VILLAGE OF MINOA – Minoa’s newest sporting goods store held its grand opening on Saturday, Dec. 9 with a celebratory ribbon cutting.
Located at 249 N. Main St. in the village, Butter-Nut Sport Shop caters to hunters and anglers alike with its selection of firearms, ammunition, holsters, fishing reels and rods, bait and other accessories.
The business opened its doors at the new spot about a month before, on Nov. 14. Previously the business was located on Lodi Street on Syracuse’s north side in what was once an ice factory, where it had been since 1970 after a move from Butternut Street. The Butternut Stree location inspired the hyphenated name that the business goes by to the present day.
“This is nicer because there’s more room for everything, and it seems like a better location for us,” shop owner Mike Serrao said the sunny afternoon of the ribbon cutting. “The villagers are great and it’s a great community, so it’s been nice so far to be a part of it.”
Serrao, a Lyncourt resident, further said that he values having welcoming business owners close by as well as residential neighborhoods in the vicinity of the shop.
Always appreciative of the history of guns, hence the store’s tagline “We Are Your Grandpa’s Gun Store,” Serrao said he enjoys talking to people who stop in and getting to know them, whether they’re familiar faces who frequented the Lodi Street location or brand new customers.
His favorite part, though, is being able to call it a family business. Joined behind the counter by other relatives, he co-owns the shop with his wife, Tina, and he runs it alongside his son, who is also named Mike but goes by “Jack.”
“It’s just cool…our motto is the family, or should I say the circus, sticks together,” Serrao said. “I call myself lucky that we all get along well enough to work together.”
Serrao said he’s carrying on the legacy of his late father-in-law, William “Wild Bill” Greene, a Marine who founded Butter-Nut Sport Shop in the 1950s and operated it until his passing in 2020.
The opening of the gun shop was the subject of a public hearing over the summer, its proximity to Minoa Elementary and the local library causing concern for some attendees.
Owing to its use as a Chase Bank branch in the recent past, Serrao assures residents that the building is fully secured “like a fortress” with an alarm system, a door buzzer in the vestibule, reinforced concrete in the walls, a drive-thru window with impenetrable glass, and bars on the other windows to prevent break-ins.
Additionally, entry is denied to individuals who are younger than 18 unless they’re accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Serrao said the vault in the building’s basement will be used for the storage of supplies, though there are no immediate plans to use the drive-thru except for a possible early-morning bait handout the opening day of bass season.
The ribbon-cutting event on Dec. 9 had doughnuts and half-moon cookies from Lyncourt Bakery for the taking and a raffle for a Smith & Wesson M&P12 Bullpup.
Butter-Nut Sport Shop’s hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.