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Red Dragons – Takin’ Care of Business

Did You Know? Some of Downtown Oneonta's Most Beloved Businesses Are Run by SUNY Oneonta Alumni

By SUNY Oneonta

June 7^th, 2018

red's ale house and grill

George Moussa, Class of 1989, is co-owner of Red’s Ale House and Grill, formerly Legends Sports Bar and Grill. Moussa, who majored in education at SUNY Oneonta, now teaches government at Oneonta High School. He says he wears his Oneonta State gear "constantly."

"The best part of my college years were the relationships I made, from faculty, to staff, and all my friends, who I'm still friends with 30 years later. We got lucky. A lot of us met while living in Huntington Hall together."

b-side and autumn cafe

Rebecca Carrington graduated from SUNY Oneonta in 1990 with a degree in music industry when the program was still new. Her husband, Wayne, also took classes at the college but left to tour with his popular band, Subduing Mara. After successful careers in the media and audio arts fields, Wayne and Rebecca returned to Oneonta and, in 2012, opened the B-Side Ballroom and Supper Club to give like-minded individuals a place to share their love of music, food and community. In January 2017, the couple bought the Autumn Cafe and renovated it, saving a beloved Oneonta eatery.

"There were several professors who had a big impact on me. René Prins was one of those people. I played the flute in concert band all four years in college. Janet Nepkie would bring in speakers who inspired me. And Dr. Chuck Burnsworth completely took me under his wing and let me do so much. I was his Teaching Assistant and an audio assistant, and those opportunities were because of him." - Rebecca Carrington

Alfresco's italian bistro

In 1982, Gerard Webster graduated from SUNY Oneonta with a degree in history. His appetite for the past led him a few years later to the old Oneonta Dairy Company plant, which he bought and turned into Alfresco's Italian Bistro. The building, an antique in its own right, has many recycled pieces, including a brick-face hearth and slate specials boards that were reclaimed from SUNY Oneonta's first building, Old Main.

"In college, I got a job delivering - and then making - pizza, and I still make pizza. And I'm still studying history because it's one of my passions. ... Education is about being able to express oneself and listen, as well. During college, I learned to never give up."

THE UNDERGROUND ATTIC

Elizabeth Raphaelson, Class of 2014, is the brains behind this colorful Main Street boutique, which offers rare vintage attire and decor from every era. Elizabeth majored in Fashion & Textiles at SUNY Oneonta.

"In college, I was able to do independent studies in business and historical costumes. For my senior project, I used the gallery in the Human Ecology Building to present a curated hundred-year historical fashion exhibit. That was the beginnings of my brick and mortar store, which I opened right after I graduated."

green toad bookstore

Jim Havener, Class of 1983, owns the eclectic Green Toad Bookstore, which has games, art, home goods, jewelry and, of course, books of all kinds for sale. The Green Toad also hosts book signings, open mic nights and a regular book club. Jim earned his master's degree in museum studies through SUNY Oneonta's Cooperstown Graduate Program.

"Through the Cooperstown Graduate Program, I really learned how to take different things - books, furniture, photographs, whatever it may be - and use them to tell stories. You can use that skill to create a certain feeling and scenario, even in a bookstore."

shakedown street

Popular consignment and fair-trade shop Shakedown Street was opened 22 years ago by Vicki Reiss, who graduated from SUNY Oneonta in 1996 with a degree in sociology. The funky store offers secondhand clothing, jewelry, handmade goods and more.

"I learned a lot about grant writing in college, which carried into a career as a social worker and, most recently, I received a grant from the City of Oneonta to open a café inside Shakedown!"

Black oak tavern

45 years ago, Robert Shelton, Class of 1971, opened the Black Oak, now a staple on the Oneonta late-night scene, offering drinks, a friendly atmosphere and musical performances. Robert majored in English at SUNY Oneonta and maintains a professional relationship with the college, taking on music interns and regularly hosting student performers and ensembles.

"All the English classes I took helped allow me to easily vocalize things. I became good at writing and communicating, and that's important for a business. That's the most important thing in life, really."