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

Hi Scott, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted to offer a space where local artists and artisans could showcase their work and fill a large gap in retail in downtown Macon. When I began, there were mostly restaurants that lined our streets and people were wanting great places to shop before and after their meals. As downtown has grown, I have grown along with it adding to my selection of wares that now include gifts from around the globe in The Bohemian Den which opened in January of 2020.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
When Covid-19 shutdown most of our businesses in downtown Macon, I was distraught and scared, yet I felt a sense of determination. I needed to do something proactive to keep my business alive so I kept going into the shop each day to work on building a website with an online store so that my customers could still support my business. My first website was functional but an ugly mess. I spent the next couple of months tweaking it and creating something that I am truly proud of. Today, most of my online customers have never stepped foot in my store and many do not even live in Georgia. Creating my website was one of the biggest challenges I have faced but I learned that almost all of my questions can be answered by YouTube videos and Google. I also made a conscious decision to feature more women and people of color in my shop. I began finding brands that were doing social good in the world aligning with my core values.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would start out by tuning our station to 100.9 The Creek to hear Deconstructing Divas (Hosted by me and my best friend Ashley Doolin) and visiting the amazing crew at Visit Macon to get a lay of the land. There are so many great lunch spots downtown that we could try a different place every day and still not hit them all – Fatty’s Pizza, Kinjo, Kudzu, Little India, Ocmulgee Brewpub, Piedmont, Ricky’s Tacos, Rookery and so many more. We would definitely have dinner at Oliver’s Corner Bistro – my absolute fave! Traipsing around town would include a trip to the Ocmulgee Indian Mounds and walking along the river at the Ocmulgee Heritage Trail, touring the Tubman Museum and taking selfies at Macon’s Selfie Spots. Can’t forget to do a little shopping at Frankie’s Boutique and Per Diem Market before heading down the alleys to view the Bright City Alley Photo Exhibit on the way to play pinball at Reboot Retrocade. And no trip to Macon is complete without sliding down the giant slide at Coleman Hill. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I could not do this without the love and support of my husband, Bill Reynolds and the amazing group of people that have worked for me over the years: Jaylon Williams, Renee Gable, Caroline Smith, Deedra Moseley and Daniel Gurr. NewTown Macon has guided me through the years and helped me become a better entrepreneur.

Website: www.travisjeanemporium.com
Instagram: travisjeanemporium
Twitter: TJEmporiumMacon
Facebook: travisjeanMacon
Yelp: Travis Jean Emporium
Youtube: The Bohemian Den

Image Credits
Jessica Whitley

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlana is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.