We caught up with Tess Bannon this week! She explores her family’s deep roots in Glens Falls, shares her journey of building a tiny house in Queensbury, and gives an update on the latest with her jewelry business, Buffalo Bannon Designs…
Tell us about yourself!
Hello! My name is Tess Bannon and I am an adventurer, yogi, and the spiritual craftswoman behind Buffalo Bannon Designs. I fabricate sterling silver natural stone jewelry and offer custom designs. I studied fashion merchandising and jewelry design at Buffalo State College. Lately, I’ve been fascinated with the study of human design and stone medicine. My intention is to fuse these practices into my custom design formula, bringing new meaning to the concept of healing jewelry.
I recently started working at Saratoga Farmstead B&B, which is a green certified farm-to-table bed and breakfast with a wellness focus. The energy there is so captivating. It's newly owned by my friend and Licensed Massage Therapist, Allison Menter. Together with the cook and gardener, Flo, we work harmoniously and nicknamed ourselves the farm fairies. This year we are laying down the groundwork, but we have an abundance of ideas such as yoga classes, wellness workshops and curated retreats that we hope to weave into the future of Saratoga Farmstead.
In the Glens Falls area, I am best known at MinkyMink boutique which is owned by my sister, Maura Forcier. Mo has always been my role model, and growing up we dreamed of opening a store together. Minky feels like the embodiment of that dream because I sell my jewelry there as well as having worked there for five years. I helped Minky develop their brand, created internal online systems and escalated their social media presence. The NYC buying trips were a huge highlight, but organizing themed photoshoots and modeling was my absolute favorite. I love collaborating with photographers like Court L Photo and small businesses like Epithet Floral to create epic displays of beauty and fashion. Working with influential, motivated and creative women is incredibly empowering and something that I will never stop exploring. I am so grateful for the network of entrepreneurial women in this area, especially my sister. She has taught me so much about the fashion industry as well as introducing me to the Glens Falls community. We have a very supportive relationship and after five glorious years of working side by side, our professional life has evolved into a collaborative partnership.
I am embarking on a new adventure with my jewelry business that my 19 year old self would be very proud of. As for the backstory, the short of it is that it came to me during a Phish show 11 years ago and I've been dreaming about it ever since. Last year, I bought a DubBox trailer and custom designed the interior to be both a jewelry studio and a retail boutique. I like to call it my "studiotique.”
On Glens Falls Roots
We have some deep family roots in the Glens Falls area. My father's side of the family migrated from Canada and North Creek down to Glens Falls. My great grandfather John built a house on Dix Avenue that still exists today. He and his wife Alida both worked at The Shirt Factory.
My grandfather Charlie was an anesthesiologist and started a business called Warren Anesthesia. He brought the concept of a recovery room to the Glens Falls Hospital where patients would heal post surgery. My grandma Eliene sold antiques at the Glenwood Manor in Queensbury.
My father David and his four sisters attended St. Mary's and Queensbury schools. My father met my mother Arcangela at a dinner party in Buffalo, NY. They discovered that they worked at the same hospital and lived close by. They got married in Glens Falls at St. Mary's Church and moved back to the area to grow their family. My father always dreamed of owning a farm and after many years of hard work, they built one.
I grew up on this family farm with my two very inspiring older siblings, Colin and Maura. My parents are retired medical professionals but I wholeheartedly thought my dad was a farmer until first grade. My early life consisted of horseback riding, mucking stalls, feeding chickens, and playing with goats. I adored growing up this way. It helped me develop a strong work ethic and refined my love for nature and adventure.
I also favored jewelry and I was fortunate to learn how to make it during metalsmithing class at Lake George High School. Art class brought me so much joy. I studied studio art, photography and graphic design. At the end of the school year I submitted my work to the juried high school art show at the Hyde Museum. They accepted the first piece of jewelry that I made, a brooch inspired by my family heritage. When I saw it displayed behind glass for the first time, I thought, "maybe I am good at this.”
On Life In and Around Glens Falls
I live in a tiny house in Queensbury. I remodeled it with resources from the property and upcycled materials, going as green as possible. The structure is 400 sq/ft. It has an open concept with an eat-in kitchen, bedroom / living room, bathroom, closet, meditation nook, and storage loft. Next year, I'd like to build a front porch. I'm super excited to downsize, declutter and simplify my life. I am someone who collects lots of little treasures, but letting go is a practice I've cultivated over the years.
What I love most about renovating this tiny house is the journey of it all. I thrive in an environment of my own creation and knowing exactly how much time, effort and love that went into every aspect gives me a whole new level of appreciation. I am so grateful to everyone who helped me build such a magical mini sanctuary.
Some Glens Falls Favorites
One of my favorite things about Glens Falls is the flourishing art community. I feel like there are so many creative nooks and crannies all over GF. There's the Hyde Museum for art admirers, The Shirt Factory for handmade treasures, LARAC for crafty finds, The Park Theater for musical grooves, the Adirondack Film Festival for movie lovers, GEM Fest for entertainment enthusiasts, and fabulous murals sprinkled in between. Side note: I cannot wait to see the building Hannah Williams is painting! There is a beautiful flow of art, small business, nature, and industry in this city with a different artistic flair for everyone to enjoy. The love and support for small businesses here is unmatched. I thoroughly enjoy witnessing new and existing businesses thrive. It's a joy to be a part of it all. There are so many gems, but a few of my favs (besides Minky) are Juicin’ Jar, Fountain Square Outfitters, Alif Cafe, Rockhill and Laura’s Vintage.
A Perfect Glens Falls Day
One version of my perfect day spent in Glens Falls starts with a glass of lemon water and a morning yoga flow at Grounded on Glen. After movement and meditation, I grab my backpack on my walk over to Kru Coffee for a dirty chai latte with oat milk. Then I make my way to the park to find a nice tree to sit under. I spend about an hour journaling my thoughts and doodling some jewelry ideas. I have plans to meet Maura and Morgan at Farmacy for Drag Brunch, so I head over to Morg's picturesque downtown apartment and hang out until it's time to go. We have fun getting ready for the afternoon while Maura snags our table. We walk downstairs to meet her and in true big sister fashion, she already has mimosas waiting for us. Thanks Mo! It's show time and the menu's fixed so delicious small plates are being delivered while we focus our attention on the wonderful performers strutting down the center aisle. The crowd is wild, the vibe is high and the ladies are sassy! We're smiling, cheering and lovingly blushed with bubbles. After the show, we stop into MinkyMink for our obligatory visit and tell the girls all about the experience we just had. After stories, laughs and browsing of course, we drop our photos into the shared album, hug, then go our separate ways. I head home to my cozy cabin and relax for the evening. It was a fabulous day.
On the Past
2020 was a strange year in so many ways but also transformative with some fun moments. In February of that year I moved into my first GF apartment with my roommate Frankie and her two cats, Honey and Winnie. We had a month of new roomie shenanigans before quarantine started. Having limitations on places you could go and the people you could see gave me the time and space to turn inward and start asking myself serious life questions about the things I value most. I started different kinds of self care, dropped a few habits, began a daily yoga and meditation practice, experimented with a new business strategy and educated myself on the complete chaos happening throughout the world. Once summer hit, Frankie and I would bike or roller skate around our neighborhood and to the park. We hung out on our back porch, ordered take-out from local restaurants, laughed on the roof, celebrated the “rainbow hour” and cozied up with the kitties watching movies from our third floor living room. During a fearful and uncertain time, our home in Glens Falls was the safe haven we didn't know we needed.
On the Future
I worked across the street from a food co-op in Buffalo that was beyond spectacular. You could buy breakfast, lunch and dinner there and sometimes I did. They provide local organic produce, freshly prepared foods, hot soups, a make-your-own salad bar, an array of bulk products, sustainable items and eco-conscious groceries. It's a health nut's absolute fantasy and something I think Glens Falls would also fall in love with.
