Weekly top reads: Auburn cannabis dispensary owner fined $15M, favorite Cayuga County ice cream shops (2024)

A man extricated from a vehicle was one of two people transported by helicopters for serious injuries after a crash in the town of Mentz on Saturday afternoon.

Port Byron Fire Department Chief Corey Rooker told The Citizen a call at around 1:09 p.m. reported a vehicle hitting a telephone pole on State Street Road just south of the intersection with Hayden Road.

An adult male had to be extricated from the vehicle by the Port Byron and Auburn fire departments, and was taken via a Mercy Flight Central helicopter to Upstate Community Hospital in Syracuse for significant injuries, Rooker said. Another adult male in the vehicle was taken to Upstate by a LifeNet helicopter, also for serious injuries, Rooker said.

A third adult and a child were brought by Jordan ambulance and Auburn City Ambulance, respectively, to Upstate for non-life-threatening injuries.

The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office, the Port Byron Police Department, NYSEG, the Cayuga County Office of Emergency Services, Cayuga County 911 dispatchers, ambulances from Skaneateles and Throop and fire departments from Throop and Weedsport were also involved at the scene.

An Auburn native is in the semifinals of a national Super Mom competition.

Annie Ross, owner of Atelier By Annie creative studio and a coach at Achilles Heel Training, is hoping to win the competition to help rebuild her and her son's lives after escaping from domestic violence.

"This is a pivotal moment in my life because five years ago when I was in the thick of it all, I didn’t have a voice or any faith that life would go on far enough for me to visualize a future bright enough for a house, healthy family and career to call my own," she said on her competition page. "I want to create fun, adventurous memories with my littles just like me and my siblings had growing up."

Votes can be cast for Ross through 7 p.m. Thursday, May 23, atthesupermom.org/2024/annie-ross. As of 10 a.m. Wednesday, Ross was in fourth place in her group.

Five group finalists remain from a field of more than 100 that was narrowed down over the last several weeks.

The winner of the competition will receive $20,000, a trip to Palm Springs and a feature in Women's World Magazine.

Ross said she would use the $20,000 to invest, save and search for "the perfect place to raise my family."

"My son saved my life," she said. "I will never forget the moments where I was struggling to find hope through it all and having this little human that loved me so much kept me going."

A man who allegedly fled police after causing a disturbance at the Cayuga County Office Building was picked up on a warrant 10 days later.

TheCayuga County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Tuesday that Carl M. Bond, 36, of Aurelius, wascausing a disturbance with loud and profane behavior in the office building on May 10.

Bond refused to leave when asked, the sheriff's office said, but when special patrol deputies attempted to arrest him he resisted and left the area.

Deputies later applied for a warrant and arrested Bond on May 19 on misdemeanor charges of third-degree menacing and resisting arrest, as well as disorderly conduct and trespassing, both violations.

He was arraigned and released with a future date in Auburn City Court.

Residents of Cayuga County-area school districts went to the polls Tuesday to vote on budgets and propositions, and elect board of education members.

Polls closed at 9 p.m. Here are the results, which will be posted as they are reported to The Citizen by districts:

Auburn Enlarged City School District

Budget($104,404,172, 1.99% tax levy increase)

YES: 987

NO: 582

Proposition 1: Allow a student representative to serve on the board of education.

YES: 1,196

NO: 365

School board(three three-year seats)

Melissa Deyneka: 1,127

Noel Romeo: 820

Matteo Bartolotta (write-in): 493

Cato-Meridian Central School District

Budget($23,805,174, 1.94% tax levy increase)

YES: 241

NO: 137

Proposition 1:Purchase two large school buses and one small wheelchair bus, at an estimated maximum aggregate cost of $437,970.

YES: 281

NO: 103

School board(two three-year seats available)

Jenny Kyle: 196

Eric Peckham: 252

John Simons: 100

Amanda Vallee: 176

Jordan-Elbridge Central School District

Budget($37,415,000, 0% tax levy increase)

YES: 245

NO: 129

Proposition1: Establish a capital reserve fund of up to $5 million for financing future capital improvement projects.

YES: 234

NO: 139

Proposition 2: Establish a bus reserve fund for up to $3 million for future bus purchases.

YES: 235

NO: 135

Proposition 3: Allow the Elbridge Free Library to spend an additional $12,000 in 2024-25.

YES: 244

NO: 125

Proposition 4: Allow the Jordan Bramley Library to spend an additional $12,000 in 2024-25.

YES: 244

NO: 127

School board(one three-year seats)

Jeff Poor: 285

Moravia Central School District

Budget($27,766,482, 2.5% tax levy increase)

YES: 251

NO: 78

Proposition 1: Purchase three 66-passenger school buses at a cost not to exceed $418,000.

YES: 248

NO: 81

Proposition 2: Powers Library tax levy increase of $1,890.

YES: 241

NO: 91

School board(two three-year seats)

Jody Marnell: 191

Kira Minnoe: 174

Neil Stevens: 239

Port Byron Central School District

Budget($24,867,816, 1.63% tax levy increase)

YES: 195

NO: 92

Proposition 1: Purchase and finance three student transport vehicles, including necessary furnishings, fixtures and equipment and all other costs at a cost not to exceed $450,000.

YES: 191

NO: 97

Proposition 2: Increase funding for Port Byron Public Library by $4,000 in 2024-25.

YES: 210

NO: 77

School board(two three-year seats)

Melinda Quanbeck: 220

Joseph Verdi: 223

Skaneateles Central School District

Budget($40,970,455, 3.6% tax levy increase)

YES: 479

NO: 176

Proposition 1: Authorize the district to purchase and finance replacement student transport vehicles at a total cost not to exceed $684,000.

YES: 486

NO: 172

Proposition 2: Increase the tax levy for the Skaneateles Library Association $25,000 to the sum of $403,560 annually.

YES: 466

NO: 192

School board(three three-year seats)

Kerry Brogan: 520

Danielle Fleckenstein: 527

Amanda Nugent: 521

Southern Cayuga Central School District

Budget($19,914,840, 3% tax levy increase)

YES: 382

NO: 140

Proposition 1: Purchase one 66-passenger bus and one minivan/SUV for student transport at a aggregate maximum estimated cost not to exceed $309,568.

YES: 379

NO: 142

Proposition 2: A $5,000 increase for the Aurora Free Library.

YES: 373

NO: 148

Proposition 3: A $5,000 increase for the Hazard Library Association.

YES: 381

NO: 141

School board(two three-year seats)

David Harvatine: 392

Pastor Christopher E. Howe: 154

Robert H. Jetty II: 391

Union Springs Central School District

Budget($21,090,750, 3.4% tax levy increase)

YES: 303

NO: 55

Proposition 1: Allow the district to undertake a capital improvement project for improvements, additions and upgrades to the Union Springs Middle-High School building and campus, including site, access, parking, athletic field and playfield improvements, demolition, utility, mechanical, plumbing and electrical improvements, at a cost not to exceed $1,450,000, with $394,000 from the district's capital reserve fund.

YES: 301

NO: 58

Proposition 2: A $3,500 increase for the Springport Free Library.

YES: 278

NO: 79

School board(three three-year seats)

Jeffrey Culver: 292

Matthew Loveless: 256

Carol Quill: 277

Weedsport Central School District

Budget($23,500,034, 2.2% tax levy increase)

YES: 232

NO: 91

Proposition 1: Approval to purchase a 65-passenger school bus at a cost not to exceed $170,000.

YES: 250

NO: 72

Proposition 2: Increase funding for Weedsport Free Library from $88,058 to $89,819 per year.

YES: 238

NO: 85

School board(one five-year seat)

Chad Mitchell: 278

AURORA — At past commencements, Wells College's president and the board of trustees chair addressed graduates and had front-row seats for the ceremony.

For the college's 156th and final commencement Saturday, the leaders who made the surprising announcement that the school will close after the spring semester did not play their usual starring roles at the event.

It was requested by graduates that the leadership, namely Wells College President Jonathan Gibralter, step back from their traditional responsibilities at the final commencement. The decision was also made to seat Gibralter in the back row behind the faculty and staff on the dais.

Gibralter and Marie Chapman Carroll, the chair of the college's board of trustees, did not have designated speaking roles and weren't mentioned by name in the program. Susan Henking, vice president of academic and student affairs at Wells College, handled the ceremonial duties usually performed by Gibralter.

There was one exception. Gibralter's lone responsibility was to confer degrees to the 73 graduates. While he carried out that task, he also used the time to speak to faculty, staff and students — something, sources tell The Citizen, he was asked not to do.

In Gibralter's brief remarks, his first public statement since announcing the college's closure, he congratulated graduates and recognized the faculty and staff.

"Working with you, for you, has been my greatest privilege and you are all truly exceptional human beings," he said.

Gibralter also had a message for graduates. He noted that the class of 2024 began their collegiate careers during the COVID-19 pandemic and are the last class to graduate from Wells before it closes.

"While I know your journey in life might not always take you back to Aurora, I do hope that you'll stay connected to one another and to all Wells alumnae and alumni," he said. "Congratulations on your accomplishment and I wish you, truly and sincerely, the very best in life."

After conferring the degrees, Gibralter returned to his seat. There were some boos and graduates chanted, "We are Wells!"

The degrees were presented to graduates by those who had a direct role in their education — their professors.

A man was arrested earlier this month after allegedly trying to steal a lawnmower, paper towels and toilet paper fromthe Home Depot in Aurelius, police said.

The Cayuga County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Thursday that Adrian M. Endsley, of Lacona, loaded those items into a cart May 14 and tried to leave the store without paying for them.

After an investigation the office and the Auburn Police Department identified Endsley, whom the office said had previously stolen items at another location in the city prior to going to Home Depot.

Endsley was located and arrested by Auburn police, and after being processed he was taken into custody by the sheriff's office.

He was then processed and charged with petit larceny, and brought to the Cayuga County Jail for centralized arraignment.

Endsley will appear in Aurelius Town Court at a later date.

AUBURN — Tony Daddabbo has worked in the food industry for more than 30 years. His most hated job was making bagels.

Now, Daddabbo wakes up at 3 almost every morning of the week for a date with dough at his new shop, Auburn Bagel Co.

Daddabbo needs the early start to satisfy the local appetite for his authentic New York City-style bagels. The shop opened at dawn April 16 to a ravenous line outside the door, and by the end of the week supplies were running so low and staff was running so ragged that he had to close for a day so everyone could catch up — him most of all.

"We got ransacked. But in a good way," he told The Citizen earlier this month in the shop's modest dining area.

"We were out of bagels. If we were to remain open that next day, I literally would have not gone home. I would have been making bagels until midnight, and I have to be back here at 4 a.m."

As many bagels as he has to make, Daddabbo appreciates the job in a way he didn't 25 years ago. The Auburn native was in his 20s, fresh out of the Berklee College of Music and ready to become a rock producer. As an employee of Columbia Bagels on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, however, the only thing rolling in his life was dough.

The renowned shop remains the only job Daddabbo ever dreaded. Over the next two decades, he would go on to open dozens of restaurants around the world with Tao Group Hospitality. But he held on to Columbia's bagel recipes. He never fully understood why — until he was back in Auburn and looking to open his own business.

At first Daddabbo considered pizza, his family having operated a shop in the same 105 Genesee St. space where he would open Auburn Bagel Co. Poetic as that would have been, he said, it would have added little to the local food scene. That's when he considered bagels, experiencing a moment of what he called "divine paradoxical irony."

In that moment, Daddabbo realized that he had been holding on to Columbia's recipes so he could bring a bagel shop, the same job he dreaded, to his hometown. He also realized that it wasn't making bagels he hated — it was being in the shop when he wanted to be somewhere else. Now, he said, the shop is where he wants to be.

"I got blessed with this," he said. "I think there's great divinity, paradox and irony in everything. That's sort of my definition of god."

What makes the Auburn Bagel Co. recipes authentic, and an instant sensation with customers, is barley malt syrup. Daddabbo said the ingredient gives the crust of his bagels their signature New York City-style crunch and soft texture underneath. Sourcing the ingredient in central New York was hard, he continued, but worthwhile.

Another tradition Daddabbo follows is letting his dough ferment for 24 hours, preferably 48, for a better flavor profile. His resources are too limited, however, for him to roll his bagels by hand. While that would make their texture more pillowy, he believes machine rolling produces comparable enough results for much less expense.

"A lot of bagel makers, especially in Manhattan, have gone back to hand rolling," he said. "(They) will disagree with me, but I don't think it's such a great difference. It's a good publicity angle."

The rolling machine is one of many specialized pieces of equipment Daddabbo needed to open his shop. He also needed an oven, but when the used one he purchased from a New Jersey dealer came in worse shape than advertised, he had to delay his opening by several months to sell it, order a new one and redo the space's ductwork.

The only delay that concerns Daddabbo now is the one his customers encounter on busier mornings at Auburn Bagel Co. He's made it his top priority to speed up the service provided by his staff of 15, from the dozens of bagel and schmear combinations to the breakfast and lunch sandwiches like the classic lox and cream cheese.

After that, Daddabbo would like to expand his ironic blessing of a business into wholesaling, supplying restaurants in the region and possibly opening satellite locations.

"As I imagined it, I thought Auburn and the greater area has got an appetite for bagels," he said. "I did not realize that appetite was voracious way beyond what I imagined."

Trees and flowers aren't the only things that bloom in spring in the Cayuga County area. From Moravia to Cato, ice cream shops are showing their flavorful colors once again.

For the next several months, local shops will cater to droves of people daily, from date nights and postgame Little League outings to thosesimply looking to satisfy a sweet tooth craving.

On our Facebook page,@auburncitizen, The Citizen asked readers to chime in with their favorite places in the Cayuga County area to get an ice cream. Here's who they all screamed for:

Classic Cones

WHEN: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

WHERE: 7342 State St. Road, Throop

INFO: Visit facebook.com/classicconesor call(315) 370-5042

The Route 38 ice cream shop, with a retro logo on a cherry red roof, serves up Perry's ice cream. It doctors familiar flavors into specialty items like seasonal sundaes, and is one of the many local places to enjoy a cup of ice cream with crushed-up toppings (what Dairy Queen calls a Blizzard, and McDonald's a McFlurry) during the summer. Its Fractured Finger version features Butterfinger pieces.

Cream at the Top

WHEN: Open 3 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays

WHERE: 1258 Route 34B, King Ferry

INFO: Visit facebook.com/creamatthetopor call (315) 364-8076

Cream at the Top has several dozen homemade ice cream flavors, and it doesn't stop there. According to the shop's Facebook page, new flavors introduced this year include Tennessee Toffee, Lemon Cheesecake Bar and the chocolate-laden Michigan Pothole. Patrons can also enjoy homemade soft-serve custard instead of ice cream.

DB’s Drive In

WHEN: Open noon to 9 p.m. Sundays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays

WHERE: 8951 N. Seneca St., Weedsport

INFO: Find the shop on Facebookor call (315) 834-6651

Customers can enjoy ice cream, burgers and more at this village shop, located on the strip between North Seneca Street and Route 31. Joininga straightforward menu of Perry's ice cream and frozen yogurt are sundaes like s'mores, turtle, Mexican and the new Fruit Scoops, featuring the flavor of the same name topped with Fruity Pebbles and marshmallow.

Ed & Jean’s Ice Cream Shoppe & Grill

WHEN: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

WHERE: 95 Rochester St., Port Byron

INFO: Visit facebook.com/edandjeansmarketicecreamshopor call (315) 776-5948

The multifaceted Ed & Jean's market and year-round eatery dishes up daily food specials on top of frozen fare. The shop told The Citizen it takes pride in having the capacity to sell Perry's frozen custard and adapt menu items, from milkshakes to sundaes, with seasonal twists. (Note: As of Friday the shop once again has ice cream after repairs to its machine and replacing its freezer.)

Happy Days Drive In

WHEN: Open noon to 8 p.m. Sundays, noon to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays

WHERE: 3022 Route 370, Meridian

INFO: Visit facebook.com/happydaysdriveinnor call (315) 626-2943

Patrons can choose from about 20 Perry's flavors lining the menu at the family-owned Happy Days. The Meridian shop offers familiar items like shakes and sundaes as well as a special called a glacier, which features both ice cream and slush or ice shavings. The menu also boasts burgers, chili fries and more lunch and dinner foods.

Laurie’s

WHEN: Open 3 to 8 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, 4 to 8 p.m. Mondays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays

WHERE: 1097 Route 34, Genoa

INFO: Find the shop on Facebookor call (315) 497-9757

The Genoa diner and ice cream shop offers frozen desserts for the whole family — including pets. Laurie's told The Citizen its dog sundaes feature vanilla ice cream with dog treats on top, and peanut butter can be added upon request. An array of Perry's flavors awaits the rest of the family, including cones, flurries, specialty sundaes, milkshakes and the iconic banana split.

Mr. Pudder’s Mini Golf and Ice Cream

WHEN: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, 3 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. Fridays

WHERE: 687 W. Genesee St. Road, Skaneateles

INFO: Visit mrpudders.comor call (315) 291-7020

Mr. Pudder's lives up to its name: Customers can a round of mini golf and enjoy a frozen treat afterwards at the longtime Skaneateles destination, which reopened under new ownership in 2021 after being closed for seven years. Customers can enjoy specialty Perry's flavors like Let's Dough Buffalo andBittersweet Sinphony, or sherbets like Northern Lights.

Muzzi's D'Italia Ice

WHEN: Open 2 to 8 p.m. daily

WHERE: 2675 W. Brutus St., Weedsport

INFO: Find the shop on Facebook, call (315) 834-6505 or find its food truck onstreetfoodfinder.com/MuzzisDitalliaIce

Aside from its homemade ice cream, Muzzi's specializes in traditional Italian ice. There is a wide range of ice cream and Italian ice flavors, including lemon, cantaloupe, red raspberry and mango. To complement its brick and mortar location in Weedsport, Muzzi's food truck can be found in and around town, and can be requested for events.

Pete’s Treats

WHEN: Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

WHERE: 295 Cayuga St., Union Springs

INFO: Find the shop on Facebookor call (315) 889-7636

A sister shop to Classic Cones, Pete's Treats on Route 90 offers cones, classic sundaes like hot brownie and banana split, doggie sundaes, flurries, floats, parfaits and milkshakes that can be ordered extra thick. Its specialties include the orange torch, a twisted concoction of orange sherbet and vanilla ice cream.

Reese’s Dairy Bar

WHEN: Open 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. daily

WHERE: 1422 Clark St. Road, Aurelius

INFO: Visit reesesdairybar.comor call (315) 252-7323

Customers of Reese's, which came under new ownership in 2020, can expect to see a large menu filled with homemade frozen flavors. For those looking to enjoy something other than a cone or a milkshake, items that stand out include an ice cream nachos sundae with waffle cone chips and a cookie sandwich made with cookies from XL Cookie Co., of Auburn.

Seb’s Green Shutters

WHEN: Open 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sundays, 3 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 3 to 9 p.m. Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays

WHERE: 6933 Owasco Road, Owasco

INFO: Visit sebsgreenshutters.comor call (315) 282-7685

Byrne Dairy and Hershey ice creams are available at Seb's, the historic restaurant perched on Emerson Park and a popular stop for Little League players, Merry-Go-Round Playhouse patrons and other visitors there. For the hot and humid days, straw-friendly options include a variety of milkshakes and refreshers, which are blended frozen fruit drinks.

Skan Ellus Drive In

WHEN: Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays

WHERE: 1659 Cherry Valley Turnpike, Skaneateles

INFO: Visit skanellus.comor call (315) 685-8280

After celebrating a $500,000 renovationunder new ownership, Skan Ellus continues to serve the community with its vast food and ice cream menu. There are eight flavors of soft ice cream and about 30 flavors of hard ice cream. From scoops and floats to flurries and banana boats, the sweet treats come in many forms, some dairy-free. Skan Ellus even makes ice cream cakes as well.

Tom Thumb Drive In

WHEN: Open 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sundays, 3 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 3 to 9 p.m. Fridays and 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays

WHERE: 6143 E. Lake Road, Owasco

INFO: Visit tomthumbdrivein.comor call (315) 253-3458

Miniature golf and a serene view of Owasco Lake aren't the onlythings patrons of all ages can enjoy at the beloved Tom Thumb, which like Seb's Green Shutters is owned and operated by the Galbato family. The historic shop serves Byrne Dairy and Hershey ice creams, and Dole Whip varieties, in addition to a lunch and dinner menu of burgers, hot dogs and more.

The owner of a chain of unlicensed cannabis dispensaries that included locations in Auburn and Aurelius has been fined $15.2 million by the state, Attorney General Letitia James announced Thursday.

David Tulley, who operated I'm Stuck at 9 E. Genesee St. in Auburn and the Weed Warehouse at 2020 Crane Brook Drive in Aurelius, has been ordered to pay $7 million in disgorgement — profits he made from unlicensed sales of cannabis, including some to underage customers — and $8.2 million in penalties for operating the dispensaries while ignoring cease-and-desist notices from the state.

“David Tulley illegally sold cannabis in multiple stores across upstate and central New York and sold unregulated products to underage customers,” James said. “These illegal and unlicensed stores are budding up throughout the state and are hurting our communities. Today, David Tulley is paying the $15 million price for his repeated illegal activity and will be permanently banned from the cannabis industry in New York. This punishment should serve as a clear warning for all unlicensed cannabis stores in the state: We will enforce the law and shut down your operations.”

Tulley was fined $10,000 a day for 389 days of unlicensed cannabis sales, and $20,000 a day for 217 days of unlicensed sales after receiving a notice from the state Office of Cannabis Management. The $7 million in disgorgement represents 90% of his profits from unlicensed cannabis sales between Feb. 11, 2022, and May 2, 2023, the office said. He also faces a $5,000 penalty for removing a violation notice from his location in the town of Lyons, and must cover $1,324.98 in costs incurred by the state attorney general's office.

Along with his locations in Auburn and Aurelius, Tulley operated six additional I'm Stuck locations in Wayne, Oswego and Monroe counties. The Auburn and Aurelius locations— which respectively opened in January 2023 and sometime the previous year — were raided by authorities in June 2023 and padlocked in August.

The state's action followed visits by undercover investigators attempting to purchase cannabis at Tulley's businesses. According to court records obtained by The Citizen, investigator Andrea Buttenschon and an underage person posing as her daughter visited the Cayuga County locations of I'm Stuck on May 31, 2023. The "daughter" asked for products and told employees she did not have identification, but products were sold to Buttenschon anyway, she said. One employee noted they're supposed to check identification but said nothing further, and another told the "daughter," "You're alright."

Tulley told The Citizen Thursday he will appeal the fine. He also said he plans to run for governor and, if elected, would create transitional cannabis licenses for "gray market" businesses like his.

Tulley claimed I'm Stuck sold "consultations," technically making its products gifts. Its locations were the first gray market dispensaries shut down by the state as it launches its legal cannabis market.

Despite running a bicycle shop, John "Jay" Growney does not consider himself a cyclist.

"I call myself a poser," said Growney, 51, of Weedsport. "But I have an addiction to things with wheels."

That addiction inspired Growney and his wife, Julie, to buy L.B. Lightning Cyclery in downtown Auburn in 2019 — and, this month, to move the shop from 15 E. Genesee St. to a larger space at 37 Market St. a block away. But the move was also inspired by the amount of people who've become addicted to bicycles in recent years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.

By June 2020 the shop was sold out of bicycles, Growney said, and mechanic Brian Murphy had hundreds to repair as people sought a solitary form of outdoor recreation.

"Bikes even came out of a barn after decades of not being used," Growney told The Citizen. "All these older parts bikes never had a demand for (including kickstands) were wiped out."

But Growney was used to struggling with the supply chain. He has 30 years of experience in manufacturing, wholesale distribution and customer service, he said. When he wanted to change his career path around 2014 he approached Mike Goss, who ownedin Grant Avenue Plaza in Sennett, about taking the longtime shop over.

Growney had been a fan of bicycles since childhood, he said, growing up during the BMX craze of the 1970s and the mountain bike boom of the 1980s. The '90s were all about motorcycles.

"The bike industry is unlike any other business," he said, calling bicycle shops "a community necessity."

Goss passed away in 2015 and his shop's inventory was auctioned off, putting the brakes on Growney's hope of taking over the business. But four years later, he and his wife bought L.B. Lightning Cyclery from the Parks family. The floor had nine bicycles but, in their opinion, it needed more. So they invested in another 75, and filled the shelves with helmets and more accessories.

"(Owning a bike shop) is a job of passion," Growney said. "Considerthe principles of finance: The higher the risk, the higher the return. I’m a moderate risk type of guy."

The Growneys took a similar risk when COVID-19 began, keeping their shop open as much as the government would let them.

While enthusiasm for cycling has sloweda bit since 2020, and online retailers remain tough for shops to compete against, Growney said L.B. Lightning's business is still steady. That's why, when the time came earlier this year to look for a bigger location, they wanted to stay in Auburn despite encouragement from some customers to look elsewhere.

The Growneys found that location in the yellow brick three-story building on Market Street, previously Robin's Hair Care.

Customers are greeted by two bicycles visible from the street.Near the entrance sits a rusted child's bicycle someone found, brought to the shop and tried to pawn to Growney, he said. In the second-floor window hangs a Klein, a now-defunct American bicycle company. Growney, explaining the importance of the brand, noted that on "Seinfeld" Jerry had a Klein in his apartment.

Inside the shop is an array of bicycles from brands Giant, Liv, Momentum, Brooklyn, Origin 8, Salsa, Subrosa, Strider and Surly. Models include road, fitness, transition and torque-sensing bicycles.

The shop's goal, according to its website, is to "instill bike bliss in Auburn."

"It’s a great time to be a consumer," Growney said. "There are really good deals out there."