Saving a city is an art: “Made in Kingston” at former Ulster Lighting space

Tonner Doll’s Wonder Woman

Kingstonians have been hoping for a long time now that the waves of revitalization that started in the Rondout and Stockade District would eventually converge on Midtown and wash away decades of urban blight, poverty, crime and neglect. Slowly but surely this desired process has indeed been happening, as manifested by such artsy tenants as the Shirt Factory, the Deep Listening Space, the Seven21 Media Center and AIR Studio Gallery.

As New York City’s SoHo and TriBeCa neighborhoods found out in the 1980s, where artists seeking cheap rent make their beachheads, other businesses are sure to follow. The latest prize up for grabs in Midtown Kingston is a vacant storefront that used to house the Ulster Lighting retail outlet at 572 Broadway. While it awaits a lease with some dynamic new tenant, the storefront will be put to use this Thursday evening, December 12 as an exhibition space to host a special event showcasing all things “Made in Kingston.”

The brainchild of Joe Deegan of Deegan Sanglyn Real Estate and Bob Ryan of Ryan & Ryan Insurance, principals of New Lights on Broadway, LLC, “Made in Kingston” will bring together the business community from all parts of the city to celebrate the arts manufacturing businesses that are spearheading the Midtown renaissance – and, not coincidentally, to show off the available storefront’s highly visible location. Organizational support comes from the Kingston Uptown Business Association, the Rondout Business Association and the Business Alliance of Kingston.

Participants in the showcase this Thursday will include the Adirondack Creamery, the Agustsson Galley, American Made Monster Studio, Carole Amper Hats, ArtCraft Camera, Milne’s At Home Antiques, the Bailey Potter Equipment Corporation, Susan Basch Studio, Blackcreek Mercantile & Trading, Jane Bloodgood Abrams, Catskill Woodworking, Coppersea Distilling, Frank Guido’s Little Italy, Historic Kingston Waterfront Properties, Lara Hope, Hudson Made NY, Karmabee, Keegan Ales, LayerXLayer, Louvel, Luminary Publishing, Andy Milford, Dermot Mahoney’s Pub, Momiji Japanese Restaurant, On the Hill at Skilly, Pirate Upholstery, R & F Handmade Paints, the Ryerson Studio, Savona’s Trattoria, the Storefront Gallery, Tri-State Litho, Tonner Dolls, Treeline Cheese, the Trolley Museum, Ulster County Tourism and Wishbone Letterpress.

“Made in Kingston” will run from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and admission is free. Parking will be available in the lot behind 572 Broadway, off Thomas Street. For more information, contact Pat Courtney-Strong at info@courtneystrong.com or (845) 331-2238.