Local beer and wine cellar up for auction after 70 years in business
AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — Lou's Beer and Wine Cellar has been a fixture for 70 years on Route 46 in Austintown, owned the entire time by the same family — but Lou's will soon get a new owner.
The man who has run it for 51 years, Randy DiNunzio, has decided it's time to retire, so the store will be sold at auction.
It was Randy DiNunzio's grandparents, Lou and Philomena DiNunzio, who in 1955 started Lou's Beer and Wine Cellar in Austintown.
'My grandfather puts my grandmother in the store to run the business. She knows nothing about it, so she asked my father, 'Could you please quit college to come here and work with me and rescue us because we're going to lose the house?' Grandma put the house up for collateral and bought a business he knew nothing about,' Randy DiNunzio said.But Randy DiNunzio now knows all about the store. He's run Lou's for 51 years, working 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday — and occasionally on Sunday. And he's done it alone, with no employees. DiNunzio hasn't taken a vacation in five years.
'I'm a one-man band. People that come here, they know I'm here and they can call me. I'm here. I'm always here. That makes a difference,' he said.
Randy DiNunzio admits the work has come with a price.
'My kids grew up. I wasn't at home. My wife — as I say, I'm on deployment for 46 years — Zelda, I love you. I'm coming home,' he said. '80 hours a week. It's crazy.'
At 69 and having dedicated his life to making Lou's Beer and Wine Cellar a success — and missing everything else in between — Randy DiNunzio has decided to sell the business. He has a granddaughter and a grandson on the way. He says it's time.
'I gotta go visit everybody. I gotta get together and I gotta enjoy the rest of my life because if I stay here, I'm not going to see anything. I'll see this, but not the family,' he said.
What DiNunzio will be selling is one of the premier wine shops between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, with 30,000 bottles and 2,500 different varieties. He also specializes in craft beers. He's the consummate salesman.
'It's like being on stage all day. You're an entertainer — when I go home at night, sometimes I'm more exhausted from the interaction with people than the stacking and loading,' he said. DiNunzio has also thought about what it'll be like to no longer be the man behind Lou's Beer and Wine Cellar.
'It'll be hard. It'll be sad. It'll be a weird feeling because it's my life. It's everything.'
Lou's Beer and Wine Cellar is being sold by auction — at Kiko's Auction. The property also includes two apartments and a four-car garage. The bidding starts on June 24 and ends at 1 p.m. on June 26.
DiNunzio is hoping to get from $2 million to $2.5 million for the business, but it's an absolute auction. The sale goes to the highest bidder.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ohio bill consolidates property tax issue into one proposal
(WKBN) – Another bill announced Wednesday by Ohio lawmakers is putting together several other bills into one legislative measure to address rising property taxes in the state. State Representatives Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) and David Thomas (R-Jefferson) announced the Property Tax Relief Now Act (House Bill 335). Roemer and Thomas say the proposed legislation would deliver $3.5 million in property tax relief and overhaul the property tax system in Ohio 'in the most impactful way since 1976.' 'We have been gathering these ideas for years and know the time is now to address this crisis before it gets even worse. We have to respond to the needs of our taxpayers who saw record spikes over the last 5 years and paid more into the property tax system because of high values and local entities accepting the unvoted inside millage. We must return the power to the voters and give oversight to taxpayers,' Thomas said in a news release. Thomas also serves as vice chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. The Property Tax Relief Now Act would provide the following: Caps on School and JVSD TaxesThe bill works to address spikes in unvoted property taxes by creating a new tax credit to limit the growth in revenue school districts can receive from the 20-mill floor to the rate of inflation. For further explanation, if a house's property value goes up, and a school district is at the 20-mill floor, there will be a limit on what the homeowner will have to pay in property taxes. Local Homestead ExemptionsAuthorizes the Board of County Commissioners the authority to provide local homestead exemptions to county residents (including low-income seniors, disabled veterans, and the spouses of first responders killed in the line of duty), applied against the resident's total home value. These local tax exemptions are in addition to the state's existing homestead exemptions and will be identical to the state's traditional and enhanced homestead exemptions. Promotes Transparency in Property Tax LeviesThe legislation works to give taxpayers a guaranteed tax rate and a clearer understanding of the impact of their vote on levies. The bill removes a loophole in the tax reduction factor by requiring that certain fixed sum levies count toward the school district 20-mill floor calculation, including emergency levies. Additionally, the bill eliminates the authority of school districts to seek new substitute levies. Unlike other fixed-sum levies, substitute levies generate additional revenue when new construction is added to the tax list. Finally, the bill will prohibit a school district from changing the purpose of its inside millage in any way that would increase its property tax revenue. Billions in Direct ReliefInside millage is property tax millage that may be levied without prior voter approval, up to 10 mills per property. The bill includes provisions that prohibit all political subdivisions from levying inside millage, except townships. Townships may levy inside millage, but it is limited to the amount they levied in tax year 2024. This update will deliver a direct tax savings of $3.5 billion to Ohioans. Allows Optional Local Sales Tax IncreaseAs part of the bill, counties may raise their sales tax by up to 1% only with approval from the majority of voters, giving communities alternative revenue options beyond property tax increases. Oversight of Excess Reserves & Increased Public Input on LeviesThe bill expands on the House-passed version of the budget by requiring the County Budget Commission (CBC) to hold public hearings if any taxing authority carries over more than 30% of its annual budget in reserve. The County Budget Commission can reduce future levies accordingly. Additionally, the legislation ensures greater community awareness and involvement by requiring public meetings on new county commissioner proposed levies. Prevents Shifting Inside MillageAdditionally, the bill prohibits a school district from increasing tax revenue by changing the purpose of unvoted inside millage, reducing stealth tax hikes. More Authority for Budget CommissionsUnder this legislation, County Budget Commissions get greater power to monitor, review, and adjust levies — improving coordination across taxing authorities. The bill will receive a committee assignment in the coming days. Valley residents complained of sticker shock during the recent property reassessment that fueled increases as much as 30%. Properties underwent scheduled reassessment in 2022 and 2023, and those tax bills came due in 2024. Commissioners in Trumbull and Mahoning counties have been working with lawmakers to address the issue, calling for a coalition of counties to come together and press lawmakers to provide relief for homeowners. Earlier this month, the Ohio Attorney General approved language that could soon allow for the Citizens for Property Tax Reform to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to eliminate property taxes in Ohio. The County Auditor's Association of Ohio has been at the forefront in asking for property tax reform, and some lawmakers have taken their suggestions — some of which are in the Property Tax Relief Now Act. You can read more about their suggestions on the group's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Grant helps push renovation of historic downtown building
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The effort to renovate and remodel one of downtown Youngstown's historic high-rises is getting some help from the state. Developers of the 115-year-old former Mahoning National Bank Building in the city's Central Square will receive a $1 million grant through the Vibrant Communities program with JobsOhio. A New York-based firm is renovating the site to include retail and professional office space on the first four floors, and the top nine will have more than 70 residential apartments. 'JobsOhio does a nice job of using their Vibrant Community grant program that addresses small and medium-sized cities that traditionally are in a distressed community,' said Alexa Sweeney Blackman with Lake to River Economic Development. The building was sold to investors calling themselves 22 Market Street Ohio about two and a half years ago. There's no word when the $ 13 million renovation will be ready for occupancy. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Super Cruise returns to Salem this weekend with more than ever before
SALEM, Ohio (WKBN) – A summer tradition rolls back into Salem this weekend, bringing with it the roar of engines, live music and thousands of visitors. The Salem Super Cruise is set to take over town as one of the city's largest events. It's held every year in June, drawing tens of thousands of car lovers to downtown Salem. More: Valley summer events From antique classics to muscle cars, the streets will be packed with vehicles on display, alongside vendors, food stands and live music. City leaders say this year's event includes even more than before, thanks to ongoing efforts to expand and improve the experience. 'Salem is ever-changing and growing, and we love to have people come and see what we have here. The hope is that they'll come back. We've expanded so much this year, that I'm really excited to see what the input will be from visitors,' Mayor Cyndi Dickey said. The multi-day event starts Thursday with a 'Start Your Engines' ceremony at 7 p.m. and continues through the entire weekend. And if you'd like to check out the Columbiana Wine Festival this weekend as well, there will be a free shuttle service to take you there. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
