Atlanta business owner balances full time job with wine and book bar

Candace Walker opened The Vibrary, a wine and book bar in the Stone Mountain Village historic district of Atlanta, Georgia, in 2021.

Walker currently manages the daily operations of the business while maintaining her full time position as a director of a crime lab. She conceived the idea during the pandemic while participating in video calls with friends who shared books and wine to cope with the stress of the pandemic.

Walker secured a lease for the space in late 2020 after another tenant rescinded their offer. She faced several challenges during the setup phase, including pandemic related supply chain issues that caused orders for essential appliances like dishwashers to be lost or canceled. She managed to open the business for a soft launch in July 2021 and held a grand opening in August 2021.

To manage both roles, Walker relies on a close group of friends who cover shifts so she can rest. She keeps the bar open three days a week to ensure she can recover from her two jobs and maintain a schedule that allows for personal time. While the business remains a community space for book signings and private events, Walker adjusted her strategy after finding that books were not a primary driver of sales.

She also adapted to the area becoming an entertainment district by offering stickers that allow customers to carry wine while attending local festivals. Walker intends to generate enough revenue to hire more staff and eventually step away from daily operations to expand to new locations.