Meet Jamie Foreman | Owner of Menagerie on Main and Creative Entrepreneur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jamie Foreman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jamie, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
The interesting thing about the thought process to starting my own business is that I was doing it long before I realized. For years I toyed with entrepreneurial endeavors thinking I was simply fulfilling my creative urges, not that I was preparing myself to eventually own my own stand alone business. It wasn’t until I found myself in an office job setting that I realized I didn’t just want creativity to be a hobby; it was a longing and a calling that I couldn’t ignore. This mini midlife crisis led me to realize all of my other career paths and attempts were incubator periods, working together collectively to prepare me for what I am doing now. Being in an office setting helped solidify what I could NOT do the rest of my life. It gave me the push to figure out what exactly I wanted to be when I grew up.

When the opportunity for purchasing a property came along, the plan for Menagerie on Main truly took shape. It was the perfect opportunity to pursue my passion while addressing the lack of creative culture in my town. Canton was in a rebirth phase and any thriving community embraces art. The timing was ripe, so I dove in.

We opened March 1, 2020, roughly two weeks before everything shut down due to Covid. But throughout the pandemic, the support from the community was strong and validating. There was a time where owning a business was not even on my radar. However, now, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My most prominent personal and professional values are connection, creativity, and community. These are my pillars for everything I do.

Menagerie on Main is an art gallery and artisan boutique, but it is important to me that it is more than a shop for buying art. I strive to create an experience for each customer. My vision is about creating that engagement between the creative and the consumer. I love sharing the stories behind the art and talking about the artists who created it. I also offer a beverage to the customers. Sipping on something allows them to really slow down and appreciate what they are seeing. My hope is for the gallery to have an approachable feel. Art is for everyone, so I want everyone to feel they belong.

We have also started live singer-songwriter events on the property. Creating community is a huge part of what I am trying to accomplish. Whether the art is visual or in the form of song, it brings people together. I hope that what Menagerie on Main provides extends beyond the building.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Living in Cherokee County for awhile now has given me a great appreciation for this area of metro Atlanta. Our slogan, “Where the metro meets the mountains” is perfect.

We would head to Woodstock to check out Tranquility gallery and Made Mercantile, probably grabbing a drink at Truck and Tap and simply taking in the activity. In Canton, we’d definitely head to Reformation Brewery and The Mill on Etowah where there is often live music and other events for entertainment. We might grab a kayak and head to the Etowah River or find some other amazing hiking trail in this area. There are too many to mention. At some point we’d head to Ball Ground, home to Feather’s Edge Winery and Wildcat on a Wing art gallery are. This region definitely has endless options for entertainment AND outdoor activities. I absolutely love it here.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many people deserve a Shoutout in my story! My mother, an artist and the strongest woman I know, helped shape my love of art, my idea for Menagerie on Main and is a silent partner in the business. I couldn’t do it without her.

My dear friends who encouraged me, showed up time and time again when my two hands weren’t enough, and reminded me of my abilities when adversity showed up. There is a saying about finding people who believe in you when you can’t believe in yourself. This is a real thing.

My community who has embraced me with open arms and is working to bring art to the forefront of Canton. Art isn’t just a commodity. It is an energy. It connects, engages, and elevates. Opening in this time and place has everything to do with my success.

Website: menagerieonmain.com

Instagram: @menagerieonmain

Facebook: menagerieonmain

Image Credits
Nathan Fowler at Mileshko