Kay Jewelers will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday to mark its opening at Southside Mall in Oneonta.
Southside Mall general manager Luisa Montanti and The Otsego County Chamber said in a media release that the 10 a.m. event is open to the public.
The 3,000-square-foot space formerly was occupied by a Borders Express bookstore.
Previously, Montanti said the jewelry business will be a nice addition to the mix of retail offerings at the mall.
Since 1916, Kay Jewelers has grown from one store to more than 900 nationwide, the company's website said.
Kay Jewelers is a division of Sterling Jewelers Inc., based in Akron, Ohio. Southside Mall is on state Highway 23 in the town of Oneonta. The closest Kay Jewelry stores to Oneonta are in New Hartford, Johnson City, Schenectady and Albany.
Chenango businesses in line for state funding
Three projects in Chenango County projects are among 10 to receive Regional Council funding, which earmarks $8 million for community revitalization and job creation, a media release from Commerce Chenango said.
The Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council has announced that the projects will receive funding through the Rural Initiative Fund, the Community Revitalization Program and the Shovel-Ready Program as part of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Regional Council initiative. The three projects in Chenango County are:
"¢ A $200,000 low-interest loan from the Community Revitalization Program to redeveloping the former Salvation Army building in Norwich. The loan will leverage up to $250,000 in direct funding from Development Chenango Corporation, the economic development arm of Commerce Chenango in Norwich. Plans call for DCC to purchase the property, oversee renovations and rent the ground floor and basement space to commercial tenants.
"Once the property demonstrates its viability as an investment, we would market it to a private developer, and return it to the tax rolls," Steve Craig, president and chief executive officer of Commerce Chenango, said in the release. "Rescuing this property will help preserve the integrity of the downtown Norwich business district."
"¢ The Rural Initiative Fund will supply Norwich-based Sunrise Family Farms, Inc. with a $300,000 loan to buy pasteurization equipment for its 25,000-square-foot expansion project in Greene. The added capacity will allow the company to increase organic yogurt production by 250 percent, creating 14 jobs.
"¢ The RI fund is providing Purdy & Sons Foods Inc. of Sherburne with a $370,000 loan to help finance a 3,000-square-foot expansion of the existing warehouse, acquire two trucks, maintenance equipment and other equipment. The project will broaden services and create 15 jobs. Purdy's products are distributed to schools, institutions, government agencies and restaurants in central New York.
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