Rudnick's owners cite age, taxes for closing Schenectady store
by Michael DeMasi
The Business Review
Date: Monday, April 1, 2013, 1:06pm EDT
Age, slowing sales, and high taxes are some of the reasons the owners of Rudnick’s Clothing & Uniforms are closing the business after 72 years in downtown Schenectady, NY.
“I’m 66,” co-owner Linda Tolokonsky told me. “My husband is 69. You need somebody young, and I’m not going to fight this city anymore.”
Rudnick’s, at 308 State St., sells coats, shoes, boots, gloves, jeans and supplies uniforms to nurses, police officers and firefighters.
The business was started by Tolokonsky’s father, Sid, in 1941. Those were the days when downtown was the place to shop.
“He used to work 7 to 7 to accommodate the three shifts at GE,” Tolokonsky said.
She and her husband, Norman, took over about 25 years ago. Together, they survived the exodus of most other retailers downtown after the General Electric Co. workforce fell from 40,000-plus around World War II to about 4,000 today.
Although downtown has improved over the past decade, with hundreds of millions of dollars in public and private investments, Tolokonsky said too much has been spent opening bars and restaurants, and not enough to support retailers.
“Metroplex hasn’t given me anything, and I’m not subservient to them,” she said of the taxpayer-financed Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority.
Metroplex Chairman Ray Gillen said Rudnick’s received a $15,500 matching grant to improve its facade. He said the authority “is proud of its record in adding thousands of new jobs in the downtown area.”
“We wish the owners of Rudnick’s a happy retirement,” he said.
Tolokonsky has seen other changes she doesn’t like. She bemoaned the lower-quality clothing that’s made outside the U.S. by non-unionized labor. And, she said the property taxes have only grown worse in Schenectady as other businesses received tax exemptions.
She said Rudnick's wasn’t hurt by the new Carhartt store that opened last year at Crossgates Mall because she carries a small inventory of the company’s outdoor wear these days.
The liquidation sale will continue for about two months, and the buildings will be put up for sale.
Sounds great -- another sign of the Democrat-led RENAISSANCE in Schenectady County.
Of course, the cheerleader will NOT accept the owner's FACTS about the taxes, will the democratic voice address the FACTS quoted SPECIFICALLY BY THE OWNER about the taxes.
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
At their age, hey it is time to enjoy life. And yes we know that the foreign made stuff is affecting businesses here.
But the FACT is that the owners' PRIMARY REASON for closing is THE TAXES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh watch for the post soon to come.... "me and my family and my extended family have frequented this establishment on many occassions...." blah blah babble babble
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
IT IS ABOUT DAMN TIME that these businesses start opening their mouths and start telling the 'real' truth!!!!!
There are MANY existing businesses throughtout the county that are PI$$ED!!! They see METROPLEX/GILLEN giving tax exemption/no tax/no intrest loans to their competitions.
they all keep their mouths shut because they say....are ya ready......the 'machine' is too big to fight!!!
well.....what will the building turn into......a government owned parking lot.........or another write off for galesi???
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Another site for a parking lot? How about a governmental gin mill? The last of store Downtown is closing. Facade grants are a total waste of money. It makes the black hole look better-no? Do not fret. Your multi-million dollar Erie Project should turn things around-lol.
Do not fret. Your multi-million dollar Erie Project should turn things around-lol.
You mean just like the multi millions spent on State St have turned the city around? ROFL HA HA HA
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
First the last furniture/mattress store closed after 104 years. Now the last clothing store is closing. Can't wait to hear the nit wits in City Hall, Gazetto editorial board and Death Ray try to spin this latest debacle. Forget about clothes. Go to the governmental gin {that doesn't pay any property taxes and never will}. Thank you Rudnicks for staying as long as you did trying to work these idiots.
Death Ray, after successfully killing another business in Schenectady- will claim that they had an outdated business model and deserved to fail. The snark fairy will surely throw stones at the hardworking entrepreneurs who actually took a risk, instead of being in a patronage job like him.
Remember: booze is a better opiate for the masses and work clothes are only for people who actually work.
Working together works, but no one works around here anymore, unless it is working to collect the milk from the gubbermint teet.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Death Ray, after successfully killing another business in Schenectady- will claim that they had an outdated business model and deserved to fail. The snark fairy will surely throw stones at the hardworking entrepreneurs who actually took a risk, instead of being in a patronage job like him.
Remember: booze is a better opiate for the masses and work clothes are only for people who actually work.
Working together works, but no one works around here anymore, unless it is working to collect the milk from the gubbermint teet.
Exactly! The few remaining Downtown businesses have given up. Rudnick's should have changed with the times and replaced work clothes with urban pimp ware. This should be the final brick in the wall for horrible Metrograft/Death Ray. Greasing the same palms over and over has caused a City revenue collapse and led to the highest unemployment in the Capital District. When is one elected suburban pol going to stand up to this insanity?
IT IS ABOUT DAMN TIME that these businesses start opening their mouths and start telling the 'real' truth!!!!!
There are MANY existing businesses throughtout the county that are PI$$ED!!! They see METROPLEX/GILLEN giving tax exemption/no tax/no intrest loans to their competitions.
they all keep their mouths shut because they say....are ya ready......the 'machine' is too big to fight!!!
well.....what will the building turn into......a government owned parking lot.........or another write off for galesi???
Actually. these businesses keep their mouths shut because they will be blacklisted. Schenectady-style McCarthism...speak the truth and you'll be blackballed.
The sorry thing is, if a business isn't in the friends and family club, it doesn't matter WHAT they do, they're not getting ANYTHING from the Plex. Gillen will find an excuse to exclude a long-standing business from any Plex funds if the name Galesi, MacDonald or a DEM component isn't attached.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
But just in case Joebox is outraged over my satire (this will outrage him more)- the reality is that the City of Schenectady is possibly the worst place in America to open a small business IF you are not connected to one of the Royal Trio of Families. One MUST be politically connected to the ruling Democrat Party of Schenectady in order not to be harangued, harassed and over taxed by the regime in place. It is protection money.
THERE IS NO HOPE FOR THE UNCONNECTED IN SCHENECTADY. ONE MUST PAY TRIBUTE AND BE AN INSIDER TO BE ALLOWED TO SUCCEED.
How to open a business in Schenectady Doing business in Schenectady Schenectady business opening Starting business in Schenectady Paying bribes in Schenectady Schenectady business closure Opening in Schenectady Schenectady start-up Democrat party corruption in Schenectady Metroplex corruption Schenectady Metroplex business Schenectady business environment
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
why even bother to analyze....crokks are a dime a dozen....and the government isn't any exception.......investigation in Albany regarding fixing voting races......the tri city area is involved in all of this...
Logged
Another site for a parking lot? How about a governmental gin mill? The last of store Downtown is closing. Facade grants are a total waste of money. It makes the black hole look better-no?
