Teen takes on the Web
Sarah Hall 09/11/09
At 16, most kids have no idea what they want to do with their lives.
That’s not the case with Clay resident Chris Voll.
Not only does Voll, a junior at Liverpool High School, have career aspirations; he’s already putting them into action.
Voll runs chrisvoll.com, a Web site that showcases his abilities in web design. He specializes in user experience design – the part of the Web site that visitors see – and has already designed Web sites for a number of private clients...
CATEGORY: General Society
TAGS: chrisvoll.com; Voll, 16-year-old
Hudson & Mowins has heart & soul
Melissa Renahan 07/24/09
When Hudson & Mowins was founded in 1946, there was one car bay, a very small shop and the hurdles of being a new business to overcome. 63 years later the business, which has remained in the Hudson family through three generations, has more than doubled in both size and clientele, with eight bays, a two-story shop and office space and an ever-expanding customer base.
Owner Greg Hudson, grandson of the founder, describes it as a “premiere shop” and from the looks of things, he’s right. For six years running, they have been awarded the AAA Top Shop award.
“We run a one-stop shop. From brakes to tires to emissions, we can handle it,” said Hudson, who has run the shop with his wife Cathy since 2002...
CATEGORY: General Business
Fusion is a gem
Betty Wiese 06/26/09
We were the only diners as we entered Fusion on a recent Tuesday night. This newly created dining and entertainment spot is in the old Critells’a on Route 11 in North Syracuse. We were offered a choice of the formally set, but empty, dining room or a table in the bar and we opted for the latter. We were ushered into the burgundy and mahogany bar, brightly lit by a large picture window with an unattractive view. The waiter/ host/ bartender turned out to be the owner, Tony, whose fiancée handles the kitchen duties.
If you are strictly a roast and potatoes person, this may not be the place for you. But if you like to try old favorites in new clothes, we strongly recommend Fusion. What the menu lacks in size, it more than makes up for in interest...
CATEGORY: General Business
Cabinets with Care
Melissa Renahan 06/26/09
“When people hear the name they ask ‘what is that, an insurance agency?’” jokes Leesa Hovey, owner of Truax and Hovey. That confusion is why two years ago they renamed the business as Hearth, Cabinets and More. Now people at least know what they do in their spacious showroom and offices, located on Buckley Road in Clay, by the intersection of Morgan Road.
Hovey, who lives in Baldwinsville, has been around the interior construction business all of her life since it was started by her father over 50 years ago. For many of those years they had an additional showroom in Rochester, but now they operate solely out of Clay.
Despite the economy, Hovey says that kitchen remodels are still taking place, albeit on more conservative budgets...
CATEGORY: General Business
Grimsley Agency Keeps Insurance Friendly
Melissa Renahan 05/27/09
Insurance is a tricky thing that most people know they should have, but aren’t quite sure of the details. There’s the type of coverage, the length of the policy, the cost and even which company will underwrite the policy to decide on.
For two decades, the Grimsley Agency located nearby on W. Taft Road, has been the kind of place that will answer those questions. The agency serves as an intermediary between clients and over 40 of the largest insurance companies in the country, like Erie, NY Central Mutual and Travelers.
The agents and brokers at Grimsley work with their clients (or as they are all quick to correct “for their clients”) to find the best coverage at the best price based on each specific situation and individual...
CATEGORY: General Business
Gravinas grows flowers and business
Christina Lackey 05/05/09
The gardeners are coming out! This time of year, it seems like every drive through a neighborhood will offer the sight of someone out working in their garden beds getting ready for summer. Although it's still too early to plant those annuals, the spring clean-up is in full swing. Leaves are being removed, dead plants trimmed back, and mulch is being refreshed. Of course, many Clay residents plan on at least one trip to Gravina Gardens and Ace Hardware on Buckley Road as part of their planting ritual, and with good reason.
“Spring is our favorite time of year. People enjoy working outside after our long winters,” said owner Marty Mulrooney. That is very evident from the hustling, bustling atmosphere on a weekday afternoon at Gravina...
CATEGORY: General Business
Juanita's sizzles in the kitchen
Betty and Richard Wiese 05/05/09
Let’s begin by saying that if you’re on a diet this is not the place to go for dinner. However, if you just want a great meal with a Mexican flavor, you’re in for a treat at Juanita’s. Located at the corner of Old Liverpool Road and Pearl Street, the building has formerly been a Ponderosa and a Chinese buffet, but we’re hoping Juanita’s is here to stay in its new suburban location.
The room was full when we arrived early on a Saturday evening. The terra cotta walls with some Mexican accents invited us to our booth; but the hard, unpadded wooden benches were less inviting. The tables, a bit small for four diners, have padded chairs...
CATEGORY: General Business
No Problem Plumbing with Peterson
Sue Lindsley 03/30/09
A pipe bursts. The toilet starts backing up. You want to upgrade your bathrooms. Who are you going to call? Flip through the Yellow Pages and you will find page after page of plumbers but how can you distinguish one from the rest? Are the people who are advertising actually licensed plumbers that you can trust? They may not be. What is a homeowner to do?
Peterson Plumbing located in Liverpool, off of 7th North Street, has been around since 1995. They service mainly Onondaga County and emphasize that no job is too big or too small. Peterson Plumbing has worked all different kinds of plumbing jobs...
CATEGORY: Small Business
Out to Eat: Nesticos
Betty and Richard Wiese 03/30/09
A pleasant Saturday night found us at Nestico’s on Route 11 in North Syracuse. Reservations for less than five are not available, but several empty parking spaces made us confident that we would be seated without a wait. We waited a few minutes for a booth, but we could have had immediate seating at a table. Nicely decorated with shades of tan and peach and large paintings by a local artist, Nestico’s is a welcoming, comfortable place with a fireplace often roaring. Tables are set with attractive plastic tablecloths and cloth napkins. The service is friendly and helpful; Julie, the owner, constantly roams the floor.
We began with a bottle of the house red, Foxhorn California Merlot, for a very reasonable $17. It was a light red merlot lacking body, but still quite pleasant...
CATEGORY: General Society
Mixed results at the Euclid
Betty Wiese 03/02/09
It was a chilly Tuesday evening, but we were warmly greeted at the Euclid Restaurant on Route 31 in Clay. The hostess led us to a table set for four, but never removed the extra services. The Euclid has been a staple of the Clay dining scene for a very long time, but as we had not been there for over a decade, it was new to us. The décor is simple with wood paneled walls and some decorations. The bar, which occupies an open room adjacent to the restaurant, was almost empty. A party was being held in the private upstairs room, and we watched as platters were carried up the narrow stairs.
An almost overwhelmingly large menu offers everything from pizza ($10-14) and sandwiches ($4.50-8), to Italian dinners ($10-16) and steaks and chops ($9-20)...
CATEGORY: General Business
Out of this world
Melissa Renahan 03/02/09
Venus Salon and Day Spa could be considered a diamond in the rough. The one-story, white structure is not impressive at first glance. Furthermore, it blends in with the snow and seems unlikely as a place to get pampered and pretty. Then you walk inside and your perspective immediately changes.
The approximately 2000 sq ft building, which was formerly Kathy’s Country Kitchen, has been completely refurbished on the inside and now looks like the best salon in any city. The warmly painted walls are offset by tasteful, yet eclectic, furnishings and a few flickering candles add to the natural lighting. Around the main floor of the salon, sleekly organized stations for each stylist jut out and the high-gloss wood floors are swept frequently...
CATEGORY: General Business
Feeding Frenzy at Fresno's
Betty Wiese 01/29/09
We stopped at Fresno’s on the corner of Route 11 and Taft Road in North Syracuse for a late Sunday morning brunch. We were warmly greeted and placed at a bright booth near the windows overlooking Route 11. The light ash wood booths with inlaid tile tables were a perfect foil for the many western artifacts on the walls; and even with the many television and QuickDraw screens around the room, our view was not compromised.
Despite a sign outside the door stating that the bar was open from 11 to 2 a.m., we were told that the restaurant did not serve on Sundays until noon. That put a damper on the much-anticipated Bloody Marys, so instead we settled for coffee ($1.59) and juice ($1.29)...
CATEGORY: General Society
Technology Recycler Moves to Clay
Melissa Renahan 01/29/09
Recycling is an important issue. Things like glass, cans and paper are easily disposed of in CNY, and many things can be donated to the Salvation Army or churches, but what about technology? As technological advances continually move forward, we are left with many antiquated printers, computers, phones and faxes that are no longer useful and left to clutter up desks and closets. Luckily for Clay residents and businesses, a solution just moved to town.
OC Management started off 2009 in a new space when they relocated from North Syracuse to Clay. Their business, which is slightly hard to label, involves the dismantling and recycling of obsolete and surplus information technology (IT) equipment...
CATEGORY: General Business
Business Profile: Raymond's Car Care
Christina Lackey 01/29/09
It seems like sometimes choosing a mechanic for your automotive “baby” can be as difficult as choosing a doctor for your real baby. There are so many things to consider: proximity to work and home, referrals, policies, range of services and customer service are a few, but that really only begins the list. No one knows that better than Raymond of Raymond’s Car Care on Wetzel Road in Clay.
Raymond opened his business here 12 years ago and has seen steady growth since, although his family and cars are his only loves. A lifelong mechanic, Raymond is proud to live and work in the town he grew up in. He and his family live close to the shop in the town of Clay and his children attend Liverpool Schools...
CATEGORY: General Business
