Category Archives: New Businesses

By Liz Witbeck

Farmers Hardware is a new brunch dining restaurant expected to open in June on Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs.

For owner Julia Sanzen, the restaurant is about combining her love of cooking, health and nutrition.

Sanzen was born and raised in Saratoga Springs. She later moved out of the city, graduating from American University and receiving professional training at the National Gourmet Institute. She has worked alongside celebrity chefs and opened her own catering service.

Now Sanzen is ready to come back home.

“I delved into the Saratoga food scene. The word is that good quality breakfast is needed,” she said.

Farmers Hardware will be located at 35 Maple Ave.

The venue itself contains three floors. The first floor contains a communal dining area. There will also be patio seating outdoors. Before sitting down, guests can walk upstairs to the second floor, where they place their orders. The third floor is available for additional seating. There is also private event space available on the third floor.

By Margaret MacDonald

Husband-and-wife team Justin and Maya Bartlett, owners of Dizzy Chicken Rotisserie in Glens Falls, are opening a second restaurant in the former Legends Café building,  102 Congress St., Saratoga Springs.

This new restaurant will have much in common with their first, though they hope to obtain a liquor license which they don’t have in Glens Falls, the owners said.

The interior will be completely redone. Exteriorly, the place will be “spruced up” with new railings and sidings, they said.

“We make everything in-house” including bread and mozzarella, and otherwise source locally, Justin Bartlett said. The chicken is antibiotic and cage-free “from egg to preparation” before being barbecued on a wood-burning rotisserie, thus the name “dizzy.”

Bartlett said he takes pride in the restaurant’s ability to provide homemade healthy and nutritious food in a casual, fun, family-oriented atmosphere. And the delivery aspect offers quality takeout at an affordable price with quick service.

Saratoga is a “happening food town,” a natural draw for the restaurant’s expansion. He said the so-called “slow food” movement, stemming most closely from the Hudson Valley chapter, is popular right now.

A former ice cream and barbecue business at 588 Lake Ave. (Route 29), Saratoga Springs, has opened for the 2017 summer season under new ownership.

Formally known as Mr. Ed’s, the countryside eatery is now called Ollie’s Grill-n-Chill.

New owners David and Brenda Delozier said they are excited to revitalize the legacy of Mr. Ed’s. They will be firing up a smoker to create authentic Memphis-style barbecue, along with the ice cream stand.

“Mr. Ed’s was a cherished summer destination for many Saratogians,” said David Delozier.  “The great barbecue, the outdoor dining, and the ice cream—it’s all here again for everyone to enjoy this summer.”

A red and white dining canopy will offer a place for customers to eat burgers or barbecue, he said.  The three-acre site has ample parking, and the large lawn can accommodate overflow.

He said Ollie’s has set aside Tuesday night for classic cars cruise-in events.

Kate Byrne Design, a branding and graphic design studio opened for business in early March at 74 Warren St. in downtown Saratoga Springs.

Byrne specializes in branding materials and identity systems spanning both digital and print mediums, including logo design, business stationery, posters, social media and web design. Her work uses visual narratives aimed at creating powerful first impressions that communicate with audiences instantly and effectively.

Her studio is co-located with a local print shop, Advantage Press. The partnership allows clients to follow the project development cycle from initial creative concept to final production, and provide input throughout the entire design process, she said.

A Saratoga native, Byrne worked for several years at Burton Snowboards in Burlington, Vt., before deciding to open a new business in her home town.

The Pavilion Grand Hotel on Lake Avenue in Saratoga Springs has opened the Blue Peacock Bistro within its Pavilion Square.

Blue Peacock, an urban-chic bistro, is open to the public as well as guests of the hotel, officials said.

Blue Peacock Bistro, located on the Pavilion Place street side of the hotel, offers breakfast and lunch daily, as well as a selection of wines and craft beers with artesian meat and cheese, and dessert

Hotel officials said platters are  “vibrant upscale, yet casual.”  Both indoor and outdoor dining is available.

“Blue Peacock Bistro aims to be a go-to spot for a cozy coffee, casual lunch or quiet business gathering just off Broadway,” the company said. The bistro is also a carrier of cold-pressed juices and wellness shots from Saratoga Juice Bar. It will also carry French macarons from TC Paris in Saratoga Springs.

There will also be panini sandwiches and a light menu.

The bistro will be open 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

“We are thrilled with the concept and creation of Blue Peacock Bistro,” said Susanne Simpson, general manager of Pavilion Grand Hotel. “It has become a favorite cozy spot for its customers to enjoy a special coffee with a friend or a wonderful conversation with wine and cheese.”

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Starting a business comes with a set of challenges for anyone. Starting a business after moving across the globe takes someone who has to be truly committed. Among those people are Judith Ann Connolly, a self-described transplant from the United Kingdom whose unique personality can be found in an eclectic collection at the Burnt Hills antique shop she both owns and manages.

Connolly opened the Northumbrian Cottage, 813 Saratoga Road, last summer after spending 37 years as an educator in the U.K., specifically as a secondary school principal. Connolly met her husband, Tim, in Dubai. After retiring, she moved to Schenectady. She said she didn’t really know anyone when she first came to the U.S.

She decided to take up painting. It was that decision that led her to becoming an entrepreneur.

“I did not know a single soul when I came here but decided to have watercolor lessons and chose Mary Francis Millet as my teacher. The relationship blossomed. Mary actually came to my wedding in the U.K., and she introduced me to a wide network of artists and artisans,” said Connolly.

By Liz Witbeck

A local restaurant has undergone some changes. Beekman Bar + Eatery, previously known as 62 Beekman, had a grand opening in February at that location.

62 Beekman closed for two weeks for some refurbishing work before it emerged as Beekman Bar + Eatery.

Darren DeVietro is managing owner of the establishment.

DeVietro, originally from Connecticut, moved to Saratoga Springs in 2013 to help his father, Dominick DeVietro, run the family restaurant at that address. The eatery is known for serving up American cuisine prepared with fresh farm-to-table flair.

In March 2016, the DeVietros expanded their business and opened up Beekman Street Café, located just a few doors down from 62 Beekman, on the corner of Beekman and Ash streets.

After spending time with both restaurants, the DeVietros decided to rethink the business.

By Jennifer Farnsworth

Alba Fort left Barcelona, Spain to come to Saratoga area just 10 months ago. Today, the mother of two has launched an online retail business that allows her to establish roots in upstate New York while enjoying the European decor she craves.

It is a business venture she said is giving her a sense of fulfillment in the place she now calls home.

“The idea came about few months ago when I started to decorate my little one’s room. I was looking for items that reflected my passion for Scandinavian design and fit with my style,”said Fort.

“I decided to let my heart guide me with the vision that nurseries can be modern and cute spaces. From there kidslovedecor.com was born,” she said.

Her company, Kids Love Decor, is  an online boutique filled with decoration products for children that can’t be found at most retail stores. The hand-picked decor items come from all over the globe and are specifically for babies and children’s bedrooms, nurseries and playrooms.

BY Molly Congdon

No. 1 Nail & Spa, 55 Railroad Place in Saratoga Springs, became a new business in that street’s commercial segment, between Price Chopper and Bow Tie Cinema, in January.

Prior to opening the salon, the owners, Emily Hei and Jack Wang, had a salon in Rotterdam called NY Nail & Spa.

“Business was great and everyone enjoyed going,” Hei said. “Since our first business was successful, I thought to open up a new salon from scratch. I sold the old salon in June  and started looking for a new place.”

Having the location be in Saratoga was a no-brainer, she said.

“We live in Saratoga Springs,” said Hei. “My daughter also goes to the high school in Saratoga. Everyone is nice. So I thought, why don’t I open up a salon to provide services for them?”

By R.J. DeLuke

The vacant building at 17 Maple Ave. in Saratoga Springs—long a nightclub and most recently a high-end restaurant—is coming back to life.

A new craft beer garden and restaurant, with an old-fashioned coin-operated game room—the Sinclair—is set to open perhaps by early this summer, according to Hillary Morrison, who will be the owner and operator.

Morrison recently moved to the area from Los Angeles with her husband and two children. After years in operations management in Los Angeles at some of the city’s top venues, she said she is ready to realize her vision in the Sinclair. She is the daughter-in-law of local business owners Mark and Betty Straus.

“Saratoga has an incredible sense of community and I am so excited to be a part of such a great town. The beer garden and game room will be a place where everyone can enjoy outdoor vibes, and have some nostalgic fun,” she said.

The name, she said, comes from a restaurant of the same name that her great-great grandfather operated in Manhattan that was closed in 1925 for serving alcohol during the Prohibition.