The Vibrary: A Wine and Bookbar in Stone Mountain Village
From a girl raised in DeKalb County comes the concept of The Vibrary – part wine bar, part book store – where those with curious minds and wine connoisseurs alike can stumble upon a good book and try new wines together.
The Vibrary, located on Main Street in Stone Mountain Village, is creating an intimate space for community and conversation.
Black- and woman-owned, Candace Walker founded The Vibrary as a place where people come together in safe space to engage in robust conversations and grow together as a community.
Candace has deep roots in DeKalb County. In junior high, she relocated to Georgia with her mother from Michigan, making their new home in Stone Mountain where she graduated from Stone Mountain High School. After spending her college years in New Orleans, she returned to Stone Mountain and has been a homeowner for over a decade.
Candace has fond adolescent memories of walking to the Stone Mountain Village shops to get funnel cakes after school and is excited to provide a space for others to make new memories along Main Street.
Candace’s decision to open The Vibrary was not only influenced by her personal attachment to Main Street, but also by her desire to contribute to the area’s revitalization and celebrate its diversity.
The Creation of The Vibrary
The inspiration for The Vibrary: Wine & Bookbar began with Candace’s lifelong love of books. As a child, she often was reprimanded for reading under the covers into the wee hours on school nights, which led to many sleepy mornings. As an adult, she’s also developed an appreciation for wine exploration.
During the pandemic, when she finally found the time to sit still and reflect on her goals and aspirations, she realized she had a creative side that she’d never explored and began to think about opening a business.
She initially wasn’t sure what kind of establishment would fit the bill. It wasn’t until she spent time in the community, conversing with locals and observing the area’s social landscape, that she recognized a clear need for a welcoming space that would foster robust conversations and create meaningful connections.
This realization was the spark that ignited the concept of The Vibrary – a cozy and intimate haven where people come together to share ideas and engage in stimulating discussions. The Vibrary is a reflection of some her favorite things – wine and books – and what she heard from the community.
The Vibrary’s Wine and Book Selection
The Vibrary’s book selection is carefully curated to bring new and self-published authors to new audiences. The books focus on self-help and positivity, with an emphasis on topics that may be difficult to discuss in other settings. She includes books where the protagonists are women and people of color. Candace also spotlights books that offer non-confrontational educational information for people who may not be used to being around people who don’t look like them. For readers, The Vibrary offers a book club and author book signings.
For wine lovers, Candace hand picks every wine on the wine list. She wants her customers to feel immersed in wine culture by offering interesting wines by the glass and for retail sale. Organic wines, low intervention, small family-owned, and low sulfite wines all are on the menu, along with sandwiches with bookish names like The Paperback and The Hardback.
As part of her goal to give back to the community, a portion of all proceeds from The Vibrary is donated to the Ann Key Memorial Foundation, an organization that provides financial support and resources for post-secondary education to deserving DeKalb County students who’ve undergone hardship yet continue to demonstrate academic excellence and good character. The nonprofit was created in memory of Candace’s mother.
Why Do Business in Dekalb County?
Candace loves being part of the revitalization of Stone Mountain Village and bringing a unique shop to the community. Candace says other local business owners have been incredibly supportive of The Vibrary, referring customers, renting out space for private events and generally rooting for Candace and her team.
Get Involved
If you’d like to try The Vibrary, the hours are Thursday 5 pm – 10 pm, Friday 5 pm – 11 pm, Saturday 12 pm-11 pm. Check out the website to sign up for an event or follow on Instagram and Facebook for latest news and offerings.
If you’re interested in doing business in DeKalb County, please reach out to Decide DeKalb. We’d love to hear from you and help you on your entrepreneurial journey.