READY FOR BUSINESS
Tailgate and Party Shop opens on Caroline Street
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » New local business Tailgate and Party Shop is helping shoppers celebrate, whatever the occasion may be.
The store opened last month at 53 Caroline St. in downtown Saratoga Springs, in the small plaza at the corner of Caroline and Henry streets.
Tailgate and Party Shop provides entertainment for the entertainers, according to founder and owner Kirsten Lambert.
The business offers tailgating and party supplies, including games, decorations, paper goods, coolers, and novelty gifts.
Before starting this entrepreneurial endeavor, Lambert worked as a social studies teacher in New Jersey for 25 years.
Upon retiring, Lambert and her husband moved one year ago to Saratoga Springs, where they had previously spent many summer vacations.
Lambert knew she wanted something to keep her busy, and becoming a shop owner had always been a dream of hers.
However, she wasn’t sure what type of store to open until she identified a need in the local retail market for a party supply store.
“I went to go find my mother 80th birthday plates and couldn’t even find them in the grocery store or anything, and I was like ‘ You know, we kind of need this’,” Lambert said.
Lambert then combined that idea with one of her favorite summer activities: tailgating at Saratoga Race Course.
The store is stocked with coolers, outdoor games, and other tailgating essentials for a fun day at the track, whenever it reopens its gates to fans.
Though opening a party store during the COVID-19 pandemic is not ideal, “I feel like we got a good start, despite pandemic conditions,” Lambert said, adding that her neighbors among the local business community have been extremely supportive. “It really has been better than I thought, during the circumstances.”
In just the first few weeks of being open, Tailgate and Party Shop is already seeing some repeat local customers.
As people change the ways they celebrate due to COVID-19 to include more at home, outdoor or even virtual gatherings, Tailgate and Party Shop is ready to provide the supplies.
The store has sold more outdoor games than Lambert ever anticipated. “Those are probably the biggest sellers,” she said, mentioning games such as cornhole, horseshoes, and kubb.
“I think due to the world situation, it’s going to be an evolving store,” Lambert said.
“I’m excited about all of the different things I could do,” said Lambert, who is particularly looking forward to the upcoming Christmas season.
Looking ahead, Lambert’s goal for the future of Tailgate and Party Shop is to continue serving as “an entertaining place for entertainers,” and to really change with each season to provide a new experience for
shoppers when they visit.
No matter what the season or holiday or special occasion, Lambert aims to stock items that are unique. “My whole goal is to have just a little different spin on things,” she said.
Starting Tailgate and Party Shop didn’t happen quite how Lambert envisioned her entrance into entrepreneurship, but “I am excited,” she said. “I am having fun.”
Tailgate and Party Shop is open seven days a week, from 10 a. m. to 6 p. m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
More information on Tailgate and Party Shop is available online at www.tailgateandparty. com, www.facebook.com/ TailgateAndParty and @tailgateandparty on Instagram. The business can be contacted by calling 518-886-9015.