Ferris Stamp and Coin Collects History: Central shop sells rare coins and stamps for 75 years

Jackson Taylor isn't going to try to convert you. In this stamp collector's mind, the world is divided into two camps--those who collect things, and those who don't. If you are a collector, you will see past the chaos of his office in Ferris Stamp and Coin Co. on Central Avenue, and you will see a space crammed with treasures and wisdom. If you are not a collector, you will probably only see piles of books and papers, tipping stacks of binders, and display cases crowded with leather pouches and waxpaper envelopes.

Ferris Stamp and Coin has been operating out of the shop on Central Avenue for more than 30 years. The building is owned by Wendell Williams, who runs the coin side. Taylor, Williams's business partner for the last 22 years, runs the stamp side. They also do a brisk business in jewelry and gold bouillon.

The store has a lot of walk-in traffic, with people from all over the county coming in to try to sell stamps or coins they've found or acquired, Taylor said. But the majority of their business is done through the mail, a rarity in today's internet marketplace. Every month, Taylor assembles lists of stamps he has acquired and has them published in stamp collecting publications where prospective buyers can see them. Taylor publishes 28 different price lists a year.

Like most collectors, Taylor began collecting stamps as a child. His first collection of stamps, given to him by his parents, inspired him to dream of "faraway places" he said, and launched him into the world of collecting. Over the years, he has seen thousands of stamps from around the world.

The surprises and excitement are what keep the business interesting for Taylor and Williams. "You just never know what's going to walk in, whether it's going to be a coin worth two cents or $50,000," Williams said.

Ferris first opened in 1933 on Broadway. It moved to Central Avenue in 1976, when the area was "the place to shop," Taylor said. Over the years, the neighborhood around the little shop constantly changes, but inside things remain the same, and within the binders and envelopes, one finds the customs and standards of days gone by. Taylor doesn't just collect stamps, he collects history.

Taylor pulls out a number of letters, and lays them carefully on the glass counter. One, a business letter, dates back to 1860. There's no envelope for this letter, instead the stationary is simply folded several times, and addressed and stamped on the outside. This was the custom in those days, Taylor said. The stationary is thing, like tissue paper, because the sender was charged according to weight, Taylor explains.

According to the ink stamps, the delicate letter traveled from New Orleans to New York, and then on to France. It cost 15 cents to make this cross-continental journey, Taylor said, "but back then, 15 cents was a lot of money."

Another letter that Taylor has laid out is addressed in a spidery script. The outside is decorated with numerous stamps, and Taylor points out the postal stamps, its inky directions worn by time. This letter is from the US Naval Observatory, Taylor said, and it was sent to an astronomer in Padua Italy in 1868.

Taylor has another collection that he can't find, so he tells me about it instead. It's a series of letters written in the 1880s, a man to his girlfriend, and he's trying to convince her to marry him, "And he's not doing that well, apparently, from the tenor of his letters," Taylor said.

Written correspondence is a record of history that disappears as people rely more heavily on phone and email for communication. With the advent of cell phones and blackberries, communication has become instant, and entirely transitory, he explains. And because of that, something is gained, and something is lost. "This is what we're not going to have. And the same is true for coins," Taylor said. "They reflect a different age. And I'm afraid a lot of this is just going to be lost," he said.

In a day and age when even yard sales are advertised on Craigslist, Ferris Coin and Stamp has remained relatively low-tech. The partners don't sell on e-Bay or other sites; they don't even have a store website. A website could help business, Taylor admits. "It takes one's potential market from local to global," he said. More than that, it could ensure their future in a changing landscape, after all, a virtual business isn't affected by its surroundings. At the same time, there's something very appealing about the fact that this stamp and coin business has held on to the old ways of doing business, keeping a stamp business running by mail order makes a certain kind of sense.

Besides, they would have to get organized before they could get a website launched, Taylor said. He looks around the office at the jam-packed cases, and stacks of binders, at the history that is both his livelihood and his burden, and says that they are just too busy to build a website right now. As if on cue, the phone rings, and Taylor answers it. "What's gold running?" he shouts to the other two men behind the counter.

So for now, Ferris seem content to do business the old-fashioned way.

Will the shop get a website some day?

"It's a goal," Taylor said.

Azteca's Takes Us to Mexico

Can't take a trip to Mexico this year? An enchilada and a frozen margarita at Azteca's Mexican Restaurant is an hour's sojourn in this beautiful country--and you don't even need a passport.

This colorful cantina is located at 4 Central Avenue, near the corner of Lark Street. Windows draped in gauzy curtains overlook the avenue, but inside you're a world away. My dining companion and I both had lunch specials, which arrived at our table in about seven minutes. I had the #9, and for $5.50 I got a platter consisting of chile relleno, beans, salad, and a taco, while my husband ordered the enchilada rancheros $5.75, a tasty rolled enchilada with beans. The chile relleno was an open pepper, heaped with seasoned ground beef and cheese. The enchilada was a standout--a fragrant and flavorful corn tortilla wrapped around beans and smothered in a smoky sauce. The meal was accompanied by a basket of chips and mild, but tasty salsa.

The mariachi music and the conversation at the next table, conducted all in Spanish, only added to Azteca's far-off feeling. At the end of our big meal, we rolled home for a little siesta.

Azteca's is located at 4 Central Avenue. (518) 436-4795. http://www.my-azteca.com/

Energy costs up, NYSERDA and BID help Central businesses save big money

If you have a leaky windows, old insulation, or dated refrigeration equipment, you might as well throw money out the window this summer. Energy costs are up, and you can't afford to waste money on inefficient equipment.

The Central BID has teamed up with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to cut your energy usage this year. NYSERDA is a public benefit corporation that assists utility customers through a number of different programs, including the Energy Audit Program for small commercial properties, said Ed Smyth, office manager for RLW Analytics, the office charged with administering the audit program in Upstate New York.

The audit program is for commercial properties that pay $75,000 or less in annual electric bills. One of NYSERDA’s Energy Audit consultants will walk through the property, testing the building's heating and cooling systems, motors, refrigeration, and other energy consuming equipment to make sure everything is energy efficient. The auditor then makes a full report, compiles a list of recommendations, and meets with the business owner one-on-one to discuss the assessment. The report includes a breakdown of energy use, so owners can see how much each area consumes, and also includes a list of upgrades that would save them money. The auditors can recommend anything from weather proofing the building to replacing old refrigeration units, he said.

The program also directs customers to additional NYSERDA programs that could help offset the cost of the investment, he said. NYSERDA will refund the cost of the audit if the business owner installs some or all of the recommendations.

The benefits of the program are two-fold, said Mark DeChiro. First, owners can get recommendations on better equipment and payback estimates, and they also potentially get incentives to purchase this equipment. "It's a double-whammy," DeChiro said.

Right now, the Central BID is fully covering the small audit cost to participate in this NYSERDA program. The BID employed the program last year, and had their windows upgraded and had all their fluorescent lighting replaced.

Business owners are saving big. In the five years since implementing the program, NYSERDA has found that owners who participate are saving 8%-20% on energy bills, Smyth said.

NYSERDA also offers a number of other programs for businesses and residences.

Ambulance garage emerges from ashes

The Mohawk Ambulance Company has begun construction on its new garage near the corner of North Main and Central Avenue, a property that was the site of an enormous fire in 2004 that destroyed several buildings.

The new facility will be the company's second location in Albany; there is also a garage on Quail Street. The garage will better serve the people of Albany, and "take some of the to take some load off the other building," said Rich Brandt, Vice President of Operations. The building will serve as a garage and a training facility, training high school graduates and seniors in emergency medicine and paving the way to careers in the health care and emergency services, Brandt said.

Mohawk is very excited about this new training program, and hopes it will serve as a career pathway for young people, he said. "We think it's a good thing. A good thing for the community and a good thing for health care," Brandt said.

Mohawk Ambulance was established in 1964, and is the Capital Region's largest provider of emergency services. They have 29 ambulances, 220 employees and facilities in Albany, Schenectady, Troy and Brunswick. Mohawk is under contract with Albany Memorial Hospital and Albany Medical Center.

Mohawk purchased the property last Spring, and began construction in February. The project is expected to be completed by Labor Day, if everything stays on track, Brandt said.

Be the Change: HATAS offers mentorship to at-risk teens

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."

--Winston Churchill

Next time you go out for coffee, think about how easy it would be to invite someone else along. You would sit down, talk, listen, sip your cappucino, and maybe even laugh a little, and just that one hour a week can make a huge difference in that person's life--and yours.

Mentorship is an important part of recovery for high-risk teens, said Natasha Pernicka, Program Coordinator with the Homeless and Travelers Aid Society (HATAS).(Located at 138 Central Avenue) Mentors can teens move toward healthy productive lives, just by helping them see past the challenges of their childhood. With this in mind, HATAS has started a new mentorship program, MATAS, "Mentoring Adolescents Transitioning to Adult Services," to provide support and guidance for kids moving into adulthood.

MATAS will deal strictly with high-risk teens and adolescents, Pernicka said. "It's challenging because they're not the cute eight-year old," Pernicka said. "They've had a difficult life and they're in very tenuous situations, and a lot depends on this." But, Pernicka continued, just two hours a week with a mentor can be the lifeline they need.

The program began this month, and there are currently three mentors up an running and 10 youths that still need adults. Mentors will receive full training, and will be matched with teens based on shared interests. Pernicka said. The mentor visits don't have to be elaborate, Pernicka said. They can just be a walk, or a visit to the coffee shop, or a tour of a college campus, anything that exposes the teen to different perspectives. "We want this to be a fun program for them," Pernicka said.

The mentors are not caseworkers, Pernicka stressed. The teens have caseworkers, and they are already receiving counseling and career services. Instead, mentors will be friends to these teens, offering them a "fun and positive adult to be around," Pernicka said.

The program requires mentors to make a one-year commitment because it takes a while to build trust, she said. Mentors can spend 1-2 hours a week with teens or just four hours a month, she said. To learn more about the program, email info@hatas.org or call (518) 463-2124.

Shopping for a good cause: Great Finds provides transition to new life

Everyone knows the right clothes make the man, but do people know that clothes can right the world?

Great Finds thrift store, located at 250 Washington Avenue does just that. The women's clothing store is part of the ClearView Center, a mental health agency serving Albany County, and the store is staffed largely by ClearView clients. Working there teaches the clients new skills, which help them transition smoothly into the community, said Manager Susan Taylor. The Great Finds vocational program is all about "steps toward wellness for them," Taylor said.

The vocational program offers 10 different types of work, and the 16 member staff has opportunities to try each and to cross-train, she said. The big store is a busy place, and it keeps Taylor on her toes. "Hang on just a second, I have some donations coming in," she says.

By partnering with other local service agencies, Great Finds also helps women struggling to rebuild their lives after substance abuse, homelessness, or physical abuse, Taylor said. Taylor works with Equinox, the AIDS Council, America Works, and the Albany School District, offering shopping vouchers to help their clients get their lives back on track. Clients can use these vouchers to buy clothes for job interviews or outfit themselves or their children. Many times, these families have nothing left, and clothes are an important step toward normalcy.

Great Finds also tries to be a place for relaxed conversation, Taylor said, because socialization is an important piece of wellness. The sprawling, sunny store offers many spots to sit and relax, as well as nice music. Once a month, Great Finds participates in the First Friday events, and displays workers' artwork. The community-minded store is a pleasant place to hang out and shop, Taylor said. "We're going back to the old way of doing business," she said.

Great Finds is located at 250 Washington Avenue, on the corner of Washington and Henry Johnson Blvd. Great Finds is part of the ClearView Center at 500 Central Avenue. Great Finds is open 10-5pm Monday through Friday, and until 8pm on the first Friday of every month. Great Finds accepts donations of gently-used women's clothing and accessories.

The Big Grow: Central Avenue Baskets get ready to make their appearance

The Central Business Improvement District has contracted with Verstandig's Greenhouse in Selkirk to assemble the flower baskets that will decorate the Avenue's lightpoles again this year--and now the grow is on!

The flowers have been started already in smaller pots, then they will be transferred to larger pots, and finally to the 16-inch organic fiber pots, said Doug Dalton. They will be hung from the light poles just before Memorial Day, he said.

The baskets will be comprised of cascading geraniums, which grow beautifully, flower often, and do not require dead-heading or the removal of dead blooms. "They blow off in the wind, and more are right behind them," Dalton said.

Verstandig's, which has been a family business in Bethlehem since 1932, takes projects like these on a bid-basis. In the past, the greenhouse and florist has won contracts with the City of Albany, the Downtown BID and also Troy. The wholesale greenhouse supplies smaller greenhouses across the region with bedding plants.

Sukhothai Restaurant welcomes Mayor and public to grand opening

Sukhothai Restaurant, a Lark Street standard for pad thai and other Thai specialties, opened its new restaurant on Central Avenue this month. Mayor Jerry Jennings, and staff from the Central Business Improvement District were at the ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday with owner Saowa Luck.

"These are the kinds of businesses that will bring the avenue back," Jennings said at the ceremony. Jennings, who grew up on Central Avenue, has always taken a great deal of interest in its revival. Jennings said he is glad the couple has decided to expand their business into the neighborhood. "This is Albany," he said, pointing to the street outside the restaurant's windows.

Luck and her husband Maung Yannaung have owned the Lark Street Sukhothai for two years. They bought the building at 62 Central around the same time with the intention of expanding there. "We bought the whole building here and the business over there was doing well so we decided to open another," Luck said. Renovations to the Central Avenue building, which she and her husband did themselves, took much longer than expected, she said, but they completed them earlier this spring and officially opened the first week of April.

The new restaurant is much larger than the old restaurant, and a bigger kitchen has allowed them to expand their offerings. "We keep things simple and the same, but have just a little more," Luck said. The restaurant is open 7 days a week, from 11:30-10:00pm.

Sukhothai Restaurant is located at 62 Central Avenue. 433-7203.

Carrow to completely renovate 855 Central

The three-story office building at 855 Central is being gutted for renovations. Contractors will install new windows, fixtures, overhaul the facade, and make improvements to the parking lot and landscaping that surrounds the building, said Carrow Leasing and Sales Consultant, Rudy Lynch. "Overall, I think it's really going to add to the whole Central experience," Lynch said.

Carrow Real Estate took over management of the building, and two adjacent properties 845 Central and 875 Central in May 2007. The renovations to the 100,000 square-foot building are expected to be completed this summer. Mildred Elley will move into the building upon completion. The two-year private college will relocate from its current location in Latham.

Carrow is currently looking for a restaurant to fill the vacancy on the first floor after Ocean Palace's departure, Lynch said. The company would like to fill the space with a coffee bar or sandwich shop, something that would serve the students that will soon attend classes in the building.

Improvements will also be made to 845 Central and 875 Central, Lynch said. Currently these buildings are occupied by a mix of New York State offices and private offices. Carrow will try to keep existing tenants and fill any vacancies, Lynch said.

Traffic and Road Project Update

Everett Road - The City's contractor will resume night work beginning March 24 and work each week night from 9PM until 6AM. This work will require a single lane closure both northbound and southbound.

Central Avenue -

1. The City's contractor has resume day work and will work each week day between the hours of 9AM and 3PM . Single lane closures are expected each day in both the eastbound and westbound directions.

2. The City's contractor will be working at the intersection of Central Avenue and Tremont Street. This work will require Tremont Street between Central Avenue and Keller Street to be closed to all traffic. A detour will be set up directing all Central Avenue traffic that would normally use southbound Tremont Street to use Austain Avenue. Northbound Tremont Street traffic will be detoured at Keller St to Frost Place to Central Avenue. This work will be each night between 7PM and 6PM.