CINCINNATI — Alexis Williams and Domynique Shelby are best friends, and do what best friends do, take selfies together. Their pictures led to an idea, one they’d never thought they’d be doing during the pandemic. They turned selfies into a business. 

“We were in this great museum and we were just like, ‘hey this is so cool, we need to bring this to Cincinnati,’” said Shelby, a Selfie City co-creator.

Selfie City was opened by the two recent graduates with the help of parent investors and local artists. 

Inside, there are six rooms, each one with a different theme, hand-painted murals, and decorations, all to have the perfect backdrop for a photoshoot.

“We do have those people coming in and they say, 'you guys are on to something big,'” said Williams, the other Selfie City co-creator.

They’ve been open for less than six months, and said the pandemic has been rough on the business, but not even a pandemic can stop a selfie.

“We’re really just taking it all in and moving at a steady pace and knowing that COVID is not going to be the end of everything," said Williams. 

In fact, she said they’re planning to expand the business, adding in classes to the space where people may learn to make their own creative decorations, or just be in the center of theirs for your own selfie. 

“I’m glad that we did it,” said Shelby.