A PIECE OF THE LUCK; NEWHALL STORE SELLS WINNING LOTTO PICK.

Byline: Teresa Jimenez Daily News Staff Writer

Manhye and Hosup Hahn's Valencia Liquors had more than its share of fame Thursday as the place where someone - who knows who - spent $1 on a Super Lotto ticket and came up a $34 million winner.

``It's very exciting,'' said Manhye Hahn, who was all smiles as customers filed in to process their lotto tickets. Hahn politely told each, ``Sorry, maybe next time.''

And that sure would be great for the Hahns, who will get a $170,000 bonus for selling one of only three winning tickets in Wednesday night's $102 million jackpot.

The other winning tickets were purchased in Ventura, by Yolanda Starr, a 45-year-old homemaker, and in Bakersfield, by a pool of 22 co-workers.

``We won once before. We have another store in Sylmar. Someone won $4 million,'' Hahn said.

Now the Hahns have another win to remember. Already, photographs of the lines that trailed outside their door Wednesday had been taped above the cash register.

But no one knew who the lucky person is, and everyone had an opinion about why the winner didn't go straight to the lottery office or to the store that sold the ticket.

Maybe the ticket holder wanted to talk with a financial planner or an attorney first. Maybe the winner was too hung over from celebrating Wednesday night to make it out of bed. Maybe he or she drove by the store and decided to keep going with one look at all the television crews lined up outside.

Customer Mel Tribble, who works across the street from the liquor store, suggested that people check Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital.

``That's where I'd be,'' Tribble said. ``I'd be passed out.''

Al Romero, a lottery agent who stopped by the store to verify accuracy of the winning number, said locals may have to wait a while to discover the newly rich among them.

``They're probably still in shock, I don't know,'' Romero said. ``Bear in mind, they have 180 days in which to collect. They can call their attorney, wait, whatever.''

For regulars at Valencia Liquors, half the excitement was knowing that their local market helped someone beat the odds.

``Someone won from here? Yeah! All right!'' cheered Newhall resident Veronica Ramos, who had stood in line at the store the day before to get her ticket. ``I knew it. I had the feeling: Somebody's going to win here.''

Susan Brizell's quick pick ticket from Valencia Liquors brought new meaning to the expression, ``so close, yet so far away.''

Brizell, who stopped by the store Thursday morning, had five of the six numbers - missing only the number 37. That one wrong number made the difference between $34 million and $1,800.

She just missed the jackpot with another ticket bought with 23 co-workers at Cedars Sinai Medical Center - five of six, with the number 28 causing a problem that time.

``It's not worth leaving town over,'' Brizell said. ``It's a lot disappointing. . . . You can't retire on this.''

CAPTION(S):

2 Photos

PHOTO (1--Color) Valencia Liquor owner Manhye Hahn relates some of the excitement involved in having sold a winning Super Lotto ticket Wednesday.

(2--Color) Reporters and photographers line up at the counter at Valencia Liquor to ask owner Manhye Hahn, left, about sharing lotto fame.

John Lazar/Special to the Daily News