Dana and Tracy Martin are the proud owners of Germantown Laundromat & Shop, a staple in the hamlet of Germantown since 1965. The couple purchased the business in 2018, and since then they have been busy expanding their offerings and upgrading the property.
Today, the familiar little building on Chuch Avenue houses a sustainable shop, a weekly on-site seamstress, as well as a traditional laundromat. And it’s now painted a bright, cheery yellow and features a bocce court and seating in the backyard.
“Germantown Laundromat has been here over half a century,” says Tracy. “We wanted to keep the business going while adding products and services that support environmentally friendly behaviors, like a weekly seamstress for alterations and repairs. It’s a laundromat that aims to teach the community the impact our daily choices have on our bodies and the earth.”
Once Dana and Tracy purchased the property, they turned to Columbia Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) to help finance the cost of inventory and new equipment. The couple were approved for an SBA 
Microloan, which qualified them to receive free technical assistance from one of CEDC’s business consultants.
“The consultant who assisted with setting up our books was terrific,” according to Tracy. “Having one-on-one training to set up QuickBooks and payroll was extremely helpful.”
Germantown Laundromat is no ordinary laundromat. It has free Wi-Fi, indoor + outdoor seating, a water refill station and restroom. The laudromat is open 24/7. A seamstress is onsite on Fridays. The sustainable shop is open Thursday-Sunday, 11-5pm. The business can be reached by calling 518.537.7133 or emailing hello@germantownlaundromat.com. Follow along on instagram @germantown_laundromat.
Talbott & Arding Cheese & Provisions
423 Warren Street, Hudson, NY 12534
talbottandarding.com | 518.828.3558
Talbott & Arding Cheese & Provisions opened on Warren Street in Hudson in 2016. It was clear from the beginning this was a specialty food shop that was truly special.
On the surface, it’s a cheese and pastry shop with a bakery and prepared foods to go. But on top of that, the company has developed a line of crackers and preserves under the Talbott & Arding name that is sold on the internet. The owners are investing in their website to drive e-commerce while increasing revenue in their flagship store. They are investing in infrastructure and staff development, and exploring a partnership with a complementary business. They cater events throughout the Hudson Valley and the New York metropolitan area.
As the Talbott & Arding brand continues to grow, the owners remain grateful to be part of Columbia County. To quote Kate Arding, “The heart of the business is here.”
“CEDC provided an SBA Microloan to Talbott & Arding Cheese & Provisions
shortly after it opened in 2014. The business leveraged those funds to expand and create jobs. As the business continues to grow, the owners are re-investing in both the business and their community. We are proud to recognize atrue small business success story, ” stated CEDC President Michael Tucker.
The owners say they have received nothing but support from the community. But they also give support. While working countless hours to build the business, the owners make time to teach cooking skills to children through the Hudson Youth Department. They share their business skills with at-risk girls in the Hudson City School District. Talbott and Arding know the meaning of the word – community.
NancyScans and 3DPhotoworks
124 Hudson, Avenue, Chatham, NY 12037
3DPhotoWorks.com | 800.604.1199
NancyScans was founded in 1994 in Chatham, New York by husband-and-wife team John and Nancy Olson. A former award-winning 
photographer, John identified a need for printing and scanning services for artists and fine art photographers. The business started by offering a wide range of scanning, printing, and fabricating services for photographers, artists and exhibit designers.
After a decade in business, printing technology was changing, and John saw an opportunity to add 3D printing to NancyScans’ services. In 2009, he approached Columbia Economic Development Corp. to help finance the purchase of a new 3D printer. The loan was approved, and soon NancyScans was offering 3D photographic printing, which was followed by 3D photographic sculpting utilizing a CNC carving router.
More recently, John has been creating 3D prints of artworks through a related business he formed, 3DPhotoWorks. Any 2D image can be converted to 3D, which creates a bas-relief print. tactile fine art printing is now exhibited in museums throughout North America, which has opened a whole new world for blind people.
“Being able to experience art through touch has allowed sight-impaired museum visitors to capture visual information without assistance,” according to John. “They tell us that experiencing art and photography on their own creates a sense of increased freedom and independence that is life-changing.”
Drafted at 19, John Olson served as a combat photographer in the Vietnam War. From there, he became the youngest staff photographer ever hired by Life Magazine. He had never met a blind person before embarking on his latest venture. But as a photographer, he wanted to make sure everyone, including the world’s 285 million blind and visually-impaired people, could experience art and photography the way he does.
3DPhotoWorks has completed 15 museum installations at six museums in Canada and the United States. John and his team are currently producing museum projects for the blind in the U.S., Europe and the middle east. He has appeared on Fox News Channel, CNN, and in People Magazine to talk about people “seeing” art, some for the very first time.
“Without the loan from CEDC, we would not have been able to serve the blind community,” said John Olson. “CEDC provided the foundation for creating world-wide change for blind people.”
Saisonnier
11 Chatham Street, Kinderhook, NY 12106
Saisonnier is a family-owned beer, cheese and sundries bar and shop located in the heart of Kinderhook. Founded in 2018 by Kasey and Patrick Kenny, the business offers 150 craft beers, local artisanal cheese, select wines, choice charcuterie, and provisions for dine in or takeaway.
The majority of their products and ingredients are produced by local farmers, artisans and brewers.
Kasey and Patrick moved from Brooklyn to the Hudson Valley to start a family as well as a small business. They found an ideal live/work situation in a historic building on Chatham Street in the Village of Kinderhook.
“The entire community has been supportive of our plan from the beginning,” according to Patrick. The couple and their two-year-old son live upstairs while the tavern occupies the ground floor.
Shortly after arriving, Patrick enrolled in the 8-Week MicroBusiness Seminar Series offered by Columbia Economic Development Corporation. He took advantage of the free Technical Assistance to finish his business plan and learn QuickBooks. A small business loan from CEDC helped finance the start-up costs.
“CEDC provided the gap financing that made the project come together,” said Patrick.
Saisonnier provides a comfortable space for the community while also supporting local agriculture. It is open Mondays & Thursdays 11:30am-9:00pm, Fridays & Saturdays 11:30am-10:30pm and Sundays 11:30am-7:00pm. Events and parties can be scheduled using the space by calling 518.610.8100. Follow along on instagram @ok_saisonnier.