On April 17, The Catalyst Center’s “Strong Coffee Strong Women” series featured Lady Vowell Smith, co-owner of The Snail on the Wall, Huntsville’s independent bookstore. The morning buzzed with entrepreneurial energy as Smith shared how she turned a “bookstore without a store” into a thriving brick-and-mortar business.

A Community-Driven Model

Smith, a former English professor with a PhD from Vanderbilt and an MPhil from Trinity College Dublin, launched The Snail on the Wall in 2017 with a bold idea: sell books without a storefront. Through doorstep delivery, pop-ups, and curated online selections, she built a loyal following of readers who craved literary connection. “I started this bookstore out of a love for reading and a deep desire to connect people with stories that really make them think,” she said.

By the time the team opened its Five Points location in September 2024, the community had grown large enough to support a permanent space. Hundreds attended the grand opening at 816 Wellman Avenue. Co-owned by Christina Tabereaux, the store occupies a creatively renovated former storage space, complete with a vibrant children’s nook and room for author events.

From Armchair to Entrepreneur

Though rooted in literature, the store’s growth is a testament to innovative, community-focused entrepreneurship. Its hybrid approach—including continued delivery—helped it thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. “During the pandemic, we already had systems in place to serve readers at home,” said Smith. “That flexibility made a huge difference.”

By 2024, The Snail on the Wall was serving thousands of customers through personalized recommendations, special orders, and bulk sales to educators. Margins in the indie book world are slim, so the store leans on volume, creativity, and strong partnerships with schools and libraries. It offers educator discounts, hosts pop-up fairs, and organizes classroom wish list drives.

Rather than compete with algorithms, Smith and Tabereaux focus on curation, local authors, and personal connection. A dedicated section celebrates Alabama writers, and staff regularly champion debut novels and underrepresented voices.

“Our mission is to stock books that inspire, educate, and entertain,” Smith said. “We want every title to be either a mirror or a window—something that reflects a reader’s world or opens them to a new one.”

The Catalyst Center’s Impact

That same spirit drives The Catalyst Center, which supports startups and small businesses across North Alabama—especially women, veterans, and minorities—through coaching, workshops, mentorship, and business development programs. In 2023, Catalyst served over 4,200 clients and delivered 6,500+ hours of training. These efforts led to 123 new businesses and 440 jobs created or retained. Women made up 68% of clients, and 41% identified as minorities.

Financially, Catalyst reported $2.1 million in revenue—60% from federal and state grants, the rest from services, sponsors, and donations. Of its $1.95 million in expenses, 85% went to program services. With a $150,000 net asset increase, Catalyst closed the year in strong standing.

The Snail on the Wall: Slow and Steady

The bookstore’s name comes from Virginia Woolf’s “The Mark on the Wall,” in which a woman’s musings on a mysterious dot—a snail—spark deeper reflections. Like its namesake, the shop invites slow, thoughtful engagement with stories.

Named Catalyst’s 2020 Creative Entrepreneur of the Year, Smith has long balanced business with service. She’s served on boards for the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, Library Foundation, Randolph School, and Junior League—embodying the hybrid path many women walk today.

For Huntsville’s small business community, The Snail on the Wall is more than a bookstore. It’s a blueprint for purpose-driven growth—and proof that slow and steady can still win.