Tonya LeNell Smothers spends seven days a week, 12 hours a day, behind the counter of LeNell’s Wine and Spirit Boutique; the idiosyncratic Brooklyn liquor store is saturated with her personality. Ms. Smothers, who founded the shop in 2003 after moving here from Alabama, has made it into an inviting, inspiring, and unique destination.

LeNell’s occupies a small space on a quiet, windy block of Red Hook; Ms. Smothers chose the somewhat remote neighborhood for its cozy small-town feel, as well as its affordable real estate. The airy store has a lived-in atmosphere: old casks and antique shelves serve as displays for the merchandise, leaving plenty of room to stroll around and make decisions. A chandelier gleams overhead. Bottles of premium gin are showcased in an old bathtub by the window; Whiskey, the store cat, sometimes curls among them.

Ms. Smothers personally tastes and selects every product the store carries, and she’s pleased to chat extensively about any or all of them; she has plenty of strong, educated opinions to offer. Her eclectic but compelling collection of wines is assembled according to her own somewhat esoteric schemes, organized to edify the customer. So just inside the door is a shelf of wines named for cats and dogs, including Mulderbosch Faithful Hound, a South African red blend, and Cat’s Pee on a Gooseberry Bush, a New Zealand semillon sauvignon blanc named for its assertive varietal character. Other sections carry wines from African and African-American winemakers; from women in the wine business; and wines made from organically grown grapes. The store additionally features a rotating selection of wines spotlighting a particular, often little-known grape. Recent featured grapes have included rkatsiteli and vermentino.

An unabashed bourbon enthusiast, Ms. Smothers stocks a crowded cabinet with a vast variety of bourbons, many difficult to find elsewhere. In fact, the store carries New York City’s largest selection of bourbon. They range from high-end small-batch ones, such as the much sought-after Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve, to unpretentious overlooked classics like J.T.S. Brown. The selection continues to grow steadily.

Eager to educate her audience, Ms. Smothers always has a bottle or two open so she can pour customers a taste of something to illustrate a point about barrel char or tannin. The store also hosts frequent themed tastings, such as an annual Beaujolais comparison, and visits from notable producers. Many of these, as well as weekly all-you-can-eat rib and bourbon nights, take place at Lillie’s, a quaint and lively bar two blocks away that’s owned by a fellow Southerner.

LeNell’s, with its highly personal flavor, is a treat of a store, promising a warm welcome and new discoveries on every visit. For bourbon aficionados in particular, it’s well worth the trip from any borough.

LeNell’s, 416 Van Brunt St., 718-360-0838, www.lenells.com.