 In the summer of 1831, Clary was selling liquor from his store and doing very well. He charged 12 cents for a drink of brandy, gin, or whiskey, and twice that for his best wine. He developed a good and steady business of local customers and visitors from off the river. When river travelers came up the bluff for a break in their journeys, they were looking for a place to drink a bit and swap tails. So Offutt chose to build his store very close to Clary's, and the two men competed for business.