving,
it does take place in Small Business
Saturday the weekend after the holiday.
Small Business Saturday is a national event
hosted by American Express. Strategically
placed between Black Friday and Cyber Monday,
it focuses on shopping at small businesses.
Customers who come in to Restaurant
at 62 Beekman will receive a free drink.
The DeVietros are excited to see more
businesses are moving into the Beekman
Street Art District, saying that since the
Barrelhouse opening, more people have been
coming to Restaurant at 62 Beekman.
“It’s up-and-coming,” said DeVietro.
The Local Pub and Teahouse is another
popular restaurant, at 142 Grand Ave., on the
corner of Beekman Street. The restaurant
will be taking part in Toys for Toga, a campaign
to bring toys to needy children. Starting
on December 4, people can drop unwrapped
toys at the restaurant. Anybody who brings in
a toy will receive an Olde Saratoga Brewing
20-ounce glass and one free fill at the bar.
Twelve Beers of Christmas a holiday event
at The Local. Starting on Dec. 14, customers
can come in and receive a flight of limited
edition winter and holiday beers. Twelve beer
samples costs $12.
All the Beekman Street restaurants
participate in Restaurant Week, Dec. 5-11.
During the event, participating restaurants
offer three-course meals for $10, $20, or $30.
It allows people to try new restaurants they
otherwise may not have experienced.