Happy Holidays at Paradiso 'On the Avenue'

All the best of the Season from Matt, Odette, and everyone at the Paradiso

Here is the Paradiso Holiday information

The Paradiso will be open 5pm to 9pm on Christmas eve and closed
Saturday and Sunday, December 25 and 26

the Paradiso will be open New Year's Eve and taking reservations
between 5 and 10 that night

the special menu includes soups, starters, and main courses

the starters are in the $7 to $10 dollar range and include Salmon and
sweet corn cakes with a Lobster Sherry Cream Sauce, Potato Gnocchi
with sweet Italian sausage and a spicy arrabiatta sauce, Colossal
Shrimp cocktail with a chipotle vodka cocktail sauce

Entrees are from $19 to $27 dollars and include Veal Osso Bucco with a
three cheese risotto, House-made wild mushroom and spinach ravioli in
a rosemary and garlic veloute, and a 20 oz Delmonico steak with twice
baked potato, grilled asparagus, and a rosemary merlot pan sauce

From our family to yours, a happy, healthy, and wondrous Christmas and New Year

Ristorante Paradiso
198 Central Avenue
Albany, New York 12206
518.462.5812

Know your Nikes: StreetGame sells shoe history

With its vintage merchandise and its knowledgeable sales associates, StreetGame is selling more than shoes; it's selling shoe history.

The Albany location is the sixth store in this upstate New York franchise. "We thought customers needed us in Albany," says Jay Choi, General Manager.

This new Albany shoe store caters to urban wear conniseurs who can tell their Nike Airs from their Air Maxes (hint: it has to do with the size of the air pocket). Opened in August, the store has already become the destination for people looking for classic Nikes. It's the only licensed Nike store in the area, making it the best source of the very latest in styles and colors. You can also find the best in Timberlands, and a great selection of T-shirts and athletic wear.

"We are the biggest Nike and Jordan authorized dealer in upstate New York," says Choi. "We are the ones who carry the most diverse and hot items." The store also offers a large selection of rare, limited edition shoes, he says.

The store is also a great place to score a good deal on shoes. On the store's Buy One Get One Free wall, you can pick any shoe, and get a second pair of equal or lesser value for free. You're liable to find anything on the wall--from high tops to kids' kicks--so check it out frequently.

Best of all, StreetGame's staff gets a kick out of shoe trivia, and they can answer almost any question you might have about Nikes. Local manager Eric Pitts is a shoe genius, and during a recent tour he provided a full history of the iconic shoe, complete with demonstrations. Pitts is an asset to the new store because he knows things about Nikes that few people know, says Choi. "I don't know, but he knows," admits Choi.

StreetGame is located at 818 Central Avenue, Albany in the plaza next to Clothes Mentor. For more information, call StreetGame at 729-5975.

Community Loan Fund upcoming programs

Attached are two flyers about programs we are sponsoring. If you have an interest we encourage you to attend. Otherwise please pass them along to someone who may be interested. Please help us get the word out. Please help locate entrepreneurs who may find this useful. We offer many supports especially for start-ups. Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you.

Sincerely,

Paul Stewart

Central Avenue is Friendly Place to Invest

A Second Serving of Pepper Jack's in Albany

Mayor Jennings will be on hand today to cut a ribbon for a new location for Pepper Jack's, a well known college student staple for burgers, is opening a new location at 192 N. Allen Street, and bringing its special mix of sandwiches and burritos to even larger crowds.

The restaurant hopes this new and larger space will allow them to accommodate even more people, says owner Philip Stein. "It's a lot larger," Stein says. "The setup is more efficient." The menu will stay largely the same as Western Avenue, although he hopes to be able to deliver more hot meals and breakfast.

Stein and his partner Christopher Soden opened the Western Avenue restaurant in 2000. The two were interested in the restaurant business. Soden was born and raised in Albany, and Stein has lived here for 20 years. Stein was a UAlbany student and said he knew first-hand that there weren't enough dining options for students. They were "saturated with pizza and Chinese," he says. "We wanted to open an eatery that's more our style," he says. Pepper Jack's, with its wide selection of burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, soups and appetizers, was that eatery, he says. The two started the business as primarily takeout spot on the corner of Quail and Spring, and then moved to a larger space on the corner of Quail and Western. This new building at 192 N. Allen represents yet another expansion for the duo. "We'll be able to seat 25 to start, and we're hoping to expand from there," he says.

The new building is also more centrally located and offers more parking. Pepper Jack's has been around for 10 years, we would like to be around for 30 years," says Stein.

For more information, call 426-5505 or visit their website atwww.pepperjacksalbany.com

Sports Night: Bobby T's Sports Grill

Twenty-six TVs. Hog wings. The full NFL package. The new Bobby T's is an oasis for sports fans.

Opened at the beginning of October, the grill is the culmination of Bobby Taaffe's experience. Taaffe has been an entrepreneur and restauranteur for 30 years, and has several previous successes under his belt including Paolo Lombardi's in Wynantskill and the Elbo Room in Albany. Taaffe opened the grill because he wanted his own place, somewhere he could catch the game. His own Christian Brothers' Academy jersey hangs on the wall, in between the bar's TVs and sports memorabilia.

The grill offers a pub menu, including burgers, salads, and pizza. Bobby T's is the only restaurant in the Capital Region that serves "hog wings," pork shanks with seasoning. Monday Night will be "Hog Heaven," with specials on the tasty wings and a great seat for the game.

Bobby T's Sports Grill is located at 221 N. Allen Street in Albany.

Ristorante Paradiso New Year Eve Raffle

Now thru December 19th 2010

New Year's Eve Contest
Every time you come in to dine, fill out an our email list request
with your name, email, and phone number.  We will enter you into our
fantastic New Year's Eve Drawing.  You and a friend can win dinner for
2 on New Years Eve, a bottle of house wine, and a champagne split!
Come in, have dinner, enter to win -- how wonderful is that?  One
entry per table; you may enter every day you come in for dinner.
Hosting a Holiday Gathering?  Get 2 chances!

Drawing will be conducted on December 20th, 2010.

Ristorante Paradiso
198 Central Avenue
Albany, New York 12206
518.462.5812

Great Food, A Special California Red and Live Music - This Friday!

Special California Red Wine and Live Music This Friday Night Join us for a special October Friday night at Grappa 72 - the Capital Region's Best New Restaurant!  Relaxing live music from Sonny and Perley and a special California Red - hand picked for this special evening.  Make your reservation now! Visit Facebook.com/Grappa72 and tell us how much you Like us! See the remodeled restaurant on Flickr!

Taste of home: Mexican grocery packs forgotten favorites

Emmanuel Santa Cruz opened the Mexican Market located at 656 Central Avenue, near North Allen Street, so he could get a taste of home. When he couldn't find any food from his native land, he and his wife decided to open a grocery store carrying favorites he remembers from childhood, as well as homemade burritos and tamales.

Beginning November 1, they will open a small taco shop at the back of the store, making homemade food for takeout. His wife, Placida make the burritos and tamales, and Santa Cruz makes the tacos. He will also stock cotijo cheese, chorizo, queso fresco, and beginning in November, he'll also have produce. Right now, he carries a selection of dried chile--the widest this side of the Rio Grande, including chile costano, chile morita, chile d'arbo, chile ancho.

Open for three weeks, the store is doing well, catering to a growing crowd of transplants hungry for a taste of home. He points out the cooler of soda, all in glass bottles. "Nobody can find this anywhere," he says proudly. One customer came in and said he hasn't seen the glass bottles in 40 years, he says. "In Mexico, they never change anything like this. They don't change anything. I think it's for tradition," Santa Cruz says. "Any party you go in, they have the glass bottles. Any birthday party, any occasion."

He points to the shelf of cookies, including Marias and Arcoiris, and says he remembers eating them when he was four-years old. As we talk, one customer comes in and selects a soda--all are sold in glass bottles, just like in Mexico, Santa Cruz says proudly. As he walks to the register, his eyes fall on a package of cookies. "Marias!" he exclaims, as though greeting a long-lost friend. He grabs a package and sets it on the counter with the soda.

"I just tried to open it because there's not a store like this around," Santa Cruz says. He points out that there are a number of international markets in the area, including Indian and Asian, but none from Mexico. "I just tried to bring something to everyone," he says.

Burgers and nostalgia: Landmark diner reopens

Wilfredo Ruiz holds up the new Jack's Burger. Piled high with bacon, ham, fried egg, corn, and french-fried potatoes, it is a hefty sandwich--and that's before you take into account the burger itself!

Ruiz, the new owner of Jack's Diner, created the burger to celebrate the restaurant's grand reopening, and today, the diner's waitresses are parked on stools all along the counter giving the burger a test-run. Judging from their exclamations, the burger is a hit. In fact, the new sandwich is a veritable feast by any standards--delicious, with a smoky flavor from the bacon and ham and a sweet pop from the corn--and it bodes well for the newly reopened diner. If this is the new Jack's, I'll take seconds!

Jack's is a landmark on Central, and a landmark nationally. With its gleaming silver sides and fabulous Art Deco insides, Jack's is one of the few remaining Comac-designed diners in the country--and it's all ours. The diner has been located at the junction of Central and Clinton for 62 years, watching the world pass by its windows. This spring, Ruiz and a partner purchased the diner from Jack Murtagh, who had owned the diner for more than 40 years. Murtagh was also on hand that day, having lunch and sharing stories about the diner's infamous waitresses, surly short order cooks, and murky office. It clear that the diner has been loved, and Ruiz is excited to return it to its former glory.

"I'm very proud," Ruiz says. "I have a little piece of history."

The diner was closed for a short time after Ruiz took over ownership. During that time, he made some changes to the interior, remodeling the kitchen and and closing it off from the dining area. He repainted and refurbished the exterior. The menu has also been revamped, but customers will still find some of the food they remember, he says. After all, many of his customers have been coming for years. Ruiz says they are happy to see the doors open once more. "Many come in every single day," he says. "The love the old-fashioned diner." So does Ruiz. "I love it. It's peaceful. I have great customers, great people. I would say 'great.'"

Jack's Diner is located at 547 Central Avenue. Takeout is available. For more information, call 482-9807.

Townsend Park Bakery Cuts ribbon

Mayor Jennings of Albany was on hand today to cut the ribbon on the re launch of Mark Smiths renewal of the bakery

Small Business Branding Work Shop Flyer

Attached: Branding 10.19.10.pdf

Google Docs makes it easy to create, store and share online documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

Check out the 2010 Fall Calendar for Small Business from the CDCLF

Attached: 2010 Fall Calendar Flyer.10.10.pdf

Message from anthony@centralbid.com:

Capital District Community Loan Fund Small Business Programs PDF Calendar/Flyer

Google Docs makes it easy to create, store and share online documents, spreadsheets and presentations.

Fwd: 2010 Hudson Valley Region Small Business Forum

Good morning,

Enclosed is the agenda for Tuesday, October 12 Small Business Forum at SUNY at New Paltz.  The purpose of this forum is to provide guidance to aspiring and existing businesses with federal & state tax responsibilities, tax credits, access to capital and free services.  Representatives from federal & state agencies will be speaking on Hiring Incentive to Restore Employment Tax Credits, Small Business Health Care Tax Credits, Small Business Administration Programs, Services and Loan Guarantee Process, Free Assistance for Starting & Existing Entrepreneurs, Finding Access to Capital, State Credits, Programs and Services for Small Businesses and more.  Please share this invitation and enclosed agenda with your clients, members and customers to attend this forum and learn more about federal and state agencies free services for the small business community.  Attendees will also have the opportunity to raise any issues and questions to the respective agency representative during the forum.  

 

To register please call (845) 257-2930 or e-mail Dr. Hadi Salavitabar at salavith@newpaltz.edu with your name, address, telephone number and email address as soon as possible as seating is limited.  Here is the link to the campus map www.newpaltz.edu/map and the best parking areas are parking 6, 7, and 8 which are behind gym.

 

Thank you for your continuing support.

 

Richard Torres

Senior Stakeholder Liaison

CL & D, Stakeholder Liaison Field

1 Clinton Avenue, 6th Floor

Leo O'Brien Federal Building

Albany, NY 12207

518-427-5460 office

518-427-5480 fax

518-858-7511 cell

Fwd: OCT 5th SBAC: PLEASE RSVP BY 9/27/10

If you are an employer who wants to retain valued employees…

If you are an employment services provider or advocate who strives to promote successful employment experiences for job seekers and newly-employed individuals…

If you are looking for strategies that will support your efforts to be successful at work…

Please join us on Tuesday, October 5^th, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at our Statewide Business Advisory Council meeting. 

TOPIC:  Self-Disclosure and Reasonable Accommodations: 

POTENTIAL IMPACT ON AN EMPLOYEE'S ON-THE-JOB SUCCESS

Meeting will be held at Seton Health/St. Mary's Hospital, Conference Room A & B, 1300 Massachusetts Avenue in Troy.

Lunch will be served.

PLEASE RSVP BY SEPT. 27^th 

 For program details, see attached notice.

 

Marsha

 

Marsha Lazarus, MBA

Director of Consumer and Business Outreach

Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc.

194 Washington Ave

Albany, N.Y.  12210

(518) 434-0439 ext 224

www.MHANYS.org

 

Register online at www. MHANYS.org to attend MHANYS' 2010 Awards Dinner and Conference on Wednesday, October 20 & Thursday, October 21st...Theme is HEALTH CARE REFORM;  HEALTH/MENTAL HEALTH INTEGRATION

 

Mental Health Matters in all facets of our life, including the Workplace!

 

Event at Grappa '72

More Live Music Friday Night @ Grappa '72 Ristorante

This Friday September 10th from 5:30pm-8:30pm we will have
"Sonny and Perley" playing live outside on our patio.

-----The Chronogram Magazine says they are "Harbingers of aesthetic jazz...and romanticism"

Visit sonnyandperley.com for more information about their duo.

$3 Beer/ $5 Wine/ $5 Well Drinks/ Great appetizer specials!!!

Click the Grappa logo to make reservations online or call (518) 482-72

Family Fun: Greco Bros. amuses for 50 years

Poker tables. Pool tables. Darts. Foosball tables. If you're looking for fun, look no further than Greco Brothers. The family-owned business has been selling games for 50 years--and for the past 10 years, they've been doing it from their Central Avenue store.

Thomas Greco and his brother inherited the business from their parents. Initially, they sold the arcade equipment business to business, operating the business from a large warehouse, says Debbie Greco. But 10 years ago, they decided to purchase a showroom on Central, opening the business to families and individuals. Today the business specializes in family room equipment, and the store is packed with items--everything from pool cues to bar stools. A full-size pool table takes center stage, and one whole wall is covered with dart boards. The store even sells neon signs for man caves; of course, over the last year, people haven't been building man caves, or equipping family rooms.

"Business has been very bad the last year," says Greco. "People are not spending money on the extras." Greco says the recession has hit the amusement industry hard, and that the already-difficult task of running a business has been made that much more difficult. One of the big challenges has been finding and keeping help. Small businesses can only afford to pay employees so much, Greco says, and after a while, employees get frustrated. After losing a number of employees, the Grecos resorted to manning the front counter themselves, locking the front door so they can work in both the front and back of the store. "We can't afford to have someone just sit out and do nothing," Greco says.

Of course, summer is also a slow season. "You don't think about putting stuff inside your house in the winter," Greco says. The Grecos are looking forward to colder weather, and hope that the new year improves the economic outlook.

Truly Assie: a dream come true

Assie Bishop and Vivian Kornegay had been talking about opening a business for 11 years, but it wasn't until Kornegay was laid off last summer that she really considered it seriously. She decided to follow her heart, and the result, Truly Assie is a testament to the two women's friendship and of course, fashion. "We did it all on our own, just the two of us," Vivian says. "We just did what was in our heart."

By combining their resources and energy, the two friends were able to open a small shop on Everett Road in November. Truly Assie specializes in one-of-a-kind jewelry, handbags, sunglasses and clothing, and the store did so well, that they opened a new larger location on Washington Avenue in July. "We had a good time and it grew," Kornegay says.

The new location has more visibility and gets more street traffic--"people actually get off the bus and come in," she says. Today, Kornegay and Bishop couldn't be happier with their store.

Kornegay says the business has been a labor of love, and a pleasure from the start. "Our friendship--she's my mentor and my big sister so she's more than just my friend--and working together has been, it's just been great. And I don't believe that you could do this type of business without having a special type of friendship," Kornegay says.

The store has a gallery-like feel, and the pieces--bold necklaces and striking handbags--feel almost like works of art in the space. In a way, they are. The women select the pieces themselves, and buy in very small quantities, so the pieces you buy there are unique to the Capital Region. "We look for quality. We don't buy a lot of the same thing."

"Women want to be unique. We don't want to be stamped," Kornegay says. "We don't want to go into a play and see six women there with the same necklace we have, so we try not to make that happen."

Kornegay says the store has been a dream come true for the duo. She spends her days in the store, and can't get over how enjoyable it is. "I told her if this is retail, I'll do retail forever," she says with a laugh.

Truly Assie is located at 266 Washington Avenue in Albany. For more information, call 482-4905.

New kabab restaurant joins district

His name is Shamma Tabraiz, but you can call him Mr. Tikka Kabab. Those are, after all his specialties, the dishes that top the menu at his new restaurant, named—what else—Mr. Tikka Kabab.

Opened in June, the restaurant specializes in Indian and Pakistani food, cooked in a traditional tandoori oven on premises.

Tabraiz says this is his first restaurant venture. He says he opened the take-out and delivery eatery because he wanted to offer good food to the local community. He is particularly proud of the fact that all the food is halal, which means that it is prepared in a way that meets Muslim strictures.

The menu is straightforward and fits easily on a business card, which is, in fact, what he’s done. He hands me one of the card-size menus he had printed up. The list consists mostly of tried-and-true dishes—tikka, kababs, wraps, bread, and samosas and pakoras. It’s a strategy he hopes will help draw in business lunch traffic. The meals are highly affordable, ranging from $3.99 for the wraps to $1.50 for the chicken seekh kabab, which comes in lemon, hara spicy, or fried. All tikka and kabab specials are served with chatni and salad. You can finish your meal off with a $1.99 halwa or mango lasi.

For more information, call Mr. Tikka Kabab at 472-8080 or visit the restaurant at 117 Lexington Avenue, between Central and Washington.

Grappa '72 carries on tradition

When Carmine's Restaurant closed last summer, longtime maitre'd Armand Ymeraj was understandably disappointed. After all, he was out of a job. But Armand wasn't just upset because he lost his job after eight years. He was saddened by the loss of such a landmark establishment in this area.

Today, Armand is carrying on that tradition--right in the same spot. He opened Grappa '72 in the former Carmine's, making this restaurant a destination for fine dining. Grappa '72 features a menu that is "pure Italian," he says, and a list that's straight from the old country. In fact, Ymeraj boasts that his new restaurant has the largest Italian wine selection in upstate New York.

Opened three months ago, Grappa '72 is already successful, and that's because many of the customers are former Carmine's customers. Ymeraj says much of the clientele has been coming to the restaurant for years, and in the Italian tradition of hospitality, he welcomes them back with open arms. But the customers aren't the only familiar faces; many of the new restaurant's employees also worked at Carmine's and stayed on to work under Ymeraj's capable hands.

Ymeraj has been managing restaurants his whole life, first in Canada and then in New York. While Ymeraj has plenty of management experience, this is the first restaurant he's opened on his own. He's enjoying his new enterprise, although he does acknowledge that it's not withoutits drawbacks. "When you work for yourself, things get more complicated," he says with a laugh.

Walking into Grappa, it seems like old times. Even though it's been refurbished top to bottom, the restaurant has maintained a sense of warm elegance. Families enjoy their dinner in the dining room, while business execs take a drink at the bar. Ymeraj knows how to treat his customers, and the bar patrons enjoy some appetizers on the house while they watch the baseball game on T.V.

At the very back of the restaurant, in a quaint room with floor-to-ceiling wine racks, more patrons enjoy their dinners around a long family-style table.

Garden Grows in Beverwyck: Community Gardens opens new site on Bradford

Want to grow your own vegetables? All you need is a little plot of land, and Capital District Community Gardens can help with that. The local non-profit organization provides area residents with parcels of land to grow their own food and they have just opened a brand-new garden in Beverwyck.

Community gardens are large plots of land, divided into smaller parcels and assigned to people so they can plant gardens. Often, the gardens are given to people who live in apartments and may not have a space of their own to garden with. The community gardens are often located in vacant lots, and help to transform blighted areas into urban oasises.

Capital District Community Gardens (CDCG) has a grant to open nine more sites in the next five years, and based on the success of this latest spot in Beverwyck, they may decide to put several more in the area, says Sharon DiLorenzo, Program Manager for Capital District Community Gardens.

In fact, the spots in the new garden at 462 Bradford Street filled up so fast that the organization is actively looking for new property in the immediate vicinity, DiLorenzo says. "We could use more land in any of the Albany neighborhoods," she says. The organization currently has 47 gardens scattered across the capital district, and provides gardening space to hundreds of families and individuals.

The Beverwyck site was donated by a couple whose house burnt down. "They took what was a tragedy and turned it into such a good thing," DiLorenzo says. The site measures approximately 3,800 square feet, and will provide between 9 and 10 new plots.

CDCG began work on site improvement earlier this year. After a soil test came back negative, the organization excavated the entire area, removing 1-2 feet of soil and all the hard surfaces, including the old driveway and sidewalks. Then they brought in new soil, layering the entire area with sandy loam and organic matter.

DiLorenzo says the importance of good soil can't be understated. "It's all about the soil," she says. Especially when gardeners are growing produce organically, she says.

The organization will complete the garden by adding a toolshed, fence, and water spigot and should be finished with the new garden by mid-May--just in time for gardeners to get to work planting, she says. While this particular garden is nearly filled, sign-ups are still going on, and DiLorenzo encourages anyone who may be interested in having a plot in the new community garden to contact the organization. Even if they are not able to assign the person a plot, it will help them get an accurate measurement of the number of plots they will need, which will help with future site planning, she says.

To find out more about getting a garden plot, contact the Capital District Community Gardens at 274-8685 or email them at info@cdcg.org

To your health: Kitsu restaurant opens

Kitsu is hard to ignore. It's the new restaurant on Central Avenue with the giant setting sun in the style of the Japanese flag painted on the front.

"You definitely won't miss it," says owner James Chen with a laugh. Kitsu's door is the center of the flaming sun, and when you enter, more murals greet you. Birds and Japanese symbols decorate the walls alongside large abstract canvases. The paintings are the work of Tommy Watkins, a local artist. Kitsu owner James Chen collaborated with him on the restaurant remodel. It is the fourth restaurant the two have worked on; Chen also owns Mr. Wasabi, Shogun, and Edo.

Kitsu, which means "health," opened last month. Kitsu is the third Asian restaurant to open on this strip this year, but insted of being intimidated, Chen believes the competition will help. The area has become a destination for people looking for good international cuisine, he says. Central is a high traffic area, another advantage for this new business, he says.

Kitsu offers a full Japanese menu, but specializes in sushi with a number of custom-made rolls. The restaurant also serves a number of Hibachi entrees, including salmon, filet mignon and lobster tail. "A lot of people, they don't just want to stick with a plain California roll or tuna roll," Chen says. He maintains a white board of lunch and dinner specials at the newly remodeled sushi counter.

Located at the site of the former Saso's Noodle House, the restaurant has undergone an extensive update, including the addition of sleek modern tables and chairs and new countertops. The upscale restaurant is also in the process of obtaining their liquor license, and expects to be able to serve alcohol by the end of this month, says Chen.

A veteran restauranteur, Chen says the secret of running a successful restaurant is good food, good service and quality atmosphere. With that in mind, it looks like Kitsu is off to a healthy start.

CDTA unveils new high-tech website

CDTA has launched a new website that brings their riders up to the minute service information.

The new website combines Twitter and RSS feeds, and a new iPhone application and text messaging that promises to deliver route and schedule information directly to riders cell phones and PDA’s.

“Communicating effectively with our customers, stakeholders and potential riders is critical to providing efficient service in the way they want it and a top priority for CDTA,” said CDTA Chairman Dave Stackrow. “Integrating the latest technology tools into our new website helps us to provide the most current information on service changes and improvement plans and also encourages our customers to become engaged in transit planning decisions.”

The new website www.cdta.org, went live January 27. The website receives nearly 1.2 million hits annually.

New store offers on bargain prices on designer fashion

Clothes Mentor, a nationwide chain of resale stores, has opened a franchise in Albany, offering designer labels to locals at a fraction of what you'd pay at retail stores. The store opened February 27, and owner Kellie Robertson says it's been full of customers ever since.

"People are very excited that we're here, both to buy and to sell," Robertson says.

Robertson and her husband Neil Robertson opened the resale store after the success of their sister store, Plato's Closet, which is just next door. Plato's Closet, also a resale store, focuses on teen clothing, while Clothes Mentor focuses on clothing for adults, including 0-plus size 24, maternity wear, and accessories, she says.

The store offers cash on the spot for recent fashions in good condition, and buys all seasons--and customers reap the benefits, getting pieces for 80% less than they would spend at the mall, says Robertson. "In this economy, it's the best thing around," she says.

The store also has a wide selection of accessories, including designer purses from Coach and Dooney & Bourke. Robertson invites customers to come in and check out their selection. The clothes are organized by size and item, and displayed neatly on racks, so that you can find exactly what you're looking for, she says.

Clothes Mentor is located at 818 Central Avenue. The store hours are 10am-8pm. For more information, call the store at 689-1019.

New Dentist Office Under Construction on Colvin

What was once a wooded lot on the corner of Colvin and Lincoln is now being turned into a brand-new dentist office.

Robert Vignali, DDS will open new offices at 29 Colvin Avenue this spring. The new one story building will include a 23-space parking lot adjacent to Buell Street.

The dentist office represents the "highest and best" use for this vacant land, says Joseph Cunniff, Upper Washington Neighborhood Association President.

The parcel has been vacant for many years, and during that time, many businesses have been proposed for it, including ice cream shops, drive-thru banks and drug stores, but they were deemed not a good fit for the highly residential area, says Cunniff. However, the neighborhood association is eager to welcome this new business to the area. "Although there are those who hoped the property would remain vacant forever, we are happy to have a new neighbor who we believe will blend into the neighborhood seamlessly and will be an asset to our neighborhood and city," says Cunniff. "Indeed we are pleased that this parcel will now join the tax rolls and help contribute to our city's bottom line."

The dentist has agreed to incorporate a wooded area along one side of the parking lot, to screen it from the adjacent houses, Cunniff says.

The new offices of Dr. Robert Vignali, DDS will be located at 29 Colvin Avenue.

Albany Police are trying to determine if there is a connection with recent reports of a man impersonating a fire inspector with three additional incidents that have occurred since last July in the city.

Officers took a report yesterday at 91 Southern Boulevard from the owner
of the Food Mart. The owner said on Monday while his wife was watching
the store a man walked in and showed a badge and told her he was an
inspector from the Albany Fire Department and he was there to inspect
the fire extinguishers. He then placed a certification tag around the
extinguisher and gave the wife a receipt for $40 which she paid. The
suspect is described as a white or Hispanic male, medium height and
build

In addition there were two more incidents that occurred this afternoon.
One at 423 Madison Avenue, Emperors Palace and one at the Lark Street
Flower Shop at 262 Lark Street. The suspect was successful in getting
$40 from Emperors Palace but was unsuccessful at the flower shop. He
was described as a Hispanic male, 6’ wearing a blue puffy jacket

It also appears this individual also approached other businesses in
Guilderland, Colonie and Schenectady with the same motive.

In 2009 there were three additional reports in which a man claimed to be
an inspector for the Albany Fire Extinguisher Company and was there to
inspect their fire extinguishers. On July 17 a man walked into the
Unique Army & Navy store at 129 Central Avenue and told the clerk he
wanted $40 to check their extinguisher otherwise they would face a $500
fine from the Albany Fire Department.

On July 20 a man walked into the Subway at 324 Central Avenue and
approached the manager and told him he was there to inspect the
extinguishers and wanted $30. The manager refused to pay him and the
man left the store.

On December 22 a man walked into the EZ Care Fabric Store at 900 Central
Avenue and told the clerk he was from the Albany Fire Extinguisher
Company and wanted money to inspect the extinguisher. He was
unsuccessful in getting any money and left the store.

Mayor Jennings stated, “All of our local businesses should be on alert
to the fact that it appears we have someone impersonating an Albany Fire
Fighter or a representative from a local fire extinguisher

company and are trying to elicit payment for fake inspections. I
strongly encourage anyone who is approached in this manner and is
suspicious of the individual’s credentials, to call our police
department.”

Chief Robert Forezzi Sr. said, “All of our firefighters, as well as our
inspectors from the Division of Building & Codes, are equipped with the
proper identification that they must carry at all times when on duty.
Any fees associated with inspection services are only received at City
Hall and if anyone feels something improper has occurred they should
report it immediately to the department.”

Detective James Miller
Department Spokesperson
City of Albany Police Dept

Chinatown's grand opening: Lively celebration for promising new venture

The One of a Kind Teahouse held its grand opening December 28, and like its namesake, the celebration was unique. Complete with dancing dragons, a generous complementary lunch buffet, the mayor and other city dignitaries, and flashing paparazzi, the celebration brought together the best of old and new traditions for what promises to be an exciting new business venture on Central Avenue.

The teahouse is a "focal point" for the business, a place where everyone can gather together for food and drink in the ancient tradition, says Jenny Liu-Nhan, Chinatown's co-owner.

Started two years ago by Matthew Nhan and his wife, Jenny Liu-Nhan, the Chinatown complex is a unique retail project. When it is completed, the building will house several Asian-inspired stores, an eatery and teahouse, as well as an upscale Chinese restaurant, providing a wealth of shopping and dining experiences for Central Avenue. The project is located on the same block as several other Asian restaurants including Van's Vietnamese and CCK, making this part of Central even more of a destination for visitors.

Mayor Jerry Jennings attended the ribbon-cutting and celebration and praised the Nhans for their creative vision. "Small investments like this make a big difference," Jennings says. It's independent business owners like the Nhans who are going to turn Central Avenue around, he added.

Originally, the Nhans hoped to open the entire complex at once, but an uncooperative economy and complicated building codes changed their plans, and so they have decided to open the businesses in stages, says Jenny Liu-Nhan, Chinatown's co-owner. "The economy hasn't gone well, and that put a little damper on it, but we're back on track now," she says.

The teahouse will open January 15, followed by the stores in the spring. The restaurant is expected to open next year.

The Nhans have spent over a year remodeling the former furniture store, and the results--inside and out--are beautiful. The building is divided into several small spaces with a long hallway running down the center. The hallway is decorated with cherry paneling, and boasts a pagoda-like facade that gives you the feeling that you are walking through a Chinese marketplace, not a storefront in Albany. The rear of the building has been reserved for a large Chinese restaurant, and construction on this part is still under way.

"You create a sense of place with this type of architecture that people want to come to and hang out in," says Anthony Capece, Executive Director for the Central Business Improvement District. "This is another destination on Central Avenue."

The tea house is also beautiful. A bamboo screen divides the dining room from a small sitting area which has been decorated with ornate cherry furniture. The ancient-looking tables and chairs are all custom made, and promote a sense of timeless tradition, says Liu-Nhan.