When she returned to Central Texas after running a scuba diving resort for years in Honduras, Debbie Mylius said she still had the entrepreneurial itch.

As Buda began considering relaxing its alcohol restrictions in 2012, Mylius began carving out a business plan for an off-the-beaten path store offering craft wines, spirits and beer, she said.

In 2011, when Mylius moved back to the Austin area, Buda’s laws forbade the operation of liquor stores. But in 2012 an election was held in which voters overwhelmingly decided to open the city’s doors to liquor stores and make it easier for bars to operate.

“Just having an entrepreneurial spirit, I started looking at what there might be a demand for,” Mylius said. “I noticed right away there was no liquor store.”

Opened May 5, Proof Liquor & Deli combines all the things Mylius said she loves: fine wines, good food, specialty grocery items and spirits.

Although Mylius strongly believed in her business plan, she said she has been surprised by how well the store has been received in the community.

“People [have been] asking me what took us so long to open,” Mylius said. “They have been waiting for a mom and pop store out here for a long time. They’re very excited to have some options that aren’t fast food [and] that have some healthy options.”

Sandwiches range in price from $5.49 to $8.99. Proof’s deli accounts for 17-25 percent of its sales, Mylius said.

Lunch specials, offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays, shave $1.50 off the regular price of Proof’s sandwiches. All sandwiches come with a pickle spear and chips.

The most popular sandwich, the Smokin’ Bird, binds smoked turkey, provolone, caramelized onions, avocados and mayonnaise between two slices of honey wheat bread. The Reuben Gonzalez includes pastrami, sauerkraut, pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayonnaise on grilled jalapeno cheddar bread. The Horsey Blue Roast Beef, the third-most ordered sandwich, is topped with arugula, pickled red onions, tomatoes, blue cheese and a housemade horseradish sauce.

Through the winter, Proof offers seasonal salads and rotating soups, such as goulash, a European stew of meat and vegetables, and Drunken Chicken Noodle Soup.

The business offers catering for small events, such as deli trays, desserts and gift baskets.

Its specialty grocery includes pickled foods, crackers and pasta sauces.

Proof is among a wave of new dining options to arrive in Buda and Kyle in recent years. Mylius said she is encouraged by the area’s ongoing development.

“There are more and more options opening up,” Mylius said. “It’s exciting to be a part of it.”