In 1920 John Mineo founded a small neighborhood meat market on Buffalo’s west side. Mineo’s Meat Market was located at 236 Massachusetts Avenue, in what was then a predominately Italian neighborhood. Mr. Mineo quickly earned a reputation for making excellent, fresh Italian Sausage. As the years passed both Mineo and his wife Bertha operated the meat market.
In 1951, John's son-in-law, Ralph Sapio joined the business. Ralph, or “Cy”, as he was fondly known as, was married to the Mineo’s daughter Verna. John Mineo entered retirement in 1957 and Cy Sapio became the sole proprietor, maintaining not only the market’s name, but its reputation for the finest Italian Sausage in Western New York. A forward thinker, Cy looked for ways to embrace new trends in the rapidly evolving markets of the early 1960's. Shifts in shopping options were threatening the small meat market, as large grocers offering one-stop shopping, and an emerging fast food business were quickly gaining popularity. Mr. Sapio realized he needed to adapt to the market changes.
Cy targeted the fast food industry as a potential customer, but soon discovered that Italian Sausage was not well suited to the market because of its longer cooking time. Undaunted, Sapio then developed an Italian Sausage patty made with the same exacting standards established by his father-in-law some 40 years earlier. This new product offered portion control, convenience, and quality demanded by the food service industry.
In 1962, Michael Pierro, then just 15 years old, started working part-time at the store. He worked for the business all through his high school years, and while attending college. Mike didn't know it at the time, but that would be the start of him eventually purchasing the business and becoming the next sole owner. In 1976, when Ralph Sapio suddenly passed away, that's exactly what Mike did. Mike is actually credited with the evolution of the brand name. One day the phone rang and he answered "Mineo & Sapio's!" The name stuck and from then on that's what the business has been known as.
In 1984, Mike Pierro moved the business from the original Massachusetts Avenue storefront to the current shop at 410 Connecticut Street. The next 40+ years brought changing market trends and a demand for more prepared foods. Mike worked with his sister to develop a meatball using their mother’s homemade recipe. As a good Italian mother, she would say to Michael, "what recipe?" Through trial and error they achieved greatness with another new product. As customer’s needs change, Mike and his family were always there to bring life to new products and flavors.
Ray Barry, former CEO of Ted's Hot Dogs and CFO with New Era Cap Co., purchased the business from Mike at the end of 2025. Having grown up on the westside of Buffalo, Ray remembers fondly going to the original storefront on Massachusetts Street and coming to the current headquarters as a kid when the building was just a bowling alley and pool hall. "Maintaining a family atmosphere while continuing to produce quality products for our customers just like John Mineo did over 100 years ago is the goal," according to Ray. That's just what he's done retaining all the employees and continuing on the timeless tradition of making the best Italian Sausage Buffalo has to offer.
Come visit us at our store front at 410 Connecticut St to see the full line of Mineo and Sapio Italian Sausages, Chicken Sausages, Meatballs, Stuffed Banana Peppers, Sausage Patties and more!
