Love Is On Lake George
Love is on Lake George is not merely a slogan, says Kathy Miller, the Rockhurst resident who created the brand two years ago, and which is now emblazoned on shopping bags, beverage koozies, water bottle slings, trivets and clothing.
“Love truly is on Lake George,” said Miller. “That’s where people are happiest. That’s the thought that comes to me whenever I look at pictures of my parents in their boat or think about my children. We wanted to create a brand that would somehow capture those feelings.”
Miller’s parents, Dr. Ed and Marie Farhart lived in Glens Falls, where Dr. Farhart was a well-known dentist and where Kathy grew up. But every summer they would rent a cabin at Takundewide. In 1964, the Farharts bought a lot at Rockhurst, where they built the house that the Millers now own.
“My sons spent their first summers with their grandparents, and they still think of Lake George as their home. One son proposed to his wife on Buck Mountain, the other was married here. So we can’t help but associate Lake George with love,” said Miller.
“We realized that everyone who experiences Lake George has their own Love is on Lake George story,” says Kathy’s husband Ron, a Navy pilot who worked in the aerospace industry before retiring, “That’s why we saw potential for Lake George destination marketing.”
“We know the Lake George experience is in people’s heads and hearts, but we wanted to create products that would remind them of that experience whenever they looked at one of our pieces,” said Kathy Miller.
After developing the distinctive logo, the couple then began searching for the right products on which to display it.
“We looked for product manufacturers who would work with us, who would share their creativity with us so that we could offer things that were useful but still decorative, and, of course, unique,” said Ron Miller.
“People who love Lake George have not only responded to the products, they’ve suggested other items that would be appropriate for the logo,” said Ron Miller.
Next Summer, the home furnishings shop in Bolton Landing, is one of the Millers’ outlets.
“Matthew Slaughter, one of Next Summer’s owners, displays the products very well,” said Miller.
The shop carries the bags, koozies, water bottle slings, children’s clothing, cards and decals as well as metal trivets, shelf sitters and ornaments.
“When we first started, we didn’t know a lot about packaging, design or marketing, but when you find people who can help, you’re off to the races,” said Ron Miller.
The products are available individually in shops and marinas, including:Cleverdale Country Store in Cleverdale, Bean’s Country Store in Queensbury; Waterfront Living and the Lake George Steamboat Company in Lake George; Yankee Boating Center in Diamond Point; and Famiglia’s Italian Deli, Chic’s Marina, Next Summer and F.R. Smith & Sons in Bolton Landing.
The products can also be purchased in bulk for weddings, reunions, anniversaries, vacations and conferences through the Millers’ website, LoveisonLakeGeorge.com.