Category Archives: New Businesses

Kirsten Dahlgren, co-owner of Nostalgia Ale House and Wine Bar on Saratoga Lake, offers a wide variety of food,including a combination of standard bar food, steaks, seafood and Italian fare.©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com

It seems only fitting that the grand opening of the restaurant Nostalgia Ale House and Wine Bar was held on the 50th birthday of owner Kirsten Dahlgren. The restaurant, on Saratoga Lake at 113 Route 9P, combines a sense of warm memories, good food and drinks, family and friends, all things close to Dahlgren’s heart.

Dahlgren, along with co-owner Anthony DiDonna and a staff of 12, opened the restaurant based on the idea that it would have as a casual atmosphere filled with joyful reminders of the past. Dahlgren said they put a lot of time and effort into finding just the right things to pull the “nostalgia” theme together.

By Liz Witbeck

People looking for an authentic New England seafood experience do not have to drive to the ocean. It can be found in Saratoga Springs at Eddie F’s Deli & More, opened by Ed Fazzone and his wife Lisa .

The business is located at 119 Clinton St. in the building locals have commonly referred to as “the pink store.”

Construction is about to begin on a Market 32 supermarket in western Clifton Park, near the intersection of routes 146 and 146A.

The Golub Corp., which owns Price Chopper/Market 32 stores is building the store under its new moniker, hopes to open by early next summer. They cleared the last administrative hurdle–zoning board approval of proposed signage–in mid-October.

Kelley Kindl and her husband, Scott Kindl, have both been cutting and styling hair in Saratoga Springs for more than 10 years. So, when the opportunity arose to open their respective businesses in a new location, it made perfect sense.

 

Two new companies, both owned by former taxicab drivers, provide that service.

People don’t have to be drunk to order up a driver. Amanda Putnam of Saratoga Designated Car Service recalls being called to take someone home from her doctor’s office after an unexpected medical procedure made driving unwise.

The Empire Crate offers subscribers a box filled with a variety of food products.

Courtesy Empire Crate

Brandon and Brianne Dingeman of Stillwater have launched a company called the Empire Crate.

The couple has developed a way for people to enjoy a variety of New York state products every month by having them delivered to their doorstep.

The owners said they scoured the entire state researching possible products they could access. Their focus was on “canvassing the multitude of talented, motivated artisans within the state’s borders, sampling their products and then choosing the cream of the crop to present to you,” they said in a news release.

The Dingemans developed the concept for The Empire Crate while living in Astoria, Queens.

Giggle Lounge owner Traci Montanino works with a child at her Clifton Park business.

©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Liz Witbeck

A new family friendly entertainment option for children has opened in Clifton Park Center Mall.

The Giggle Lounge offers a variety of fun, imaginative play activities for children. The space is designed for children ages 8 and younger.

It consists of an indoor playground that accommodates many kinds of activities. It stresses hands-on activities that allow for creativity. The facility features a car fix-it area, a bakery, a grocery store, wooden structures kids can play in, and more. There is also an art room that engages children in a variety of projects.

The space covers 1,500 square feet.

“My kids were my biggest inspiration” for starting the business, said owner Traci Montanino. She has two children, ages 11 and 2.

She said she had been considering the idea for a while and as her children grew older. It was her observation during those years that “the industry had not changed at all. There was nothing available for good old-fashioned imaginative play.”

The chef at Kin Jo Japanese Steakhouse cooks in front of customers at the new eatery located in Congress Plaza in Saratoga Springs.

©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Maureen Werther

Kin Jo Japanese Steakhouse, 68 Congress St., Saratoga Springs, is the third restaurant for owner Allen Dong. But, it is his first venture in Saratoga Springs.

For Dong, who owns two other Japanese restaurants in Albany, he is very excited about operating a business in Saratoga, located in Congress Plaza.

“Saratoga has so much to offer, with the racetrack, SPAC and the Spa State Park. I think it is a very good place to open a restaurant,” said Dong.

Kin Jo opened its doors on July 12, after extensive renovations to the property. Renovations took approximately eight months to complete.

Jes Rich is the owner of Sage Wine & Spirits on Front Street in Ballston Spa.

©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com

By Maureen Werther

Jes Rich chose the name of her new shop wisely. Sage Wine & Spirits, which opened at 55 Front St. in Ballston Spa in July, is all about helping people learn more about wine and spirits.

With a focus on sustainable, local, organic and craft products, Rich feels the village of Ballston Spa is “ripe for this kind of boutique business,” and she is excited to share her knowledge with customers as they expand their palates and try locally produced wines and spirits.

Rich is encouraged by the reception she has already received from other shop owners, customers and local residents, calling the village “a wonderful community.”

Rich has an eclectic background and is something of a “sage.” Originally from the area, she moved away to attend college, receiving her undergraduate degree in sociology from Amherst College in Massachusetts. From there, she went on to receive masters degrees from University of Chicago, Tufts, and the University of Sterling in Scotland.

In between her academic studies, she worked in the fields of college administration and resident life, as well as gaining knowledge and experience in horticulture and sustainable practices while working on organic farms around the country.

After returning to school once more, this time enrolled in the doctoral program at Tufts, she decided that the world of academia was not for her and, in the spring of 2014, she returned to her roots.

Laura Kruegler, a former prosecutor, has opened A Touch of Dust LLC, an antique store in the Beekman Street Arts District in Saratoga Springs.

©2016 Saratoga Photographer.com

BY Molly Congdon

A Touch of Dust LLC is a new antique store at 30 Beekman St. in Saratoga Springs.

Its owner, Laura Kruegler, is a former prosecutor, having begun her career in the Rensselaer County District Attorney’s Office in 2001. She stayed through three administrations.

“While there, I specialized in domestic violence and sex crimes,” Kruegler said. “I also prosecuted homicides and other major crimes. I’m sure I handled over 20,000 cases during my time there. The last two years, I prosecuted child abuse and neglect for the Saratoga County District Attorney’s Office.”

In April, after 15 years as a public servant, she resigned.

“One of the biggest factors in that decision was the toxicity of the job,” Kruegler said.”Hearing horrid details of child abuse every day is like living an episode of ‘SVU’ every day. It affects your entire life. So, after careful consideration, I decided I would rather not know if aliens exist, and live my future life without that plague.”