Month: April 2026

Saratoga Retailer Launches Sale Room Concept To Turn Over Inventory Faster

April 20, 2026

Manager Stacey D’Andrea Goodman, center, is pictured with staff at Lifestyles of Saratoga, one of Heidi Owen West’s group of Broadway shops, including Caroline+Main and Union Hall.
Saratoga Business Journal

By Susan Elise Campbell

At Heidi Owen West’s newest clothing shop, everything is on sale.

Owen West is the entrepreneur whose LLC owns three clothing shops on Broadway: Lifestyles of Saratoga, Caroline + Main and Union Hall Supply Company, the latter a men’s store with two other locations in the Albany area. Her latest concept is The Sale Room, which retails discounted merchandise from her other stores.

Eliminating sale racks from retail shops frees space, turns over merchandise more quickly and allows staff to focus on what’s current, said Owen West, a Fashion Institute of Technology graduate.

Today’s shoppers have changed greatly over the 35 years she has shaped her clientele. She said what used to be about selling product is now about selling an environment and “creating those moments that people want to be a part of.”

“They want to be wowed, they want an experience,” she said. “My philosophy is to create places where customers can come in and feel something.”

Mannix Marketing Marks 30 Years Of Digital Growth And Regional Impact

April 20, 2026

Sara Mannix, founder and CEO of Mannix Marketing, leads the award-winning digital agency.

By Staff Writer

In 1996, as most businesses were only starting to consider websites, Sara Mannix was already asking how to get found online. The uncertainty of the digital world gave Mannix a unique chance.

Now in its 30th year, Mannix Marketing is known as one of the Capital Region’s top digital marketing firms. The company stands out by offering full-service digital marketing and owning popular regional media sites. This approach gives Mannix Marketing an edge and helps it stay relevant serving 1,500 clients and a staff of about 30 employees.

Sara Mannix built her foundation for entrepreneurship before the internet became widespread. She graduated summa cum laude from the University at Albany with a double major and spent two years studying in Spain and Italy.

After graduating, she moved to New York City and had to choose between two very different career paths.

“I had two job offers: to work in the stock market or at a fashion house as their marketing and PR person,” Mannix said. “Knowing I couldn’t work in the stock exchange upstate, I took the marketing job and fell in love with marketing.”

When she returned to the area, Mannix worked at West Mountain Ski Area and later at Fort William Henry Corp. in Lake George. It was during this time in the mid-1990s that she first discovered the internet.

“In 1995, the internet was just becoming a thing, and I worked with an agency to build my first website,” she said. “I asked them, ‘How do you get us found in the search engines AltaVista, Excite, and WebCrawler?’ They said, ‘Nobody knows how to do that; that’s up to you.’”

Capital Region SBDC Provides Free Support For Small Businesses At Every Stage

April 20, 2026

By Carol Ann Conover

Whether drafting a first business plan, breaking into a new market or handing off a company built over decades, business owners can get help from the Capital Region Small Business Development Center. The service is free, with no time limit and no agenda.

“We have no agenda, we have nothing to push, we have nothing to sell,” said Greg Chanese, assistant director of the Capital Region SBDC. “So, at the end of the day, we’re just here to support you as a small business.”

The SBDC is a national program funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. It distributes money to every state. In New York, that funding goes through the State University of New York system. The Capital Region center is housed at the University at Albany under the Massry School of Business. There are 20 SBDC centers in New York, and the program has operated for more than 40 years.

Chanese, who has been with the center for six years, said the Capital Region office serves between 1,000 and 1,300 businesses annually. The center currently has four full-time advisers; Chanese also carries an advisory caseload as part of his role as assistant director and said he hopes to bring on a fifth full-time adviser in the near future.

Services are available at every stage of a business’s life. The center’s support reaches well beyond startups. Aspiring entrepreneurs can get help with business plans, financial projections or testing an idea’s merit. Established businesses can work with advisers on expansion, refining operations or pivoting to a new model. When it’s time to step away, the center helps owners prepare for a sale or buyers structure an acquisition.

“There’s really no stage of a small business where we can’t assist,” Chanese said.

Saratoga Hospital Ranks Among U.S. Leaders On Newsweek World’s Best 2026 List

April 20, 2026

Saratoga Hospital’s main entrance is shown in Saratoga Springs, where the hospital was named to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026 list and ranked among the nation’s top facilities overall.
Courtesy Stock Studios Photography

Saratoga Hospital has been named to Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals 2026 list, a global ranking that recognizes hospitals for clinical care, patient experience and quality outcomes.

Among thousands of hospitals evaluated worldwide, Saratoga Hospital ranked among the top hospitals in the United States. It is one of 18 hospitals in New York state to make the list and the only hospital in the Capital Region to be included.

“This recognition reflects our extraordinary commitment of our entire team to delivering high-quality, compassionate care every day,” said Saratoga Hospital President and CEO Jill VanKuren. “To be recognized on a global stage, and as the only hospital in our region, is a testament to the culture we’ve built and the trust our community places in us.”

Newsweek said it evaluates hospitals using surveys of medical experts, patient experience data, hospital quality metrics and patient-reported outcomes. More than 2,500 hospitals across 32 countries were assessed.

“This honor highlights what our patients already know, that they can access nationally recognized, high-quality care close to home,” said Chief Medical Officer Robert Donnarumma, MD. “It speaks to the strength of our clinical teams and our ongoing focus on safety and the patient experience.”

Marine Technology Program Launches Workforce Pipeline For Boating Industry

April 20, 2026April 20, 2026

Graduates of a new adult Marine Technology course pose with instructor Brian Foster. From left are Svitozar Zakhariia, Jon Valastro, Nathan Winslow, Foster, Steve Mittler and Tannery Kennedy. Paul Post Photo

Thousands of boat owners use waterways from Schroon Lake to the Mohawk River each summer, driving demand for skilled marine technicians.

A new Marine Technology Program for adults is addressing that need, graduating its first five students at the Great Upstate Boat Show in Queensbury.

“Completing this program is a milestone, and we’re excited to recognize the growth, accomplishment, and potential each of you has demonstrated,” said Michelle Stockwell, administrator of Employment Training for Adults. “This achievement reflects not only your hard work and dedication, but also your commitment to learning valuable skills that will hopefully open doors in the marine industry.”

The 145-hour evening course at the BOCES Southern Adirondack Education Center trains entry-level marine service technicians in electrical work, engine theory, seasonal preparation, shrink-wrapping, safety and trailer repair.

Instructor Brian Foster taught graduates Jon Valastro, Nathan Winslow, Steve Mittler, Tannery Kennedy and Svitozar Zakhariia, from Ukraine.

Log Jam Restaurant Celebrates 50 Years Of Consistency And Economic Impact

April 20, 2026

The Log Jam Restaurant in Lake George is marking its 50th year as a landmark dining destination, with steady operations and a long-running role in the region’s seasonal hospitality economy.
Courtesy Log Jam

By Staff Writer

For 50 years, consistent management and operations have made The Log Jam Restaurant a landmark destination restaurant and steady economic contributor in one of New York’s most seasonal tourism markets.

“My biggest thing is consistency,” said Tony Grecco, who has spent nearly four decades with the business and more than 30 years in a management role. “I want people to know when they come, what they’re going to get, and it’s going to be the same every time.”

That consistency has translated into scale. The restaurant seats approximately 250 guests and, during peak August demand, turns tables three times per night while averaging about 600 dinners. Lunch service adds another 300 to 400 customers daily, bringing total volume to between 800 and 1,000 patrons on a typical summer day.

The menu remains rooted in steakhouse tradition, with custom-cut steaks prepared in-house alongside seafood and fish offerings. That consistent approach to quality, combined with the restaurant’s signature salad bar, has helped define its identity for generations of customers.

Equine Therapy Grant Aids Program For Teens

April 20, 2026

CAPTAIN Community Human Services has received a $4,000 grant from the GlobalFoundries/Town of Malta Foundation to continue its partnership with Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, providing equine-assisted psychotherapy for youth served through CAPTAIN’s Runaway and Homeless Youth Shelter.

Launched in 2024, the program addresses the mental health needs of youth experiencing housing instability and crisis. The Malta shelter provides 24/7 care and support for children and teens ages 13 to 17 facing homelessness, family conflict or unsafe living conditions.

Through the partnership, youth take part in structured group sessions at Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga, where licensed mental health professionals and certified equine specialists work together. The program focuses on building self-awareness, improving communication, developing coping skills and encouraging healthy self-care practices.

In 2025, 36 youth participated in the program.

“While our shelter provides critical housing and support services, this program fills an important gap by offering therapeutic experiences that help youth process what they’ve been through,” said Scott DeMarco, CAPTAIN CHS executive director.