Photography by Katie Claire Leslie

In a city where independent music venues are increasingly under threat, one woman has carved out a space of her own—right in her former living room.

Meet “The Bon House,” a female-owned DIY music venue nestled on Bonway Drive in Atlanta, Georgia. Run by Gretta Wallace, a former software developer turned community builder, the Bon House has become a vital part of Atlanta’s underground music scene—one show at a time.

“It started totally by accident, honestly,” Gretta admits. “I bought the house right before COVID. A friend asked to play a show here, brought four bands, and 100 people just showed up on a random Sunday night.” That spontaneous gathering became the spark for what would evolve into a full-on venue. “It all just kind of snowballed from there.”

A house show venue as Gretta explains, isn’t quite a venue in the traditional sense: “What I would do is I would book shows there, clear out all the furniture, basically set up a stage in the living room. And then guests would come in and watch the show in the kitchen because it’s a full open concept house. So it’s a house and a venue.”

From flipping couches between sets to repurposing her space for bands and fans alike, the Bon House is built on grit and intentionality. “Buying a house was something I always wanted,” Gretta says. “I loved HGTV growing up. I’d make PowerPoints at age 12 trying to convince my parents to flip homes I found on Zillow.”

That drive carried her through not just home ownership, but the transformation of that home into something much larger—a community space for music lovers, misfits, and musicians chasing their first stage.

Photography by Katie Claire Leslie

But the Bon House isn’t just about shows. It’s about values. As a woman running a venue in a male-dominated industry, Gretta has faced her share of subtle snubs. “Pretty much without fail, everytime we throw a show, someone asks the guy standing next to me if it’s his house,” she says. “I worked really hard to put this all together. It always hurts a little bit.

Still, she has more focus on setting a standard for safe, inclusive spaces. “People have been really respectful,” she says, recalling how show-goers will help clean up afterward. “It’s a bonding experience for people to take care of a space they care about.”

Gretta’s booking philosophy also centers on community over popularity. “We mostly do indie pop, punk, emo,” she says . “But I really just look for people who are serious about what they’re doing—bands who have a plan, who’ve done the legwork. I wish we could do more shows, but once a month is the max, especially for the neighbors. They’ve been kind, and I want to respect that.”

That commitment to people—both inside and outside the venue—drives everything. “You have to treat it like it’s about people. If you’re not showing up as your most authentic and respectful self, you’re not going to get far.”

And it’s working. From intimate showcases to her biggest show yet with a regional favorite Michael Cera Palin, Gretta is gradually growing her reach. “It was surreal. I used to listen to them casually on Spotify—and now they were in my living room. That was the moment where I thought, ‘Okay, maybe this is something.’”

The Bon House is also eyeing the future. Gretta’s looking to expand into management and eventually establish a record label. “So many bands are doing it alone. Even just having someone on your team asking, ‘How are you feeling? What do you need?’—that matters. I like being that person.”

She has dreams of opening a permanent venue—one that lasts, one that is consistently representing the best of Atlanta’s growing indie scene. “I want to give a platform to artists who are trying to make this their day job. There’s no system here for that right now.”

Though her basement-turned-studio was recently destroyed in a flood—”$10,000 worth of gear lost,” she reveals—Gretta isn’t giving up. “We were so close. But it’s an Atlanta problem. You deal with it and keep going.”

And as for her dream booking? “A secret Microwave show. That’s the one. I’m begging, sitting, and praying.”

With the Bon House, Gretta Wallace isn’t just booking gigs—she’s building an ecosystem. A place where artistry matters, where bands are treated like people, and where the spirit of DIY doesn’t mean doing it all alone.

To keep up with The Bon House and Gretta Wallace’s endeavors, follow them on Instagram: @the.bon.house. Just don’t be surprised if the next show sells out before you can even find a spot in the kitchen.