Our History

Candace Walker grew up near Flint in Mount Morris, Michigan, an area affectionately known as “Beecher.” In junior high, she relocated to Georgia with her mother and found a new home in Stone Mountain where she graduated from Stone Mountain High School. After spending her college years in New Orleans, she returned to Georgia and has been a homeowner in Stone Mountain 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.

The inspiration for The Vibrary: Wine & Bookbar began with Candace's lifelong love of books. As a child, she was often reprimanded for reading under the covers into the wee hours on school nights, which led to many sleepy mornings. As an adult pastime, she has also developed an appreciation for wine exploration and intends to create a space where experienced wine consumers and newbies alike can stumble upon a good book and try new wines together.

While she initially planned to open the shop with a business partner, events over the past year led Candace to the pivotal decision to move forward as the sole owner of the establishment. This decision was driven by her desire to be part of the revitalization of the village and to bring a unique retail and entertainment option to the community. Candace has wanted to expand into entrepreneurship for some time and sees it as an important part of the legacy that she wants to leave behind in addition to community service. As such, a portion of the proceeds from The Vibrary will be donated to the Ann Key Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization created in memory of Candace's mother that provides college scholarships to local high school seniors.