Milestones in Motion: Celebrating Local Businesses Through Ribbon-Cuttings

The Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) is already off to a good start in 2026, celebrating business milestones across our region through ribbon-cutting celebrations. Ribbon-cuttings are more than ceremonial celebrations — they represent growth, investment, innovation, and connection within our communities.

Every ribbon-cutting tells a story of hard work, vision, and community support. Whether celebrating a brand-new business, a refreshed space, an exciting expansion, or a meaningful collaboration, these moments showcase the momentum and resilience of our local business community.

Celebrating new businesses & dreams realized

Hometown Golf & Social owner Mike Gerarde has a passion for playing and teaching golf. What began as a dream to open a premier indoor golf facility (PSG Golf in Saratoga Springs) grew into a bigger dream: building a community connector centered on sports, food & drink, and socializing in Glens Falls. This new business is Hometown Golf & Social. Offering state-of-the-art multi-sport simulators, casual food, signature drinks, and a relaxed atmosphere, Hometown Golf & Social was built to bring the community together. Find them at 100 Glen Street in Glens Falls, NY.

In a tight but quaint space at 12 E. Washington Street in Glens Falls, Kevin Kroeze opened The Use Less Store. After two decades in his former career, Kevin launched a retail space focused on refillable household and personal care products to help reduce plastic waste. The store is impressive with the amount of products offered, and the concept is simple: bring your own container, fill it, and pay for the product by volume. And if you don’t have a refillable container, he will likely have one lying around for you to use.

Downtown Glens Falls certainly has its charm, with restaurants, retail, entertainment, and businesses serving a variety of needs, but it was missing one thing: a wine and liquor store. Enter Tim and Rachel Ortiz, who decided to embark on the adventure of opening a wine and liquor store downtown. The story spans two years as they secured a location and were met with challenges in obtaining a liquor license. But with diligence and hard work, their dream was realized, and a grand opening was celebrated for Glens Falls Liquor. Check them out at 280 Glen Street in Glens Falls, NY.

A graduate of Queensbury High School in 2016, Brett Rodriguez went on to play Triple-A baseball with the Seattle Mariners. Today, he has returned home to open a facility that allows local athletes to train year-round. Occupying a 10,000-square-foot facility within Aviation Mall in Queensbury, On Deck Athletics aims to provide opportunities for athletes of all ages to grow, develop their skills, and increase their confidence with professional-level coaching and a supportive community.

Celebrating new beginnings

The first ribbon-cutting of 2026 celebrated the remodel of Anytime Fitness – Glens Falls. Throughout months of careful planning and a lot of hard work by fellow ARCC member Hilltop Construction Co., Anytime Fitness remodeled its club with brand-new equipment, upgraded lighting, the addition of indoor turf for low-impact training, and more. The space looks refreshed and welcoming and certainly offers a sense of pride to owner James Lenhart. Visit them at 175 Broad Street in Glens Falls.

Beacon Bank, previously known locally as Berkshire Bank, used its merger as an opportunity to refresh its branch at 183 Quaker Road, Queensbury, NY. The updated branch is complete with new brand colors, more natural light, upgraded furnishings, and a welcoming waiting area. With more than 33 branches in the region, the team is excited for this transition and new beginnings.

Recognizing growth through new locations

Stark Tech is a business that is quickly making its mark in eastern New York and, in early 2026, celebrated the opening of its newest office in Ballston Spa. Their new presence will expand local job opportunities, accelerate project delivery, and elevate levels of service and support for customers. Stark Tech is a market-leading technology provider of facilities and energy solutions serving primarily schools, government, healthcare, and large-scale commercial buildings.

A staple in downtown Glens Falls, Fountain Square Outfitters has been providing outdoor adventure gear to residents and visitors for 15 years next to the traffic circle on the corner of Ridge and Warren streets in downtown Glens Falls. But owners Nancy and Matt Turner wanted to expand their offerings, so a second, larger location was planned. What previously housed an Orvis outlet store was gutted, remodeled, and outfitted for the new Fountain Square Trading Post. Now they can offer more technical gear for your next outdoor adventure. Visit them at 1457 Route 9 in the Lake George Outlets.

Venture Fox Realty Group, a full-service, fully licensed brokerage, chose Glens Falls to open its fifth office location while simultaneously expanding its service area. Broker-owners Shane Cahill and Troy Miller have assembled a team with a combined 50 years of industry expertise and a shared passion for serving clients. Their Glens Falls office is located at 71 Bay Street in Glens Falls.

Collaboration & Growth

On a beautiful, sunny afternoon, the ARCC had the pleasure of celebrating the combined design power of three companies with a ribbon-cutting. Designs On Glen, Gotcha Covered of Saratoga, and Window Depot of the ADK have a goal of helping their clients visualize and create their dream home. Their new studio showroom, located at 704 Upper Glen Street in Queensbury, features a pillow bar (where you design your own throw pillows), upholstery, wallpaper, rug samples, and more. Their professionals are ready to guide clients through the process of designing a dream home from floor to ceiling.

To continue celebrating the power of collaboration, a ribbon-cutting was held to recognize the new partnership between Staples and Party City. Staples, known for office supplies and printing services, has expanded to offer balloons, party decorations, supplies, and more. Through this partnership with Party City, they can offer custom products printed right in-store, making them a unique place to shop for party needs. Visit them at 752 Upper Glen Street in Queensbury. Ribbon-cuttings provide an opportunity to celebrate the milestones that shape and strengthen our business community. From grand openings and remodels to expansions and partnerships, each event marks an exciting new chapter for the organizations serving our region. The ARCC invites the greater community to join in these celebrations. Stay tuned to the ARCC website for upcoming ribbon-cuttings: www.adirondackchamber.org/events.