Glens Falls Chronicle Serving the Glens Falls/Lake George region; Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties since 1980
By Zander Frost, Chronicle Staff Writer
CHRONICLE FIRST: Uncommon Grounds — the downtown Saratoga Springs coffee and bagel mainstay — will open in Queensbury at the former site of Recovery Grill, The Chronicle has learned.
“This is a special location and we believe Uncommon Grounds will provide the community with another place to gather and connect in an inviting and welcoming atmosphere,” said an Uncommon Grounds official. “We look forward to opening Spring 2024.”
Uncommon Grounds, founded in Saratoga Springs in 1992, is rapidly expanding. Besides Saratoga, it has two shops in Albany and another in Clifton Park, and reportedly plans to open in Bethlehem. Queensbury will be its sixth shop.
“We’re very excited to welcome Uncommon Grounds into Queensbury and specifically into our property at Glen Square,” Lisa Nigro Ferguson, CEO and in-house counsel for Nigro Retail Properties told The Chronicle. Nigro Properties manages Glen Square.
The store size is around 8,000 square feet. “This is a bigger concept for them. It’s a few thousand square feet bigger than what they normally are occupying,” Ms. Ferguson said.
She said Recovery Bar and Grill departed at the end of August.
“Uncommon Grounds was very, very anxious to get in. It worked out very well. For for all involved.”
The location is “an end cap,” Ms. Ferguson added. “For visibility purposes, it’ll be really good for Uncommon Grounds. They’re on a corner spot there.”
The property, which includes Big Lots and Tractor Supply, is fully occupied. It’s at 751 Upper Glen Street, U.S. Route 9.
Nigro has a history with Uncommon Grounds at its Albany University Plaza. Uncommon was “one of the original tenants when we redeveloped that property back in the late 90’s,” Ms. Ferguson said.
“We’ve been very happy to have them as a tenant of ours in Albany for all of these years and we’re thrilled to have them opening up…in Queensbury.”
Ms. Ferguson said of Recovery Grill, “They seem to be more focused now on their locations where they have a hotel business also.”
In Glen Square, she said, “We have a prime strip center shopping plaza…right in the heart of Queensbury. It’s got great visibility, it’s been there for many years.”
Most Nigro properties are south towards Albany. Ms. Ferguson said of the Queensbury/Glens Falls market, “It’s a very liveable, nice-sized city. It’s desirable for families, it’s a safe community… it seems that it’s a growing community.”
Jessica Nigro Dailey, Nigro Properties Vice President said, “I think you’re going to catch a lot of people who go up the Northway towards the Lake George area and the lake region…in the summer and in the winter too. And all the ski areas, going up and down the Northway and people wanting to stop and shop and dine. I think that’s attractive too.”
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