I gave up paper-pushin' as a university administrator to pursue my dream of working in the booze business in 2000. Put my big ole house up for sale, sold my car, loaded up a moving truck and headed to New York City. After working retail in Manhattan, then trying my hand at beatin' the streets as a wholesale salesperson, I decided it was really time to make my dream a reality.

I like to think I brought with me many good things from my Southern upbringing that give my shop a totally different feel than most liquor stores. The store extends a warm invitation to chat a spell about wine, whiskey, and whatever. I found the perfect neighborhood for my business in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where everybody knows everybody and folks look out for one another. Of course, PaPa still thinks I'm a "high class bootlegger." Come see me sometime!

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