Business Development

Back To Business: Healthy On Lark

February 11, 2021 – 11:59 am

Sharon Lastique, a certified health coach and owner of Healthy On Lark vegetarian restaurant, noticed a trend amongst her customer base during the early days of the pandemic lockdown: Her regular patrons were conflicted. They wanted to boost immunity and stay healthy, especially as they were stuck indoors (often with children) while simultaneously getting less […]

Back To Business: ImprintUNIVERSE

February 2, 2021 – 7:23 pm

Musa Zwana is a self-described serial entrepreneur. He remembers clearly the moment when, as a kid in junior high school growing up in East Greenbush, through a youth entrepreneurship program, Musa first learned what it meant to start up a business and be your own boss. “Ever since then I was like, ‘Alright, that’s what […]

Back To Business: Peelz On Wheelz

January 21, 2021 – 2:17 pm

In 2012, Darlene Herbert had a vision. A fleet of aestheticians, all clad in crisp white coats emblazoned with her company logo, carrying sleek silver cases filled with products and a fold-up high-backed chair, deploying across the Capital Region to deliver elite skin care services to clients in the comfort of their own homes. And […]

Back To Business: Blooms By Marie

January 13, 2021 – 6:37 pm

Cut flowers are special, adding color and warmth to the darkest of days and dreariest of settings. Marie Campbell experienced that first-hand during her 29 years working as a nurse at Albany Medical Center Hospital. She gave attentive care to all her patients, but said she found herself particularly drawn to the rooms where there […]

Back To Business: Emack & Bolio’s

January 5, 2021 – 1:55 pm

Amy Riddell is living her childhood dream. As far back as she can remember – “basically since I was about four, since my first Mister Softee,” she says – Riddell wanted to own an ice cream parlor. “I carried a book about the best ice cream in the country, and when our family went on […]

Back To Business: Irish American Heritage Museum

December 30, 2020 – 2:49 pm

Since last February, 21 Quackenbush Square has been home to the nation’s only Irish American history museum, where visitors can learn about the cultural and historical experiences and contributions of people of Irish heritage in the Capital Region and across the U.S. You could be forgiven for not knowing about this hidden gem in the […]

Back To Business: Lark Street Mercantile

December 16, 2020 – 12:10 pm

Opening a new business takes a lot of time and planning. Entrepreneurs work months – even years – to get everything ready for opening day: Financing, building, purchasing and more. The momentum, once it’s underway, is hard to stop. Brandon and Michelle Whittall know this first hand. They were building out Lark Street Mercantile, their […]

#BuildingAlb2020: How 2020 Will Help Shape A Brighter 2021

December 11, 2020 – 12:24 pm

The end of the year is traditionally a time both for reflection and planning for the future. This year, which brought both unprecedented challenges and unexpected opportunities, this exercise is more important than ever.    At Capitalize Albany, we are taking inventory of 2020 while looking ahead with excitement to what 2021 will bring. In spite […]

#BuildingAlb2020: Looking Ahead To 2021 With Redburn Development Vice President Elizabeth Young JoJo

December 10, 2020 – 9:55 am

There is so much opportunity on the horizon — an unprecedented level of investment is nearing completion in downtown. The largest project of its kind since the inception of the Downtown Albany Residential Development Initiative in 2002 — Redburn Development is investing more than $80 million into several prominent downtown Albany buildings, creating nearly 300 mixed-income […]

Back To Business: Palace Performing Arts Center

December 8, 2020 – 12:42 pm

The pandemic has taken a significant toll on the performing arts. While movie theaters and museums have been able to reopen with new public health protocols – although many have opted not to do so – live performances of music, plays and dance are still not allowed. Albany’s Palace Theatre went from hosting more than […]