ADK Concierge: New business started to help summer, seasonal resident

There's a new business in town designed to care for all the needs of seasonal residents and summer visitors.

ADK Concierge, owned by Mike Vaillancourt and Barbara Denis, grew out of Mike's Sootbusters and Treebusters businesses which have many clients in the greater Tupper Lake area, many of them seasonal residents.

“Many of the summer folks told me there are no professional cleaning companies in the area which are insured,” he told the Free Press recently.

“That's why we started it, because there was a need for it!”

The new company began about six months ago with a “soft” un-advertised start to learn as they grew, he noted.

Already the new company has about 25 clients.

This is the message to prospective clients found on the company's business card: “We know your time is a valuable commodity and ADK Concierge wants you to enjoy your time in the Adirondacks with your family and friends. Let us take care of your cleaning, shopping and everything in between with our housekeeping and concierge services.”

“We cater to only second home families right now,” he noted.

Mike explained the company does for the arriving summer people “anything they need.”

“Our primary role is cleaning and we do it in a very green way,” using only environmentally friendly and natural products.

He said a client may e-mail them before their arrival that they will be coming up on Friday, say, and when they arrive they'd like there to be food products like milk, butter, etc. in their fridge.

“So we stock their fridges, stock their cupboards...whatever they need!”

“We run around before they arrive and do their errands. That way, everything is in place, especially if they arrive late at night.”

“That way they can enjoy their time in camp from the start and not have to go out and run errands first.”

The firm employs one full-time person, Catherine Lohr, and seven part-time employees. The part-time staff work as needed.

Both the owners direct the cleaning staff. Sometimes they have crews at multiple sites.

“We are fully insured and we pay our employees between $18 and $20 per hour.” Whereas many local cleaners operate “off the books,” he said their company carries liability and worker's compensation insurances so all clients are protected.

“Second home people don't mind spending the extra money because it's important to them to protect their assets.”

The company has purchased vehicles to carry the employees to their job sites and uniforms for them to wear, so they don't damage their own clothes.

The area of service of the new company is a radius of about 50 miles from Tupper Lake. “We have a lot of clients in the Cranberry Lake and Star Lake areas.”

“We haven't really tapped the Lake Placid area yet.”

Concierge businesses are new to the area, he figures. “Before we first launched our web site, www.adkconcierge.com, the first hits for cleaning services we got were laundromats and my firm, Sootbusters.”

“Our clients are enthusiastic about what we are doing and what we offer.”

He said he does not feel he has taken anything away from the conventional cleaners here as they never offered these extra services or carried the proper insurances.

Asked about special requests so far, he said some of the people they serve have asked for flowers upon arrival, if it's a birthday or anniversary they are celebrating.

“Sometimes people will mail a card up in advance for us to place with the flowers or gifts.”

Most times the company leaves small chocolates and other treats to greet the arriving guests.

“We're trying to make people happy when they visit here!”

The firm can reached by calling 518 739-1717.