Atlanta entrepreneur sets up kissing booths to encourage stepping outside your comfort zone
Ahead of Valentine's Day, a young Atlanta entrepreneur is taking an old-school idea and giving it a modern twist, all in the name of community-building and business development.
Basement Boy brand founder Vachon Raye and his two partners, Mahlon and Nahzire West, recently set up a kissing booth at Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Georgia State University, inviting students to step outside their comfort zones.
The 23-year-old said the idea is eye-catching and yes, it helps promote his beanie brand, but said his mission goes deeper.
"I kind of wanted to bring that movie lovey dubby feeling to the real life," he said.
Raye said the booth is designed to spark real-world interaction at a time when many young adults rely heavily on dating apps and social media to meet people.
He said his goal is simple: "Spreading love and positivity."
Raye hopes the booth creates space for students who may feel lonely, especially around Valentine's Day, to meet new people, take pictures, and build connections.
"People who are out there who don't necessarily have someone they love. They can be able to take a picture if they are having a not so good day and potentially meet some friends and network that way," Raye said.
Raye said while social media is now a major part of modern relationships, he hopes to encourage more face-to-face interaction with the kissing booth.
"I think it is sort of inevitable for social media to impact relationships, but I do aspire to be like the older generations, where you actually meet someone in person, go to a library, or go get coffee instead of, you know, Facetiming and texting all the time."
At its core, he said, the idea is about reminding people to embrace opportunities to engage others.
"We take for granted the in-person interactions," he said.
The Basement Boy team plans to host the kissing booth Saturday near the Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park and Ponce City Market from noon to 6 p.m.
