“Downtown’s Shop & Savor smAlbany” to launch on Small Business Saturday

O’Connell & Aronowitz presents Shop & Savor smAlbany, two weeks of promotions celebrating and showcasing downtown Albany’s independent businesses this holiday season.

This year, it’s more important than ever to shop small. As an extension of the annual Small Business Saturday event, Downtown’s Shop & Savor smAlbany will run for two consecutive weeks, from Saturday, November 28 through Saturday, December 12.

“Small businesses are a critical part of the fabric of our community,” said Mayor Kathy Sheehan. “This year especially, supporting locally-owned businesses is vital to the local economy, helping to ensure these entrepreneurs continue to succeed and are able to continue employing and serving our residents.”

Small Business Saturday deals, promotions, and events available at the following Downtown businesses on Saturday, November 28.

• Albany Firefighters Museum: Special hours 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM; new notecards, ornaments, and other gifts available for purchase in retail shop.
• Bombshell Hair and Beauty Studio:Black Friday online only gift card sale: purchase $100 in gift cards and receive an additional $50 for free.
• Cafe Capriccio: Gift card specials
• City Beer Hall: Gift card promotion (November 27 – 30): for every $25 spent in gift cards, receive a second $5 gift card free. Promotion available at the restaurant or on the City Beer Hall Square website. Prince Brunch event 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM(reservations required)
• Downtown Studio Fit: online classes available; register on website
• Excelsior Pub: Sale on Excelsior Pub Club memberships; growler giveaway from Growlerwerks: enter to win with each one hour patio table reservation made on the Excelsior Pub website between November 17 and November 28. 
• Far Shot Albany: 15% off gift card purchases
• Fort Orange General Store: Local vendor pop-up event; $10 store gift card with each in-store purchase of $100 or more (gift card for a future purchase only, limit one per customer, available for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday)
• Hot Crispy Oil: 15% off online purchases using code BID15; valid Saturday, November 28-Monday, November 30. To pick up at 14 Green Street, put “Downtown pick up” note in order and shipping will be refunded
• River Garden Studio: 10% off e-gift cards on website; promotion active 5:00 PM Friday, November 27 through midnight Sunday, November 29)
• Root3d: ACTive Meditation class (12:15 PM – 1:15 PM); register on website
• The Yard Hatchet House & Bar: Gift certificate promotion: for every gift card purchased of $100, $25 will be added to the value for no charge

Shop smAlbany Week, from November 28 to December 5, will highlight Downtown retailers, entertainment establishments, fitness and personal service businesses.

Shop smAlbany deals, promotions and events include:

• 48 Hudson: Free “Festive 48” events on Friday, December 4 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM and Saturday, December 5 from 12:00 – 2:00 PM, featuring new holiday decorations and special open house tours available showcasing the newly completed renovations at Albany’s oldest building. Gift items for sale including notecards, books and Nipper masks.
• Bombshell Hair and Beauty Studio: For the month of November: gift cards purchases of $100 receive an additional $20 online and in store; gift boxes for sale that each include a free product.
• Discover Albany Visitors Center: special gift shop hours: open 12 – 2 PM on November 30, December 1 and December 2; 10% off selected items in the gift shop
• Fort Orange General Store:Daily local vendor pop-up events
• Kenmore Ballroom: Tuesday, December 1 and Thursday, December 4 from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM: Open House event with free tours of the newly open historic ballroom with hot cocoa and cookies to-go
• The Palace Theatre: Palace Sessions videos available for streaming on YouTube; donate to support the theater here
• Salon 109: $5, $10, $15 discount specials and salon hair products up to 50% off retail price
• The Yard: 10% off axe-throwing for one hour; gift certificate promotion: for every gift card purchased of $100, $25 will be added to the value for no charge

Savor smAlbany Week, from December 5 to 12, will showcase Downtown dining.

Savor smAlbany deals, promotions and events include:

• Cider Belly Doughnuts: specials available
• Cafe Capriccio: Gift card specials
• City Beer Hall: Saturday, December 5: Winter Carnival event featuring carnival-inspired food and drink specials;  Friday, December 11 and Saturday, December 12: Holiday Flights & Bitesevent 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. featuring flights of beer paired with holiday-style bites.
• The Yard: 10% off Boozy Moo! ice cream pints

To encourage the community to support Downtown’s locally owned and operated businesses during the holiday season, receipts from any purchase made at a Downtown business during these two weeks can be submitted for a chance to win a Shop Small tote bag filled with $500 in merchandise and gift cards from Downtown businesses.

“Small businesses and restaurants have always been there for the Capital Region – playing a pivotal role in providing good-paying jobs and creating a sense of place,” said Assemblymember Patricia Fahy. “Now, we all need to cash in our ‘IOUs’ to our neighbors and patronize our locally-owned eateries and businesses if at all possible in Downtown Albany over the next 2 weeks. As the end of the COVID-19 pandemic comes into focus just a bit more, these businesses – our family, friends, and neighbors – are still depending on us to help them through what has been an incredibly challenging time. I thank the Downtown Albany BID for their work in again driving business to these enterprises and downtown Albany at a time when it’s needed most.”

Learn more about participating locations, promotions, and related events on the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District’s website here: https://downtownalbany.org/shopsavor

Winter Wonderland

While exploring dining and shopping options, visitors can also experience the Downtown Albany BID’s 2020 Placemaking exhibit, Winter Wonderland. Throughout Downtown, storefronts at 19 businesses have been transformed into public art spaces by local artists who created everything from temporary murals to origami displays. The exhibit will be on display through February 2021.

The Winter Wonderland program includes work by:

• Matthew Bartik | Renaissance Albany(144 State Street)& Dawn’s Victory Sports Cafe (10 Sheridan Avenue)
• Angela Cuozzo | The Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott (74 State Street)
• Tim Fealey | Fort Orange General Store (412 Broadway) and Broadway Plaza Liquor (418 Broadway)
• Cara Hanley | Stacks Espresso Bar (488 Broadway) and The Yard Hatchet House & Bar (16 Sheridan Avenue)
• Ali Herrmann | The Kenmore Ballroom (76 N. Pearl Street, Columbia Street windows) and The Steuben Place Apartments (40 Steuben Street, N. Pearl Street storefront)
• Lori Kochanski | City Beer Hall (42 Howard Street)
• Emily Lamb | Cider Belly Doughnuts (25 N. Pearl Street)
• Aaron Northrup | Bombshell Hair & Beauty Studio (488 Broadway)
• Hazal Ozturk | The Palace Theatre (19 Clinton Avenue)
• Ranna Payamfar | Discover Albany Visitors Center (25 Quackenbush Square)
• Tim Reidy | Far Shot Albany (69 N. Pearl Street)
• Scott Somerville | The Hollow Bar + Kitchen (79 N. Pearl Street) and Miranda’s Deli (52 Columbia Street)
• Elaine Wilson | dp An American Brasserie / Yono’s (25 Chapel Street) and Pearl Street Convenience (51 S. Pearl Street)