Little Free Libraries to Visit in Glens Falls

Little libraries, big readers! We've noticed even more Little Free Libraries popping up around the city recently, and we love to see it! If you're up for a new summer read, here are a few Little Free Libraries to visit in Glens Falls…

But first, if you’re not familiar with Little Free Libraries, a quick overview. With no library cards and no due dates, they run on the honor system. Anyone may take a book or leave a book. While you don’t have to leave a book to take a book, you’re encouraged to leave one in the future (or bring back the one you took!). The main goal is to remove barriers and provide access to books to as many people as possible.

Happy reading!

GF Little Library

Location: 31 Lincoln Avenue, Glens Falls, at the corner of Lincoln and Crandall Street

Stewards: Dale, Molly, Rex, and Rocco Mattison

You’ll Find: Adult and children’s books

Of Note: Dale built the little library, which matches their home, as a gift for Molly. Molly noted, “It’s been such a great way to connect with our neighbors, and hundreds of books have been shared and donated within our first couple of months!”

Editors Note: Follow them on Instagram for the latest selection @gflittlelibrary. 

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Lily’s Little Library

Location: Coolidge Ave at Crandall Street, Glens Falls

Steward: Lily Murphy

You’ll Find: Books for all ages

Of Note: At just 9 years old, Lily Murphy was inspired to start a little library for her neighborhood, and with a little help from her uncle in the form of a beautiful purple book box, the library was born! Lily and her mom, Amanda, agreed, “It’s been used way more than we ever thought. We must see 10 - 20 people stop per day!”.

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The NY Book Nook

Location: 7 Marion Ave, Glens Falls

Steward: Ashleigh

You’ll Find: Adult and children’s books

Of Note: Ashleigh shared, “I have a love of reading, especially mystery/thriller and romance. I host a book club each month and have always wanted a little library. Now that I have one I hope to connect with neighbors and new friends in the area.”

Editors Note: Ashleigh is currently hosting a spring reading challenge encouraging folks to visit little free libraries in Glens Falls! Check out her Instagram post here for the details.

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Maxine’s Little Pink Library

Location: 13 Smith Street, Glens Falls

You’ll Find: Children’s books for ages 9 months - 12 years old

Of Note: “Maxine wanted to build a free library during quarantine, because the library was closed,” said her mom, Alison. “She wanted to make sure kids could still get books.”

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Feeder Bend Library

Location: Corner of Feeder Bend and E Beacon Street, Glens Falls

Steward: Sean Palladino

You’ll Find: A variety of books

Of Note: Sean’s library is modeled after a London phone booth, which combines his love of British culture and books.

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Debbie’s Little Library

Location: 18 Morton Street, Glens Falls

Steward: Debbie Sliva

You’ll Find: Books for all ages, but especially school age children. 

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Little Library Charter #129602

Location: 28 5th Street, Glens Falls

You’ll Find: Children’s books

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Location: 39 Lincoln Ave

Steward: Martha Shepard

You’ll Find: Adult and children’s books

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Know of another library that you didn’t see on this list? Email us at hello@glensfallsliving.com or comment below!

First Look: Barn and Brick Co.

Calling all vintage and antique lovers! There’s a new shop in town, and you’re going to need a cart ;) Barn and Brick Co. held their grand opening at The Shirt Factory this past weekend, and we caught up with owners Sheila Kent and Jeremy Iaquinto to find out more about their transition to brick and mortar, what you can expect to see in store, and more…

How did Barn and Brick Co. come to be?

Barn and Brick Co. is the product of years of collecting, building, and repurposing of a variety of interesting items. We decided to make B&B Co. a reality in 2018 after realizing how hard it is for design-savvy people to source amazing decor and authentic DIY materials. We wanted to make it easy for interior designers and weekend warriors to find the perfect piece.

Barn and Brick takes art, repurposed decor, and original B&B Co. products and combines them with the picking experience of an antique and architectural salvage location.

Our home tells our story and we want to help people tell theirs.

How has B&B Co. evolved over time?

The evolution of Barn and Brick was more like a yo-yo. We started out with the vision for the brick and mortar location we have today, however, we then began to travel the East Coast selling at antique shows and vintage markets on weekends. That was a grueling and energy intensive way to sell. It was a cycle of pack, setup, sell, tear down, pack up, and unload. We took short breaks and then we would repeat the cycle. It was madness. The pandemic forced us to reset. We’d been on the search for a retail location since then. When the owner of The Shirt Factory told us there was space available, we decided to quickly make our first brick and mortar location a reality.

This space was really a mixture born of the necessity to get out of the antique show circuit and our local customers asking when they could come “pick” our inventory. We truly believe we have something special to offer and wanted to share it in central year-round location.

What can people expect to see at Barn and Brick?

People will find farmhouse, chippy, architectural, mid century and antique/vintage pieces. We also have several lines of our own hand-made and designed products.

Sheila is the zhuzh’er. She brings items together in new and interesting ways that makes the decor feel like it was always meant to be there.

I’m the artist and builder. I build one-of-a-kind pieces from repurposed materials, paint UFOs into thrift-store paintings, turn old pianos into bars, and create industrial tool cabinets from wine racks.

We sell antiques but we aren’t a traditional antique store. I tell people we sell home decor and furnishings that tell a story. It just happens that most antique and vintage items have a patina from age that does just that.

What are some perks of the job?

We love sharing the picking experience with people just like us. People send us pictures with items they found at B&B Co. displayed beautifully in their homes. That always puts a smile on our faces.

What's next for Barn and Brick?

Global domination, of course! Actually, we really want to earn trust as being one of the best places around to find great products that tell your story.

We have some really exciting brand new B&B Co. products coming out each holiday season. As for the antiques and vintage products, our goal is to have fresh-from-the-barn products arriving weekly and at amazing prices.

Barn and Brick Co.
The Shirt Factory • 71 Lawrence Street, Studio 101B, Glens Falls
Open Thursday - Saturday 12-5pm
Website / Facebook

Hometown Artist Hannah Williams Completes Downtown Mural

Little did we know that when we chatted with Hannah Williams last fall about her artwork on the Bay Street electrical box, we’d be talking to her again so soon about an even bigger project! Hannah just finished up her amazing mural downtown on Warren Street - one of two murals that are part of a public art initiative by the Arts District of Glens Falls. She shared the inspiration for the project, the challenges and rewards along the way, and more…

For those that don’t know you, tell us a bit about yourself!

I was born in Glens Falls and raised in Queensbury! I am a self-taught artist, painting consistently for more than twelve years, and a full-time artist for the past three years. I have been in the mural painting business for a decade. I’m honored to be featured for the second time on Glens Falls Living! Without being too redundant talking about myself and background, folks can return to my first interview where they can learn more about me and my roots in Glens Falls. 

On Pursuing Art as a Career

I am fortunate enough to have figured out my passion as a child - and stuck to it. Ever since I can remember I have been involved with art somehow. I’m mostly self taught, but I have taken a variety of art classes from middle school through community college. 

My business started in 2014 following a year of live painting and vending at music festivals and painting my first mural in 2013. My biggest issue getting started was still being very young and needing to figure out the logistics of what I wanted out of a career in the arts. I had to learn to be patient. I was 20 years old when I painted my first mural. I struggled for a handful of years, working two jobs on top of any opportunity to make money with my art on the side. 

From 2016-2017 I had the opportunity to work at Adirondack Studios in Argyle, NY. I learned so much about the discipline, production and logistical side of painting murals. 

Then in 2020 with the temporary loss of my two jobs during the pandemic, I was able to hone in on my business and create art full-time. 

In the past 10 years, I have painted 22 murals within the Capital Region.

On Local Opportunity

This mural opportunity caught my eye because I am a true advocate for public art and have been desperately wanting Glens Falls to welcome murals for many years. If you know me, you have heard my many rants about this. It’s just something I have been hoping for for so long. 

The application process was typical of any public art submission and I was prepared. When you submit to a public art call, it’s not just showing your portfolio. You need your art resume or CV, you need to show your public art experience, propose a budget and concept sketch, and be comfortable with things like navigating contracts and operating a lift.

On Inspiration

The submission required that the subject for the mural be Glens Falls related. The past few years, I’ve noticed I have gravitated towards nature as a recurring theme with my public art for a few reasons. Most importantly, I want people to connect with nature. It’s universal imagery everyone can relate to, and it can create an interactive and educational purpose.

Originally I chose native flowers that could be found throughout the streets of Glens Falls or in Coles Woods. The interesting thing about the public art process is that the subject can evolve drastically from concept to end result because of all the parts and people involved. Once the Arts District landed me a building owner, I collaborated with them on a revised design because, of course, their opinion matters too. Once I was able to sit down with the building owners to brainstorm a design, it turned out that we all have the same love for nature in common. It took the three of us just one hour to figure it out. Basically, I had them run down everything in nature they loved, from animals, plants, space, insects and earth elements. I created a design that more-so tells a story of where Glens Falls is geographically. There are elements of nature you could find within the city and at the foothills of the Adirondacks, including the bear and owl.

That whole experience collaborating with the building owners completely reignited my excitement for the whole project.

On Challenges and Rewards

The challenges I encountered were typical of any large project, but even more so due to this being the start of a mural program here in Glens Falls. There was so much planning, revision, back and forth, and city approval before I got to the fun part of painting. Truly nonstop for many months, including getting certified in the boom lift, acquiring general liability insurance, figuring out materials, and so on.

The city board meeting for approval was quite the event. There was public pushback, comments and concerns. I stood in front of the room with Kate Austin as she represented the Arts District and I represented the artists. Nothing felt better than having the city board hear us and approve the project unanimously.

I also faced social and societal hurdles, including not being taken seriously by taking this project on by myself. The challenge there was simply not giving up and being my own advocate.

As far as the actual painting process, the most challenging part was painting the barred owl. Such intricate details, as well as wrapping it around on two different planes. It took days to figure it all out to where it translates correctly at a certain angle.

I loved every second of painting this mural. It was truly an emotionally validating experience. This was my first large scale building mural and I am so proud. It’s exactly the career path I've been wanting to go down — to be able to travel anywhere and paint large building murals.

On Supporting Local

A very large chunk of my budget was dispersed back into the local economy, and that was very important to me. Everything that I needed or used was purchased locally, down to the paint, lift rental, insurance and so on. I didn’t want to cut any corners for the sake of profiting more because in the end, the preservation and quality of the art itself is more important. Shout out to: Colbra Painting, Sherwin Williams, Action Equipment, O’Brien Insurance Agency, Liberty Graphics, and March First Media.

On Support

Many folks had different designated titles for my boyfriend, Tyler. My bodyguard, PR appointee, and Humble Assistant to name a few. For anyone wondering, “Who’s that guy that was always sitting there?!”  That was my lovely partner. He deserves recognition for the amount of support and assistance he provided for me every day on the job. He promoted me and my business, handing out cards and telling everyone about the process. He had no complaints about always handing me a tool I needed, cleaning up, or making sure I was hydrated, fed, and had sunscreen on. 

I am extremely humbled by the amount of support the community showed me. I heard every honk, compliment and cheer that came by. This project brought my family together, and other families too. It was something different and exciting to witness and check up on everyday. I made friends and connections. Many thanks to the following people for making this project a more enjoyable experience: Tyler Mammone (boyfriend), Cathy & Brad Williams (Mom and Dad), Ryan Williams (brother), Aunt Lisa & Uncle John, Aunt Gail and new friends Jane & Craig. All of these people stopped by every single day to show their support. 

On Visiting the Mural

Please visit the mural not only in the day, but at night as well. It’s quite magical how the street lights illuminate the moon, stars and other objects giving off a whole different vibe!

Also! There will be a Meet the Artist event at the mural (20 Warren Street) this Wednesday, September 21st at 5pm. Looking forward to connecting with community then!

Hannah Williams Art
Instagram / Website

First Look: Dancing Grain Farm Brewery

Have you been to Dancing Grain yet? Just over the bridge in Moreau, the farm brewery opened last weekend and we were one of the first in line. After a few moments enjoying a craft beer in one of their Adirondack chairs overlooking the farm, it was clear that this will be one of our new favorite spots. We caught up with owner Rachel McDermott to find out more about how Dancing Grain came to be, what they’ve got on tap, and more…

Tell us a bit about yourself and your background! 

I grew up on our family's farm in Schaghticoke, New York, and loved being around the tractors and trucks. My parents were divorced, and while my mom worked a more traditional job, my dad worked on his farm. I spent a lot of time there with my dad and my uncle. My sister would go to the babysitter and I always preferred to stay behind and hang out on the farm, and eventually, I started helping out as much as I could. It was just where I felt comfortable.

As I got older, I became more interested in music. I was a classically trained clarinetist. I went to music school my freshman year of college but soon discovered that it wasn’t going to be my life’s goal and transferred to Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Science to pursue a Finance degree (which, interestingly, wasn’t focused on agriculture).

Owner Rachel McDermott

After graduation, I started my career in Houston as an investment banker. I really liked the team there but Texas just wasn’t home for me. After five years, I transferred back to New York City. That was an exciting time for me, getting back to the Northeast.

At that point, I was about to turn 30, and I wasn’t sure what direction I was headed. I decided to go on this very cliché Eat Pray Love trip across Europe, and when I came back, I knew I needed to quit my job. I had no prospects of a new job at that point, and I didn’t know what I was going to do. So, I moved home to the farm, which turned out to be the preamble to Dancing Grain.

How did Dancing Grain come to be?

When I got back home to the farm, I had all of this investment banking experience that I was no longer using, so I started to look at what was going on in upstate New York to see how I could apply that experience here. I stumbled upon farm brewery laws and some of the benefits of being a producer. At that point, my dad had already invested in land, in tractors, in planting and harvesting equipment, and in storage capacity. We had this core competency, and these core assets, and I realized we just needed a new product. We needed to switch gears and tap a different market. That market turned out to be craft beer.

I’m not someone who has ever been a home brewer, and I’ve never been obsessed with beer. I was obsessed with the ingredients that make up beer because of my history with farming. That’s where Christian and Bert Weber, our partners and the founders of Common Roots, came in. They have a core competency that I don’t have, and their insights have been incredibly valuable. From advice on brewing, to so many other things that I never thought of, like a point of service system, and even which glasses to order! I’m so happy to have them on board.

What inspired the name? 

When you’re here in the spring through the early summer, before we harvest the grain in July, you can see the the malting barley and other specialty grains in the field below the brewery. When the wind blows, it almost looks like Mother Nature created a beautiful waltz. It looks like the grain is dancing, like it’s happy to be here. That was our inspiration.

Let’s talk about the beer!

Yes! So, this past week we had five beers on tap. We're trying to do a variety of beers, but to be honest, we'll probably focus on malt forward beers. I'm sure we'll always have some sort of an IPA or a pale ale on tap, but we are first and foremost grain farmers, so I want to highlight and showcase the grain as the headliner to the beer. You can have beer without hops, but you cannot have beer without barley.

All of our beer right now (with the exception of the Strictly Social IPA collaboration with Common Roots) is almost entirely made up of grain that’s grown from our farm, and we’re super proud of that. We're using as much as we can from our farm.

First, we have the Cream of the Crop, which is a cream ale. My brewer, Jamie, actually built that recipe for my uncle, who likes to drink beer, but doesn’t necessarily like to drink craft beer. That recipe uses our farm’s barley and our corn. It’s the kind of beer you want to drink when it’s 90 degrees out. We’ll likely always have that on tap.

Last week we released a stout, Stolen Fire, which uses fennel that we grew on the farm in addition to our 6-row malting barley.

We have the Foreign Friends, farmhouse style, which again, uses our grain along with a yeast strain from Belgium.

We also have the Picnic Basket, which is a kettle sour that uses our grain along with a local yogurt culture and blueberries from Winnie’s Blueberry Farm just up the road.

And finally, we have the Strictly Social IPA, our collaboration with Common Roots, which everyone is loving. It’s one of our biggest sellers. That uses all South American hops. It’s juicy, it’s fruity, it’s citrusy - it’s everything we hoped it would be as an IPA!

We also have drinks for non beer drinkers - we have a dry Riesling from Forge Cellars, a Rosé and a Red Blend from Bridge Lane which is a winery on Long Island, and then we've got Nine Pin Hard Cider. We have a non alcoholic seltzer that our brewer makes every week using herbs from our garden or something that I've foraged — this week is a sumac seltzer, which tastes almost like a pink lemonade. And finally we have the Nitro Coffee from Kru.

How has it been seeing all of this finally come to fruition?

We've had such positive feedback. I'm so thrilled by that. So many people have come in that live five or ten minutes away, and I’m so happy to be able to share this farm with them and with the community. I am also really happy to see that the whole idea of supporting local businesses is still alive. I just feel really grateful that I have the support of our neighbors. Because without that, we're nothing.

What's next for Dancing Grain? 

We're going to walk before we run, but as we continue on, there will be more opportunities for people to engage with the ingredients in the supply chain and to learn and understand how Dancing Grain makes our beer with the ingredients that we grow. I’d love for it to become more of an immersive space. We’d like to create walking paths through the grain, where you’ll be able to decipher the differences between malting barley and oats and wheat. I think that's an important part of the story that we're just beginning to tell.

We also hope to focus on additional products over time. I’d love to get into distillation, and we’d really love to get into milling and baking. Hopefully it will become a sort of center for local grain production.

Most immediately, we’re also planning to do events focused around each season. We’re excited to be opening our sunflower field this weekend! Admission is $5 and stems are $2 each. Hope to see some new faces here!

Dancing Grain Farm Brewery
Website / Instagram

The Dancing Grain Team

First Look: Sweet Side Records and Rock Hill Bookhouse

There's nothing like the sound of a record or the feel of a good book in your hands. But in today's world of digital media, people can lose touch with the physical - literally. Luckily, Sweet Side Records and The Rock Hill Bookhouse have you covered.

Photo: Nicholas Chowske

“Everything’s digital - everything’s on your tablet or on your hard drive,” says Ed Martuscello, who co-owns the new Curran Street shop with Matt Funiciello, and runs the music side of things. “There’s something about the physical that’s never going to go away,” he says. “It’s not just like bringing it up on YouTube; you have to do the hunting and the digging, and it just opens you up to all kinds of stuff. That’s the beauty of it.”

Vinyl records, and their enthusiasts, have enjoyed a comeback in popularity in recent years. “About five years after I started picking them up, it became a lot more in vogue,” Martuscello says. “There’s a lot of people that never got rid of their records, and they’ve always listened to them, but then it had this resurgence, and now it’s even cool with teenagers.”

Photo: Nicholas Chowske

While used records and books may be a niche market, there is certainly a demand for them. “I’ve got no shortage of customers,” says Martuscello, who’s had people from as far as Brooklyn seek him out. “It doesn’t matter if you’re not on the main drag, the collectors are going to find your shop.”

“Ed is really the core of the store,” says Funiciello, who also owns the Rock Hill Bakehouse and Cafe in the same building. “The audiophiles are in and out of there daily, and anytime he brings in a new selection they’re definitely checking it all out.”

Martuscello, who’s originally from Amsterdam, began collecting and selling records online and in local coffee shops in the Capital Region more than a decade ago. He first met Funiciello in 2015, when he and his wife moved to Glens Falls, and he was looking for a place to sell his records locally. “I called him out of the blue, and asked if I could put my records in his bakery,” Martuscello says. “He gave me space for eight or 10 crates of records, and it went well.” Martuscello, who was content with his online and cafe business, never intended to open his own shop. “Matt had mentioned maybe one day opening up a record store, and I was like, absolutely not,” he says. “The overhead, being married to it, having to be there all the time - I just wasn’t interested,” That changed when Covid-19 hit.

Shortly before the pandemic, Funiciello had moved his bakery and cafe to a building behind the Shirt Factory. When a new space opened up in the same building, Funiciello approached Martuscello about sharing it. “He showed me this place and said he wanted to put books in there and asked if I would want to split the rent.” Martuscello says. “Matt told me way back that he always wanted to own a bookstore, and it kind of made sense at that point, because I had been buying records through the pandemic and was building up a bit of inventory.”

Ed Martuscello • Photo: Nicholas Chowske

In fact, Funiciello had been toying with the idea of opening a used bookstore for more than 20 years. “I love a great book, but I am not usually someone who goes back and rereads one, and I realized I was being a hoarder, and being greedy with them,” Funiciello says. “So, I started a lending-library at my cafe in the early 2000s, and I think we probably gave away several thousand books that way.” Despite this success, it wasn’t the bookstore that he wanted. But after seeing several local booksellers and even national chains fold, he decided he would need to take a different approach.

“I felt that I should think about opening a bookstore that isn’t dependent on the sale of books to be solvent, as strange as that sounds,” Funiciello says. “I watched what Ed was doing, and I realized that if we partnered together, it was unlikely that the bookstore would ever be something that made me money, but it could be something that didn’t lose me any.”

While this business model may seem outlandish to some, it has given Funiciello the opportunity to achieve his goal of helping to build a cultural hub on the east side of town. “I could still get to have this addition to this new East Side Downtown that would be a draw for people who love art and literature and music, and it would be a great companion for the cafe, the Shirt Factory and the bike trail,” he says.

Photo: Nicholas Chowske

Records and books aren’t the only thing the pair are breathing new life into - they’ve also managed to rehabilitate one of the Shirt Factory’s old buildings that originally housed the maintenance crew. “We probably only spent about five grand renovating - it was just a ton of labor,” Funiciello says. “I love that we came up with innovative and affordable solutions to every problem that we encountered in that space, so that we were working within a very working-class and reasonable budget to make this happen.”

“I love where we are in East Glens Falls, and I’d rather be here than on the main drag any day of the week,” Martuscello says. “Even if people come in and don’t buy anything, just to come in and walk around and browse, and see that they enjoy that - that is worth something in itself to me.”

Photo: Nicholas Chowske

What began as a hobby for Martuscello a decade ago, has blossomed into a lucrative business that has both enabled his partner to realize his own vision and help to revitalize a part of Glens Falls. “Ed dropped into our laps, and I’ve watched him go from having a couple of crates of records at the bakery in South Glens Falls, to us opening this brick and mortar together,” Funiciello says.

“It’s so funny how it was the furthest thing from my mind, and that’s what ended up happening,” Martuscello says. “It’s crazy - I walk in here every day, and I want to pinch myself - I own a freakin’ record store!”

Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable: Former Marine Opens Kettlebell Gym in SGF

Simple Strength and Conditioning, a new kettlebell gym in the Atlas Jiu Jitsu facility in South Glens Falls, is now open.

Ryan Carpenter, a former Marine and recovering alcoholic, opened the kettlebell gym earlier this month in the Midtown Shopping Center.

“I teach basic, simple kettlebell movements because they work,” Mr. Carpenter told Glens Falls Living. “It’s strength aerobics, getting your heart rate up and moving weight. It’s all about getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

Ryan Carpenter • Photo: Bri Lyons

Kettlebells are essentially metal balls with handles that come in a range of weights.

After serving in the Marines from 1993 to 1997, Mr. Carpenter said he started to gain weight.

“I didn’t have the best eating or drinking habits,” he said. “It was harder to keep the weight off.”

Then in 2012, “I got sober,” he said. “And I turned to sugar, and went from 270 pounds to 335 pounds. I hurt all over.

“Finally I said enough is enough. I started exercising. The first time, I went to Planet Fitness and walked on the treadmill for 10 minutes. I kept going, and the weight started to come off. I got down to 260 pounds and I felt like I needed to push harder. I was seeing results and I started to crave it.

“Then I was introduced to kettlebells and my strength exploded. It’s very low impact. Anyone can do it. And you can do it anywhere because the kettlebells are easily transportable.”

Ryan Carpenter at Simple Strength and Conditioning in South Glens Falls • Photo: Bri Lyons

In 2017, Mr. Carpenter lost his father, brother and grandmother, “the three people who stood by me when I was getting sober. It started a huge fire in me. It was cement in my foundation. I decided to become a coach, becoming a Strong First level one instructor.

His kettlebell gym in Saratoga closed, and he bought much of the equipment. Atlas J&J owner Joseph Zakriski “gave me a small area in the back and the opportunity to bring this all to fruition.”

Simple Strength and Conditioning is open Monday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., and Saturday morning from 8 to 10 a.m.

“Opening night was amazing,” he said. “We’re getting people willing to try it out. I love seeing the ‘aha’ moment when people realize they can do this.”

Classes are $15 for a drop-in, five classes for $70, 10 classes for $140, or unlimited classes for $110 a month. Frontline medical workers, fire, police and military unlimited passes are $100 a month.

“I wish my father could see this,” Mr. Carpenter said. “To be as hopeless as I was in 2015 to now running my own gym is amazing. I want people to know they can do this. The first step is the hardest one.

“I feel an obligation to help people. After seeing my brother give up on his death bed, I don’t want to see anyone give up. I want to help as many people as I can.”

For more information, visit their website at www.simplestrengthconditioning.com, or email rycarp155@gmail.com.

'Insane' Real Estate Market Rolls On

The local real estate market is “insane,” says local realtor Julie Snyder of Howard Hanna Real Estate.

“The prices are just crazy,” Ms. Snyder told Glens Falls Living.

She recently listed a 1,650-square-foot home in Moreau “in the $300,000 range” with three bedrooms and 1.5 bathrooms on a Friday. Offers started almost immediately. There were 62 showings, limited to 15 minutes each, from Friday afternoon to midday Sunday. After requesting the “best and final” offers Sunday afternoon, the sellers received 21 offers, all over asking price, and sold the house for $60,000 above asking price.

American flags line a charming Glens Falls street (…and nope! These homes aren’t for sale!) • Photo: Bri Lyons

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Jen Ball of Hunt Real Estate says “the market is sheer insanity. Every listing is a dogfight. Agents are busy if you have listings or buyers, but it’s hard for anyone who doesn’t have cash or a conventional mortgage.”

She said 95% of her sales have multiple offers and sell for more than the asking price, echoing similar comments from Ms. Snyder and Angela Cugini-Girard of Howard Hanna.

———

Numbers from the Multiple Listing Service show the average sale price in Warren County is up 7% this year, compared to last year’s figures. In the first five months of 2020, the average Warren County sale price was $293,147. During the same period this year, the average sale price is $315,037.

Not only is the average price up, but the number of sales is up 45%, from 265 sold in the first five months last year to 385 sold this year through the end of May, according to MLS figures.

———

“We’re in a bubble market,” Mrs. Cugini-Girard said. “You can’t sustain these numbers.” She said 40% of her buyers are from out of the area, “New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts. Many of them are on two-year plans to get out of their current home, and a lot are working remotely now.

“I’ve never seen anything like this…I’ve never worked this hard in 20 years. It’s insane. It’s also a little disheartening because local, hard-working people can’t compete with these other buyers. They can’t afford the prices. I just tell them to ride the wave and wait.

“Buyers have to remain calm. You’re not going to get a deal right now, and you may not get the first or second or third house you want.”

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Ms. Snyder said some buyers are waiving inspections, and “escalator clauses” are common where buyers say they will pay a set amount more than the highest offer.

“I’m not finding a lot of buyers from the City moving up here because of COVID,” she said. “I have a lot of local clients. I have clients who sold their house last August, and they are still renting because there’s nothing out there. Sellers have to have a place to move.

“This is not a bubble. There are so many buyers, but they will eventually find houses. This has always been an area with decent prices. It’s just starting to catch up with other areas… We just need listings.”

How can someone put themselves in the best position to buy a home in this market?

“Work with an experienced agent,” Ms. Snyder said. “Be pre-approved for a loan, or pre-qualified even better. Have nothing to sell, have a good down payment, and have enough for closing costs.

“It’s a very tough market for first-time home buyers. There are a lot of cash offers. Cash is still king and always will be. Cash offers are nice. They don’t require an appraisal, which isn’t a problem because [comparable sales] are out there.

“For sellers, the house needs to be in top shape and not need a ton of work. It’s still a very strong sellers’ market, but it’s leveling out a little. More inventory is coming on the market.”

———

Ms. Ball said “we’re in a wave, not a bubble. It’s a long wave. It will level itself out at some point. Right now, demand is so high and inventory is so low, and there are more buyers than homes for sale. And if you see something on the market for two weeks or more, it’s likely overpriced or needs serious work.”

Her advice for potential buyers is to “get qualified for a conventional mortgage, have a fair amount for your down payment, be available to see the house when it’s available, and go heavy and go strong. Do not hesitate to make an offer.”

———

Mrs. Cugini-Girard's advice?

“Try to go conventional financing,” she said. “The buyer has more skin in the game, and the appraisal process is less stringent.”

LAKEFRONT PROPERTY REMAINS HOT, TOO

Lakefront property continues to sell, with the pace quickening as the pandemic eases.

“The market is very strong,” said Dan Davies of Davies-Davies & Associates. “There’s still a lack of inventory, but I do think inventory is going to come on here soon. There’s still a lot of pent-up demand.”

Valerie Erceg of Davies-Davies said the majority of her customers are from New Jersey, Westchester and New York City, and almost all of her sales come with multiple offers and sell above asking price.

“Inventory is at historically low levels,” she said.

Mr. Davies said demand on Lake George is up “across the board. There is tremendous rental demand, tremendous demand for homes. The lake is going to be the busiest it has ever been by far. If you talk to any hotel or motel owners, they will tell you the same thing. The issue is, can we accommodate all of the visitors.”

Southern Adirondack Audubon Society Focuses on Conservation Through Education

Spring has finally arrived, and with it comes the longer days, warmer weather and the usual influx of tourists; but they won’t be the only ones flocking to our area in the coming weeks. 

“The birds that will be coming this time of year, and into the summer, will be the eastern meadowlarks, savannah sparrows, bobolinks, and eastern bluebirds,” says John Loz, President of the Southern Adirondack Audubon Society, or SAAS. 

A bird and pollinator-friendly native plant garden at Delong Usher Park in Lake George • Photo: Bri Lyons

Celebrating 40 years as a community organization, the local chapter of the National Audubon Society continues to uphold its mission to protect the environment through the preservation of natural habitats, and the advancement of environmental education. “We like to use the tagline, ‘conservation through education,’ with a focus on birds, of course,” Loz says. “Our bread and butter is educating the public through our monthly programs, and we do that between our centers in Glens Falls and Saratoga Springs.”

Though based here in Queensbury, the local Audubon chapter encompasses an expansive territory. “Our catchment area runs from Saratoga Springs north to Crown Point, and then it heads west to Blue Mountain Lake, and south to Caroga Lake, so our area is quite large,” Loz says. “We’ve mostly focused on where people have been able to volunteer, which is in the communities along the Northway, but we’d really like to start expanding west and do more things out toward Indian Lake and North Creek.”

Photo: Nicholas Chowske

The SAAS has a variety of programs, projects, and events to help get the community involved with environmental conservation, including bird walks, community science surveys, and even international field trips. “We like to be out in the community anywhere we can be,” Loz says. From farmer’s markets to naturefests, you can find Loz and his birders reaching out to educate and inform. Last year, the SAAS worked with Common Roots Brewing Company for one of their membership drives. “We brought live birds of prey into their temporary taproom, and it was a great opportunity to educate a different demographic, and to talk to people who didn’t know anything about birds," Loz says. "What better way to encourage people to learn about the environment than to offer them a free pint of beer if they signed up to become a member of our Audubon chapter?”

Recently the SAAS has been planting bird and pollinator-friendly native plant gardens in local communities. “Research has found that installing gardens and planting native plants and shrubbery is really important for our migrating birds.” They began with a pilot garden in the Town of Greenfield, and have since added a second garden in the Delong Usher Park in Lake George. This year, the SAAS plans to expand by placing gardens in South Glens Falls, Bolton Landing and Ballston Spa. 

A bee enjoys the bird and pollinator-friendly garden in Delong Usher Park, Lake George • Photo: Bri Lyons

“I really want to give a shout out to the town of Lake George,” Loz says. “They have been very supportive of bird-friendly initiatives, such as putting up preventative measures for the big glass windows they have on their municipal building on Old Post Road.” Window strikes are one of the biggest killers of birds, according to Loz. “We want to prevent any bird strikes and bird collisions with windows that would reflect habitat, and that building has very large reflective windows, which birds can fly right into.”

In addition to local events, the SAAS and it’s volunteers also participate in the National Audubon Society’s annual bird counts and Climate Watch Surveys. “We host the Hudson Falls Christmas Bird Count, where we ask expert and amature birders alike to come out to help us count birds, and we submit those numbers to the National Audubon Society.” Now in it’s 122nd year, the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count is a bird census that employs tens of thousands of volunteers across the Americas who count the birds in their community between December 15th and January 5th.

While the Christmas Bird Count encourages volunteers to count every bird they can, the Climate Watch Survey, now in its fifth year, focuses on just two birds - white breasted nuthatches and red breasted nuthatches - as a bellwether for climate change. The Climate Watch Survey is conducted twice a year by SAAS Director Rob Snell. “It’s based on a long term study that Audubon is doing, for at least 10 years,” Snell says. “They’re trying to compile data on some pretty common birds that they think are going to be affected by climate change.” 

For the survey, the chapter’s territory is divided into a grid, and then volunteers are asked to go to 12 different places in their grid and listen for nuthatches - once in early winter, and again in late spring. The numbers are then submitted to the National Audubon Society for analysis. "They’re looking for changes in population dynamics, to see if it corroborates with the mathematical models that they have with regard to climate change and the effects on these populations of birds," Snell says. "One of the species that we’re looking at really isn’t expected to have any changes - expansion or contraction - and the other they are modeling the population to decline by as much as 15 percent, which is dramatic over a 10 year period." The survey has been conducted each year from January 15 to February 15, and again from May 15 to June 15, since 2015. “It’s fun, it’s easy, and it’s not hard for individuals, even with basic experience with birds,” Snell says. ‘It’s something that they can all do, and they’re contributing to real science, which is cool.” 

While the SAAS is always looking for volunteers and new members, they also provide a number of tips and educational resources for people who just want to get to know their local birds better. “If you want to do backyard birding, you can start with a tube feeder or a regular mixed seed feeder, as well as a hummingbird feeder,” Loz says. He also recommends a birdbath and planting native shrubbery wherever possible. “A lot of suburban areas that have feeders have been attracting hawks, so we want to give those little birds some place to hide and escape to between the feeders and the shrubbery.”

For those who want to get more involved, Loz hopes to begin offering their bird walks again soon. “We’ve unfortunately had to suspend those due to Covid-19 and the pandemic, but we are looking to have a limited run of bird walks to get people outdoors and educate them in person later this year,” he says.

First Look: The Book Cabin

What’s better than a book store? A book cabin. There’s something special about browsing books in person vs. on Amazon, but browsing in a cabin is even cozier than it sounds. We’re sharing a first look at the newly opened The Book Cabin just north of Lake George Village, along with owner Stephanie Jalowiec’s top picks for summer reading…

Tell us a bit about yourself, Stephanie!

I have been “selling books” for the last 23 years as a public school teacher in Connecticut. Most recently, I've been a Literacy Consultant working with kindergarten through fifth grade. I LOVE my day job! Helping students access the world of books and discover that every person can be an avid reader and writer is important to me.

I come from a family of voracious readers - we even have a Cape Cod vacation reading club! As a small child, my mom would regularly take us to the library and then as we got older, we'd visit Walden Books in my hometown. I can still see their shelf of Sweet Valley High books.

My husband Jim and I met in 1998 - he was working at Lee Partyka Chevrolet and sold me my used Pontiac Sunfire. On our second date, he tried to talk to me about Ernest Hemingway and I couldn't stop laughing. Neither one of us remember reading any Hemingway in high school. He was trying to pretend he liked to read, too, and it was the first author that popped into his head.

We have two amazing children - Nathan (16) and Addison (12) who sometimes like to read. It's all about the right book!

Owner Stephanie Jalowiec at The Book Cabin

What inspired you to open a bookstore? 

My husband and I first came to Lake George in 1998 and instantly fell in love with all the area offers. We knew we would want to eventually work and live here.  At first we started with a small cabin in the shadow of Mount Crane for weekends and summers and about five years ago, built a home in the Town of Lake George. We are eager to make Lake George our permanent home. 

During the pandemic lockdown, we kept walking past the Trinity Rock Motel property that was for sale. We were pulled towards the idea of creating a more permanent way to live in Lake George. Our children are well settled into their Connecticut lives so we know moving here full time won't be for a few more years. Jim and I always like to play the game of - what else do you want to be when you grow up? The only answer I ever have to that question is a bookstore owner.

The pandemic left me a lot of time to dream. Could I really be brave and open a small retail business?  We all know many businesses in the LG area come and go. Will I have what it takes to become a community anchor? Does the area have enough readers to sustain a small shop?

In April of 2020, I was reading the book Untamed by Glennon Doyle and she reminded readers to be brave and do hard things.  Just because when I was 21 and loved teaching, doesn't mean I have to do it until I'm in the grave...so here we are.

We scooped up the property and our budget only allowed me to start the bookstore. The motel renovation is for another year (those lumber prices need to come down!). Once we acquired the property, I literally couldn't stop myself from opening the store. There was no way I was waiting for my kiddos to be done with school! So, for now, we are a weekend and summer store.

We love the idea of a Book Cabin - we’d love to hear about the cabin itself, any history behind it, and why you chose it as your shop location! 

Our little cabin was part of the Trinity Rock Motel corporation and was built by two brothers for their mother who opened up a farm stand. My understanding is that the farm stand was only open a few years. The brothers did a beautiful job including large rustic logs in the interior.  It needed almost no work to open a retail shop.

We chose this location for two reasons: real estate in the village is too expensive to purchase or rent and the property allowed for both of us to have a project for our LG future. We hope that as word gets out about our new shop - it will become a sweet destination for tourists and locals who are looking for something besides t-shirt shops.

What can customers expect to see at the cabin? 

You’ll find books for all ages (mostly contemporary fiction and nonfiction), toys (a range of outdoor and indoor games featuring DJECO products), writing supplies (journals, notecards, grammar pencils, and paper products featuring E Frances Paper Company and Moleskin), art activities (amazing projects for children and sketch products for all ages), bookish gifts (Fly Paper Products candles, barware, totebags, and stickers), and other gifts (Mira windchimes, Parsley and Paisley drink coasters).

We’d love to hear five of your top book recommendations for summer. 

This question is like asking a mother who their favorite child is! Some recent favorites for adults (that have not been featured by Reese and Jenna!):

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart made me ache for the children who grow up in homes plagues by substance abuse.

Deep Creek: Finding Hope in the High Country by Pam Houston is for readers who loved Wild by Cheryl Strayed.

Big Girl, Small Town by Michelle Gallen will make you laugh and quickly cringe as Majella deals with her family's difficult situation.

Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is a quick paced read for sitting lakeside this summer.

House of Sticks by Ly Tran is a timely memoir about her family's immigration to the United States and growing up with a controlling father in a foreign land.

What’s next for the Book Cabin - any plans for the future? 

I have HUGE plans for our future and look forward to growing with the community. I would love to add a snack and drink cart and additional themed book buildings on the existing property. I would also love to work with the community providing unique teacher workshops and scholarships for classroom libraries. There is so much we can do together as a reading and writing community for Warren County.

The Book Cabin
3373 Lake Shore Drive • Lake George
Website / Facebook

First Look: Common Roots Beer Garden

Two years after a fire ripped a hole in the heart of South Glens Falls, Common Roots Brewery is back.

The state-of-the-art brewery at 58 Saratoga Avenue, with an expanded menu, indoor pub space and spacious outdoor beer garden, opened quietly on May 3rd, but it didn’t take long for the faithful following to return. (Word on the street is the fried chicken sandwich, available in three levels of spicy hotness, is delicious!).

“It’s been really spectacular, honestly,” Bert Weber told Glens Falls Living. “The reception has been everything we had hoped for…nice crowds of people, they love the beer and the space and the food.”

Co-owner Christian Weber, Bert’s son, said, “The outdoor space has been great. It’s still kind of different…before you could get a beer and walk around and talk to each other.”

Owners Bert and Christian Weber also announced the creation of the Common Roots Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit to give back to the community that was so supportive in the aftermath of the fire.

Co-owners Bert Weber and Christian Weber

“The foundation actually took over Gears and Beers, and it’s an event they are going to help us organize,” Christian said. “It grew so much — in mid-summer, we’ll see 80 to 100 riders come out for it — so we wanted to make sure we were a little more buttoned up.

“And on Wednesday nights, a dollar from every pint of beer sold goes to the foundation. It is a little different because of COVID still. The requirements are you have to be seated, and can’t walk around. That is a particular event where people aren’t necessarily seated. You got your beer after the bike and you socialized, you walked around. So we’re still adapting. We’re still figuring it out.”

Christian said most of the existing staff has been vaccinated or is in the process of being vaccinated, and Common Roots is still looking to hire more people.

“We’re having a lot of fun,” he said. “We have a really great staff. We have the original group plus we added a few more so we could run this properly. We now have close to 40 employees and we’re still hiring. We’re very fortunate with the group that we have. We’re always so humbled by the co-workers who come out to work with us.”

And now the foundation is up and running, further strengthening the bond with the community.

“From the moment we opened the original brewery in 2014, we always knew what a close-knit community SGF was,” Christian said, “but I don’t think we really knew until we came here. We are really humbled being here.”

The foundation has a nine-person board, an executive director — Christian’s longtime friend Alex (Matthews) Kochon — and seeks members, sponsors and partners to expand its reach.

“We seeded the foundation with some initial startup money,” Christian said, “but we need more money so we can do more. And the membership drive is not only to get money for the foundation but to create stakeholders.” [For more information on the foundation, click here.]

Common Roots is open seven days a week. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; noon to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

“We are hoping to eventually do a brunch on Sundays and open a little earlier,” Bert said.

Common Roots
Website / Facebook / Instagram

Lily's Little Library

There’s a new librarian in town! At just 9 years old, Lily Murphy was inspired to start a little library for her Glens Falls neighborhood, and with a little help from her uncle in the form of a beautiful purple book box, the library is now open! We caught up with Lily to hear a bit more about the project - and the books - below!

Hi Lily! Tell us a bit about yourself!

I'm 9 years old and I go to Kensington Road School, and I'm in fourth grade. I live with my Mom, Step-mom, my sister and my dog and cat. I like to draw and read.

Every year I raise money through a lemonade stand and my birthday and donate it all to Cindy's Retreat in the Glens Falls Hospital Cancer Center. So far I've raised $2550 in three years. I do this because my Aunt Marcy died from breast cancer, and I was really close with her. Aunt Marcy used this foundation so I want to continue to help them.

We’d love to know - how did the idea for the library come about?

I used to live on a different street that had a little library and when we moved my Grammie told my Uncle Henry that I missed it, and he built one for me!

The library itself is beautiful! We’d love to hear more about the inspiration for the design and who helped to build it.

My uncle wanted to include a lot of really cool details, and I got to make a lot of the choices. There's books on the side and our entire family got to give him ideas for titles to include. My favorites are on there, like Smile and Charlotte's Web, which has been read together by our whole family. He was able to get an artist, Amy Forbes, to paint the book spines and they look awesome. He included a dragonfly because my Aunt really loved dragonflies, and he also made a hot air balloon because he knows I love them. Before he retired and started building things, my uncle was a librarian so he was really excited.

Tell us a bit about how the library works - can anyone stop by to borrow a book anytime? Do you have to leave a book if you take a book? Do people return the book when they are done?

Anyone can stop by anytime and take a book, you don't have to leave one to take one. People can keep the books that they take, I hope they enjoy them!

What types of books can neighbors expect to see in the library? Is this just for kids or all ages?

All ages can use the library. There's chapter books, picture books, and even reference books. I'm happy to include anything neighbors are interested in.

How do you plan to keep the library filled? Are you accepting book donations?

I will accept book donations. My sister and I have a lot of books we can donate and my uncle brought me many to start with. I also hope some people will bring books, when they pick out a book, to help keep it filled too.

Have you seen any neighbors stopping by the library already?

I have! I get excited to see people use the library. On my way to school today I saw a mom and son picking out a book, so that was cool. I've seen a lot of other people stop too.

Just curious - do you happen to know if there are any other little libraries in Glens Falls?

Yes! There was one by our old house, it's on Morton Street and it's orange.

I didn't know it before but there's actually a registry for little libraries, and you can find them all over! My library will be on the registry soon, and we'll get a plaque to hang on it in the mail with it's own charter number. You can find the map at littlefreelibrary.org.

[Editors Note: If you know of any other little libraries in Glens Falls, we’d love to know in the comments below!]

Lily’s Library
Find the library on Crandall Street between Coolidge and Horicon Avenue.

—

P.S. If you have any tips on hometown news, we’d love to hear - email us at hello@glensfallsliving.com!

First Look: Alif Café

Downtown Glens Falls has a unique new lunch and dinner spot!

Alif Café, at 193 Glen Street in the former Samantha’s Cafe space, features Pakistani and South Asian street food, chais and coffees, the energetic 24-year-old owner Muhammad Saud told Glens Falls Living.

His parents own the Tandoori Grill and the original Alif Café in Lake George Village, but Mr. Saud said “Our cuisine has been missing in Glens Falls for some time.”

“I was looking to open a new restaurant, and I looked everywhere from New York City to Houston, but I decided it was time Glens Falls got some mideastern cuisine!” he said. “We love Glens Falls! My family has been part of this community for nine years. We feel like we know exactly what Glens Falls needs.”

Alif Café opened on January 15. A proper “grand opening” is planned when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, Mr. Saud said.

Muhammad Saud at Alif Café

He describes South Asian food as diverse, flavorful and aromatic.

“We’re known for our diversity and our love for street food,” he said. “It’s not overpowering, but more of a blend of spices.”

Karahi chicken bowls, served with basmati rice, bread and salad, “have been going out the door like crazy,” Mr. Saud said. “Everything is made here every day.”

Another favorite is the unique “Naanwich, our panini-style sandwich version of our dishes, modernized and westernized. We’re still figuring out what people want. We want to do Pakistani breakfasts. We’re killers for eggs sunny side up, and we make the best omelets. There’s so much flavor it’s crazy!”

Other entrees include veggie bowls, Pakistani fruit lassis, rolled ice cream and pakora fritters, and more.

Open every day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (and now available on DoorDash), he said “last Friday we ran out of food! Business has been amazing. I’ve never experienced people being this generous. Everyone has been so welcoming.”

He said owners of other downtown restaurants like Gourmet Cafe, Farmacy, Mean Max, Radici and Mikado “have all been so supportive.”

Alif Café has a five-year lease with building owner Chad Nims, Mr. Saud said.

By the way, it’s not just Glens Falls that’s taking note of Mr. Saud’s innovative recipes - his TikTok food videos have gained him a following of over 20,000 and growing. “I’m looking forward to keeping it going,” he said.

Alif Café
193 Glen Street • Glens Falls
Website / Facebook / Instagram

Open Space Institute Buys 1,260 Acres In Lake Luzerne, Plans To Sell Land To State In 2023

A significant swath of Adirondack wilderness in Lake Luzerne on the southwest side of West Mountain will remain undeveloped after the Open Space Institute (OSI) bought 1,260 acres for $975,000 on Oct. 19.

OSI plans to develop existing trails before selling the land to the State Department of Environmental Conservation in 2023, creating a key wildlife corridor linking Moreau Lake State Park and Ralph Road State Forest.

“It is becoming rarer to find a property of this size that exemplifies the many of the benefits of protected land— supporting clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation, and the storage of carbon to help fight climate change — especially so close to the Northway,” Kim Elliman, president and CEO of OSI, told Glens Falls Living in an emailed response to our query.

OSI said it will pay property and school taxes on the land, something that pleases Lake Luzerne Town Supervisor Gene Merlino.

“They assured me they would pay taxes,” Mr. Merlino said Sunday.

OSI said 2019 property and school taxes on the land totaled just less than $21,000.

Over the last four decades, developers including West Mountain Ski Area founder Mike Brandt proposed building a huge development called Mont Luzerne on the property. Those plans never materialized, and Mr. Brandt told Glens Falls Living that his mortgage on the 1,260 acres now owned by OSI was purchased by a Texas investment group.

The land, in the Hudson River Watershed, abuts Call Street and Daniels Road in Lake Luzerne. Forty-two different tax map parcels make up the nearly two-square-mile parcel, which includes hardwood and softwood forests and numerous wetlands.

OSI says “in addition to the clean water and climate change benefits, conservation of the forested parcel will also support regional connectivity, wildlife habitat and recreation. Now protected from future development, the acquisition is a critical step toward establishing regional connectivity of forested lands.”

Mr. Brandt says “this is a beautiful way of preserving the land. There are some amazing wetlands made by beavers. Then there’s a storm, the beaver dam washes out, and it drys up. Then new growth emerges, and the beavers return from the Hudson River.

“A lot of local people use it for hunting and riding ATVs.”

OSI said motorized vehicles are no longer allowed on the land. It said fishing will be allowed with a valid NYS fishing license, and hunting may be allowed by permission. But, they said they have not yet decided whether to permit hunting.

Mr. Brandt said, “I’m proud we put all of that land together. And this is a very good use of that land.”

Mr. Merlino said, “Maybe this is a better use of the land” than the proposed Mont Luzerne development, which hoped to put up to 2,200 homes on 2,400 acres, which included the land now owned by OSI.

Real estate agent Sean Rogge of Howard Hanna said he represented both sides of the sale, which came together after three years of informal discussion and four months of formal negotiations.

We asked Mr. Brandt if he still owns any land in the West Mountain region.

“Nothing,” he said. “I own nothing. Well, I own a kayak and a bicycle.”

Mr. Brandt, now 86, lives in Menomomie, Wisconsin, where he grew up.

“I’ve had a very interesting life,” he said, including opening West Mountain and serving as Queensbury Town Supervisor from 1976 to 1979.

The Open Space Institute describes itself as “a team of project leaders, researchers, land stewards, attorneys, accountants and office managers, all dedicated and creative professionals united in improving people’s lives and the world we live in through smart land conservation.”

On its website, OSI says “we have saved 2,285,092 acres of land through direct acquisition, grants and loans.”

GORDON WOODWORTH

A South Glens Falls native, Gordon Woodworth is a respected and well-connected voice of the community. As a journalist, he has covered the Glens Falls region for more than 20 years. Read his full bio here, and click here to follow along with him on Facebook - he’s always reporting!

Juicin' Jar Expands, Adds Market and Gift Shop

Juicin’ Jar, the smoothie bar and vegan bakery on Exchange Street in downtown Glens Falls, has expanded to add a market and gift shop.

Sisters Nicole Laubenheimer and Cristina Hanchett have taken over the space formerly occupied by Ann Parrish’s Milk & Honey shop, and expanded their offerings in an effort to appeal to a wider audience.

Sisters Nicole Laubenheimer and Cristina Hanchett outside Juicin’ Jar

“It was very natural,” Nicole, 27, told Glens Falls Living. “We were both closed for about two months, and when we re-opened, Ann re-opened. Our schedules meshed.

“And then Ann came to us and told us she was thinking about retiring. She was ready.”

Cristina said, “At first, we didn’t know what to do. There was talk about splitting the space out front, and our lease was up in October.”

Nicole said, “There was a moment before we re-opened this spring when I said to Cristina, ‘We really need to talk…It was very emotional. There were a lot of tears. We wondered if we should close this chapter.”

But Cristina, 28, who married Daniel Hanchett a month ago, said, “It was always our dream to have a market and have more space, even before COVID-19 hit.”

The market and gift shop features “everything locally, and all of our dry products are organic,” Cristina said. There’s local honey, jams and jellies, and special blend teas. There’s clothing and candles and kitchen items and handcrafted greeting cards.

“We want to match the season,” Nicole said. “Right now, we have fresh squash and Indian corn. We want to keep things local and organic.”

And, Cristina said, “we’re doing more cakes and cupcakes, things we wouldn’t normally do, now that we have the space to present them nicely.”

A downtown fixture since 2015, when it moved from Lake George to South Street, Juicin’ Jar moved to the 16 Exchange Street in 2016.

Cristina and Nicole now have a three-year lease with building owner Nancy Scumaci, a nutritionist and real estate investor from Bolton.

“From the moment we met Nancy, she has been so patient and understanding,” Nicole said. “And Ann helped us modernize and make the market and gift shop more our style.”

Nicole’s boyfriend, Ryan Darfler, and Cristina’s husband Daniel Hanchett, “helped us with the remodeling and construction and heaving lifting,” Cristina said.

Since reopening in the expanded space, “the community has been so positive and supportive. Our customers are like family,” Nicole said.

As the pandemic continues, she said business “is challenging. Every day is unknown. But we’ve been open for two weeks now, and it’s been very steady. We have a wonderful base of regular customers.”

Cristina said, “It seems like this was meant to be.”

Juicin’ Jar
Website / Facebook / Instagram

GORDON WOODWORTH

A South Glens Falls native, Gordon Woodworth is a respected and well-connected voice of the community. As a journalist, he has covered the Glens Falls region for more than 20 years. Read his full bio here, and click here to follow along with him on Facebook - he’s always reporting!

Guiding Yachts and Cargo Vessels Across the Ocean - From Glens Falls!

One of the world’s leading weather forecasting companies is based on Warren Street in Glens Falls.

Weather Routing, Inc., occupies most of the second floor of Peter and Suzanne Hoffman’s Warren Street Square building. It employs 42 people, 41 of them meteorologists, who guide yachts and cargo vessels traveling the world’s oceans.

“In this area, we are not as well known because we’re not a business where locals would come to us for a forecast,” said Jeremy Davis, operations manager for the yachting division and senior meteorologist. “Not a lot of people here know one of the world’s leaders in weather forecasting is right here in Glens Falls, and 40-plus meteorologists work here, which makes a huge impact on the local economy.”

Jeremy Davis

Founded in 1961 in New York City by Bill Kaciak, Weather Routing has been in Glens Falls for about 35 years, the last 10 on Warren Street. The company is now owned by Peter Wirfel, formerly of South Glens Falls, who was a Weather Routing employee before buying the company in the late 1980s.

“We do a lot of different things,” Mr. Davis told Glens Falls Living. “In the yachting division, we forecast for yachts, sailboats, races, regattas and marinas worldwide. We’re doing more with people who own yachts, people who charter yachts, people that go sailing, from families all the way up to larger yachts owned by people who are household names.

“…The commercial side is the larger side. It’s more than half of our business…Cargo ships, freighters, tankers. They could be transporting anything anywhere across the world. It’s all the stuff that everybody needs. It’s the lifeblood of world commerce. It’s not something that a lot of people think about, all the stuff that goes back and forth, but even the road salt in Albany for the winter comes from Brazil.

“…We’ll find the best date to go and the best route to take. We’ll look at tropical systems, are there other kinds of bad weather, should they cancel the trip, and give them a detailed report over the phone or in writing so they can make the best possible plans.

“…While they are out at sea, we’re in constant communication with them. Communication is a lot easier and cheaper now than it used to be with email. Twenty years ago when I started here, it was a lot of satellite faxing which would cost $60 to send because it was over a satellite phone, and they would time out after eight minutes at $6 a minute.

“Now email is on almost every vessel. Communications are a lot easier and cheaper. But clients will call or email us from all over the world and it’s all done from Glens Falls, which is pretty amazing. We’re talking to people from all over the planet every day.”

Mr. Davis said “The yacht side has been growing, and the commercial side has really been growing the last five years. We strive to be really personal with our clients, really efficient. Quick responses, they really like that. They like that they can reach humans any time, day or night. That’s not always the case these days.”

He said his job makes for easy small talk at parties.

“Most people are always fascinated by what we do here because it is so different,” he said. “Most people haven’t heard of marine weather forecasting. It’s a niche service. But the cool thing is it gives you a lot to talk about because people find it fascinating. When you have a national story like a hurricane, we’re on it. We’re being affected by it in our office.”

What drives him?

“I love the challenge of it,” Mr. Davis said. “Every day is different, and it’s never boring. I like to figure out the strategy to best help our clients. And the other thing I enjoy is getting to know a lot of our clients. We get to know their vessel and get to know them on a personal level as well. And we get to talk to people around the world. We kind of become a global citizen in a way.

“As a kid, I loved tracking hurricanes and tropical storms, and would watch the Weather Channel, and now I get paid to do that. That’s pretty cool.”

Weather Routing, Inc.
Website

GORDON WOODWORTH

A South Glens Falls native, Gordon Woodworth is a respected and well-connected voice of the community. As a journalist, he has covered the Glens Falls region for more than 20 years. Read his full bio here, and click here to follow along with him on Facebook - he’s always reporting!

SUNY Adirondack Culinary Arts Program Thriving

SUNY Adirondack’s Culinary Arts Program is thriving despite the challenges of COVID-19 restrictions.

“We’ve got 59 students in the program right now,” says Chef Matthew Bolton, the senior faculty member for the program. “On average, I think the most I’ve had in the eight years I’ve been here is 72 students. Given the pandemic, you can’t go wrong with 59 students.”

Chef Matthew Bolton at Seasoned

All of the classes are at 14 Hudson in downtown Glens Falls, where SUNY Adirondack leases 8,000 square feet and has its 80-seat restaurant, Seasoned.

“The students have been really receptive and really compliant…We have adapted to the new normal — wearing a face mask every day, all day. 

“If the students need to taste something, we’ve made a designated corner where they go, about 15 or 20 feet away from each other, and can slide their mask off and taste. Because obviously they’ve got to taste and season before they can call their dish complete.”

Seasoned is now open for lunch and dinner on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Lunch is from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Four-course dinners featuring local foods are 5:45 to 7 p.m. For reservations, call 518-832-7725, email culinary@sunyacc.edu or go online at www.sunyacc.edu/culinary-arts-center-reservation.

Lunch is $15.95, $9.95 for children 12 and younger. Dinner is $26.95, $18.95 for children 12 and younger.

Meals this week feature appetizers like chilled grilled shrimp with charred peach and spicy pepper relish; roasted root vegetables; pumpkin soup; carpaccio of beef with truffle salted cherry tomatoes, and fresh salad.

Entrees include Moroccan rubbed lamb with sweet potato puree and baba ganoush; citrus-marinated beef skirt with jalapeño pickled carrot puree and roasted potatoes; stir-fried garden vegetables with marinated tofu and rice noodles; and roasted white fish with apple relish and basmati rice.

The restaurant opened last week, and will be open Wednesdays and Thursdays through Nov. 19.

“Usually we do 11 weeks, but it’s only seven weeks this semester,” Mr. Bolton said. “I shaved it down. Normally we go a couple of weeks after Thanksgiving, but given the insight from the scientists, we figured shutting down right after Thanksgiving break would be in our best interest.”

Last week “went well. We did four for lunch and about 16 for sit down dinner and a take out order for [SUNY Adirondack] President Kris Duffy. We are always slow the first couple weeks until the buzz gets out.”

Chef Bolton, a 2004 graduate of the school’s culinary arts program who for 14 years was a sous chef and executive chef at the Friends Lake Inn in Chestertown, says he has a good mix of students this year.

“It’s a pretty diverse mixture,” he said. “One of the many great things about my job is I meet people from all walks of life, and of all ages. It’s 17 and 18 year olds fresh out of high school, and students who are older and who have been in the industry for a long time or maybe looking for a career change. I also get retirees, doctors and lawyers, who always loved to cook and wanted to take some professional classes. It’s very diverse. Our median age range is 18 to 30 but there’s always a couple of older students.”

The restaurant “is the meat of the program. I pushed really hard to make sure we could have in-person classes this semester, especially after going online last spring and the fact that not everyone has the same equipment at home. 

“When we’re open and running the restaurant, it gives our students that real hands-on experience. I cycle them through each station so everyone gets a chance to grill a couple of times, sauté a couple of times, do desserts a couple of times. Even if that’s not what they want to do with their career, this way they get the opportunity to see if they actually like it or not.

“…And we get to network with a lot of local farmers and producers. I try to keep everything local in the 518, so all of the ingredients we have, except for the seafood, which comes from Boston every couple of days, are all grown locally. A lot of it is grown right on our main campus in our sustainable agriculture program.”

Glens Falls, he says, is a “culinary town, which provides great opportunity for our students and the restaurants.”

The pandemic has brought about changes in the restaurant industry, which Chef Bolton has incorporated into the curriculum. Things like “double dipping with ingredients, seeing what you can do using the same ingredients multiple times to make it different and interesting. And being adaptable with different ingredients. 

“I call on my farmers every Sunday and tell them whatever they didn’t sell at the farmers’ market or their seconds or uglier stuff, just drop it off on Monday and we’ll figure out something to do with it. We’re just really trying to maximize our local economy by buying local. And it’s a great teaching tool.”

Seasoned
Website / Facebook

GORDON WOODWORTH

A South Glens Falls native, Gordon Woodworth is a respected and well-connected voice of the community. As a journalist, he has covered the Glens Falls region for more than 20 years. Read his full bio here, and click here to follow along with him on Facebook - he’s always reporting!

A Labor of Love: Chapel Doors Restored at Double H Ranch

Kevin Jacobie’s kind heart and love of children led him to restore the huge mahogany doors that grace the entrance to the Marylou Whitney Chapel at Double H Ranch in Lake Luzerne.

Kevin, 65, one of the well-known Jacobie clan of Moreau, has worked at Irving Tissue as a boiler operator for 43 years. His employer helped Double H restore the chapel, staining the interior and exterior and helping to replace the floor.

“Someone mentioned they would like to get the doors refinished,” Kevin told Glens Falls Living. “I refinish furniture as a hobby, so I looked at the doors, which are incredibly detailed, and thought, ‘If I don’t do it, who will?’

“It’s all about the kids. Double H is a wonderful organization, and I felt guilty that I couldn’t do more. So, this is my contribution.”

Max Yurenda, the longtime CEO of Double H, said, “Kevin did it from the heart. He told me the other day that it was a labor of love for the kids. It’s a work of art, and I can’t think of anyone else who could have taken on that job and done it so well. His love for the kids kept him motivated to finish the project.”

When Kevin went to work, the doors, which are three inches thick, eight feet tall and 30 inches wide, “were as gray as you could imagine. They were really weathered, and it was hard to imagine what they would look like when refinished.

“So I brought them home, and it took me pretty much all last winter. I worked on them on my time off, and even days I worked, I would often go down into my shop before my 7 a.m. shift.”

How long did it take to sand them?

“About 999 hours,” he said, chuckling. “The skin on my thumb and forefinger of my right hand wore off, so I had to use my left hand.”

After he sanded the doors, he finished them with teak oil.

“There was so much detail,” he said. “It all had to be done by hand. There was no machine that could do that intricate work. They are beautiful doors. Just amazing. I hated to give them back.”

But of course he did. There was no ceremony, no special occasion.

“I went up with the doors, helped reinstall them and left,” he said.

Mr. Yurenda said, “They turned out beautifully! The Whitney Chapel is an important building on our campus, the spiritual center of Double H. The doors are a work of art.”

Kevin said, “Double H brings in kids from all across the country with various serious illnesses, and for one week, the kids get to be kids and do kids’ stuff…They come to camp and it’s the happiest place on earth.”

Mr. Yurenda said the construction of the Whitney Chapel in 1995 was financed by the late Marylou Whitney, the generous Saratoga Springs benefactor who passed away last year.

“She supported it financially and one of Charley Wood’s men built it,” he said. “But as you know, as buildings get older they need tender loving care, and the employees of Irving Tissue adopted the chapel, redoing the interior and the exterior. Kevin’s work on the doors was an extra beautiful gift to our campers.”

Speaking of the Double H Ranch, Mr. Yurenda said their Sept. 26th virtual gala raised more than $600,000.

“It was our first virtual gala, and we were worried, but Lisa and Bob Moser, our gala chairs, did an incredible job,” he said.

“Our in-person galas at the Great Escape Lodge generally raise more than $800,000, but our virtual gala exceeded our expectations, and is a huge testimony to the support of this community.”

Mr. Yurenda said that while there was no in-person camp this year, the ongoing pandemic meant that “the needs of our kids are even greater. Our team did an exceptional job pivoting to virtual programming. We found software called Jigsaw, and used it to run a virtual summer program for more than 650 campers.”

He called the success of the virtual programming “a silver lining. Virtual programming will now be a part of our efforts in the future, to reach kids that we were not able to get to camp.”

Its success “puts pressure on our team to now figure out how to elevate our virtual programming. It’s been a tough year for everybody. We are looking at our budget right now, and have scenario A, scenario B and scenario C, and will probably end up with some version of scenario D.

“But we’re very fortunate. Our team pivoted beautifully to help us stay connected to our campers.”

GORDON WOODWORTH

A South Glens Falls native, Gordon Woodworth is a respected and well-connected voice of the community. As a journalist, he has covered the Glens Falls region for more than 20 years. Read his full bio here, and click here to follow along with him on Facebook - he’s always reporting!

First Look: The Courts at Crandall Park

Summer might be winding down, but things are heating up in Crandall Park with the completion of the courts project. 

The project, ideated by Tom Hoy and spearheaded by the Crandall Park Beautification Committee, began this past March with the demolition of the old courts, which Committee President Elizabeth Little Hogan said were beyond repair. “No one on the Committee could recollect the courts being new in our lifetimes!” she said. 

Above: Crandall Park Courts - Before

The Committee hired Saratoga Associates to design the new space, and with help from surveys of city residents indicating their interests, they decided on the addition of pickleball courts to complement the already popular basketball and tennis courts. With the added draw of pickleball, which has grown in popularity in recent years, it was clear a social space would be needed to accommodate folks watching games or waiting their turn. 

“That was part of our goal. We knew a lot of people would be coming to play pickleball, and we wanted to make a social area for them. We have the sitting wall, the chess and checkers tables, and plenty of shade… I think that’ll be a nice gathering spot,” she said. 

After a two month hiatus during New York’s COVID-19 “Pause”, work by E & T O’Connor Construction resumed again in May and wrapped up last week with the completion of the painting and lining of the courts. The completed space includes two basketball courts, two tennis courts, and four pickleball courts as well as four chess and checkers tables. Benches, a bicycle rack, and two sets of bleachers near the basketball courts will be installed in the coming weeks. 

In addition to the courts and hardscape, new trees and shrubs were added along Fire Road, including a crab apple, Canadian red chokecherry, serviceberry, and witch hazel shrubs. A new stone dust path encourages entry to the park from Fire Road behind the courts as well. 

The tennis and pickleball courts, as well as the chess and checkers tables, are now open for the public to enjoy, and the new LED lights (which provide a significant cost savings as compared to the old lights, by the way) ensure that even though the sun is setting earlier these days, residents are able to enjoy them well after dark as the lights will remain on until 10pm. 

The basketball courts will remain closed until further notice from the Mayor based on COVID-19 guidance. 

What’s next for Crandall Park? The Beautification Committee just signed a contract for the installation of a splash pad to go in by spring 2021, and they are actively working on the addition of a disc golf course within the Park that will also be ready to roll next spring. 

Follow along with Crandall Park updates and activities on their Facebook page here! 

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Little Hogan

On Following Your Dreams: Queensbury Man With Asperger’s begins Pursuit of Meteorology Degree

Nothing stops Andrew Paolano.

Not Asperger’s, a form of autism.

Not bullying in high school.

Nothing.

“Having autism is a big challenge,” Andrew told Glens Falls Living. But it hasn't stopped Andrew, 26, from enrolling at SUNY Adirondack to begin his pursuit of a degree in meteorology.

“It will be a big accomplishment for me to become a meteorologist," he said. "I’m very excited.”

“I have always found weather fascinating. I always loved thunderstorms and snowstorms. I’ve always been a big weather fanatic.”

A 2012 Queensbury graduate, Andrew was in elementary school when he reached out to News10 ABC chief meteorologist Steve Caporizzo.

“I called Steve to be a weather watcher when I was six or seven years old, and I’ve been doing that for 20 years,” he said.

He now has a separate Facebook page — Andrew Paolano’s Northeast Weather Forecasting — where he posts weather forecasts and current conditions.

And he has since become friends with Caporizzo and Tim Drawbridge, another meteorologist at News10 ABC, often visiting them at the studio and even appearing on air.

“I really enjoy it,” he said. “I like to be behind the scenes. It’s cool to see how they set up the show, and how they gather the data and use computers to make maps.”

He adds, “Steve and Tim have been great friends to me. We are great friends and I have always looked up to them for their professionalism and the things they do for the community.” 

Andrew said they also helped him when he was being bullied in school.

“It bothered me but I just relaxed when I got home and it was really helpful to watch Steve and Tim on the weather…Seeing the weather was calming to me after coming home from being bullied at school.”

Contacted for comment, Mr. Drawbridge said “Andrew is such a kind-hearted and generous person. And he’s very determined. This has been his dream, and it’s a very, very difficult thing to take on.

“But he’s faced so many challenges already…and when he puts his mind to something, he goes and does it. He took the time to properly assess this. And I know he can do this.”

Andrew said he started mulling a career in meteorology “in the last three or four years. I was back and forth on it because I have Asperger’s, and I’m a slow learner of math of science.

“I’m going really slow to start. I’m only doing one class, a math class. It’s lower-level math, and will be a good refresher for me. Then I’ll work my way up to calculus. I plan to take all of my math and science courses at SUNY Adirondack and then go on to get my degree at UAlbany.”

He hopes to finish up his SUNY Adirondack courses “in three or four years. I’m going slower to get my goal accomplished.”

The son of Al and Anne Paolano, Andrew says, “I see myself as an inspiration for other people with autism. Just pursue your dreams. We have one life to live. Just live it! This has always been my dream. I’m going for it!”

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GORDON WOODWORTH

A South Glens Falls native, Gordon Woodworth is a respected and well-connected voice of the community. As a journalist, he has covered the Glens Falls region for more than 20 years. Read his full bio here, and click here to follow along with him on Facebook - he’s always reporting!

This story was made possible by SUNY Adirondack.

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An Eco-Friendly Gardener's Dream - Adirondack Worm Farm

Bill Richmond’s Adirondack Worm Farm in Kingsbury is an eco-friendly gardener’s dream.

Richmond, a vice president at Behan Communications, uses hot composting techniques and turbo-charged composting worms at his family’s 40-acre farm to transform food scraps into nutrient-rich, chemical-free compost.

Curbside concierge composting provides five-gallon buckets for customers in Glens Falls, Queensbury, Hudson Falls, Moreau, South Glens Falls, Fort Edward and Lake George.

“Anything you don’t eat goes into the bucket…Anything once alive can be composted,” he told Glens Falls Living. “You can compost dryer lint and yarn, as long as it’s not synthetic.”

Click here for a list of compostable material.

“I pick the scraps up every either weekly or every two weeks and leave a clean bucket,” he said. “And at the end of the year, they get hot compost back to use in their gardens.”

Cost for every-other-week service is $20 a month. Weekly is $35 a month.

The compost is more than any family could generate on their own, and complements the vermicast natural fertilizer he produces. Since starting the business a year ago, he says “we have already composted more than a ton of food waste that didn’t go into the landfill.”

Speaking of landfills, Richmond notes that food that rots in a landfill is one of the largest sources of methane gas. By composting your food waste instead, you reduce those emissions and the compost produced helps to grow more plants, which keeps more carbon in the ground instead of in the air. Win - win.

Richmond raises Red Wiggler worms as well, which are “composting worms that produce vermicast — basically worm poop — which is an excellent natural plant fertilizer.

“The vermicast has nutrients plants need, and releases them slowly and naturally over the course of the growing season. You can mix it in with soil or put it on your plants as a top dressing.”

He just started selling the vermicast, and is working on a “worm tea” that mixes non-chlorinated water with the vermicast to release the microbes in the worm waste.

“I have an avid gardener who is testing the worm tea for me, and he’s already seeing a difference,” Richmond said.

He sells the vermicast for $15 for five pounds, which more than covers a 4-by-8-foot bed, he says. He also sells European nightcrawlers for fishing.

How does a mild-mannered public relations executive become a self-described “worm wrangler?”

“I always wanted to do something related to farming,”he said. “Our kids William and Noah are older now, and you can leave the worms for weeks at a time. I spend about 15 minutes a day on the worms and the compost, and it’s something I can do and still work at my full-time job.”

Adirondack Worm Farm
Website / Facebook / Instagram

GORDON WOODWORTH

A South Glens Falls native, Gordon Woodworth is a respected and well-connected voice of the community. As a journalist, he has covered the Glens Falls region for more than 20 years. Read his full bio here, and click here to follow along with him on Facebook - he’s always reporting!