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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 11, 2004

Schumer Lobbies CEO Of Boscov's Dept Store To Bring Store To Glens Falls

Boscov's is America’s largest family owned department store and could give the local economy a boost and local shoppers more options

Schumer touts downtown Empire Zone and offers federal assistance to CEO in effort to lure store to Glens Falls

US Senator Charles E. Schumer today revealed that he has launched an aggressive lobbying campaign to bring Boscov's department store to Glens Falls. Schumer spoke with the company's CEO Al Boscov late Monday night and urged him to bring the store to the region. During the conversation, Boscov told Schumer he would visit Glens Falls again and seriously consider locating a new store there.

"I told Mr. Boscov that downtown Glens Falls is an ideal location for him to locate his store. You've got thousands of people who live and work there, and droves of cars passing through Glen Street each day," Schumer said. "He was interested and said he'll make another trip to Glens Falls to get an even better look. If this comes to fruition, it could be a real boost for the local economy, including bringing new jobs to the area. And that couldn't come at a better time."

Schumer, who last year took an economic development tour of Glens Falls, offered Boscov his assistance if he was interested in bringing the store to the area. Schumer noted that the downtown district is in an Empire Zone with a population in excess of 125,000 as well as an average of 21,000 vehicle trips down Glen Street, the city’s main thoroughfare."Glens Falls will be an idyllic location in which to expand Solomon Boscov’s legacy of courtesy, charm and service that he put into his very first store," Schumer wrote today in a letter to Boscov. "I look forward to assisting you in any way to locate a new store in Glens Falls."

In response, Boscov told Schumer that while he could not make any guarantees, he does have interest in Glens Falls, will visit the area again and will strongly consider locating a store there. Schumer also praised Mayor Robert Regan and his Economic Development Director Jim Martin for their efforts.

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