Category Archives: New Businesses

By Jill Nagy

Deborah DePasquale’s new business, Toga Heritage, reflects her fond memories of childhood summers in Saratoga: picnics and barbecues, trips to the races, learning to play golf, visits to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, and sips from the mineral water fountains.

The shop offers items from hats to picnic baskets to help capture that nostalgia.

She calls it a “lifestyle business,” aimed at “locals and locals at heart.” Physically, it is a shop housed in part of the Paper Dolls stationery store in the Saratoga Marketplace at 454 Broadway in Saratoga Springs.

“It’s my own shop inside of a shop,” she said.

DePasquale said that she launched her brand in 2016, selling at polo matches, fashion shows and similar events. Some of the items she sells are manufactured under her own label. Others, she buys wholesale.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Fred Whipple knows fire safety. From his family’s history with the Saratoga Springs Fire Department, to building his own career, he has been a part of the fire safety field for his entire life.

Now, the retired firefighter is bringing his knowledge to his own business, Saratoga Fire Extinguisher.

He said after retiring he wanted to still utilize his expertise via fire extinguisher sales and service. He specializes in portable fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and other safety products for business and residential customers.

“I wanted to start this business to provide a service that is lacking locally. There are a few companies out there but none that are from Saratoga Springs,” said Whipple.

He said state and local laws govern all public places and businesses in regard to fire extinguishers, and those extinguishers need to be serviced and inspected yearly by a trained professional company.

By Jill Nagy

An octagonal boat with a thatched roof began navigating Saratoga Lake in July. The boat, operated by Tiki Tours, is the second one launched in the area this summer.

The company started on Lake George earlier this summer.

Cruises leave from the South Shore Marina, 113 Route 9P, near the Nostalgia restaurant, and last for an hour. Fare is $35 per passenger for up to six passengers. The boat will also pick up passengers at Doc Brown’s Restaurant, 511 Route 9P, Saratoga Springs. The passengers determine where to go and whether to make stops on the way.

Greg Teresi, owner of the company, said the boat is rented on a charter basis. It went out about 50 times in its first month of operation in Saratoga.

The boat, decorated like a small Tiki lounge, measures 15.5 feet by 16.5 feet and is powered by a 30-horsepower outboard engine. It can accommodate six passengers.

He said it is manned by a captain and a deckhand. There are few amenities: an ice chest and ice, a portable toilet with a privacy shield, and is radio equipped with bluetooth technology.

By Liz Witbeck

Make Me Fabulous hair salon and spa recently opened inside of the Pavilion Grand Hotel on Lake Avenue in Saratoga Springs.

Make Me Fabulous is the second location for owner Alayne Curtiss. The first is at 32 Front St. in Ballston Spa, which has been in business since 2011.

The salon is not just for hotel patrons. It is open to the public.

The newest location at 30 Lake Ave. has both salon and spa services in a 1,500-square-foot space.

“The Ballston Spa location has more of a hometown vibe, while [the new venture] vibe is more Saratoga,” said Curtiss.

“Our business needed to be in Saratoga,” said Curtiss. “We were always inside of the hotel for events. When the space became available, we started talking. The owners couldn’t have been more helpful.”

“We are able to service guests better now that we are here in town.”

About $50,000 was spent in renovations, in order to update the spa and salon treatment facilities, she said.

By Margaret MacDonald

Thomas Grouard Lillelund, a native of France with a passion for wine, has opened French Corner, a small wine importation and distribution company in Saratoga Springs.

The company is small but encompasses what Lillelund terms the “art form” of what he does.

It brings French wines to the U.S. market, focusing on vineyards from well-known and new wine regions

Having left France 20 years ago, Lillelund and his wife moved from London to settle in Saratoga five years ago to begin the company.

A passion for wine began to express itself around 15 years of age. He said he traveled often and loved visiting the scenic vineyards. Upon moving to the U.S., he sought to establish a smaller production company like those abundant in Europe.

As the only link between customer and winemaker, the French Corner serves primarily restaurants and retail from New York City to Lake Placid—the Hudson River corridor—no further west than Schenectady.

By Margaret MacDonald

A New England Nanny, a household employment agency, has expanded the services it provides to area families.

Located at 7 Executive Park, Clifton Park, the company offers full-time and part-time nanny care, live-in or live out. This includes baby-sitting, back-up care, housekeeping, mother’s helpers, senior care companions, conference and event child care, house managers, pet sitting.

They recently added ‘& More’ to their name as an indication of offerings beyond nanny service.

“Most of our clients are busy working parents who need support with their childcare or home needs,” agency directory Melissa Schoonmaker said.

“We have been servicing families since 1991 and we are licensed by New York state. We personally interview and screen all of our staff. Families can have peace of mind knowing they are getting a qualified professional,” she said.

Schoonmaker has been managing the agency for almost 20 years. She joined the company in 1997 after completing studies in human services at Hudson Valley Community College.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Rebuilding Together of Saratoga County and their selfless volunteers have again gone above and beyond.

The organization opened a store in mid-July that will help in their quest to improve the lives of many low-income homeowners.

Michaela Brown of Rebuilding Together, said The Store at Rebuilding Together Saratoga, at 132 Milton Ave. in Ballston Spa, sells new and lightly used furniture, household goods and building materials.

The organization had been in talks for about two years before deciding to make the store a reality. They chose the organization’s headquarters on Milton Avenue in Ballston Spa as the location for the store. It is already filled with home furnishings and decor, all donations from people in and around the region.

“The proceeds from the store will be used to help us underwrite our operations and projects, so we can help even more homeowners in need live in homes that are dry, warm and safe,” said Brown.

Rebuilding Together of Saratoga was founded by Executive Director Michelle Larkin in 2003, with the support of her husband Dan, friends and family from the Saratoga County community, as well as the national Rebuilding Together organization. They are an independent, local affiliate of Rebuilding Together, which currently has 142 affiliates across the country.

Brown said the organization helps qualified homeowners who are not able to make home repairs. They work to coordinate the volunteers, contractors, tools and supplies needed and provide the services at no cost to the homeowner.