Today we’d like to introduce you to Vinoth Rajkumar.
Vinoth, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Cork2Glass was born out of a deeply personal journey with wine that started as a curiosity and grew into a lifelong passion. Over the years, I discovered that wine was never just about what’s in the glass—it was about the connections it created, the stories it carried from vineyard to table, and the way it turned ordinary moments into something meaningful. Countless hours of hosting friends and family around food, wine, and endless storytelling shaped my belief that the best experiences are those shared at a table.
My travels, from Napa to Bordeaux to local Texas vineyards, reinforced how wine culture can be both deeply rooted and yet invitingly universal. Alongside that, my passion for collecting vinyl—something passed down in my family—taught me the joy of pairing sound and atmosphere with those moments of connection.
This bar reflects not just my love for wine, but my belief in hospitality as a shared experience. It’s about creating a space that balances sophistication with approachability, a place where seasoned collectors and casual wine lovers alike can feel at home. Every detail, from the curated vinyl spinning in the background to the design that blends elegance with Austin warmth, is part of that journey. Cork2Glass is not just a business; it’s a personal expression of how I want people to experience wine, community, and connection.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all—opening Cork2Glass has been one of the most rewarding and challenging journeys of my life. It’s my first business, so every part of the process came with a learning curve. Navigating TABC licensing, for example, was eye-opening. Between understanding the nuances of BG vs. MB licenses, ABV rules, and the local election constraints in Cedar Park, I quickly realized that compliance alone could feel like a full-time job.
Then there was the build-out of the space. Turning a karoke bar into a warm, inviting wine-and-vinyl bar required hundreds of decisions—design, acoustics, lighting, custom shelving, layout, even how the vinyl station would integrate into the customer experience. Balancing aesthetics with functionality was harder than I expected, but it taught me a lot about project management and trusting my instincts.
And of course, curating the wine program and music identity was its own adventure. We didn’t want to be just another wine bar; we wanted to create something authentic, approachable, and community-focused. That meant tasting countless wines, building partnerships with distributors and winemakers, and crafting a list that represents both classic regions and hidden gems. Matching that with the right vinyl vibe—finding the right tone, energy, and personality for the space—was another layer of creative decision-making.
There were moments of doubt, delays, unexpected costs, and many late nights. But every challenge pushed me to grow as a founder. Today, when I walk into the space and see people enjoying the atmosphere, the music, and the wine, it reminds me that none of those struggles were in vain—they were part of building something meaningful for the community.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I’ve always believed that meaningful growth—personally or professionally—requires a certain level of risk. But I’m not a reckless risk-taker. My approach is to take informed risks: gather the data, understand the trade-offs, and then trust your instincts once you’ve done the homework.
Opening Cork2Glass was the biggest risk I’ve ever taken. I left a long career in corporate product management—where I had stability, structure, and clear playbooks—and stepped into entrepreneurship, where nothing is guaranteed. This was my first business, and the decision to invest my own capital, navigate TABC regulations, build out a space from scratch, and enter a competitive hospitality market was a major leap of faith.
There were several moments along the way where the safer option would have been to step back. For example, signing the lease before even finalizing the licensing path, taking on construction and design challenges without a preexisting template, and curating a wine and vinyl-driven concept that didn’t exist in Cedar Park—all required conviction. Even choosing to differentiate ourselves with premium wines, curated experiences, and live music was a risk, because it meant we weren’t trying to be everything to everyone.
What I’ve learned is that risk becomes manageable when you break it down: What can go wrong? What can I control? What’s the upside if it works? Entrepreneurship forces you to make decisions with imperfect information, but it also teaches you resilience, adaptability, and confidence in your own judgment.
Ultimately, taking this risk has been incredibly fulfilling. Cork2Glass has allowed me to build something that reflects my passions—wine, music, community—and to create a place where people connect. And that makes the leap, and every bit of uncertainty along the way, absolutely worth it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cork2glass.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cork2glass
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cork2glass
