Gordon Woodworth (2021)
Raul's restaurant owner bought the Dizzy Chicken building at 72 South Street. He sees economic advantages there.
Raul’s Mexican Grill owner Russ Porreca has purchased the former Dizzy Chicken building at 72 South Street in Glens Falls.
“Raul’s will stay at 164 Glen Street [in downtown Glens Falls] until our lease runs out,” in two years, he said. Porreca told FoothillsBusinessDaily.com that he paid $170,000 for the building, and plans to take the next 24 months renovating the 1,352-square-foot space.
“We’re very excited about the move. With everything happening on South Street, it’s going to a great location for us.”
The city's new plans for South Street include a scaled-back, three-season market building just south of the Elm Street intersection. Saratoga developer Sonny Bonacio is set to redevelop much of the two-block area, including two buildings on Elm Street that have been under- or unused for years. The city had much grander plans for the area, but have scaled back recently as the price tag soared.
[Read about the South Street Market here and about Bonnacio's involvement here.]
Porreca said: “South Street looks like a place I want to be.”
Porreca said he is planning a three-season bar in the back of the building, among other changes.
“It’s time to own,” he said. “I’m done with leasing. I had a good run at 164 Glen Street. I opened there in October 2007. Everybody made money there. I made money. My landlords made money. I’m very excited to own my own place. I put a good chunk of money down on the new place, so my operating costs will be cut substantially. We’ll be much more efficient in this new pandemic world.”
In 2015, Justin Bartlett bought the building for $150,805 from David Johnson and opened Dizzy Chicken. In 2018, he closed the restaurant to focus on his Saratoga Springs location.
The building is assessed at $133,333.33, according to City records.
Three doors east, at 58 South Street, Bella Lyn’s Bakery & Cafe is set to open. Glens Falls Living reported that Benita Anderson will open the bakery, and will be offering warm empanadas stuffed with meat and cheese and Puerto Rican rice and beans with pulled pork along with cakes, cookies and cupcakes.
And at the corner of South and Maple Streets, Chad Nims continues to make improvements to 46 South Street, having just installed new windows throughout the massive building. Peter Shabat, who holds the mortgage on the building and is financing the renovations, told FoothillsBusinessDaily.com that the renovations are being done in waves, with a new roof coming next.