By Amy L. Ashbridge

Staff Writer

The Oneonta Spice Co. has reopened on Main Street in Oneonta.

It moved from Chestnut Street last week to 175 Main St. Oneonta Spice Co. is sharing space with Rooted in Nature and Knitting it All Together. Those two businesses moved in together last September.

Employee Paul Jones said this was the first time the shop moved since it opened. The Oneonta Spice Co. opened at 95 Chestnut St. in 2002. Everett "Butch" Van De Bogart Jr. is the owner.

"Most customers have been very understanding of (the move)," Jones said.

The shop moved from Chestnut Street because of a planned Walgreens for that block.

Construction of the Walgreens would result in the demolition of 95 Chestnut St., Dundee Brook and the former Iannelli’s restaurant.

Jones said the business doesn’t have all the merchandise it had in the Chestnut Street location. That problem will be resolved soon.

"Despite the move, we are planning on a full restock in the coming weeks," Jones said Tuesday.

Jones said there is more foot traffic at the new location, which has been a benefit to moving.

Oneonta Spice Co. is open from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Jones said the Saturday hours could possibly expand in the future.

The shop’s phone number is 433-1322.

Department to audit food businesses

The Department of Agriculture and Markets is auditing food businesses to make sure products involved in a recent botulism recall have been removed from stores, according to a news release.

Food inspectors have audited more than 1,000 "food establishments" the release said Tuesday. The recall was announced July 18 and includes products made by Castleberry’s; two of the most common items were canned meat and chili products.

Botulism can be fatal, but it is not contagious from person to person.

Representatives from Hannaford and Price Chopper, both of which have stores in the area, said the affected products had been removed. Wal-Mart also pulled the cans from its supercenter in Oneonta.

There are guidelines for consumers for getting rid of the products. The news release said people should double-bag the cans in plastic bags and tightly close them before throwing it away.

NBT Bancorp income down 5 percent

Income for the first half of the year was down more than 5 percent for NBT Bancorp, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Net income for the period ending June 30 was $26.2 million, compared to $27.8 million for the first half of 2006. Net interest income was up 0.6 percent, according to a news release.

NBT Bancorp released the figures late last month.

The corporation’s Board of Directors authorized the buyback of 1 million shares of stock and set a cash dividend of 20 cents a share. The dividend will be paid Sept. 15 to shareholders who were on record as of Sept. 1.

NBT Bancorp is the parent company of NBT Bank. Both have their headquarters in Norwich.

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To suggest a business story, announce a new business or changes to an existing one, e-mail aashbridge@thedailystar.com or call Amy L. Ashbridge at 432-1000, ext. 213 or (800) 721-1000, ext. 213.