Page 139 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2026

presented by South Mississippi Living magazine
OWNER
Kara Alley
After 25 years behind the bar, Kara Alley knew the
hospitality industry inside and out. But when she
achieved sobriety five years ago, she also knew it was
time to find a new way forward.
That journey eventually led Alley to You Pour
It Liquors, where she has transformed decades of
industry experience into entrepreneurship while
creating a career that better fits the life she has built.
Alley traces her beginnings to her first bartending
shift at Biloxi’s Just Us Lounge in 2001, where Lynn
Koval gave her an opportunity and helped teach her
the business. Today, Alley is her own boss, building
meaningful relationships with customers while
creating the balance she once struggled to find.
This year, she is focused on growing You Pour It
Liquors without sacrificing her mental and physical
well-being along the way.
Her advice to other women considering an
unexpected career change comes directly from
experience—stop overthinking and take the leap.
“You don’t need to have all the answers to begin,”
Alley said. “You just need the courage to jump.”
And Alley has learned that sometimes the biggest
obstacle is simply getting out of your own way.
YOU POUR IT LIQUORS
1615 25th Ave., Gulfport
228.609.0116
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net September 2026 | 139