When you walk in the door, there’s a hint of liquor in the air — just enough to get your attention. When you look around, you see black-and-white photos displayed throughout the store that show a time when Americans were forced to consume illegal alcoholic beverages in speakeasies.

Add some modern music and the look of a retro bodega, and that is the scene at Speakeasy Wine & Spirits in Quitman, where they are literally celebrating the end of prohibition.

The store opened on March 8 — three months and one day after citizens of Clarke County voted to legalize the sale of alcohol.

“It’s so beautiful,” said Debbie Wagner of Quitman, a loyal customer. “It has all my favorites…It’s the nicest store in town. It’s not your run-of-the-mill package store.”

Faye Lowery of Heidelberg hopes the community will support the new store.

“It’s very exciting that we got something this pretty in Clarke County,” she said. “Why would you go to Lauderdale County when you can go to Quitman and get it right here?”

The owners, Michael Grace and Josh Herrington, both of Quitman, decided in November that opening the store would be a great opportunity for themselves and the community.

The siblings are originally from Enterprise.

“We decided essentially after the election,” said Grace, 32, a local attorney. “We always wanted to go into business together.”

Grace said he has been pushing his brother to go to law school, but that didn’t quite work out. Herrington, 23, has plans to join the Air National Guard and be a pilot instead.

“This is a good opportunity to learn how to be an entrepreneur at the same time and work with my brother,” Herrington said.

Grace said he hopes Speakeasy remains a family business for years to come.

“In the legal world, you have your usual clients come in and you develop a relationship with them, and this really is no different,” Grace said. “We’re not selling a service here; we’re selling a product. But we get the usual customers, that you become friends with… we’re here to serve them.”

Herrington is looking forward to a future operating a family business.

“I feel like I’ve learned a lot in the real world,” he said. “Working with my family is the benefit of it, so I can see myself working here for a long time.”

Grace’s wife, Emily Grace, is the store’s general manager. She said she has nothing but positive feedback from the community.

“Every day people come in and say, ‘I can’t believe this is in Clarke County,’ and ‘its about time,’” Emily Grace said. “All we have is good feedback. I think the naysayers are staying out.”

Grace said he hopes to see Quitman continue to grow and become more of a destination.

“You can look around, this is probably the coolest place in Quitman right now, and I hope that changes,” Grace said.

Speakeasy Wine & Spirits is located on West Donald Street next to Southern Market in Quitman and is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday.