Atlanta Entrepreneur Brings Back Kissing Booths to Encourage In-Person Connections

Basement Boy brand founder Vachon Raye sets up kissing booths at local colleges to promote community and step outside comfort zones.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Ahead of Valentine's Day, a 23-year-old Atlanta entrepreneur named Vachon Raye and his Basement Boy brand partners have set up kissing booths at several local colleges, including Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Georgia State University. Raye's goal is to encourage students to step outside their comfort zones, meet new people, and build real-world connections, rather than relying solely on dating apps and social media.

Why it matters

In an era where many young adults increasingly rely on digital platforms to meet potential partners, Raye hopes the kissing booths will remind people of the value of in-person interactions and help combat loneliness, especially around holidays like Valentine's Day.

The details

Raye and his partners, Mahlon and Nahzire West, have been setting up the kissing booths at college campuses, inviting students to step up and share a kiss with a stranger. Raye said the idea is meant to capture the "movie lovey dubby feeling" and spark real-world connections, rather than just online interactions.

  • The kissing booths were set up in the days leading up to Valentine's Day 2026.
  • Raye and his team plan to host the kissing booth on Saturday, February 14, 2026 near the Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park and Ponce City Market from noon to 6 p.m.

The players

Vachon Raye

The 23-year-old founder of the Basement Boy brand who came up with the idea of setting up kissing booths at local colleges to encourage in-person interactions and community-building.

Mahlon West

One of Raye's partners who helped set up the kissing booths.

Nahzire West

One of Raye's partners who helped set up the kissing booths.

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What they’re saying

“I kind of wanted to bring that movie lovey dubby feeling to the real life.”

— Vachon Raye, Founder, Basement Boy brand (CBS News)

“Spreading love and positivity.”

— Vachon Raye, Founder, Basement Boy brand (CBS News)

“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.”

— Vachon Raye, Founder, Basement Boy brand (CBS News)

“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.”

— Vachon Raye, Founder, Basement Boy brand (CBS News)

“We take for granted the in-person interactions.”

— Vachon Raye, Founder, Basement Boy brand (CBS News)

What’s next

Raye and his team plan to host the kissing booth on Saturday, February 14, 2026 near the Historic Fourth Ward Skate Park and Ponce City Market from noon to 6 p.m.

The takeaway

Raye's kissing booth initiative is a creative attempt to encourage young adults to step outside their comfort zones, meet new people, and build real-world connections in an era where digital interactions have become increasingly dominant. By bringing back the old-school idea of a kissing booth, Raye hopes to remind people of the value of in-person engagement and combat loneliness, especially around holidays like Valentine's Day.