A Schenectady dry cleaner that has been in business since 1934 is under new ownership.
Henry's Dry Cleaning Emporium, which has stores at 1610 State St. in Schenectady and Socha Plaza in Glenville, was purchased in mid-June by Hyun Soo Kim.
Kim, a Korean immigrant who has owned a dry cleaner in North Carolina for 30 years, said he and his family wanted to own a larger business. He plans to eventually sell the shop in North Carolina.
Kim bought Henry's Dry Cleaning from F. Michael Boehne, who…
New owner buys Henry's Dry Cleaning Emporium, a landmark business in Sch'dy
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New owners of St. James Square plan to rename, revitalize retail plaza
The day after a real estate developer bought the largely empty St. James Square retail plaza in Niskayuna, a company representative asked one of the few remaining businesses, Starbucks Coffee Co., what could be done to improve the property.
Melody Holler, who was store manager at the time, said she no longer wanted to feel like a janitor. The next day, she said, the parking lot was cleaned up.
Realty Equities Group has told local government officials they plan to fill the many vacancies and…
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Voila! European dining adventure debuts at Troy-area restaurant
Joe Zalucki, an accountant who enjoys eating out with his wife, Virginia, likes meeting new people.
That includes strangers sitting at their table.
"Most people who like to do fine dining, I would say, do not at all mind sharing," said Zalucki, a principal in Zalucki & Halstead LLP in Schenectady.
The Zaluckis belong to a new culinary club at The Epicurean at Sterup Square, where diners have a chance to expand their social network and eat a three- or four-course meal--prepared by French-trained…
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Brothers tally up sales selling and servicing computerized cash registers
Bob Howard has come a long way from the days when he sprained his ankle falling off a ladder, lost his job at an electrical contracting firm and took the summer off.
He was 22 and sitting on the couch watching TV when a neighbor stopped over at his parents' house in Troy.
"She goes, 'Bobby! What are you doing on the couch?' " Howard recalled with a laugh. "My son's got a very big company over there and you should go see him."
That company was Tri-State Business Equipment, which sold cash registers…
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A little Southwest in Latham; La Quinta broadens its reach
La quinta means "the villa" in Spanish, but the owners of the newest hotel in the region are banking on a different translation to win over customers.
If you believe the company's advertising campaign, la quinta is Spanish for "exploring just got more affordable," "free high-speed Internet" or "ahhhhhhhh."
Whatever the translation, the Dallas-based La Quinta chain (NYSE: LQI) is counting on the traveling public in the Northeast warming up to a brand that uses a Southwestern motif to distinguish…
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Justin's owner tries his hand at a third dining spot
John DeJohn's presence on Lark Street is about to grow.
DeJohn, co-owner of Justin's and DeJohn's Restaurant & Pub, which are across from each other on Lark Street, plans to open his third restaurant in October, a sports bar called Legends.
Located inside the former Margarita's at 286 Lark St., Legends is a major investment for DeJohn. He said he spent $800,000 removing the old Margarita's patio, expanding the rear of the three-story building, linking it with DeJohn's next door and fitting…
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Tavern association serves up training on alcohol laws to members
In New York, you have to pass a written test to get a driver's license, practice law or be a certified shorthand reporter. But not to sell liquor.
While a trade association that represents restaurant, club and tavern owners isn't advocating a test be required, it does believe owners should be familiar with the state's Alcohol Beverage Control law when they open their doors.
"We don't think that's an unreasonable burden," said Scott Wexler, executive director of the Empire State Restaurant &…
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Industry veteran takes the long view on cyclical nature of business
Charles M. "Chuck" Staro watched the exodus to the suburbs during his 40 years at the New York State Association of Realtors.
Now Staro, who retired as CEO Dec. 31, sees a resurgence in city living as many first-time buyers and retirees realize they don't want, or need, a big house with a large lawn.
"You're seeing a segment of the population that would like to live closer to where they work," Staro said. "A segment that's more in tune with a relaxed lifestyle than it used to be. A segment that…
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10 minutes with ... Jeff Christiana
Jeff Christiana, 66, a childhood polio survivor, says he has never felt handicapped. He has a second-degree black belt in karate, started a boxing ministry for kids, and is into his 45th year in the real estate business.
You suffered from polio as a child. Tell me about that.
I was 3 years old. I was paralyzed from my neck down, but the Lord just blessed the daylights out of me.
My mom heard about what’s called the Sister Kenny program. She was a nun who believed that hot-packing polio patients…
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Conley sells Albany building, parking garage for $4.3M
A fully-leased, two-story office building and nearby parking garage near the Capitol in Albany, N.Y., sold for $4.3 million.
The 17,000-square-foot building at 19 Dove St. and an 80-space garage at 180 Lancaster St. were on the market for nine months before attracting a buyer, said the seller, Tim Conley.
The buyer was identified only by the corporate entity, 1713 First Avenue LLC, in Manhattan. The buyer’s attorney, Jonathan Lapper in Glens Falls, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
The…
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A $5M place for construction apprentices (slideshow)
Seventy apprentices will walk into a new, $5 million training center in Glens Falls, NY tonight to learn how to become plumbers, pipefitters and welders.
They will be the first class at the 18,000-square-foot center built by U.A. Local 773 Plumbers and Steamfitters union near Exit 18 of the Northway.
Tonight’s orientation culminates a process the union started several years ago to modernize its headquarters and provide hands-on training in its offices for traditional skills as well as the growing…
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Price Chopper unveils new concept store name
Market Bistro by Price Chopper is the name of the supermarket chain’s new concept store in Latham, NY, a $10 million-plus investment designed to keep Golub Corp. a step ahead in the region’s food wars.
The store’s name was unveiled today, about 10 months after extensive renovations started to the store on New Loudon Road (Route 9). The store has remained open during the renovations.
The work is expected to wrap up by the end of this year, said Neil Golub, executive board chairman.
“This…
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Troy senior citizen apartments sell for $5.8M
An affordable housing complex for senior citizens in downtown Troy, NY, sold for $5.8 million and will get $3.4 million worth of improvements.
The O’Neil Apartments, a 114-unit, seven-story building at 2121 6th Avenue, was bought by Toporovsky & Sons of Teaneck, N.J.
The seller was AIMCO of Denver, Colorado.
The sale was brokered by Dane Professional Consulting Group in New York City, which represented both sides.
Built in 1979, the apartment complex provides affordable housing to the elderly…
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New life for Troy apartments as Judge invests big
Real estate developer Sam Judge is spending millions upgrading the former Quayside Apartments in downtown Troy, a project that’s gone much smoother than his other attempt at improving the city’s waterfront.
The 66-unit Quayside, which fills eight interconnected buildings at 201 River St., was renamed The Hudson and has already had $1.4 million in renovations, with more on the way.
Judge, president of Judge Development Corp., said 25 of the 66 units and common areas have been renovated, including…
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Outspent, Ellis turns to boots-on-the-ground campaign
Kathy Sheehan has the money, big-name endorsements, and overwhelming support of the business community in her bid to become Albany’s next mayor.
Her opponent in the Sept. 10 Democratic primary, Corey Ellis, can’t match Sheehan’s financial heft or A-list donors—among them, feminist icon Gloria Steinem and actress Bette Midler.
But, Ellis said front-porch talks with voters and the relationships he’s built as an Albany native will overcome any monetary disadvantages in the race.
“I know…
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How much to rent that pretty art on the wall? Sorelle Gallery has answer
See corrections at end of article
Sorelle Gallery at Stuyvesant Plaza in Guilderland, NY, is giving business owners the option to rent art by the month instead of spending thousands of dollars on a framed painting.
Sandra Pelletier, gallery owner, came up with the idea after talking to small businesses with limited budgets for artwork, and learning about similar rental programs at large New York City galleries.
“We could rent to make it more feasible for a startup that might want a statement…
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What do SEFCU and downtown Albany have in common? Kiernan Plaza
Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy is set to make an announcement at Albany’s Kiernan Plaza this afternoon following the Nanocollege’s acquisition of the historic former train station.
The College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering in Albany and its nonprofit real estate branch Fuller Road Management Corp. closed on the sale of Peter D. Kiernan Plaza with the price tag of $3 million. The college wants to create a high-tech incubator in the building at 575 Broadway.
Duffy is scheduled to make an announcement…
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$12M price on three downtown Albany office buildings
The owner of three office buildings in downtown Albany, NY — across from where a new luxury hotel and, possibly, a convention center are headed — is putting the properties up for sale.
EGL Realty Partnership LP is seeking $12 million for the buildings at 20 Park St., 146 State St., and 150 State St.
The three buildings total 192,432 square feet on 1.3 acres at the corner of State and Eagle streets. The price per square foot is $62.36.
The property includes 132 parking spaces.
Taxes this…
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Schenectady Holiday Inn planning big changes
The owners of the 183-room Holiday Inn in Schenectady, NY, are planning big changes that include demolishing part of the hotel, reducing the number of rooms, and possibly upgrading to a different corporate brand.
“This renovation will blow people away,” said Jeff Brown, CEO of Schahet Hotels Inc. in Indianapolis.
Brown emphasized the renovation plans have yet to be approved by city officials, and a new franchise agreement has not been signed.
The city Planning Commission is scheduled to review…
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There's gold in there: partners buying up self-storage
Bob Moser and Bob Morgan are business partners with an ambitious goal: owning 1 million square feet of self-storage units in the Northeast by the end of this year.
Moser, whose office is in Saratoga Springs, and Morgan, based in Rochester, just got a little closer to their goal when they bought three self-storage businesses in Malta, Saratoga Springs and Wilton, totaling 140,000 square feet.
The cost: nearly $6 million.
The partners already own two storage businesses in Queensbury, and are under…
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