MISSION

Hudson Valley Mercantile, a publication of Rising Tide Communications, supports the synergistic efforts of business and culture in the Hudson Valley, and celebrates the fabric of community that together they weave. We do this by,

• highlighting local attributes, entertainment venues and events of interest;
• unabashedly promoting local businesses and celebrating the people behind the scenes;
• showcasing the places and faces that make our communities unique.

BACKGROUND

We founded Rising Tide Communications on the economic principal often attributed to John F. Kennedy that “a rising tide raises all boats.” This saying speaks to our penchant for bringing disparate groups within the community together for mutual benefit. We have a long history of working simultaneously with the business sector and with nonprofit arts groups especially. At first blush, these two groups may seem to have little in common. But in fact, they are inextricably linked.

Together, the arts and small business help weave the fabric of a community, and distinguish one community from the next. Where else but Hudson can one find:

• Walking the Dog Theater,
• Time and Space Limited,
• Vasilow’s Confectionary and
• Spotty Dog Books & Ale?

From Beacon to Chatham, similar, but equally distinctive examples exist.

When a couple buys a ticket to see a performance at Kaatsbaan in Tivoli, for example, they are likely to go out for a bite to eat—perhaps in the Village at Santa Fe.  After dinner, they might stroll through the village and check out the Tivoli Artists Co-op, or the Village Book Shop. While the arts drew the couple to the community, local businesses enhanced their experience there, resulting in a measurable impact on the local economy.

In this way, the arts support business and business supports the arts. Together they make a town not just a place, but a more fulfilling destination.