Hitch Studio has been in Downtown Brookings for nearly ten years! Wow! They have been in three locations throughout the ten years, recently moving into their new home in a beautiful office behind Jackrabbit Central. Hitch is owned by Renee Bauman, an SDSU grad, wife, and mother of two.

“Hitch Studio specializes in four divisions. First is what we’re most known for, wedding and event planning. We’re also event venue managers, wedding and event stationery creators, and I authored a wedding planning book with a checklist guide. It might surprise you that Hitch has so much going on.”

Renee described Downtown as the heartbeat of the city, describing how the more business and life you have Downtown, the better we feed each other's businesses. You can eat, be entertained, and shop all in one area. "It’s a really fun place to have a business. I leave the storefront to the retailers since we don’t need one, but still love being here because it's such a fun place to work. It’s a thriving area that my clients love exploring after our meetings."

When asked about what she loves most about owning a small business, Renee was quick to answer. She said, “I love that I get to mentor my team of 40+ employees. Many are SDSU students. I love to watch them spread their wings and grow. Being a part of their journey, impacting so many people, I love that. I take a lot of pride in the work that we do. I can seriously say I love coming to work every day.”

Renee has learned a lot over the last nine and a half years of business. "Knowing when and how to grow can be a challenge. When should I hire? Where should I focus attention? What should I budget and when? It’s a challenge since time and resources are limited."

“I’m proud to be a small business owner! Thank you to Downtown Brookings for highlighting the hardworking business owners and advocates who make Brookings a great place to live!”

Thank you to Renee and the Hitch Studio crew for their vision and commitment!