For Sande Gillard, owner of Wine Down on Market Street, the road to business ownership was like no other road she had been down. After years of professional experience in real estate and bartending, Sande embarked on a new adventure that helped her move past tragedy and utilize perhaps her best attribute: an upbeat, magnetic customer service style that draws people in and makes them feel at home.

Today, Sande has harnessed her experiences and talents and paired them with her passion for wine to create Wine Down on Market Street, a boutique wine shop that opened in Palencia on May 1.