A new wine and spirits store inside Clayville’s historic Latus Mill, Run of the Mill Liquors Clayville, will hold its official grand opening Friday, Oct. 9, highlighting both a small-business launch and the continued reuse of a longtime community property.

Run of the Mill Liquors will celebrate with a Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at 3:30 p.m. The store is located at 1960 Route 8 in Clayville.

Founders Steve Lowe and Tanner Stewart created the business to serve local residents and commuters traveling through the area. The store offers a broad selection of wine and spirits in a renovated space that preserves features of the former mill.

A new business inside a historic mill

The Latus Mill gives the store a setting that is different from a typical retail plaza. According to the Chamber, preserving the building’s character was part of the project from the beginning.

The renovation uses a farmhouse-inspired design while keeping rustic elements connected to the property’s history. That approach supports two goals: creating a functional retail space and keeping the building’s identity visible.

“We wanted the store to feel like it belonged here, so maintaining the character of the building was important to us throughout the renovation,” Lowe said in the Chamber’s official event listing.

The Greater Utica Chamber’s event page confirms the ribbon cutting will run from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 9.

Serving residents and Route 8 travelers

Route 8 connects several Mohawk Valley communities and carries daily commuter traffic. Lowe said the owners wanted to create something convenient for people who live nearby and those who pass through the area.

That location gives the store a potential customer base beyond Clayville. Drivers traveling between Utica, New Hartford and southern Oneida County may also use the business.

For a small community, a new storefront can mean more than another place to shop. It can return activity to an older property, support nearby businesses and give residents another reason to stop locally instead of traveling farther for routine purchases.

What the store offers

Run of the Mill Liquors carries wines and spirits in what the owners describe as an approachable, easy-to-shop setting. The selection is intended to serve customers making everyday purchases as well as people who want to try something new.

The owners have not presented the opening as a high-end specialty concept available only to experienced collectors. Their stated goal is accessibility and convenience.

Customers should bring valid identification and follow New York’s legal age requirements for alcohol purchases. The ribbon cutting is a business celebration, but all retail sales remain subject to state law.

Why adaptive reuse matters

Older industrial buildings can be difficult and expensive to maintain. They often need updates for wiring, heating, accessibility, safety and modern commercial use. When those buildings remain empty, communities can lose both usable space and a visible piece of local history.

Adaptive reuse gives an existing building a new purpose instead of replacing it. The approach can preserve architectural details while bringing customers, workers and investment back to a property.

At the Latus Mill, the new store represents one example of that process. The business did not attempt to hide the older structure behind a completely generic design. The Chamber said renovations were planned around the mill’s existing character.

That choice may help the store stand out. Customers are not only entering a retail business. They are also seeing a building associated with the community’s industrial past.

The role of local ribbon cuttings

Ribbon cuttings offer small businesses a public introduction and give residents a chance to meet owners. They also connect new businesses with other local organizations.

The Greater Utica Chamber regularly holds these events for openings, expansions and major milestones. Chamber representatives, business leaders, customers, friends and community members are invited to the Oct. 9 celebration.

For business owners, the event can help build early awareness. For residents, it provides basic information about the store, its location and the people behind it.

Grand-opening details

• Business: Run of the Mill Liquors
• Date: Friday, Oct. 9
• Time: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• Location: 1960 Route 8, Clayville
• Hosts: Run of the Mill Liquors and the Greater Utica Chamber of Commerce

Visitors should use designated parking and follow any directions posted at the mill. Because the event is open to community members and business guests, arriving a few minutes early may make parking and entry easier.

A local investment in Clayville

The opening adds a new small business to southern Oneida County while placing an older property back into active use. It also reflects a broader pattern seen across the Mohawk Valley, where former industrial and commercial buildings are being adapted for new purposes.

Not every reuse project requires a large public development. Small private businesses can also help stabilize historic properties one storefront at a time.

Run of the Mill Liquors’ opening will give the public a closer look at the renovated space and an opportunity to welcome Lowe and Stewart to the local business community.

The grand opening and ribbon cutting begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, at 1960 Route 8 in Clayville.