Meet The Owners
Mindy Kuhn
Not only is Mindy co-owner of Corks, Cooks, & Books, she is also the owner and president of Warren Publishing, an award-winning book publishing company. With nearly thirty years’ experience in marketing, design, branding, and publications, it was a long-time dream of Mindy’s to own a business. In 2016, her dreams came to fruition when she purchased Warren Publishing, founded in 1988, and now recognized as the #1 Book Publisher in the Carolinas.
Mindy holds photojournalism and journalism graphics degrees from Ball State University, and a Leadership in Publishing Certificate from the Yale Publishing Course, Yale School of Management. She has worked in many aspects of advertising, marketing, and branding for companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 to small boutique businesses. She is also an accomplished graphic designer who designs most of the incredible covers for Warren Publishing’s books (many of which can be found on our shelves!).
When she became president of Warren Publishing in the summer of 2016, she made it her five-year plan to open a retail space to sell books and more. She befriended Chef Shonali Thomas, they put their heads together, and Corks, Cooks, & Books was born… in the summer of 2021. Mission accomplished!
Mindy and her husband, Ben, have two kids, Grant and Sophia, and live in Clover, South Carolina.
Shonali Thomas
Chef Shonali Thomas lives in Fort Mill, South Carolina with her husband Eric, and daughter Shaiyla. Her love of food and cooking began in her “mud kitchen” as a child and has flourished into the kitchens of many home cooks around the country.
She published her first cookbook, Shonal’s Kitchen, The Eclectic Home Chef in November 2007 and published her second cookbook, Shonal’s Kitchen, A Dose of Healthy Indulgence in November 2017. In 2009, she started SplenDishes by Shonali (now SplenDishes Kitchen) and began selling her gourmet foods at local farmers' markets, gourmet grocery stores, and through her online store.
She is also a caterer, personal chef, teaches cooking classes, and has several meal prep programs.
Chef Shonali is also a well-known local TV chef and can be seen cooking on several of Charlotte’s major news networks, including Fox 46, WBTV, and Charlotte Today.
Sharing her love of food and wine, inspiring people to cook, and cooking with her family and friends at home are just a few of her favorite things. So, when she met Mindy Kuhn, owner, and president of Warren Publishing, the two whipped up a plan to combine their talents and passions, resulting in Corks, Cooks, & Books!
