There are more than just flowers blooming in Guilderland this spring, as new businesses sprout up one after another.
That’s how officials at the Guilderland Chamber of Commerce see it. They have been attending numerous ribbon cuttings over the past several months, in the fall and late winter bringing their big scissors to 13 businesses openings, according to Chamber President Kathy Burbank. New businesses opened in storefronts that went dark during the last several years as the economy slumped.
“There has been at least the same amount of businesses closing over the last three to four years,” Burbank said. “It’s just that the buildings or spaces remained empty for a while and now all of a sudden these last six months have been very active for new businesses opening. I would say all of the empty spaces except maybe a few have been filled.”
Burbank said there has been a combination of professional offices, retail stores and restaurants opening primarily along Western Avenue, including in Crossgates Mall.
“I feel hopeful that the economy is slowly turning around and is making people more confident in opening a business here,” Burbank said. “The recent flurry of activity is more than I have seen in my six years here and I think it may be a first for Guilderland.”
Burbank said the Chamber doesn’t do much to attract new businesses, because it “can’t promise” anything to potential businesses. She said commercial realtors primarily are the main force in attracting businesses to the town.
The Chamber does help struggling businesses by meeting with them to develop marketing strategies and by holding events at their stores. Burbank said community events, such as Restaurant Week, also help draw customers to new businesses.
“Most of these events are free or very low cost for businesses,” Burbank said.
Penny Shure, owner of Healing with Movement Pilates, said she is looking forward to joining the Chamber but said the business community, as a whole has been welcoming since she opened on Western Avenue in November. She started her business 10 years ago and is moving from Voorheesville to Guilderland, where she lives.
“This is an area that I wanted to be in for a long time and the stars lined up,” she said. “My lease was up in Voorheesville and I just started looking around and I found the space at 2012 Western and fell in love with it.”
Shure had a dance background and enjoyed Pilates, so she trained and educated herself in the skills. At first, she said it felt like “jumping off a cliff” and she has learned as she went along.
“I am really proud of the fact I have set this example for my sons,” Shure said, whose two sons are 15 and 17 years old.
Garry Robinson, the second-generation owner of Robinson’s ACE Hardware, said Western Avenue is a highly desirable area to locate a business.
“I truly think Western Avenue is the main thoroughfare and people that are on that main strip do pretty well,” Robinson said.
Sarah Severino, co-owner of A Timeless Elegant Designs, opened her interior design business on April 6 at the same Western Plaza offices as Shure, and said the location was a big factor in her decision.
“We think it is a pretty good general area there,” Severino said. “We do the whole tri-city area and we think it is pretty centrally located. … Guilderland is a really great community to have a business in.”
Severino said the Chamber introduced to her to fellow business owners and many turned out to support her open house.
“I think the more businesses, the better,” Severino said. “The more revenue, the more positive things for the community.”
Robinson, who previously served on Guilderland’s Zoning Review Committee, said there are “a lot of hoops” every business owner has to go through before opening their doors.
“To get through the process to start a business is quite overwhelming,” Robinson said.