Jenna Turner

Why I Fell in Love with The Golden Building

August 16, 2019

For dreams are our realities in waiting. In dreams, we plant the seeds of our future.

Many people have asked, “what made you want to do this?” and “why did you choose this location?” To properly answer those questions, let’s take a walk down memory lane.

You may have heard me mention before that I’ve been dreaming of my own coffee shop for a few years now. To this day, if you ask my former coworkers, they will tell you the times I’d ramble on about the little details of the coffee shop I wanted to have someday. In my journal, you’ll see an entry titled “Coffee Shop Ideas” with sketches, interior design details, menu items and so much more. I remember texting a friend late one night with so much excitement about the plans I had. Her honest and gentle response was, “that’s going to be really hard.” Sigh. It really was just a dream and for a while, it would need to stay put right there in my journal.

Fast forward about a year later, another entrepreneurial ambition came up between a friend and I. We wanted to establish an online boutique and soon decided that we’d want a storefront location in Tifton, too. It wasn’t until driving through downtown and being reminded of the Golden Building that my coffee shop dream and this retail dream collided.

I didn’t allow much time to pass before calling the realtor and asking for a tour of the building. From the outside, all you can notice is the questionable condition of the building with its broken windows and barren state. I truly did not know what to expect and did not want to get too far ahead of myself with this little dream.

During the walkthrough, I felt a sense of responsibility to nurture this place back to life. I was so inspired by the details of construction and how well they have withstood the test of time. I knew that I have the life, energy, and creativity within me to make this something special once again. Here’s a taste of what I got to see beyond the broken windows (and the ceiling tiles!)

As I get older, I appreciate the little details of what makes things beautiful. For this property, it’s the lasting beauty of the design elements. I want to be a part of preserving that history and making it a treasure that others can enjoy today.

I’d assume a vast majority of anyone that’s ever seen The Golden Building are a lot like me. It’s hard to imagine what could be behind those broken windows. While presenting this idea, I had someone look me in the eye to say that this “pipe dream” would never be successful. Just as sure as I had faith in the beauty behind those broken windows, I have faith that these little dreams will soon be big realities for Downtown Tifton.


The Tifton Gazette coverage of The Golden Exchange

See before photos of The Golden Building

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  1. Jerry Swain says:

    I wish you the very best in restoring this beautiful building. If anyone can do it, I believe you can.

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