Business Notebook: Dog serenades customers

Warwick - He’s the “Talk of the Town,” even if he’s not exactly Frank Sinatra. But “Busta,” the singing dog and mascot of the Talk of the Town beauty salon at 40 McEwen St., Warwick, would easily win a Karaoke contest. When the music plays, Busta waits for the four bar introduction and then jumps in to harmonize with singers like Louis Prima. His favorite tune is Prima’s hit song, “I Ain’t Got Nobody.” Renate Sorice, a hairdresser at Talk of the Town, owns the five-year-old Picanese who has been entertaining customers with “Happy Birthday to You,” and “How much is that Doggie in the Window?” since he was only six weeks old. And the customers love him. “He’s the American Dog Idol,” quipped one of the patrons waiting her turn. Nora Pipia, owner of Talk of the Town, likens her business to a scene out of the 1989 motion picture, “Steel Magnolias.” The movie was advertised as the story of a close-knit circle of friends whose lives come together in a beauty parlor in a small parish in Louisiana. Pipia enjoys the friendly and somewhat “quirky” image that Talk of the Town enjoys. The full service beauty parlor must be doing something right. It’s been successfully operating in Warwick for 21 years. Three years ago this coming July, Pipia moved Talk of the Town to its current location on McEwen Street. The house has its own history and was the former home of Edna Taleur, a resident of Schervier Pavilion, who recently celebrated her 104th birthday. Talk of the Town is open Tuesday through Saturday. Call 986-4355 for an appointment. Local businesses provide support vehicle for WFD State Assemblywoman Annie Rabbitt secured the funds for it and, as Chief Frank Corkum pointed out, the Warwick Fire Department’s new support vehicle is truly a community vehicle, purchased from and outfitted by local firms. Leo Kaytes Ford, Inc. supplied the M-644, a 2006 Ford-350 with crew cab and diesel engine. Showalter’s Equipment of Florida, NY, performed specialized outfitting for the utility vehicle. In a brief ceremony held on May 19, Corkum handed over the truck’s keys to Captain Andy Layman of Warwick’s Excelsior Hose Company No. 1. The Excelsior Hose Company will be responsible for the day to day operation and maintenance of the vehicle, which will be used for numerous tasks including traffic control at emergency scenes, public service calls and transporting emergency equipment. The truck is also equipped with an 8,000-lbs. winch, an inverter for providing electrical power, and quartz scene lights. Offer extended for “cool customers” The special offer, reported in this column, for the Mt. Peter Ski Area $139 unlimited season pass or the $109 mid-week season pass for the 2006-2007 season has been extended from May 31 to June 9. Call 986-4940. Business networking On Tuesday, June 13, the Warwick Valley Chamber of Commerce will sponsor power networking for businesses during a Continental breakfast from 7:45 to 9:30 a.m. at La Petite Cuisine, 20 Railroad Avenue. The event is designed to provide guests a unique forum to promote their businesses, while sampling a French breakfast. The cost of the event is $10 for Chamber members and $15 for non-Chamber members. Advance reservations are required by June 10. Registrations at door are $20. For more information contact the Chamber office at 986-2720, or e-mail at info@warwickcc.org.