With the domination of the big box stores, service has fallen by the wayside, despite what some of the monster retailers might say. But one local business is doing things the old-fashioned way, offering knowledgeable and friendly service to everyone who walks through the door.

But don't think for a minute that Brad Brunson and his New World Wine Company, 632 E. Ogden Ave., are anything but modern.

Brunson, a veteran in the wine business in Milwaukee, having worked first in distribution and later as a manager of Siegel's Wine Center on the East Side, has launched a wine shop with a different bent.

"We're trying to create our own niche in Milwaukee," Brunson says. "We think that a lot of wine places have the same general idea; the old stand bys. We're trying to differentiate ourselves. We're solely a wine store not a liquor store where you can also get barrels of beer and that sort of thing."

In fact, New World Wine Company has a pretty specific mission.

"New wines from the new world," as Brunson puts it. "Basically, everything non-Eurocentric. We're bringing in Argentinian wines that are great values; wines from Australia and New Zealand. I think we're bringing neat wine to a neat part of the city."

Brunson and his buyer and manager Dan Fetherston, who worked alongside Brunson at Siegel's, aren't painting themselves into a corner with a too-limited scope. In addition to "new world" wines from the United States, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, there are wines from France, Germany and Italy. A corner of the shop offers a range of whiskeys, scotches, liquors, vodkas, sake, condiments and hot sauces. A cooler in the back has a selection of imported beers, including Theakston's, Fullers, Courage and Beamish.

"We're also doing some wines from the old world, like Italy," Brunson admits. "But new styles. Like a Sardinian wine from a grape they've been growing there for a long time but now they're aging it in small French barrels, creating a new style."

New World also has display racks boasting French champagne dipping cookies and some chips and Fetherston says New World plans to add cheeses and meats, too.

"People can come in after work if they have some people coming over and it will be a convenient one-stop," he says.

The shop's location is definitely part of its allure. Located in a renovated space in a venerable building on the corner of Ogden and Van Buren, New World Wine Company is situated in the hub of a wealth of new development: condos galore are being built in the surrounding square mile and the old John Ernst Cafe building next is getting some new life.

"(We were) just kind of looking around and trying to find the right place," Brunson says. "The developer gave us a shot and we got lucky. He liked the idea of an upscale wine shop in this community he's creating down here."

New World Wine Company opened on September 14 and, according to Brunson, response has been phenomenal so far.

"It's been fastantic, we can't even keep up," he says. "People are really thirsty for wine knowledge. A lot of the independents have disappeared and been replaced by giants in Milwaukee; supermarkets and giant liquor stores. I think we're bringing a kind of boutique-ness to the wine industry in Milwaukee. It's something that you see on the West Coast and in New York, but it's something that's been missing here."

New World is also hosting wine tastings and other events, including a large Australian tasting in November. Call the shop for details.

New World Wine Company is located at 623 E. Ogden Ave. Call them at (414) 277-WINE. The shop is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.