Whole in the Wall: A Binghamton Staple

Whole in the Wall, a restaurant at 43 South Washington Street in the Southbridge section of Binghamton, has been serving up dishes that make its customers salivate since 1980. Co-Founder and senior partner Eliot Fiks has taken an approach that emphasizes buying quality ingredients from local vendors. Whole in the Wall is adding a new wrinkle to their restaurant: starting December 4^th, their hours of operation will change to Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 AM to 10 PM to accommodate greater demand from customers.

Some of the menu items at Whole in the Wall have become especially popular, says junior partner Stacey Gould. She holds up their creamy mushroom soup as a fan favorite. Indeed, the author can confirm that the soup is delicious. In addition, the restaurant boasts that it makes delicious whole-wheat garlic balls on-site.

Stacey insists that a big part of Whole in the Wall’s success is the quality of their food. Whole in the Wall's menu is comprised entirely of unprocessed items. Instead of using processed white rice and corn syrup, Whole in the Wall uses brown rice, local honey and maple syrup. According to Stacy, these “good, clean ingredients” are “good for you, but also delicious.”

In addition to the restaurant, Whole in the Wall has operated a pesto business since 1994. The pesto business has been very successful; Fiks and Gould have been making sales all over the U.S. Whole in the Wall does most of its pesto sales on the Eastern Seaboard and the Midwest. One reason for opening the pesto business was to diversify Whole in the Wall’s revenue streams, says Stacey.

In addition to the pesto business, Whole in the Wall is attempting to start selling its soups and garlic balls online. Stacey says many Binghamton University students who ultimately move from Binghamton after graduation will want to continue to eat Whole in the Wall’s flavorful meals. Setting up an online retail operation will make it much easier for students to keep patronizing the restaurant, even if they’re hundreds of miles away.

Eliot Fiks started Whole in the Wall in 1980 after attending Binghamton University. Eliot had made 200 bagels daily by hand and delivered them by bicycle to the Binghamton University Food Co-Operative. Right off the bat, Eliot was committed to buying local; he went to local farmers for his eggs. “He was ahead of his time,” says Stacey. To this day, Whole in the Wall remains committed to buying local.

For more information on Whole in the Wall, call them at (607) 777-6344, or visit their website at wholeinthewall.com.

Binghamton Hots: A Savory Destination for Good Food

Binghamton Hots, a restaurant located at 128 Washington Street in Downtown Binghamton, is entering its second year of operation. Owner David Whalen says he wanted to introduce the “hot plate” to Binghamton residents while also serving the burgeoning student population in Downtown Binghamton. Whalen hopes that Binghamton Hots continues to grow and thrive alongside the downtown area.

Whalen was compelled to open Binghamton Hots because he saw the opening of two large, ambitious student housing projects in the area as a great opportunity to tap into a new market. Whalen saw the influx of students to the downtown area and realized there would be increased demand for “late-night food,” which is Binghamton Hots’ specialty. Binghamton Hots’ signature menu item, the hot plate, is inspired by the garbage plates of Rochester. “Garbage plates are huge with students in Rochester,” states Whalen. When Whalen realized that few people in the Binghamton area knew about garbage plates, he knew he needed to introduce the phenomenon to Binghamton residents and its student population.

While Binghamton Hots is very popular among students, its target population is not limited to people looking for a midnight snack; Binghamton Hots is also open for lunch. “We see a lot of professionals who work downtown” and come in for lunch, says Whalen. Binghamton Hots has many menu items and portion sizes more suited for lunch. Despite the abundance of lunch options, Whalen finds that professionals often opt to have the hot plate for lunch.

Downtown Binghamton is “prime real estate,” according to Whalen. Part of the reason why Whalen chose to open a business in Binghamton was because of the efforts the City of Binghamton is making to create a more business-friendly environment. “We knew we could turn to them” for assistance, Whalen opines. In addition, Whalen feels that Binghamton is being revitalized and that “things are heading in the right direction.”

Whalen, a young Binghamton University alumnus who has lived in the Binghamton area for most of his life, sees the potential for additional growth in Binghamton. He believes that the combination of student housing, First Friday events, permanent residents, and private investment will help Binghamton spring forward and continue its development. Whalen also has high hopes for his business; he sees an opportunity for exponential growth and hopes that “we [Binghamton Hots] grow with downtown.”

Czech Pleeze: Bringing Old World Cuisine Back to Binghamton

Czech Pleeze, a recently opened restaurant on the east side of Binghamton offers city residents a new source of delicious Czechoslovakian and American foods.  Owner Dan McLarney was inspired by his family’s rich history to reintroduce a type of food and culture back into the Binghamton community.

Lifetime Binghamton resident Dan McLarney is a Graphic Artist turned chef. Growing up in the first ward of Binghamton, he spent time with his mother learning how to cook hundred year old recipes. Unfortunately, the recipes he grew up with have slowly disappeared from the area. For some time the only way  to purchase sweets like Kolachki was during holidays; lines formed in front of eastern European churches in order to purchase old world favorites, but year round remained extremely hard to come by. McLarney hopes that with his restaurant he can “bridge a generational gap” and reintroduce the tasty and comforting flavors of Czechoslovakian cuisine to Binghamton residents.

As a previously untapped niche in Binghamton dining, McLarney wants to serve as an attractive alternative to fast food options. Czech food is a “comfort food” said McLarney, and there is something special about that. The ingredients his restaurant uses are all bought locally, and McLarney constantly strives to serve his community. He has “something for everybody” and offers American favorites like sub sandwiches and pumpkin cookies in addition to more traditional options. He also offers catering and pastry platters comprised of exquisitely baked delicacies.

McLarney’s vision is for his restaurant to grow into a well known spot to purchase Czech favorites. Once people try his food for the first time, they understand the magic that goes into his cooking. While many residents have never tried Czech cuisine before, those that do try it are always glad that they did.

Dan McLarney has heavily invested in his community by selling his house and opening this restaurant. By bringing a new business to Binghamton that offers something both new and old, an extreme alternative to current restaurants yet a historical staple of the area, McLarney and Czech Pleeze are working towards creating a more culturally vibrant and diverse community.

Czech Pleeze is located on 223 Robinson Street on the East Side of Binghamton, NY. Their phone number is (607) 217-4889. Information can be found on their Website and Facebook Page

FreshySites: A Fresh New Approach to Web Design

FreshySites, an ambitious new web development company, has established quite a presence in Binghamton. FreshySites co-founder and partner Ben Giordano has lived in the Binghamton area his whole life and bases his office out of the West Side of Binghamton. He hopes to expand and make downtown Binghamton the headquarters of his fledgling business.

FreshySites wishes to provide a “fresh approach” to web design. Giordano says that web design has changed significantly in the past several years; many companies have not recognized this.  Giordano aims to provide more personalized website development services at a competitive price. Giordano says that FreshySites provides a product that is similar to that of local design shops and ad agencies, but can provide that product at a much lower cost. FreshySites uses the “latest and greatest internet tools and security” for website construction and support. Additionally, Giordano proclaims that FreshySites provides superior support at a fair price. Most other companies charge a customer every time they ask for support; on the other hand, FreshySites charges a flat monthly rate. “The support fees are built into the cost” of the website, says Giordano. FreshySites wants to be upfront with their clients and not ambush them with service fees or hidden charges; the idea is to be “all-inclusive.”

FreshySites also believes that they should be responsive to their customers. Giordano wishes to offer his clients something “better than a cheap, limited-functioning website.” The partners are willing to have one-on-one sit-downs with clients in order to figure out what kinds of websites would be best for their businesses. In addition, any updates submitted by clients for their websites are implemented within 24 hours free of charge. Giordano indicates that being accessible to customers is a high priority; as a matter of fact, customer service is their number one priority.

FreshySites has an egalitarian approach to web design; they believe that high-end web design should be spread to the general public. “Everyone should be able to afford high-end web design,” posits Giordano. FreshySites wishes to “build a lot of websites for a lot of people,” and give small businesses access to high-quality professional websites. “Most people don’t realize how affordable a good website is,” states Giordano.

The young business has been growing very quickly. Giordano says he started the business in January, and already has 56 active customers. In one year, FreshySites hopes to have well over 200 customers. Giordano estimates that roughly 70% of his clients are in the Binghamton area, but other customers are located in areas such as New York City, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.  In addition, Giordano says he hopes to establish his offices in downtown Binghamton and hire Binghamton University graduates for FreshySites. “There are many opportunities for businesses [in Binghamton]…there is so much talent in Binghamton,” contends Giordano.

Ben Giordano was born and raised in the Binghamton area, and went to Maine-Endwell High School. He went to Virginia Tech for his undergraduate degree in Marketing Management. He had been working for a consulting firm in Binghamton until he decided he wanted to make his side business of web design his profession. “I wanted to be my own boss,” added Giordano. The budding web designer now calls the West Side of Binghamton home, where he resides with his wife and three month-old son. Giordano acknowledges that the last year has been busy, but that he has enjoyed it very much.

If you would like to inquire about FreshySites’ services, you can visit their website: FreshySites Website Design; or call them directly at (607) 238-2789.

Green Way Pavements: A New Twist on Paving

 

Green Way Pavements, a “green” paving company, has moved into their new offices at 123 Court Street in Binghamton. Zeljka Roksandic and Robert Gerard, the owners, believe that there are great opportunities in Binghamton for green paving options. The owners contend that their products are of a high quality, are environmentally friendly, and are competitively priced. Additionally, these paving services can be customized so easily that the owners encourage their customers to “design your driveway.”

Zeljka and Robert first became interested in green paving when they were researching alternatives for driveway paving two years ago. They decided that concrete was too expensive and that asphalt was not durable enough for them. The owners eventually found an alternative, which consisted of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic grid-pavers; small stones, topsoil, and grass could be put into the cells. This alternative not only was affordable, but required little maintenance, was environmentally friendly, and was as effective as other paving options. However, Zeljka and Robert found that the biggest manufacturers of these pavers were outside the U.S. At that point in time, ingenuity struck; the couple started Green Way Pavements.

The paving options offered by Green Way Pavements have several advantages over other alternatives. The green paving is much less expensive than concrete, and is similarly priced to asphalt. It is also far more durable than asphalt and thus has much lower maintenance costs. As a matter of fact, green paving typically requires little maintenance. In addition, the green paving is much more aesthetically pleasing than the blacktop of asphalt; the green paving “looks very natural,” according to Zeljka, while asphalt “smells like an oil field.” The product offered by Green Way Pavements also has a multitude of applications, from driveways, to pathways, to tennis courts. Furthermore, Robert and Zeljka stress the fact that removing snow from the paving is easy. “The plows should be raised 1 inch above the paver,” notes Zeljka.

The above advantages are appealing, but the most alluring aspect of the paving offered is its environmentally-friendly qualities. The product is completely comprised of recycled consumer waste materials. In addition, it is 95% permeable, which means that “water goes straight to the water table,” says Robert; he argues that the permeability of the paving may decrease the impact of flooding. Robert states that the permeability also is good because “nature is the best purifier” for water. By comparison, asphalt and concrete driveways are 5% permeable. The owners note that there is a dearth of investment in green products in the U.S. relative to other countries. In 2011, Europe invested over $100 billion in green products, and China surpassed the U.S. with $52.2 billion in green investment (the U.S. invested $50.8 billion)^*. Robert posits that there is a growing demand for green products in the U.S., but that it is not being adequately catered to.

Another advantage of the green paving is that it is very easy to customize. The grid’s cells can be filled with different-colored stones, mulch, wood chips, topsoil, seeded grass, and sod. Customers can put in any design they desire, and they can change the design at any time in the future. In addition, the installation of the paving can be done fairly easily, so it is possible for clients who have a Do-It-Yourself orientation to install the paving themselves.

Zeljka and Robert are new to the Binghamton area, but fell in love with their house on the South Side of Binghamton. They say they share a love of Binghamton’s geography, specifically its rivers and rolling hills. The couple, now married for ten years, feels that there are opportunities in Binghamton. “We see the potential in [Binghamton],” says Zeljka. Additionally, Zeljka and Robert say they are happy in Binghamton, and wish to spread that happiness to others. “We are in the ‘people business,’” states Robert. “Paving is just one expression of that business.”

For more information about Green Way Pavements, visit their website at http://greenwaypavements.com.

                    

*Source: MacGuire, E. (2012). Who’s funding the green revolution? CNN. Jun 12. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2012/06/12/world/renewables-finance-unep/index.html?hpt=hp_c4

113 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY

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The CommuniKey: Proving that a great strategy can unlock the student market for area businesses

What if you and three of your best friends got together right after graduation and hatched a business idea that brought together the area's leading businesses and one of Binghamton's most sought-after demographics?

The result would be the CommuniKey, an exclusive membership card that connects Binghamton's 20,000+ college students to the local community through a series of discounts, events, and giveaways.

Touted as “your ultimate Friend with Benefits,” students simply sign up for the $10 discount card – then head on out to the restaurants, bars, clubs, stores, and other area businesses who participate in the program. The result? Students keep a little more change in their wallet, and local businesses get a whole load more change in theirs.

Sample discounts include 10% off at many area restaurants, including Despina's, Burger Mondays, and Binghamton Hots; free appetizers at Lampy's Mediterranean Grill; BOGO tickets to Roberson; $2 admission to BingMets games; and 20% off beauty and spa services. Students can save an unlimited amount of money, and from the perspective of local businesses, Burger Mondays owner Rob Hutchings sums up his experience: “The CommuniKey has immensely helped bring the university into our restaurant. I am thoroughly impressed with the operations of the company and hope to partner with them as much as possible in the near future."

The CommuniKey is the brainchild of three Binghamton University business graduates -- Jimmy Orband, 23, from Endicott; Adam Sabol, 23, also from Endicott; David Simel, 22, from Long Island -- and Oswego graduate David Brosius, 32, from Rochester.

While still at college, these entrepreneurs – being part of the very demographic that the CommuniKey now seeks out – were in the perfect position to realize that there was a gap in the market for a student discount card, and conducted preliminary research to determine if their instincts were correct. They also credit their studies at BU with giving them additional confidence to launch their business: “We were inspired by our Leadership 353 class at BU, which taught us how to interact with businesses in the area,” notes Orband, CEO of the CommuniKey.

Eventually, the CommuniKey team hopes to take its business model to other college towns. For now, Orband says that “businesses who participate have expressed to us that their student traffic has picked up significantly. Our events also attract a number of students to these businesses. Local businesses definitely see the value.”

Go to thecommunikey.com to sign up, learn more, or to check out their special offers.

From left to right, the CommuniKey team: David Simel, Adam Sabol, Dave Brosius, and Jimmy Orband.

Vat's More Like It: Binghamton Now Has Its Very Own Brew Pub

Meeting a demand for consumers who enjoy a microbrew close to home, local couple John and Michele Bleichert recently started Water Street Brewing Co., Binghamton's first brew pub.

The pub is located opposite Boscov's, at 168 Water Street, in a building that was once a burlesque theater and most recently a day care and dance studio. It has since been transformed into a sleek urban brewery, with exposed brick and stainless steel.

And since it's the only brewery within a 90-minute radius of the city, it is already a huge hit, despite having only been open for a little over a month.

The owners were able to secure a $70,000 loan from the Binghamton Local Development Corporation to help with employee hiring and other major start-up costs such as the matching set of huge brew tanks that were brought in from California – and carefully installed via a front window to avoid damaging the historic building's ironwork facade.

Following their motto “Fresh. Local. Uncomplicated”, Water Street beer is all brewed on site and currently includes American Bitter, an American version of the traditional British bitter; Thousand Year Porter, “a comtemplative after-dinner brew”; an IPA; a U.S. Pale Ale “with caramel and sourdough notes”; and a Hefeweizen Bavarian wheat ale.

There is also a selection of wines, including ones from Cayuga Lake and Chenango Forks. The brew pub serves food, from spiedies to vegetarian meatloaf to PBJs – so there's something on the menu for everyone. The owners are even planning to sell growlers for take-out beer.

Despite the long hours and challenges of opening a new business, John and Michele Bleichert both say they don't regret a single day – although Michele does note that at the beginning of the project she warned her parents “we may be showing up on their doorstep with the pooch, the cats, and our luggage.”

Here's to the continued success of the Water Street Brewing Co.!

Water Street Brewing Co. is open Tuesday through Sunday. Check out their site at www.waterstreetbrewingco.com