Episode 21: Sarah Craig (Caffé Lena)

In this episode, our host Mike Nelson interviews Sarah Craig, the Executive Director at Caffé Lena! Caffé Lena needs no introduction as one of the most historic spots in all of Saratoga Springs, and Sarah has plenty of stories to tell about its past, present... And future! A SARATOGA BUSINESS REPORT PRODUCTION NOTE: The opinions reflected in this podcast are not indicative of the views of Saratoga Business Report, SaratogaBride.com LLC, Saratoga TODAY, Glens Falls TODAY, or Spa City Digital. 00:40 - An Introduction to Caffé Lena, and Sarah Craig 02:40 - 10 People… 900 Events! Managing a Staff 05:45 - The 2016 Renovation 08:23 - A Deeper History: Caffé Lena’s Origins 11:43 - Entrepreneurial Optimism: Joy and Struggle, Struggle and Joy 13:59 - Check Out the Documentary at: https://www.wmht.org/lena/ 14:17 - The Library of Congress: https://history.caffelena.org/ 15:00 - Famous Performers… Have to Start Somewhere! 17:20 - The COVID Crash: Thank You to All Donors! 17:54 - Commercial Break: Visit Bogey’s Pub & Grill! 18:19 - Keeping an Audience: Could Saratoga Become an Artist’s Haven? 20:58 - Emerging Artists and Legends Only! 24:47 - Not Just for Folk Folks: Lineage is the Deciding Factor! 26:41 - Keeping Ticket Prices Reasonable, While Respecting Performers 29:58 - The Importance of Merchandising 31:47 - Post-COVID… Everybody Wants to Hear Music Again! 35:18 - Focus on New People 36:47 - Commercial Break: Visit Skyzone Trampoline Park, Queensbury! 37:50 - Weekdays… Open Mic, No Alcohol, Music Lessons! 39:35 - Amplifying Fellow Non-Profits 40:56 - The Art of Community 43:03 - True Songs 43:51 - How to Get in Touch: https://www.caffelena.org/