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A store, a city and a story: A visit with Fort Orange General Store

February 03, 2026

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Happy Tuesday folks! Today, we’re catching up with Erica Cubello of the Fort Orange General Store, and getting the lowdown on what’s happening with downtown Albany on the cusp of its $200 million revitalization.

Btw, we goofed and linked to the wrong page for the music listings in last Thursday’s newsletter. This is how you know we’re not some AI-generated outlet. We’re human beings making human mistakes 😅 

And welcome to the 379 new subscribers who have joined in the past week!

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Businesses like Fort Orange General Store are optimistic as Albany seeks to revive downtown from its post-Covid doldrums 📷️ Phat X. Chiem / Instagram

A store, a city and a story: Fort Orange General Store has a front row seat to downtown Albany’s revival

In the summer of 2024, Erica Cubello was scrolling Instagram while putting her son down for a nap when she spotted a post: Fort Orange General Store was up for sale.

She sent the post to her husband, and half joked: “We should buy this.”

A year and change later, she’s behind the counter, running one of downtown Albany’s most beloved shops.

Although it might seem like she bought the store on a whim, everything in Erica’s life has been working toward this dream.

She has experience running a business; she’s also the owner of Seriously Spotless Green Cleaning Company. She’s been an art teacher at Albany High School, so she has a good sense for aesthetics. And she’s an Albany native.

“I was born in Albany, grew up here, went to college here, never left. So this is like a natural progression for me to be a business owner downtown, to support my city and extend my love for it,” Erica tells us.

More than a year after purchasing the boutique from longtime owner Schuyler Bull, Erica finds herself not just running a shop, she’s also helping to shape the story of downtown Albany’s revival. With help from her husband and business partner Joseph Slichko, also a lifelong Capital Region resident, Erica has leaned into community building. 

For First Friday Albany every month, Fort Orange now hosts live music and offers specials. (This Friday, the store welcomes the duo Giana & Ben at 5 pm and stays open late until 7 pm. Spend $40 or more, and get a free Nipper koozie.) 

“We’re not just selling things—we’re part of downtown’s story. We want it to be a community hub,” she says.

Erica has expanded the store’s offerings with an emphasis on local vendors who are mission-oriented, and run by women or minorities. She also wants to make the store accessible to everyday shoppers. “We want repeat business. We want you to be able to come in and find something for $10—or something for $100,” she says.

For their latest project, Erica and Joseph have started a podcast, Small Business, Big Life: Inside Fort Orange General Store, offering a candid behind-the-scenes look at running a local business while raising a blended family of six. Every week, they share real stories, from customer wins to inventory fails to juggling bedtime with bookkeeping. 

With downtown Albany on the cusp of major change, with $200 million in state investment expected to flow soon into revitalization efforts, Fort Orange feels like a microcosm of that momentum—humming with creativity, grit and hope.

“We’re bullish on downtown Albany,” Erica says. “We believe in this place. And we’re here to stay.”

Stop in for a handmade candle, locally crafted card, or Albany-branded merch. Stay for the vibe and the conversation—maybe you’ll even find your way into the podcast!

The deets: Fort Orange General Store, 412 Broadway, Albany. Hours: Mon: 11a– 5p; Tues–Fri: 10a–6p; Sat–Sun: 11a–5p. Follow them on Instagram for the latest news.

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😥 Gershon’s Deli in Schenectady closed last Friday after more than 70 years in business. In a Facebook post, owner Antonia “Toni” Nelson said rising food costs, ongoing economic challenges, and the lasting effects of Covid doomed the business. It’s the latest in a string of notable closings in the Capital Region, which also include Genoa Importing in Loudonville, Ember & Cork in Schenectady, and Mallo’s in Troy. [Times Union]

🫖 Speaking of closings, you have until March 29 to visit The Tailored Tea in Latham before it’s gone for good. Longtime fans have been leaving notes of condolence and memories from past visits on their Facebook post announcing the pending closure. The quaint restaurant offers tea service in a restored 1806 farmhouse. This seems like a lovely spot to take your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day, but be sure to book ahead.

🇮🇳 We love a good ethnic market. We haven’t visited Farmer's India Market in Colonie, but the store has apparently expanded to 18,000 items since opening four years ago. It offers hard-to-find grocery products from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Guyana, Africa and elsewhere. They also started selling rotisserie chicken, which makes us want to stop in, like, tomorrow. [Albany Business Review]

This handsome and well-maintained two-family home in charming Ballston Spa is easy to love. Inside, hardwood floors, a new skylight, tall ceilings, plus a newly updated bathroom and stacked laundry with ceramic tile radiant heated floors make everyday living an easy pleasure. Plus, the covered front porch makes summer visiting extra special. Out back, a large matching barn holds space for your projects, parking and storage.

Recent updates include a boiler, a water heater, fencing, appliances, newly paved driveway, and fresh rear deck. Check the roof, as it does look like a shingle or two may be loose. Close proximity to Ballston Spa shops, dining, Saratoga Lake and the well-regarded Yaddo artist residency sweeten the deal for owner-occupants looking to live in one unit and rent the other.

The deets: 3 bd, 2 ba, 1648 sf. Asking: $339,000. Days on market: 4. See the full listing here.

Note: Our Top 5 Weekend roundup publishes on Thursdays. Watch your inboxes!

WEDNESDAY

🎸 Without women, there would be no music. Women Are Making Music: A Showcase Celebrating Women In Music at The Eleven proves it.

🍺 Troy’s Nighthawks teams up with Common Roots to offer a bangin’ Beer and Burger Night.

THURSDAY

🍕 Get to City Beer Hall for its Pizza & Dough Making class, and learn from the folks who make the superb Blu Pizza.

🎭️ The Black Theatre Troupe of Upstate New York brings “Confederates,” Tony-nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau’s newest play to theREP. Showtimes this weekend and next.

📚️ Join other book lovers for a Blind Date With a Book at Context Collective in Troy. Bring two books. Leave with new stories, new connections, and something you didn’t expect.

🔏 Share your personal tattoo story at Inkscapes, Tattoo Storytelling, at the Tang Teaching Museum.

FRIDAY

🎸 Celebrate the next generation of performers with First Friday Youth Stage at the Blake Annex. 👉️ See the full schedule for First Friday.

🍫 Some 30 venues will be participating in the Ballston Spa Chocolate Festival, with samples going for $2 each (cash only). It’s an excellent excuse to walk around this charming village.

🪐 Get down in the dirt with Planetarium – EARTH: An Elemental Dance Party at No Fun.

⛷️ Ski all day, and party all night when SLOPE FEST takes over Hunter Mountain.

SATURDAY

🥣 On the heels of Schenectady’s Soup Stroll, the 27th annual Saratoga Chowderfest features more than 80 eateries vying to be the chowder champ. $2 per sample.

🪴 Come celebrate the grand opening of Luseedlus, a new plant store opening up on Albany’s Delaware Avenue, which is seeing a lot of business activity of late—more on this soon!

🔥 Bonfires, s'mores, music, and horse-drawn carriage rides are all part of Clifton Park’s Winterfest 2026.

SUNDAY

🐴 Ride into the Year of the Fire Horse with flare at the Chinese Community Centers’s Lunar New Year Gala at Proctors.

⛪️ Beacon in the Park is a juried exhibition lighting up First Presbyterian in Albany’s Washington Park neighborhood. The show celebrates the sanctuary’s architecture, glorious stained glass, and surrounding neighborhood. Be sure to walk there if possible!

ART ON VIEW

Our music listings are now published separately on The 518 website. Click here.

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