Hi blog readers,

Jamie's off today, but I've got some tidbits of biz news to get you through the weekend...

1. We were alerted via Twitter (thanks @SaratogaShoots) that the big 'For Rent' signs in the windows of the former Borders bookstore were taken down earlier this week. Though hopeful that meant the place was finally rented, alas that does not seem to be the case. Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President Todd Shimkus said Thursday that the signs were outdated and that's why they were taken down. A message left at the offices of Myron M. Hunt, the western New York-based company that owns the building, went unreturned this week.

2. This afternoon, the Saratoga Idiots reported rumors that Divinyl Revolution had found a new home in the Downtown Marketplace so I sent intrepid photographer Erica Miller all the way across the street to check it out. She didn't find Divinyl Revolution (which closed after several years on Broadway earlier this week... but you knew that, because you read the paper), but she did find a few other tidbits...

3. Fiat Feminae, one of three lingerie shops to open downtown last year, seems to have closed:

Fiat did move from Broadway into the marketplace in October, so maybe it's moving again. Or maybe three lingerie shops was too many for one small city.

4. Recycling Red Dresses, the consignment shop located right under the stairs of Downstreet Marketplace, is undergoing a transformation. A quick web search reveals that a new store, called Vesture, will be opening in the space on May 9.

Vesture will sell "children's clothing and vintage, recycled clothing and accessories," according to its website.  The inventory of Recycling Red Dress will also be sold, at reduced prices. We will hopefully have much more on this next week.

5. Speaking of Downtown Marketplace, when is Comfort Kitchen going to open?  We first reported on their plans to open in the space formerly occupied by Bettie's Cakes back in September, and now we're getting taunted on a daily basis by their delicious twitter feed. Stop being such a tease, Comfort Kitchen! Saratoga.com had an interview with owner Rory Moran last week (warning: it will make you hungry).

6. While perusing the Saratoga County property transactions today, I saw that the sale of the former Champion (and Topper before that) car dealership was made official last week. We reported in February that local developer Frank Parillo was planning to buy the South Broadway property, but we still don't know what he's planning to do with it. The deed lists the sale price as $2.3 million and includes the 135 S. Broadway address as well as addresses on Prospect Street, Prospect Drive and Finley Street that are behind and sort of next to the main location. Any guesses as to what Parillo might be planning? We'll put another call into him next week to ask. Don't you hate when your Monday to-do list is already growing and it's only Friday, womp womp.

7. On the subject of to-do lists, "write blog post about Alex and Ani" has been on mine since late March... oops. Here's the scoop: by now you may have noticed that Saratoga Sundress moved from its location near Cold Stone Creamery and Chico's in Congress Park Center further north on Broadway near Saratoga Arms. Their old storefront won't be vacant for long, however. Alex and Ani, a Rhode Island-based jewelry company, is planning to move into the location in the near future. I first got wind of this via my mom (thanks mom!)  who heard a commercial on the radio. When I called the company's Cranston, RI headquarters in late March, I spoke to Iris Carlomusto, the company's director of marketing. Alex and Ani sells a variety of American-made jewelry for women and men, but it's signature items are bracelets with an expandable wire design -- they slip over your wrist and don't have a clasp. The company has nine locations across the country in places like Newport and Providence, RI, Martha's Vineyard, Boston and Palm Beach, Fla.
"We're a positive energy lifestyle brand," Carlomusto said. Each bangle has a charm on it and three "positive energy" words associated with it  like "welcome," "warmth" and " friendship." They've also got a Kentucky Derby collection (maybe a Travers collection is in their future now that they'll be setting up shop in the home of Saratoga Race Course...).
So the positive energy thing sounds a bit hokey, I realize, but I really do like these bracelets. In fact, I'm wearing one right now (it's got a shamrock on it ). I like them and Cranston, RI, where the company started, also happens to be where my mom grew up. Most of her family still lives nearby and they've all got wrists full of Alex and Ani bracelets. I've got a soft spot in my heart for all things Rhode Island because of my family connections to the ocean state. It was also where I moved right out of college and got my first reporting job. Ok, thanks for taking that little trip down memory lane with me. (No, I was not paid to write this blog post... if I was taking kick-backs I wouldn't be having a(nother) vending machine dinner tonight.)

Ok, I think those tidbits, combined with a little tequila, should get you through the weekend. Enjoy Cinco de Mayo and we'll see you back here next week. As always, if you've got news tips email Jamie Munks, jmunks@saratogian.com, or the newsroom, news@saratogian.com.

-- Emily Donohue