Friday, September 11th, 2009
Saratoga Eagle Opens Doors

By MAREESA NICOSIA, The Saratogian

SARATOGA SPRINGS — A family-owned beverage distributor has a new home on the outskirts of town.

Saratoga Eagle Sales and Service held a grand opening Thursday evening at its new 111,000-square-foot facility in the W.J. Grande Industrial Park off Geyser Road.

The beer, soda and water distribution company is based in Buffalo and serves 4,000 retail and hospitality industry customers in six counties: Saratoga, Schenectady, Washington, Warren, Essex and Hamilton.

The new facility, at 45 Duplainville Road, brings operations from four buildings in Queensbury and Clifton Park together under one roof, company president Jeff Vukelic said.

"Saratoga really puts us central to where we need to be distribution-wise," Vukelic said.

Ground-breaking was in May 2008 and the company began operations at the new site one year later. The Buffalo-based Scheid Architectural company and local builders contributed to the facility’s construction, Vukelic said.

The facility includes 95,000 square feet of warehouse storage, 16,000 square feet of office space and a recycling center all under one roof.

A community meeting room with state-of-the-art video screens, computer access and a bar, of course, is available for civic and not-for-profit organizations to use for free.

Saratoga Eagle Sales and Service employs 100 people and is expected to experience internal and exponential growth, Vukelic said.

"We are dedicated to taking every opportunity to create new jobs in Saratoga Springs," he said, adding that family participation in the business is a key element to its success.

"We have second- and third-generation employees. It truly is a family business," he said.

The fourth generation of Vukelics, his nephews, are preparing to enter the business as well, he said.

The company began when Vukelic’s grandfather, Stephen, started bottling soda pop in 1928. The business grew and his son, Gene, entered into the company in 1960. Gene Vukelic now serves as the chairman of the board while his sons, including Jeff Vukelic as president, run day-to-day operations between the Spa City location and its parent company in Buffalo.

Local officials praised Saratoga Eagle for impacting the community through its support for non-profits and outreach efforts.

"I’m impressed with the Vukelic family and their commitment to the community," said Linda Toohey, vice president of Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. "Between the employment base, the tax base and their commitment to community, this is a win-win for everyone."

Mayor Scott Johnson participated in the ribbon-cutting of the new facility and later accepted a complimentary case of Budweiser from the Vukelics, delivered personally by the six Budweiser Clydesdales, on hand to mark the occasion.

Praising the architecture of the facility, Johnson quipped, "this is way too attractive to be in the industrial park."

Published by The Saratogian: http://www.saratogian.com/articles/2009/09/11/news/doc4aa9a9de8a961177685795.txt