ALBANY, N.Y. — Just down the hill from where New York’s leaders are wrestling with a $10 billion deficit, a tiny variety store in downtown Albany was abuzz Saturday with talk of a financial windfall.
The winning ticket for Friday night’s $319 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot was sold at Coulson’s News Center, just blocks from the New York Capitol building, a lottery official announced.
Store manager Steve Gallucci said lottery sales were up this week with the skyrocketing jackpot, but he didn’t know yet who won.
“A lot of office people come in,” he said. “A lot of regulars.”
Coulson’s, which opened in 1895, has an unremarkable storefront adorned with signs advertising beer, cigarettes and other standard convenience-store fare.
Gallucci said the store had a $3.5 million state Lotto winner before, but nothing this big.
