Category Archives: Entrepreneurship

Jill Nagy

Only months after opening the Palette cafe and workspace in Saratoga Springs, Catherine Hover is planning a second location, this one in Schenectady.

The Saratoga cafe opened last June. The upstairs co-working space opened in November. The Schenectady location will probably open in late spring or early summer, she said.

For now, things are slow due to COVID-19 restrictions but, “We’re hanging in there,” she said. The cafe is restricted to curbside pick-up, delivery, and takeout.

“We’re doing as we are told, trying to make the best of it and stay cheerful,” she said. The cafe still offers members a menu of hot and cold beverages, sandwiches, soups, and homemade baked goods. Baker Sam Pierre remains on staff and, in fact, “We’re not laying off anybody.”

By Christine Graf

Malta resident Jim Thomson, owner of custom wooden sign company Adirondack Jim’s, recently secured a contract to make signs for Yellowstone National Park’s historic Lake Lodge.

The lodge was built in 1891 and is undergoing a $19 million makeover. According to Thomson, it was well-known Montana historical architect Ken Sievert who recommended he be chosen to make the interior and exterior signs for the lodge.

The signs will measure between 5-8 feet in length and will be framed in logs. Scott Phillips of Adirondack LogWorks in Schroon Lake will be making the frames.

By Christine Graf
Pet Lodge owner Matt Sames is anticipating a May opening for his newest location at 3320 Route 9 in Saratoga.
The business will offer dog and cat boarding, doggie daycare, pet grooming and obedience training classes. The new 6,000-square-foot building was built on land Sames purchased more than three years ago.
Sames opened the first Pet Lodge 12 years ago in Clifton Park. His desire to start his own business developed while he was working as general sales manager at WRGB Channel 6. It was then that Plattsburgh veterinarian Dr. Tom Brown approached him about going into business together. The two men have been friends for over 40 years.

by Susan E. Campbell
Eileen Venn and her husband Brian have passed the 10-year milestone since purchasing Mechanical Testing Inc., a company that tests and balances the air flow and air quality of HVAC systems.
According to Venn, not only has the company doubled its growth in terms of sales, but it has also recently engaged in a related side business in another technology growth industry: distributing UAVs, also known as drones.
“We started using drones with cameras and thermal imaging equipment to look for issues in HVAC systems, like detecting leaks,” said Venn. “I contacted a supplier about purchasing a drone and learned that they were looking for distribution partners.”

Plug Power Inc., a provider of energy solutionswith an office in Clifton Park, has been named to Fast Company’s prestigious annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019.
The 2019 Most Innovative Companies (MIC) list honors 50 businesses making the most profound impact on both industry and culture, showcasing a variety of ways to thrive in today’s volatile world. Half of the companies on this year’s MIC 50 list are appearing for the first time.