This week, we’re getting to know Dan Wade! Read on to find out what brought him to the area, some fond memories of Glens Falls from when he was a kid, and hear his favorite hidden gems in the city.
Tell us about yourself!
Hi! My name is Dan Wade and I’m an attorney practicing in the area of Real Estate with Ianniello Anderson, P.C. I live, work, and play in the area with my wife, Rachel, son, Owen, and our rescued tail-wagger, Dolly (she’s lucky she’s cute!). I’ve been practicing in the area of real estate for the past 15 years and belong to the Chamber of Commerce, several bar associations, and am the cub master for Pack 16.
On Life in Glens Falls
I grew up just south of here in Schuylerville and began my college career at ACC, where I was able to explore the City of Glens Falls during my breaks. During the winter months, we loved coming to Red Wing and Ice Hawk games at the Civic Center (now CIA), and in the summer, we would come up for the various concerts and festivals, the favorite of which was the Balloon Festival. When we decided to move last year and were looking for the perfect area to root our family, the Glens Falls area topped the list in so many ways: 1) it is close to other family, 2) the community is so friendly and helpful, 3) all of our entertainment and dining needs were right here, 4) the city is growing and businesses are growing in the area which is a great sign of the economic health of the area, 5) traveling in and around the area is easy, especially with the proximity to the Northway, just to name a few. I could go on and on….and on!
We own a home in the Herald Square area of Queensbury, which is less than 4 miles from the heart of downtown Glens Falls. We love to remodel and make things our own. One of our realtors said we should create our own fixer-upper show like Chip and Joanna Gaines, and anyone who follows me on Facebook has seen the before and after pictures from the projects we’ve completed. We love our neighborhood. It’s so quiet, friendly, walkable, and so close to downtown Glens Falls. We couldn’t be happier.
Some Glens Falls Favorites
My favorite thing about the Glens Falls area is most definitely the people! I’ve traveled to many areas of the state and can say without a doubt that the Glens Falls area has the most hard-working, loyal, caring people of any area I’ve been. I think some of that comes from the deep history of blue-collar workers in the area, whether the mills and factories or the farmers or the mechanics. Growing up, I spent several summers tossing bales of hay from the fields into wagons. It’s just what we did. It’s who we are!
One of the things people outside of the Glens Falls area don’t realize is how rich and diverse of a music scene there is here. From the solo acts at the local brew pubs, to the plays, comedy, and orchestras at the Wood and Park Theaters, to the local garage bands cutting their teeth at Gug’s on Haskell Avenue. Sounds cliché, but there literally is something for everyone. Two of my favorite little gems to go and get lost in with my family are the World Awareness Children’s Museum on Warren Street and The Shirt Factory on Lawrence Street. The children’s museum teaches so much about diversity and cultures from all over the world in a hands-on kind of way and even has family trivia nights from time to time which are super fun! The Shirt Factory is like stepping back in time to the artisan days. You can not only find great one of a kind treasures, but the building itself is full of memorabilia and informational plaques that share the history of the beautiful building that has found its new purpose.
A Perfect Glens Falls Day
A perfect day in Glens Falls for me would start with an early rise to watch hot air balloons take off at sunrise. From there, a hearty western omelet at Poopie’s would definitely hit the spot. After strolling around downtown and visiting the local shops, we would pick up something amazing from ADK Fresh on South Street and have a picnic in Crandall Park. After taking a little nap under a tree in the park, we would make our way to The Shirt Factory and meander through the various shops, maybe watch an artist sketch his latest creation. When we’ve soaked up enough history, we would have a little dinner at Mikado, watching the fire show and catching flying broccoli in mid-air! The sake would surely prepare us for our final event of the evening as we stroll to the Park Theater for a gut-busting comedy show.
On the Past
A favorite childhood memory of mine was when my grandfather and I would go out fishing in a local pond or canal. Any catches of the day were always somehow lost to a clumsy gramp who would trip and knock the bucket of fish back into the water. After that, we would always go to our favorite lunch spot, Dirty John’s on South Street (now New Way Lunch). My gramp would tell me stories of how Dirty John’s got its name, and I thought it was gross and cool at the same time. After all, I rode my bike through puddles and rolled around in the mud!
On the Future
This is a tough one since there are already so many wonderful things in the city! If I had to pick a couple of things and dream big, I’d love to see an underground parking garage to leave the beauty and charm of the city intact as it continues to grow and alleviate the parking concerns that people have here. It would also be nice to see the city transform more into a pedestrian and bicycle friendly city by adding bicycle lanes on the road.
The City of Glens Falls will always mean something special to me since I met my wife in this area. Having now moved back to the area and having lived here for over a year, there’s no doubt we will look back at this as one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. I look forward to continuing to work, live, and play here and to continue to find ways to give back to a community that has already given me so much. I encourage others to get out there to do the same.
Thanks, Dan! Great idea on that underground parking garage!
P.S. See more of our My Glens Falls series here.