The Blumenthals are one of millions of Eastern European Jewish families who immigrated to the United States at the end of the nineteenth century. Settling in Providence, Rhode Island, they grow and prosper. During Prohibition, the Blumenthals become bootleggers—starting their fraught history with alcohol and crime. Once Prohibition is repealed, Barney Blumenthal opens a liquor store in Boston. Life is good—until fate intervenes.