Business

A start-up in Oakfield made the front page of the The Wall Street Journal today (account required) as part of a story on a game that seems to be growing in popularity in some part of the country, even though it has been around a long time.

We've told you before about MöbileSchlägen, the portable version of a game that involves, traditionally, a tree stump, a nail, a hammer, and beer. MöbileSchlägen was invented -- they actually got a patent on the key technology -- by Marc Johnson, James Betters and Dan Mangus. Their big innovation was the sturdy stand that holds a stump-like piece of wood into which game players pound nails.

A reporter for The Wall Street Journal visited Oakfield a couple of days ago to learn more about the game and wrap mention of it into a story she was working on about the rise in popularity of Hammerschlagen, or Stump.  

The game has become popular enough, as reporter Rebecca Davis O'Brien notes, that there has even been a little legal wrangling over who owns the rights to it. Jim Martin, of Lake Elmo, Minn., asserts he owns the trademark for Hammer-Schlagen. According to the WSJ article, Martin has sent a cease-and-desist letter to a competitor, The Stump Company, and has also sent messages to Johnson and his partners. (He also contacted The Batavian demanding that we correct our previous story and include mention of his company and what he says are the true origins of the game.)

Johnson said their version of the game is gaining interest and they should have a product ready for market soon.

Also, here's a couple of photos Johnson supplied from the Oakfield Historical Society, from a company picnic for U.S. Gypsum in the 1950s, showing a similar game being played locally.

Here's the company's promotional video:

Batavia-based p.w. minor held an official kickoff party for its two new lines of shoes on Tuesday night in the future home of its new retail store, the former Chamber of Commerce headquarters on East Main Street.

Sen. Mike Ranzenhofer and Assemblyman Steve Hawley were both in attendance and they tried on some new shoes.

The new shoe lines are Abram Boots, an affordable, steel-toed work boot, and a line of higher end men's fashion shoes, under the brand of the Batavia Boot and Shoe Company.

The store will be a joint venture between p.w. minor and Charles Men's Shop, run by owners Dave Howe and Don Brown.

Next year, p.w. minor will celebrate its 150th anniversary. It recently moved all of its production back to Batavia from China and the new store will stock only American-made products.

Howe said owner Pete Zeilff, his family and the rest of the team at p.w. minor have done something a lot of people talk about but few do: make a real investment and commitment to the local community.

"I will tell you," Howe said, "we need your commitment as a community to support us. We're hoping for a partnership that everyone can be proud of."

Brian Benedict, the new director of sales for p.w. minor who was lured from a good job in Chicago to return to his hometown and work for Zeliff, said he's amazed at how far p.w. minor has come as a company in a short time and that he's excited about the potential of these shoe lines.

"We have 86 people employed at p.w. minor, so when you buy a pair of shoes, a pair from the Batavia Boot and Shoe Company, seven people touched that shoe as it goes through production," Benedict said. "And, 94 percent of our employees live in Genesee County. It’s not buying an American-made shoe. You’re buying a shoe from people who are your neighbors, your friends, people you see in the street, you see at Tops.

"If you buy two pair we can actually hire more people," he added, which got a laugh from the invited guests in the room.

The kickoff party is the first of six such events over the next couple of months, including a factory tour and chance to check out the new shoe lines at the factory in late December. The invited guests for that event will be people who have liked p.w. minor on the company's Facebook page.

Zeliff said he doesn't think he could have better partners for this venture than Howe and Brown.

"I had to learn a new profession (in taking over p.w. minor) and a new way of making a living over the past two years," Zeliff said. "I really didn't think I would do that at my age, but I really didn't want to learn another one doing retail, so Dave and Don are great people to partner with. I'm happy we're able to do this with them."

Howe has been in the retail business for 50 years, and owned Charles Men's Shop for 31 years, a business that has been in Batavia for 70 years.

The new shoe lines were developed by Kristine McCarthy, a graduate of Batavia High School, who returned home after working in New York City, to join the team at p.w. minor.

Zeliff said he's excited to reach this point of growth for p.w. minor. He sees bright days ahead.

"We've finally turned a corner and we've got a new product out," Zeliff said. "We've got a lot of exciting things happening. I think in these next 12 months will really be the turning stone for us to become a proftable company again and grow more."

It's been years since Downtown Batavia had a nice shoe store and it's a void in the Downtown retail space that Dave Howe has looked at since the day Thomas and Dwyer closed up shop.

He never added a shoe section to his store because of limited space, but two things have come together to make it possible for Howe and partner Don Brown to open up a shoe store just a few doors down from their current East Main Street location.

One, the Chamber of Commerce vacated its space in the City Church (former Mancuso Theater) building, opening up an attractive retail store front with lots of space and great visibility. Two, p.w. minor has two new fashionable shoe lines it wants to sell locally.

"We love the fact that Pete Zeliff and his family and all the family of p.w. minor decided to bring all of the production back from China to here in our own community," Howe said. "It seems like it's the perfect partnership to put together a hometown."

The move is the start of a business expansion for p.w. minor, said Brian Benedict, director of sales. The more than 150-year-old, Batavia-founded and Batavia-based company is going into shoe lines beyond the orthopedic shoes it's long been known for.

The Abrams Boot line is made up of fashionable work boots and the company will also introduce the Batavia Shoe and Boot line.

Bennett said the Downtown retail store will be the company's one-and-only retail location as it seeks new distribution channels for its new line with shoe retailers across the nation.

Howe said two factors will be hallmarks of the new store: quality and American-made products.

And there will be other products besides shoes, such as American-made workwear, belts, gloves and other accessories.

Howe thinks the shoe store will be a good complement to Charles Men's Shop.

The new store won't open until sometime in January, but people looking for shoes for themselves or as Christmas presents can stop into Charles Men's Shop to see the lines of shoes and be fitted for some of the first pairs to come out of the Batavia factory.

Bill Hume, his staff, and volunteers bring back Foxprowl-Con to the Clarion Hotel this week.

The premier event last year drew dozens of vendors and big crowds and Hume said this year's comic convention will be even bigger with more vendors, more stars, and more attendees.

The convention opens this evening and continues through Saturday and Sunday.

For more information, visit the event's website.

Customer service is going to improve quite a bit with the new enclosed recycling center for ARC Genesee Orleans, just by the fact that people will no longer be forced to stand outside in the snow while visiting the center, said Donna Saskowski, executive director.

"It's just a little more customer friendly in terms of having it enclosed for our customers and our staff," Saskowski said.

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce joined the grand opening event last night for a ribbon cutting.

The entire ARC facility, located at 3785 W. Main Street Road, employs 26 clients of the nonprofit organization, which assists people with disabilities.

"That's 26 people who are able to earn a regular paycheck and feel good about themselves," Saskowski said. 'The fact they are employed and communicate and work in a community is really important to them, so it's important to us."

The facility recycles not only bottles and cans, but e-waste and documents and includes a document-shredding service.

"That’s why we call it a one-stop," Saskowski said. "People can come in and get all done in one place, all in one errand."

Photo: Scott O'Geen, Paul Saskowski, Donna Saskowski, Tom Turnbull and Scott Shea.

Press release:

Batavia Urology today announced that its first patients have been treated with the UroLift® System, an innovative new treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate. The UroLift System is designed to relieve symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate, while preserving sexual function.

Delivered during a minimally invasive procedure, the UroLift permanent implants act like window curtain tie-backs to hold the lobes of an enlarged prostate open. Patients recover from the procedure quickly, and return to their normal routines with minimal downtime. The cost of the UroLift System procedure is covered by Medicare in New York.

“We are committed to providing patients with the highest-quality, most effective options to address their urology needs,” said Jason Donovan, P.A., who was present for the first procedure. “The UroLift System has an excellent safety profile and provides men suffering from an enlarged prostate a beneficial first-line treatment alternative to drug therapy or more invasive surgery. Importantly, the UroLift System provides fast and meaningful relief from BPH symptoms, improving overall quality of life for our patients.”

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), also known as enlarged prostate, affects more than 37 million men in the United States alone. Twelve times more common than prostate cancer, BPH occurs when the prostate gland that surrounds the male urethra becomes enlarged with advancing age and begins to obstruct the urinary system. Approximately one in four men experience BPH-related symptoms by age 55, with 90 percent of men over 70 symptomatic.

Data from clinical trials showed that patients receiving UroLift implants reported rapid symptomatic improvement, improved urinary flow rates, and sustained sexual function. Patients also experienced a significant improvement in quality of life. Most common adverse events reported include hematuria, dysuria, micturition urgency, pelvic pain, and urge incontinence. Most symptoms were mild to moderate in severity and resolved within two to four weeks after the procedure.

Press release:

START-UP Genesee will once again bring together entrepreneurs from throughout the region for another networking opportunity as part of its Think and Drink series.

The event will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 22^nd from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Innovation Zone at 99 MedTech Drive, Batavia. The event is free and open to entrepreneurs with ideas or business plans to incubate the next great product or service from the region.

Guest speakers include Don Warrant of Freed Maxick CPAs, Leslie Bamann of High Tech Rochester and assistant VP and Business Banking officer at Canandaigua Bank, and Georgann Carrubba, founder & CEO of TenCar Inc. There will also be a product showcase in drone technology, 3-D printing, and medical device product displays.

START-UP Genesee is intended to assist all types of businesses from early stage planning to site selection, access to capital and product development or diversification.

The series is being sponsored by various local businesses including Canandaigua National Bank, Tompkins Bank of Castile Insurance Agencies, Feed Maxick CPAs, Merrill Lynch of Batavia the University at Buffalo New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics, Life Sciences and Material Informatics, and Del Plato Casey LLP.

Already a successful proprietor in the nail business -- he and his wife own L.J. Nail's on East Main Street, Batavia -- Johnny Dinh has opened a new, full-service salon at 5176 Clinton Street Road, Batavia.

The new business is called Livia Beauty & Spa.

Dinh has gone all out to make the new salon into a top-end place for not just nails, but hair styling, massages, and skin care.

"This is a place where people can come one-stop," Dinh said. "They can get everything done here. You don't have to stop somewhere else to get hair done or nails done, you know."

The impression Dinh wants customers to get from his new business is that it's high quality with great service.

The farm equipment of Massey-Harris, which ran a factory in Batavia for five decades, will be honored at the 51st Annual WNY Steam Show in Alexander next September and organizers are looking for information, photos and artifacts that help shed light on the work done at the Massey-Harris factory locally.

At the Harvester Center, the factory produced farm equipment for the Canada-based company, but there isn't easy-to-find information on what exactly was produced there.

Organizers are hoping there are local residents with direct knowledge or documentation about the work done at the factory.

The factory closed in 1958.

If you are able to help, email Kelly Rapone at the Genesee County Tourism Office, KRapone@GeneseeNY.com.

Exterior work on the refurbished Creekside Inn in Le Roy is very near completion.

The work has been extensive, including new decks on two levels, two new patios, a new bar on the first level, new drainage on Main Street and a restored entryway along with tiered landscaping at the back of the building.

Owner Bill Farmer said yesterday that work begins immediately on the interior remodeling, and that will take about three months.

Press release:

Students from the Byron-Bergen Jr./Sr. High School got a close look inside several of Genesee County’s leading advanced manufacturing facilities recently. Teacher Jay Wolcott’s Manufacturing Systems class visited four companies to assess the local job market, learn about pay and benefits, see potential job opportunities, and hear about the skills employers are looking for. Host companies included Bergen’s Liberty Pumps, along with Le Roy businesses Aluminum Injection Mold (AIM), PCORE Electric Company, and Orcon Industries.

Company representatives explained the varied career opportunities available at manufacturing companies like these, including jobs in assembly, engineering, sales, marketing, and management. Students came away with the understanding that successful job applicants must have strong skills in basic math, problem-solving, and communication, along with, at minimum, a high school diploma or GED. Each company visited stressed their support for job-specific training and college course work.

Students toured the Liberty Pumps facility, experiencing the machining of pump housings, powder coat finishing, assembly, inspection, packaging, and finally, the global shipping process. At AIM, they followed the prototype manufacturing process from the initial customer design requirements to machining of the aluminum injection mold and molding of plastic parts.

PCORE manufactures bushings for the high voltage electric transformer units used by power companies. Students observed a demonstration using electricity to check for defects that took place in a completely dark lab that concluded with electrical humming and flying sparks. At Orcon, a custom industrial packaging company, students observed firsthand the need for problem-solving skills in all areas of the operation.

Using their experiences with the participating companies, students completed a technical report assessing the job opportunities at each company, concluding with their opinion on the best job fit for them.

The career exploration trip was arranged with the help of the Genesee County Business Education Alliance (BEA).

Students from all of the high schools in Genesee County were provided a 20x32-inch canvas by Batavia's Original with an invitation to paint their school's mascot. The winning team -- the art class from Oakfield-Alabama -- received a pizza party.

The artwork will be displayed inside of the restaurant. 

Pictured above are: Haily Davis, Olivia Carroll, Hope Kollarik, Mrs. Leah Peca, Emily Staniszewski, Makayla Hichey and Lakin Woodward.

Photos and information provided by General Manager Kathy Ferrara.

Genesee County’s own Comic-Con style event is making its return to Batavia on Friday, Nov. 18 through Sunday, Nov. 20th. The 2nd annual Foxprowl-Con is where the world of comics, movies, television shows come together for a wonderful celebration of fun. The event will be taking place at the Quality Inn & Suites, 8250 Park Road in Batavia.

Foxprowl-Con is produced by Foxprowl Collectibles, 97 Main St. in Batavia. The store is a major destination for fans of vintage and new toys, figurines, ceramics and collectibles.

Foxprowl owner and event producer Bill Hume said, “Foxprowl-Con is a great place where parents and children can connect over sharing their love for comic books, television shows and certain movies. There are a lot of interactive activities for people to enjoy.”

He added, “A lot of people enjoy meeting the celebrities and attending the celebrity panels, where they do Q&As and tell behind the scene stories. People love browsing the large vendors room, browsing thousands of comics, toys, crafts and costumes. There are over 60 free panel discussions, cosplay contests, live music, games and more included in your admission. There’s something for everyone.”

The celebrity appearances are a big draw of Foxprowl-Con. Attendees can meet the special guests free of charge, with there being a fee for autographs. Special celebrities include: Ari Lehman, who was “Jason” in the first “Friday the 13th” movie. Lydia Criss, photographer and ex-wife of KISS drummer Peter Criss. Steve Geiger, Marvel Comics artist, Rashaad Santiago, Season 6 winner of the TV show “FaceOff.” Hanna Hall from “Forrest Gump” and Rob Zombie’s “Halloween.” Mark Dodson, voice actor from “Star Wars.” Kurt Lehner, character designer and animation artist for Disney.

The event times and admission are as follows: Friday, Nov. 18th – 4 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 19th -- 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 20th -- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission for the days are: Friday $10, Saturday $20 and Sunday $15. Children 12 and under free with paid adult.

For up-to-date info, visit www.FoxprowlCon.com.

Visit www.VisitGeneseeNY.com to learn more...

Press release:

 CNL Lifestyle Properties has entered into a purchase and sale agreement with Kansas City-based EPR Properties for the sale of its portfolio of water parks and amusement parks. 

Kieran Burke, CEO of Premier Parks, LLC, which manages the day to day operations of Darien Lake for CNL, and would continue to do so under a long-term lease agreement with EPR if the sale closes, stated “Even though the park may be sold, it’s really business as usual at the park. There will be no changes in park staff or operations.” commented Burke.

Premier Parks, which operates 8 parks for CNL throughout the US, took over management of Darien Lake after the 2014 season. During Premier Parks’ management of the 2015 and 2016 seasons, Darien Lake added several new rides to the park including the addition of Rolling Thunder, Brain Drain, and RipCurl Racer, as well as more concerts and increased value for season pass holders. In that time, the park has experienced meaningful increases in attendance and revenue.

“As the park operator, we are extremely excited about this sale and the positive impact we believe it will have on Darien Lake and our entire company in the future,” Burke commented.

EPR Properties is a New York Stock Exchange publicly traded REIT with substantial resources, more than $5 billion in investments, and a proven track record in the entertainment industry.

“We look forward to supporting the efforts of both CNL Lifestyle Properties and EPR Properties as they advance the sale process, and we remain focused on continuing to grow Darien Lake’s position as a place families love to visit and vacation,” added Chris Thorpe, Darien Lake General Manager.

Press release:

The Red Osier has a goal to become as community-orientated as its owners, Steven Foster and Tim Adam. Together with their staff, they have decided to rename November "Lovember" with a month of promotions to give back to the local community.

In November, bring in a bag of nonperishable goods or new clothing and you will receive a $10 gift voucher toward your next dinner visit. All food will be donated to the Le Roy Food Pantry, while the clothing will be donated to the local homeless community.

Bring in a package of new undergarments and socks during November, receive a complementary chef dessert. All items will be donated to restaurant employee Wendy Cappoli-Frongetta's grassroots organization "Spirits and Skivvies" that donates underwear and garments to local less fortunate throughout the community. Her goal is to restore dignity and comfort to the fellow human one pair of underwear at a time. There is an auction of donated items this Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m. at the Byron Fire Hall where all proceeds will support "Spirits and Skivvies."

On Thanksgiving, the restaurant will be open 12 to 5 p.m. This is the first year in the history of the restaurant that it has been open on this holiday. All -- 100 percent -- of the sales proceeds from the day will be split between Genesee Cancer Assistance and The Stafford Monument Committee, which is erecting a monument at the Stafford Four Corners to honor the past and present military personnel from Stafford. Throughout the month, we will have our annual buy a $50 gift certificate and receive a complementary $20 gift certificate as well.

It is extremely important to get our local businesses and their staffs involved in the holiday spirit. If we can make a small difference one can of vegetables or a package of underwear at a time, that's what we will do. We hope that our spirit of "Lovember" will resonate to other businesses within our area.

If Batavia is a ring that holds a precious gem, that diamond is now the new Batavia Downs Hotel, said Hart Hotels Sales Manager Shane Draman during a tour Friday of the new facility with the hotel's General Manager Richard Likus.

Both were brimming with pride as they showed off the hotel's amenities, boasting of the subtle details that they believe will earn a four-diamond rating from AAA.

"We’re a destination now," Litkus said. "We have a racetrack. We have a casino. We have four beautiful restaurants in the casino that do room service to our rooms. It’s not like we’re a hub where people are passing through. This is where people are going to come and spend a weekend or spend their anniversaries or spend the holidays. It’s going to be something special."

The finer points include free Wi-Fi, refrigerators and Keurigs with Tim Horton's coffee in all 84 rooms, 310 thread-count sheets and goose-down pillows, hardwood floors and open-air drawer racks (both are more sanitary than carpet and wooden drawers), and spacious rooms with a turn-down service between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. (which includes a small piece of chocolate left on your pillow).

"People won’t remember what you said," Draman noted. "People won’t remember what you did. People will always remember how you treat them. I think when you take a look at that, how we treat people, the little nuances that are here, the little special things, people pick up on."

There are 40 rooms in the hotel with king-size beds, 40 with double queens and four two-room suites that have a wine cooler the size of a mini-fridge, a refrigerator and sink area with a dining table. There is also a balcony overlooking the racetrack.

Hart Hotels already operates four four-diamond hotels in Watkins Glen, Clayton, Thousand Islands, and Portland, Maine,

Key members of Batavia's new staff were sent to these locations to train.

"Our goal is to be the leading hotel in Batavia and the surrounding area," Litkus said.

The hotel has already hosted several guests, including a convention of 300 members of Rotary clubs from throughout the state and Draman said the feedback so far has been as great as they had hoped. He said people use words like "wow," and "fantastic," when describing the hotel.

From the outside of the hotel, you would never guess how spacious the hotel is, an observation made by several guests, Draman said.

"We've received emails were people have said it's the best hotel they've stayed at," Draman said.

The ribbon cutting for the new hotel will be at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, and Thurman Thomas will be on hand for the ceremony. He was a professional football player, a running back, who spent most of his National Football League career with the Buffalo Bills. 

Press release:

The Genesee County Economic Development Center Board of Directors voted at its Oct. 27 meeting to accept Empire State Development’s $28 million Grant Disbursement Agreement (GDA) to start infrastructure work at the STAMP campus in order to achieve shovel-ready status.

The funding will be used to acquire some remaining acreage at the site and construction and inspection services for water lines, wastewater pump stations and sewer lines, road infrastructure and gas and electric connectivity. It is anticipated that the first bid for infrastructure work will be for the construction of a water system from Oakfield to the STAMP site.

“Based on the release of the funds, we expect that bids will be going out in the next couple of months,” said Mark Masse, CPA, Sr. VP of Operations for the GCEDC. “The other projects that the agency will be putting out to bid over the next few months include onsite construction of the roadway and associated stormwater management.”

Among other things, GCEDC staff is working with its engineering consultants and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Army Corps of Engineers, as well as officials in Orleans County on the permitting for the sewer line to extend from the STAMP campus to the Medina wastewater treatment plant.

STAMP is New York State’s second mega-site designed to attract high-tech companies like semiconductor, solar, photonics, bio-pharmaceuticals, energy storage companies and other advanced manufacturing operations. The campus consists of 1,250 acres and planned development of more than 6 million square feet of manufacturing space.

Overall economic studies estimate that 10,000 employees could work directly on campus with up to 50,000 supply-type jobs created across Western New York and the Finger Lakes regions. The campus will also bring significant construction work to the region.

“STAMP has been validated by site selection community as a highly attractive greenfield site for large advanced manufacturers, and we continue to work with interested companies that are looking for a mega campus with the right infrastructure that includes large electric, gas, water and sewer capacity combined with our amazing workforce here in the Finger Lakes and Western New York regions,” said Steve Hyde, president and CEO of the Genesee County Economic Development Center.

“This is evidenced by securing the commitment of 1366 Technologies, a solar wafer manufacturing company which plans to locate its operations on the campus.”

The Genesee County Chamber of Commerce is moving to its new location next week.

As of Nov. 1, the chamber's official new address will be 8276 Park Road, instead of 210 E. Main St., Batavia.

The phone lines will remain the same: (585) 343-7440, (fax) 585-343-7487.

Press release:

The Board of Directors of the Genesee County Economic Development Center (GCEDC) voted to accept an application for assistance from T.J. Sheehan, a Massachusetts-based beverage wholesaler with various operations in New York State.

T.J. Sheehan is proposing to convert a former 37,500-square-foot Cargill facility in Alexander to a refrigerated beverage distribution center.  The company intends to invest approximately $1.6 million into the conversion and the project will create nine new jobs. Since the incentives total more than $100,000 a public hearing will be scheduled in the very near future.