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Local women business owners come together to share experiences, encourage others

By Howard B. Owens

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Renee Smart, owner of Moon Java Cafe on Harvester Avenue, talked during a women-in-business meeting hosted by the Mancuso Business Development Group at her coffee shop last night.

The gathering was a chance for local women business owners to meet and share their experiences and how they took their businesses from concept to reality. The hope is that other women might be inspired to open local businesses.

Bev Mancuso, background in the top photo, led the discussion.

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Diana Kastenbaum, owner of Pinnacle Manufacturing in Batavia.

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Kim Argenta, whose business, Art Ah La Carte, is in its 10th year.

WNY Pediatric Endocrinology opens its Batavia office Monday

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

We are pleased to announce the opening of WNY Pediatric Endocrinology at 7 Evans St., Batavia, on Monday, Oct. 29. (The practice is in the historic round brick building formerly occupied by Dr. Anna Lamb and staff.)

Our doctors are both certified by the American Academy of Pediatrics in Pediatric Endocrinology and have more than 10 years experience treating patients.

The doctors will be treating the following conditions:

  • Growth concerns;
  • Short stature;
  • Abnormal weight gain;
  • Early or delayed puberty;
  • Pituitary dysregulation;
  • Thyroid concerns;
  • Bone health;
  • Lipid concerns;
  • Adrenal disorders;
  • PCOS and other menstrual irregularities.

The office will be open Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Please call (585) 201-7112 to schedule an appointment and we’ll be happy to address your concerns! 

You can also check us out on our website at www.wnypedsendo.com. We look forward to serving the local community.

Nadezhda (Nadia) Danilovich, MD, (left in photo) graduated from Gomel State Medial Institute in Belarus and completed her residency and fellowship at Women and Children’s Hospital of Buffalo. She is a member of the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Pediatric Endocrinology.

Shannon Fournter, MD(right in photo) graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine and completed her residency at Children’s Hospital of Buffalo and her fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She is a member of the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Pediatric Endocrinology.

Fishtales proving popular with local seafood lovers

By Howard B. Owens

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In "Kitchen Confidential," Anthony Bourdain famously advised diners, "never order fish on a Monday."

That works out well for Todd and Grace Fannin, who over the summer opened a new seafood restaurant in Batavia with a plan to make sure their fish is always fresh by buying it from the fish market in Buffalo on Wednesday and Thursday and serving it all by Saturday night.

"That's advice we live by because when we do have our liquor license and we are open seven days a week, we are going to have a tighter menu," Todd said. "Our menu is going to be a shorter menu the days we're closed now, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday."

With a little over two months in business under their belts, Todd and Grace like the way things are going and the response they've received from local diners so far.

"We wanted to bring something that Batavia had a need for," Todd said. "There was a customer base here that nobody tapped into. There are the burger joints and the pizzerias and the Smoke House and the Italian restaurants. We thought Batavia had a need for something of this nature that would appeal to a certain audience and we found that audience."

This is the fourth restaurant the couple has opened over the past 30 years. The previous ones were on the shores of Lake Ontario and while they also specialized in seafood, they were seasonal. Fishtales is their first attempt to run a seafood restaurant year around.

The location is 107 Evans St., Batavia, the same location as The Little Ridge and Delavan's previously.

Even without a liquor license yet and little marketing, people are finding the restaurant and the crowds are growing.

"We've had a couple of really great Friday and Saturday nights recently," Grace said. "The best we’ve had. I would say the business is building right now and that was our goal."

In recent weeks, flounder and snapper have been popular, along with tuna, cod, trout, and scallops (there's also steak and chicken on the menu).

"Last Friday, it was not your typical Friday fish fry crowd," Todd said. "It was a younger crowd, a full house and they were going for more of the sauteed and the broiled dishes. Our crowd is changing and yet it's growing."

Some local restaurateurs have shied away from seafood because customers demand freshness and they feared Batavia might not support seafood sufficiently to manage the product properly, but Todd said it's all about listening to your customers and paying attention to what they want. He felt confident he could make it work in Batavia.

"We don’t cut corners here; we try to put a good product out and I think people are starting to notice that," Todd said. "At least that's the feedback we get."

BID announces winners of its inaugural Scarecrow Contest

By Billie Owens

The Batavia Business Improvement District hosted its first Scarecrow Contest for Downtown Batavia.

As a creative way to add some more fall flavor to downtown decorating, the BID invited any business, group or organization to enter the contest.

For $20 each business was provided basic supplies of straw, a post and zip ties along with their pole assignment. Each business could then get creative in creating their scarecrow.

All voting for favorite scarecrow ended Friday, Oct. 19th. 

  • First-place Winner for 2018 is Batavia Pediatrics;
  • Second-place Winner is Genesee Valley PennySaver;
  • Third-place Winner is Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle

First-place winner receives $100 cash prize, second place $75 and third place $50. The BID would like to thank Home Depot for sponsoring the scarecrows and donating of posts, and to our City of Batavia Fire Department for assembling the posts.

For more information on B.I.D. and Downtown events please visit our website at www.downtownbataviany.com.

Reminder: Nominations now being accepted for 2018 chamber awards, deadline is Dec. 28, ceremony set for March 2

By Billie Owens

Press release:

The Chamber’s Annual Awards Committee has announced the 2018 Annual Award Ceremony will be held on Saturday, March 2, at The Quality Inn & Suites, Park Road, Batavia (formerly The Clarion Hotel).

This is the County’s premier event that honors businesses and individuals for their achievements in business, community service and volunteerism.     

Please note that a brief write-up will qualify your nominee for consideration.

Nominations are now being accepted for:

  • Business of the Year, Entrepreneurial Business of the Year;
  • Agricultural Business of the Year;
  • Innovative Enterprise of the Year;
  • Special Service Recognition;
  • Geneseeans of the Year.

Business Nominees must be a Chamber Member (If unsure of your nominee, call the Chamber to verify).   

Nomination forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, 8276 Park Road, Batavia, and can also be downloaded from the Chamber website at www.geneseeny.com

Nominations MUST BE RECEIVED BY Dec. 28, to be eligible for consideration.

If you would like more information, feel free to call Kelly J. Bermingham, director of Member Relations & Special Events at the Chamber office, 343-7440, ext. 1026.

Photo: Oliver's celebrates new candy shop in Elba

By Howard B. Owens

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Jeremy Liles, owner of Oliver's Candies, with the help of his family and employees, made the company's new production facility in Elba today official with a ribbon cutting.

Oliver's hosted two days of open houses in the candy factory and the satallite candy and ice cream shop on Main Street, Elba. Liles moved production from the Main and Oak location in Batavia, so the business could expand, while keeping the store in Batavia. That store will also expand now that candy production has been moved to Elba.

Previously: Oliver's Candies to triple its manufacturing capacity by moving kitchen to Elba

Food processing degree from GCC could help boost your career

By Billie Owens

Press release:

When a career needs a boost -- community colleges are the best place for a dedicated employee and a desirable company to meet and develop a plan of action that satisfies the interests of both.

Such was case with Andy Willits who began working in an entry level position at LiDestri Food and Drink in Fairport when he was just 19 years old. After 13 years of service, he liked his job and his company, but he desired greater responsibility and a fresh challenge. 

With the support of the management team at LiDestri, Andy began researching career advancement paths and quickly discovered that in order to get where we wanted to be, he would need a college degree.

"GCC was the only community college in Western New York to offer degrees in food processing. I found the two-year degree specifically focused on food manufacturing and it offered a flexible schedule, it was perfect," Willits said.

In January 2018, after just two years at GCC, he earned a Food Processing Technology A.A.S. degree.

"Earning the degree gave me a lot of personal satisfaction; it was a challenge to manage a full-time job, school and making sure I had enough time for my family," Willits said. "Completing the program gave me a real sense of accomplishment."

He balanced the demands of work, home and school by taking advantage of GCC's robust online learning opportunities. He was able to complete 50 percent of Food Processing Technology A.A.S. without having to step foot on campus!

During his last semester at GCC, Willits was able to apply the experiences gained at his current job to meet the requirements of the program's semester-long internship placement through the use of GCC's Credit for Prior Learning opportunity.

"Having (GCC's) satellite campuses really helped with flexibility and managing my life inside of school and my family," Willits said.

He also encouraged other returning college students to "ask about credit for prior learning. There are a lot of ways to make GCC fit into your life really well. Pairing my degree with my years of job experience has really opened up what opportunities I'm able to pursue."

GCC recently received a highly sought-after State University of New York (SUNY) needs grant and completed significant upgrades to student laboratories and equipment to provide the most up-to-date learning experiences.

GCC's FPT program was designed not only to prepare students to enter the workforce immediately, but to position them perfectly for a seamless transfer into a four-year degree program at any number of institutions both within and outside of the SUNY system.

GCC currently has transfer agreements in place with SUNY Cobleskill, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and many more. GCC's transfer pathways programs help you plan your coursework to maximize your time in college. Learn more about transfer pathways at https://www.genesee.edu/offices/transfer/.

Attend GCC's Open House Monday, Nov. 12, between 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. to meet professors and instructors, explore the campus, get help with financial aid and see exactly why so many individuals choose GCC. Details on the Food Processing Technology program are available at https://www.genesee.edu/academics/programs/tech/food/.

Batavia's Original replacing 30-year-old booths from Pontillo's and many long-time customers eager to buy them

By Howard B. Owens

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People are lining up to buy a bit of Pontillo's history -- the custom-made, red, white and green booth seats that were first installed in the restaurant 30 years ago.

Batavia's Original owner Kathy Ferrara announced her plans to sell the booth seats and she immediately received several requests from would-be purchasers. She hasn't made any commitments yet. She's waiting for the replacement booths, which will be all black, to come in next week.

"I didn’t realize it would be such a big deal to people," Ferrara said.

A number of people expressed concern that she was selling Sam and Betty's booth, the one they always sat in, but it's not for sale and will stay in the restaurant, she said.

She's only selling the ones in the larger dining room. She said she remembers when that dining room opened. She had just started working as a server for Pontillo's and the new booths were installed before even the rest of the trim of the room was completed.

Reminder: Women in Small Business to be celebrated Oct. 25 at Moon Java Cafe, come learn their secrets

By Billie Owens
Press release:
 
October is Women's Small Business Month.
 
Please join the Mancuso Business Development Group as we celebrate some of our Women in Small Business on Thursday, Oct. 25 at Moon Java Cafe.
 
The evening will feature: Renee Smart from Moon Java Cafe; Lori Trader from Le Roy’s No Finer Diner and No Better Bed & Breakfast; Judy Hysek from Eden Café and Bakeshop in Batavia; and Kimberly Argenta, who is celebrating her 10th anniversary with Art Ah La Carte in Batavia.
 
Come learn about the experience of these women as they each took their small business from concept to reality, and maybe find out how you, too, might become a successful woman in small business.
 
The event begins at 5:30 p.m.
 
Moon Java Café is located at 56 Harvester Ave., Batavia.
 
Please RSVP to bev@mancusogroup.com or 585-343-2800 by Oct. 23.
 
Thank you to all successful women entrepreneurs!

Beth Kemp steps down as director of the BID

By Howard B. Owens

Beth Kemp, executive director of the Batavia Improvement District, has decided the business she co-owns with her husband Brian, T-Shirts Etc. needs more of her time and attention so she's resigned her position.

"It was an extremely hard decision for me because I love working as director of BID but T-Shirts Etc. continues to grow and I felt it was shortsighted of me to allow my own small business to struggle and continue my role here," Kemp said.

"I was only able to maintain a few hours at T-Shirts Etc. while working for BID, which was definitely not enough to support what we need to do over there."

Kemp has given notice to the board but she didn't share her final work day.

The Batavian reached out to Jennifer Gray, president of the BID Board of Directors, for comment and information about finding a replacement for Kemp but we have not yet received a response.

Kemp became director in November 2016.

"This opportunity has been amazing and I am so thankful to have been able to work with so many amazing people in our community," Kemp said. "In the past two years we have put in a lot of work in.

"We are in a great place with our finances, events, sponsorships, business relationships, community relationships, and mission. I look forward to still volunteering for events and community projects as the BID needs."

File photo.

Attention Kmart shoppers: the Batavia store is closing

By Billie Owens

The Kmart on Lewiston Road in Batavia is one of 142 stores owned by Sears Holdings Corp. to be shuttered by year's end. Liquidation sales are expected to begin soon.

The manager of the Batavia store, located at 8363 Lewiston Road, referred us to a corporate spokesman but we have been unsuccessful in contacting him to find out how many local employees will be out of a job.

There are about 700 stores currently open, down from 3,453 stores in 2005 when Kmart Holding Co. bought and merged with Sears Roebuck & Co. in a cash and stock deal then valued at $11 billion. The new entity became Sears Holdings Corp.

Sears Holdings has filed for bankruptcy and plans to reorganize its massive debt and reemerge on more solid ground. It reported liabilities of $11.3 billion and assets of $7 billion. A $134 million debt payment was due that it could not make at the time of filing.

Under the safety net of Chapter 11, Sears Holdings will be able to remain open through the holidays while striving to square away its finances.

But retail business analysts say returning to a position of strength and relevance will be difficult to do. Since the hoopla surrounding the merger in 2005, the parent company has struggled with anemic sales, crippling debt and shifts in consumer spending, especially the juggernaut of e-commerce. 

One advantage e-commerce formerly enjoyed was not having to collect sales tax. But over the years, most U.S. states passed online shopping sales tax laws. Even so, about half of all Amazon.com purchases, for example, are sold on its Amazon Marketplace through third-party vendors, and these purchases remain tax free (with the exception of Washington state).

More to the point, critics say Sears Holdings Corp. is not faring well because it has not reinvested in decaying stores; and it sold off iconic brands like Craftsman tools without giving consumers new brands and incentives to buy. The down slide has been going on for so long, they say, the retailer has become irrelevant and consumers are moving on.

Sears Roebuck & Co. started in 1886 and was able to grow by leaps and bounds thanks to its the proliferation of its mail-order catalog business, using the U.S. Postal Service to deliver goods from its Chicago warehouse to growing suburbs and the hinterlands beyond them. For generations of American families, stores coast to coast sold everything to everybody -- studio portraits and Goodyear tires, Kenmore stoves and Craftsman tools, home goods and engagement rings.

And the "Blue Light Specials" of its once-feisty rival Kmart are pure Americana. A store associate would announce a hot deal over the loudspeaker by saying: "Attention Kmart shoppers..." and the blue lightbulb would flash and for the next 30 minutes, say, there would be a deal in the Shoe Department on bags of tube socks.

"It's always sad to see a local business close," Genesee County Chamber of Commerce President Tom Turnbull told our news partner WBTA late this afternoon, adding that Kmart has been in Batavia a long time and he remembers when it was at the other end of town.

"But that's the circle of life," Turnbull said. "Others will step up and take its place."

Barber realizes dream to own his own business in Batavia

By Virginia Kropf

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Owning his own business was Roy Bell Jr.’s dream, and with help from the Batavia Development Corporation, his dream is coming true.

On Saturday, along with Genesee County Chamber of Commerce President Tom Turnbull and representatives from the BDC, Bell and his family cut the ribbon to celebrate the opening of his own barbershop.

His business is located in his home at 49 Buell St. in Batavia.

While working for someone else, Bell attended barber school and began cutting hair in the kitchen of his upstairs apartment.

With guidance from the Chamber and a loan from BDC, Bell was able to rent a house, remodel the downstairs and buy the needed equipment.

“I love this,” Bell said, standing behind his barber chair. “It doesn’t feel like work.”

He had no trouble deciding on a name for his new shop.

With two young boys, 8 and 11, who already take an interest in the barbershop, Bell chose the name “Bell Boyz Barbershop.” It is his hope to someday leave the shop to them.

He offers full barbershop services, including shampoos, straight razor cuts, hot towel shaves, facial massages and more. He would like to get into offering “diva curl,” a process of washing hair with a special shampoo, all chemical free, to bring out the natural curl.

All haircuts are $13 on Mondays and he plans to offer raffles and other specials during the week, such as $10 brush cuts on Wednesdays or bring someone in on Tuesdays and get one-half off the second service.

Bell Boyz is open Monday through Saturday – by appointment only. He will accommodate other days by request. Appointments may be made by calling (585) 300-1242.

“I want my customers to come as a guest and leave as family,” Bell said.

Anyone in the City of Batavia who is interested in starting up or expanding their business can ask for assistance from the BDC.

“The Batavia Development Corporation is excited to support Roy Bell and Bell Boyz Barbershop here in the city with loan funds for his shop,” said Rachel Tabelski, director of Economic Development for the BDC. “The entrepreneurial and small business spirit is a testament to the hard work and perseverance that we have here in Batavia.”

Roy Bell Jr. is ready to greet customers at his new barbershop at 49 Buell St. in Batavia. He was able to go to barber school and establish his own business with a loan from the Batavia Development Corporation. Photos by Virginia Kropf.

GLOW Workforce Development Board to host Business Forum Wednesday at GC Career Center

By Billie Owens

The Genesee, Livingston, Orleans, and Wyoming counties Workforce Development Board will host a Business Forum at the Genesee County Career Center in Batavia on Wednesday, Oct. 17. Time is 1 to 2:30 p.m.

This is an opportunity for job seekers to hear directly from hiring managers of local businesses. Job seekers who attend can hear about local job openings and employer expectations. Many of the job seekers that the career center is currently working with are invited to attend, however it is open to the public and would encourage any job seeker to attend the event.

Join participants for an informal question-and-answer session with hiring managers from several local businesses, including: Chapin Manufacturing; Lifetime Assistance; Premiere Genesee Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation; Remedy Staffing; and United Memorial Medical Center.

Employers' reps may talk about current job openings!

The career center is located at 587 E. Main St., #100, Batavia. Phone is (585) 344-2042. Call to sign up or come to the front desk to reserve your spot.

GCC's sixth annual Creativity Conference aims to help you take your business to the next level

By Billie Owens

Photo: Trace R. George, GCC Class of 1993, will give the keynote address at this year's Creativity Conference. He owns VSP Graphic Group in Buffalo.

Submitted photo and press release:

The Business and Commerce department at Genesee Community College has announced its sixth Creativity Conference to be held Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the Batavia Campus.

Under the theme of "Creativity in the Entrepreneurial Zone," the conference this year will serve both aspiring entrepreneurs as well as existing business owners looking to take their business to the next level. 

All attendees will have the opportunity to learn from the experiences of our community's leaders through the stories of their own startups and ventures. The conference will include workshops on "How to use Social Media to Grow your Business," "Building Creative Teams," "Developing a Creative Organization," "Personal & Organizational Impact of Creative Style" and more!

GCC has collaborated with the Startup Genesee Committee to put together an agenda full of learning and networking opportunities, inspirational stories and education. Giving the keynote address will be owner of VSP Graphic Group from Buffalo, Trace R. George, GCC Class of 1993. 

Small business owners or employees, entrepreneurs and the general public are invited to attend the conference and workshops. The cost is $39 per person, which includes a continental breakfast and delicious lunch. For GCC students, faculty and staff, the conference cost is $25 per person.

Seating is limited, so register today! GCC faculty and staff are encouraged to contact The BEST Center to register. Students are asked to register through their instructors.

Whether you are launching a new endeavor to taking your successful business to a bigger platform -- let GCC be a resource for your idea and your path to success! GCC offers both an associate degree and a certificate program on Entrepreneurship. Check out the options here.

For more information, contact Director of Business Programs Lina LaMattina at (585) 343-0055, ext. 6319, or via email: lmlamattina@genesee.edu.

Tompkins named No. 1 agency to work for in Eastern region

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Tompkins Insurance Agencies has recently been named the number 1 insurance agency to work for in the Eastern region by Insurance Journal’s 2018 Best Agencies to Work For.

This award highlights the importance of competitive salaries, employee benefits, training and education, resources, and other employee perks as drivers of satisfaction in the workplace.

“Tompkins is a great place to work and that’s because of our people,” said David Boyce, president and CEO of Tompkins Insurance Agencies. “Our employees stay with us for many years and we even have multigenerational family members on our team. This speaks volumes about our company and our culture.”

The award is based on employees’ responses to Insurance Journal’s Best Agency to Work For survey. Tompkins employees made it abundantly clear that Tompkins’ commitment to serving its community has not gone unnoticed.

Tompkins offers 24/7 customer service, participates in numerous charitable initiatives in the community and serves its employees by creating a family-like work environment.

Tompkins Insurance Agencies operates 17 offices in Western New York. It is an independent insurance agency offering personal and business insurance and employee benefits services through more than 50 of the nation’s leading insurance carriers. Further information is available at www.tompkinsins.com.

Starting today, Farmer's Creekside Tavern & Inn in Le Roy switches to winter hours

By Billie Owens

Submitted photo and press release:

Farmer’s Creekside Tavern & Inn is transitioning to seasonal winter hours starting Columbus Day.

As of today, Oct. 8, regular dining will be as follows: 

  • Wednesday -- Kitchen: 11a.m - 9 p.m.; Bar: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
  • Thursday -- Kitchen: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Bar: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.
  • Friday -- Kitchen: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; Bar: 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.
  • Saturday -- Kitchen: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m;. Bar: 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.
  • Sunday -- Kitchen: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; Bar: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Farmer’s Creekside Tavern & Inn will still be open for overnight guests as well as prescheduled events, meetings and parties.

To utilize the facility for an event, please contact us at Events@FarmersCreekside.com; we’d be happy to host your next happy hour, board meeting, holiday party, etc.

BREAKING: P.W. Minor shut down this morning

By Howard B. Owens

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At 10 a.m. today (Oct. 5) Batavia's oldest continuously operating company, shoemaker P.W. Minor, ceased operations. Forty-two workers were laid off last week; 40 people lost their jobs today.

Local businessman Pete Zeliff, who, in partnership with Andrew Young, acquired P.W. Minor in 2014, still owns the company's headquarters and factory building at 3 Treadeasy Ave., as well as the production equipment. He was leasing the building to Tidewater + Associates. Zeliff carried the paper on the loan for Tidewater's purchase of the company earlier this year.

This afternoon, Zeliff said he foreclosed on the company last week.

Last week, P.W. Minor CEO Hundley Elliotte announced the company would eliminate 45 jobs, ending production of its welt boot line, but would continue with orthopedic shoe production.

This morning's decision to shut down the company completely came as a surprise to everybody.

Zeliff said he has no plans to reenter the shoe business, but he said there is some hope that investors can be found to resurrect at least the orthopedic line of shoes, and perhaps the boot line, and he believes Tidewater is working on finding new investors. We were referred to Elliotte for any questions about the future of the company.

We have an email out to Elliotte requesting comment.

This afternoon a customer of P.W. Minor's forwarded an email to The Batavian from Brian Benedict, VP of sales for P.W. Minor, that read, "I regret to inform you that as of 10AM this morning, PW Minor has ceased operation. There will be a formal announcement via email, but since you are drop ship customers who rely on us, I wanted you to know as soon as possible so you can modify your sites accordingly."

UPDATE -- Press release:

P.W. Minor LLC, a Batavia, NY footwear manufacturer, has ceased operations as of today and laid off all employees.

All assets of P.W. Minor LLC, have been transferred to our senior creditor Batavia Shoes LLC, per an agreement signed today. 

“Our focus through this entire process has been on our employees' well-being. We want to thank them for their dedication, loyalty and hard work.” said P.W. Minor CEO Hundley Elliotte. “We would also like to thank the NYS Dept. of Labor, the Genesee County Workforce Development Board and the local business community for their responsiveness and offers to help get our affected employees back to work as soon as possible..”

P.W. Minor, founded in 1867 and located in Batavia, New York, is the second oldest footwear manufacturer in the United States and the maker of orthopedic and diabetic athletic, dress and casual shoes.

GCEDC board approves incentives for Amada Tool and Darien Lake

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) approved incentives for Amada Tool and Six Flags Darien Lake LLC, and accepted an application for an expanded PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes) agreement to support the Ellicott Station development at the agency’s Oct. 4 board meeting.

Amada Tool in the City of Batavia was approved for incentives for an $8.8 million capital investment to increase the company’s manufacturing facility by approximately 19,000 square feet. The project will create 17 new jobs and retain 68 current jobs. The approved investment includes $2.3 million in construction costs and $6.5 million in new equipment. Amada Tool was approved for property and sales tax exemptions of approximately $266,000.

Six Flags Darien Lake LLC was approved for approximately $166,000 in sales tax exemption to build a new $2.15 million ride that is scheduled to open in 2019.  Six Flags Darien Lake LLC is one of the largest sales tax revenue generators in Genesee County.

The PILOT agreement expansion requested by Savarino Companies for the Ellicott Station development was based on increased capital costs, from approximately $17.6 million to $21.75 million, and the development’s footprint, which will expand from 73,100 square feet to 99,111 square feet. The expansion includes the addition of at-grade garages for residents as well as increasing the number of housing units from 51 units to 55 units. 

NOTE: The Batavian will have a follow-up story on Ellicott Station as soon as we have time to write it, which may not be today.

Students tour local businesses for National Manufacturing Day

By Howard B. Owens

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More than 200 local high school students, including students from Elba High School at Graham Manufacturing, toured local businesses yesterday for National Manufacturing Day, sponsored locally by the Genesee County Business/Education Alliance.

At Graham, Elba students learned about what the company does and how it does it during a presentation in the company's cafeteria. The students then toured some of the production buildings.

Other companies participating were U.S. Gypsum, Amanda Tool, Oxbo, Orcon, Liberty Pumps, and Chassix.

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Women in Small Business to be celebrated Oct. 25 at Moon Java Cafe, come learn their secrets

By Billie Owens
Press release:
 
October is Women's Small Business Month.
 
Please join the Mancuso Business Development Group as we celebrate some of our Women in Small Business on Thursday, Oct. 25 at Moon Java Cafe.
 
The evening will feature: Renee Smart from Moon Java Cafe; Lori Trader from Le Roy’s No Finer Diner and No Better Bed & Breakfast; Judy Hysek from Eden Café and Bakeshop in Batavia; and Kimberly Argenta, who is celebrating her 10th anniversary with Art Ah La Carte in Batavia.
 
Come learn about the experience of these women as they each took their small business from concept to reality, and maybe find out how you, too, might become a successful woman in small business.
 
The event begins at 5:30 p.m.
 
Moon Java Café is located at 56 Harvester Ave., Batavia.
 
Please RSVP to bev@mancusogroup.com or 585-343-2800 by Oct. 23.
 
Thank you to all successful women entrepreneurs!

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