Business

Press release:

The Batavia Development Corporation as administrator of the City of Batavia small business loan funds, has approved and closed the fourth loan this year to spur economic activity within the city. A total of $72,000 has been distributed for assistance in business start-up and acquisition, purchase of new equipment and working capital.

“Receiving this business loan has changed my life,” said Kate Gonzalez, longtime resident of Batavia and new owner of the Enchanted Florist on Main Street, Batavia. “I can not say enough good things about this program.”

Gonzalez received a $22,000 loan to use toward purchase of the successful flower shop that gives Gonzalez the opportunity to become her own boss after 25+ years of florist experience.

Last month, Sunny’s restaurant received a loan to purchase new kitchen equipment. In August, master-barber Brandon Armstrong of City Styles received start-up funds to open his shop on Ellicott Street providing hot-towel shaves and contemporary styles like unique fades and brush-cuts. And, Colin Dentino was able to add new equipment and hire additional employees to deliver professional and entertaining “fencing” classes through En Garde.

Overall, these businesses were able to hire three new full-time persons, five part-time employees and retain two jobs with these funds.

The City of Batavia now offers the only small business grant and loan program available in Genesee County allowing requests as low as $1,000 up to $50,000. Eligible applicants must be located within city limits and use funds for business activities within the City of Batavia. Contact the Batavia Development Corporation for more information by dialing 585-345-6380 or visit online at www.BataviaDevelopmentCorp.org. 

Photo, by Howard Owens: Kate Gonzalez, center, with her mother, Margaret Anna, left, and her daughter, Rachael Heatherman.

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center’s (GCEDC) Advanced Manufacturing and Nano-Technology Certificate training program has passed the halfway point and 24 students are on track to graduate on Nov. 18, 2011. Students have engaged in classroom work at Genesee Community College (GCC) and hands-on training at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

“Going to RIT was one of the most exciting days so far, Statistical Processing Control was fascinating,” said Dawn Hart, program participant. “Finally I understand how some of the formulas we learned during statistics class can be applied to the manufacturing process."

The Advanced Manufacturing and Nano-Technology program is funded by a grant from the New York State Office of Community Renewal and is free to the current participants. The training program is designed to prepare participants for entry level manufacturing positions by introducing them to the skill sets necessary to succeed in a high-tech and advanced- manufacturing environment. GCEDC, in conjunction with GCC and RIT have developed the program in an effort to bridge the gap between employers and prospective employees.

Not only are the students learning lean manufacturing, blueprint reading, CAD, programmable systems and other core skills, but they have the opportunity to tour local manufacturing operations and hear from industry experts. Greatbach Medical, Automotive Corp., Liberty Pumps, Syntec Optics, Sigma LLC, and Alpina Foods have all participated in the training program, connecting with students and further validating the need for this type of training. 

“I was pleasantly surprised with the type of questions asked by the class when I had completed the condensed employee orientation presentation,” said Doug Smith, plant manager at Automotive Corp. in Batavia. “I believe that the class represents an excellent first group for the launch of the program and their efforts will result in contributing to the future of the program."

Successful program participants will earn a certificate in Advanced Manufacturing and Nano-Technology and have an opportunity to meet with local employers at the conclusion of the program. Participants will be surveyed in the future to gain further insight into the program’s success in placing persons into jobs, or fostering an interest in an individual to continue in this field of study. 

With many local manufacturers expressing an interest in the graduates of this program, the GCEDC, in conjunction with GCC and RIT, will continue to seek funding for this certificate program.

Press release:

The partners of the Perry Veterinary Clinic, PLLC, have purchased the Batavia Animal Hospital from Dr. Raymond Pray.  The transfer was effective Oct. 1, 2011.

The Batavia Animal Hospital was founded by Drs. Jack E. Wilkes and Irving W. Wiswall in 1955 on Lewiston Road. In 1958 it moved to its current location on W. Main St. Road. In 1961, Dr. Pray joined the practice and purchased it in 1974.

The Perry Veterinary Group includes 28 veterinarians with additional small animal clinics in Perry, Livonia and Yorkshire (Arcade). In addition, it provides veterinary services to dairy, equine and other farm animals in a 13-county area.

Dr. Pray and his associate veterinarians are continuing to practice at the Batavia Animal Hospital. Dr. Pray said that he is looking forward to the new arrangement which will allow him more free time while providing the opportunity to continue practicing veterinary medicine. He also stated that he was happy to see the clinic moving forward and knows that the clients that have supported him for many years will continue to receive excellent veterinary care for their pets from the Perry group.

Dr. Stephen Stoddard, senior managing partner, for Perry Veterinary Clinic stated: “The Partners are delighted with the purchase of the Batavia Animal Hospital. Dr. Pray and his associates have excellent reputations and we look forward to working with them. The Perry Veterinary group has long had a significant presence in Genesee County with residents from the Southeast corner of the county coming to our Perry clinic for their pets medical care. In addition, the practice is currently servicing dairy, equine and livestock clients in Genesee County. The Batavia Animal Hospital is a natural fit and we are excited about the opportunity it presents.”

The 90 or so employees of the Lowe's store in Batavia were called in for a mandatory meeting Sunday night and told that the store will be closing.

While employees after the meeting said the closing date is set for Jan. 13, store Manager Ray Robare said there is "no sure, hard date" for the closing.

Starting tomorrow, every item in the store will be 10-percent off, Robare said, and the store will start operating on reduced hours. Tomorrow it will open at 7 a.m. and close at 9 p.m.

The employees we spoke with said there is a severance package available, perhaps as long as three-months pay, but the clock starts ticking on it tomorrow, even for those employees who finish out the final weeks of the store.

Robare said, however, that those details are still being worked out and, "it's something that tomorrow we'll start discussing with employees."

As for whether some employees, especially managers, might have job opportunities at other Lowe's locations, Robare said that's something that is still being worked out.

Robare said he couldn't discuss the reason for closing that corporate leaders might have shared with managers.

One employee said, "If I told you the real story, I might get in trouble."

The Lowe's location is leased and sits directly across Veterans Memorial Drive from The Home Depot.

UPDATE 9:26 a.m., Monday: Lowe's issued the following press release this morning:

Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW), announced today the company is closing 20 underperforming stores in 15 states. Ten locations closed at the end of business Sunday, Oct. 16. The remaining 10 locations will close within approximately one month, following an inventory sell-through.

In addition, after completing a comprehensive review of its pipeline of proposed new stores, the company announced it has discontinued a number of planned new store projects. Lowe's now expects to open 10 to 15 stores per year in North America from 2012 forward, compared to a prior assumption of approximately 30 stores per year. The company is on track to open approximately 25 stores in 2011, as planned.

The expected financial impact of today's announcements of $0.17 to $0.20 per diluted share was not contemplated in the business outlook for fiscal 2011 which the company provided on Aug. 15 when it released its second-quarter earnings. Additional details regarding the impact of the store closings will be provided in the next quarterly earnings release on Nov. 14.

"Closing stores is never easy, given the impact on hard-working employees and local communities," said Robert A. Niblock, chairman, president and CEO. "However, we have an obligation to make tough decisions when necessary to improve profitability and strengthen our financial position.

"Lowe's remains committed to making strategic investments and focusing resources in a manner that will generate the greatest shareholder value, enhance the customer shopping experience and create sustained customer loyalty over the long term," added Niblock.

Approximately 1,950 employees will be affected by these closings. Employees will receive pay and benefits for 60-90 days. In addition, Lowe's will be working with local government agencies to help employees with outplacement assistance.

The stores affected by today's announcement are located in:

Los Banos, CA        Biddeford, ME        Old Bridge, NJ 
Westminster, CA    Ellsworth, ME    Batavia, NY 
Denver, CO    Ionia, MI    N. Kingstown, RI 
Aurora, IL    Rogers, MN    Emporia, VA 
Oswego, IL    Claremont, NH    S. Tacoma, WA 
Chalmette, LA    Hooksett, NH    Brown Deer, WI 
Haverhill, MA    Manchester, NH

There were 500 tickets sold for the 2011 Wine Walk in Downtown Batavia, and despite some strong winds, a bit of a chill and a little rain, attendance for the second annual event was still high.

And everybody had a good time.

This year, 20 downtown merchants participated -- up from 13 last year.

UPDATE: Carlson's Studio had their photo booth set up for wine walk guests, and Kevin Carlson was also shooting group photos on the studio couch. Below are two of the shots from the evening.

Byron-based Oxbo is merging with a Dutch company to help both companies better reach a burgeoning international market, but not much will change locally, according to a story in the Democrat & Chronicle.

Oxbo, which manufactures harvesting equipment, will continue to sell its own products under its own brand and employ at least the same number of people locally.

The Dutch firm, Netherlands-based Ploeger, also manufactures harvesting equipment.

The new firm will be headed by Oxbo President Gary Stich, VP of Sales Andy Talbott and two Ploeger executives.

Oxbo has facilities in Byron, Wisconsin and Washington, employing 500 people, and currently about 75 percent of its sales is in the United States.

Press release:

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce has for some time been concerned with rising medical insurance premium costs and the impact they have on the small business community. In order to better serve members that provide employee benefits, the chamber is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic partnership with Tompkins Insurance Agencies to provide health insurance programs for its members.

Tompkins Insurance will now be the health insurance provider for the chamber, a move that will immediately reduce health insurance costs for most members by eliminating service fees. This partnership also adds flexibility in making premium payments, as well as offering a wider variety of policies from which to choose.

“Tompkins Insurance is honored to have been chosen by the chamber to help it provide its valued members with quality, cost-effective benefits for their employees, especially in these unsettled economic times,” said David Boyce, president and CEO of Tompkins Insurance.

The licensed professionals at Tompkins Insurance will work with the chamber to identify different options in health insurance and other employee benefit programs. The goal will be to customize programs to meet the varied needs of members’ businesses in the most economical way.

“This arrangement is being put in place to address the issue of continually rising health insurance premiums in challenging economic times. The chamber is confident this partnership will help control costs and offer savings opportunities, flexibility and more options to our members,” said chamber President Lynn Freeman.

Jeff Boshart, board chair of the chamber said, “We feel this alliance with Tompkins Insurance is especially significant in that it not only provides our members with top-notch insurance programs and services, but that they will be provided to chamber members, by a chamber member.”

The sign may say "Road Closed," but businesses on Jackson Street remain open.

Jackson Street closed at 7 a.m. today, but should reopen at 7 p.m., and then close again tomorrow from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for road repairs.

On the same schedule are Grandview Terrace and River Street.

Press release:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Representatives Kathy Hochul (NY-26) and Richard Hanna (NY-24) introduced a bill to help Northeast dairy farms hire legal workers, which would allow for more production of local food rather than imported food, and keep farms in business to support Upstate’s overall economy.

Hochul and Hanna introduced H.R. 3024, the Access to Agricultural Labor Act of 2011, to help farmers secure a reliable and legal workforce.

* The bill would allow foreign dairy workers to temporarily come to the United States to perform agricultural labor and services under the H-2A visa program.

* Under the program, dairy workers would be able to work in the United States for extendable periods of three years.

The H-2A program allows foreign workers to enter the U.S. for seasonal or temporary agriculture work. The program was instituted to meet a need for temporary agricultural labor without adding permanent residents to the population. Currently, dairy workers are unable to participate in the H-2A program because dairy is a year-round industry, but the need for more labor is real and urgent in Upstate New York.

During the past 15 years in the Northeast, farmers have reported difficulties hiring native-born local workers. Even during the recession, farm businesses have still been unable to hire and retain local workers.

“The viability of the dairy farm industry is critical to the long-term sustainability of Western New York’s economy,” Congresswoman Hochul said.  “We need to do all we can to support these family farmers, which is why it is unfair to exclude dairy farmers from the H-2A visa program.

"They face many of the same labor shortage issues that other sectors of the agriculture community face, which is why Rep. Hanna and I are working to ensure they have the same resources available to get their jobs done.”

“Ever since I came into office, I’ve heard from our dairy farmers about the labor crisis facing their industry.  If we want to continue to have a safe and reliable food supply produced in Upstate New York, then this program will be incredibly helpful for dairy farmers,” Congressman Hanna said.

“Allowing dairy farmers access to legal and stable workforce through the H-2A visa program will keep our farms running, and it means agriculture-related businesses will continue to bolster our economy.”

Dean E. Norton, president of New York Farm Bureau, said this issue has been a high priority for several years and the three-year renewable visa would serve the dairy industry well.

“The dairy industry is the largest sector of farming in New York and is very important to the underlying agricultural services that are available throughout the state for all types of farming,” Norton said. “However, because dairy requires a year-round workforce, it has not been eligible for the H-2A program. While H-2A has many problems and inadequacies that will make it difficult to use, it is the only legal way for farmers to secure foreign labor at this time when local labor is not available.”

Among the benefits this bill will bring to Upstate New York farm business:

* It will allow for more jobs to be created and maintained;

* More food will continue to be produced locally rather than imported;

* Upstate farms will continue to be working farms and not vacant   farmland;

* Farms have a ripple effect on the economy and benefit many businesses and industries around them.

Saturday, Empire Tractor Company President Tim Call and his crew were seen moving office equipment and parts into the former Mike Ognibene Ford Dealership location. According to Tim, Empire's new shop is only a mile and a half down the road from the former location but will be a better mix for them. The move was going well and they will be in operation Monday.

The week 3 winner was Joseph Duganier. While Duganier's pick, Carolina, had only the fourth-best defensive stats in Week 3, Carolina was #1 among the 10 teams available for picking in the contest. Duganier wins for four free large subs.

Just over six months and more than $2 million later, the much-anticipated indoor water park at the Clarion Hotel on Park Road is ready for splashing, laughing and high-energy fun.

Today, various community leaders and local and regional media were on hand for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Palm Island Indoor Water Park.

The park opens to the public at 3 p.m., Friday and will open at 9 a.m., Saturday (for more about park operations, visit the website).

The brainchild of Chan Patel, owner of the Clarion, will offer recreation to guests year-around.

Prior to the ribbon cutting, Patel told visitors that 95 percent of everything in the park was made in the U.S. Local and regional contractors worked on the project.

The 12,000-square-foot facility includes a 197-foot and a 169-foot waterslide, a pool equipped with basketball hoops, a spa, a play lagoon with waterfalls, small slides and dumping buckets, as well as birthday party rooms, a food and beverage concession and an arcade room with 15 games.

Patel said he planned the park so that there would be activities that would appeal to all ages.

The bottom photo is Chan Patel, center, with his business partners on the project, Hagish Patel and Amit Shah.

Walk into Jerry Arena's new bar and grill and you might be greeted with a question, "Are you a millionaire?"

If the answer's yes, well, Arena's new place on Park Road might not be the place for you.

The Ten Cent Millionaire caters to those of us who want good beer, good food and a place to hang out with good people in an unpretentious atmosphere.

The menu doesn't even fill up both sides of a 5x7 card. It's standard bar grill food -- hot dogs, hamburgers, hoagies, mozzarella sticks, etc.

"What we make, we want to make right," said Arena, pictured right, explaining the limited menu.

It's a full-service bar with mixed drinks, more than half-dozen beers on tap, bottled beer and soft drinks.

Arena has completely remodeled the former hot dog stand, adding a curved bar, new booths, tables, a pool table, dart boards and five televisions.

He said getting the business open was a big job and he wanted to thank all the people who made the Ten Cent Millionaire possible.

Pictured with Jerry are Heather Robinson, left, and Amy Walker.

This information was provided by Genesee Community College.

Jerry Kozlowski has been appointed to the "Higher Education Work Group" of Governor Cuomo's Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council.

Kozlowski will assist the council with the development of a comprehensive, five-year strategic plan to galvanize regional and local economic development for the Finger Lakes area. The workgroup has been defined as the "heart of the Council's work" by the Governor.

New York's 10 Regional Economic Development Council's are tasked to assemble detailed strategies to capitalize on principal regional economic drivers and other opportunities, and to address critical issues that have impeded appropriate economic growth.

The timetable is ambitious and work needs to be completed by mid-November. A final decision from Albany in December will outline how almost $1 billion dollars in new state funding will be allocated to the 10 regions.

"I am honored to be a part of this important work" Kozlowski said. "Millions of dollars are at stake for the GLOW region and I look forward to helping our team identify and develop transformative projects that achieve our region's many needs."

Kozlowski currently serves as the associate vice president for Workforce Development at Genesee Community College and is the incoming chairman of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

The menu of great local restaurant choices in Batavia grew a bit today with the opening of Salsa and Curry on Jackson Street (former location of Margarita's Mexican Restaurant).

Owners Deena Rathod (right) and daughters Anvpa Hirani (left) and Priya Rathod have opened with just a Mexican food menu for now, but starting Friday will offer daily Indian food specials.

If the Indian food goes over well -- and several of the first customers in the restaurant today asked for Indian food -- then the menu will be expanded.

"If there is demand for it, we'll bring in more Indian food," Deena said. "We'll add it to the menu, but for now we're trying it on a limited basis."

With no previous Indian food restaurant in Batavia to judge the curry-and-spice offerings of the cuisine, the Rathods want to see how much demand there is for Indian menu items.

The Rathods have made a significant investment in remodeling the interior of the former Margarita's, reconfiguring the space, putting in new flooring, booths, tables and chairs.

"I've always wanted to open a restaurant," Deena said. "I have a passion for food and I like to make different dishes. In the past, when I've made different dishes for family and friends, they all enjoyed it."

Deena said many customers who have come into Mr. Wine and Liquor -- which her family also owns -- since Margarita's closed have urged her and her family to open a restaurant, especially an Indian restaurant (the building on Jackson is owned by Deena and her husband, Kevin).

The opportunity seemed ripe to go ahead and give it a try, Deena said.

Saturday, Sept. 17, was Kutter's annual Customer Appreciation Day.

Kutter's Cheese Factory Store began operations in 1923, when Leo Kutter emigrated to the United States from Germany. The factory moved to Corfu, site of this weekend's festivities, in 1947.  

Visitors were offered samples of Yancey's Fancy's 19 varieties of cheeses, available in 29 flavors.

Brian and Heather Bailey and Christine Adamczak, who bought Kutter's from Tony and Richard Kutter in 2009, were on hand to offer visitors wine and cheese samples. Musical entertainment was provided by Finesse (a female barbershop quartet), and there was a factory tour to explain the cheese-making process.

The company is looking to expand its operations in the next two years, and if the attendance at the festivities on Saturday were any indication, Genesee County is more than ready for the expansion.

Heather and Brian Bailey with the Kutter's classic car.

"Hot Stuff" -- Yancey's Fancy's own buffalo.

Finesse, a women's barbershop quartet, featuring (from left to right): tenor Sharie Vlack (Elba), lead Peggy Watkins (Attica), baritone Beth Allen (Elba), and bass Carolyn Schultz (Oakfield).

The group is a subset of the Crossroads of Harmony Chorus, which will be holding a reunion on Oct. 17 at the Genesee County Nursing Home. For more information, contact Finesse at allenkittyzoo@gmail.com.

More pictures from the event can be found here.

There's a new thrift store in the city.

Volunteers of America has opened a resale shop in East Town Plaza, next to Aldi's.

The 13,600-square-foot store employs nine people and offers up the usual variety of thrift store items, from clothing and used books to furniture and housewares.

Store manager Jamie Reece said VoA offers a variety of services to help people who need a restart in life -- from work experience programs and new wardrobes to victims of domestic violence.

VoA is also interested in working with and assisting other charities in Genesee County.

"We're still reaching out to the other non-profits," Reece said. "We're trying to work with the other non-profits in the area, anyway we can help."