Life & Work with Ossiereen “Ms Ojay” Jones of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ossiereen “Ms Ojay” Jones.

Hi Ms Ojay, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My journey with books began in 1994 after the birth of my daughter, when I used my income tax refund to create personalized inspirational and educational children’s books. That’s when I caught what I call the “book bug,” which eventually led me to open Rejoice Christian Books & Gift Shop in 2021.

Since my first VoyageATL interview, the journey has continued to grow. Rejoice has been reinvented and is now located inside Unique Treasures in Snellville, Georgia, while another branch of the vision was born—Main Street Bookstore & Gifts, a new brick-and-mortar bookstore in Alpharetta.

Main Street allows me to expand beyond where I could go before, especially in literacy and education—getting books into the hands of young people, encouraging reading, giving books back to the community, and preparing for future educational workshops.

This August, I also celebrated five years as a brick-and-mortar bookstore owner. Being part of the less than 10% of independent bookstores in this country that are Black-owned is something I’m incredibly proud of, and it is one of the reasons I fight so hard to keep standing.

More than 30 years after catching that first “book bug,” the vision is still growing—and so am I.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, it has not been a smooth road. Being a self-funded small business owner has meant learning how to keep moving even when the resources don’t always match the vision.

Funding has continued to be one of my greatest challenges. I’ve learned that recognition, awards, community impact, and even a proven track record don’t automatically translate into access to capital. There have been times when I’ve had to make difficult decisions, reinvent the business, adjust the vision, and simply figure out how to keep going.

But I’ve also learned that a setback does not have to mean the end of the story. Reimagining Rejoice and then opening Main Street taught me that sometimes you have to be willing to change the route without changing the destination.

I’m still self-funded, still learning, and still building.. Entrepreneurship is faith, strategy, determination—and a whole lot of figuring it out as you go. But every challenge is making me a stronger businesswoman and even more determined to create something that can make a difference in the communities I serve.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I own and operate faith-based and community-focused bookstores offering Bibles, inspirational and educational books, gifts, church supplies, and personalized Bible and book imprinting. But I believe what sets my stores apart is the heart behind how we serve.

I never want to lose sight of the person on the other side of the transaction. Sometimes someone comes in for a Bible, book, or gift, and only later do I realize that what they found that day meant much more to them than the item they purchased.

One experience I will never forget involved a father whose 12-year-old daughter was entering a nearby treatment facility. She was allowed to take one personal item with her, and she asked for a Bible. My store wasn’t actually open at the time, but I happened to be there when her father arrived looking for one. When I learned why he needed it, I told him, “I’m open for you. Evidently, this is why I was here today.”

Months later, after she returned home, she came to meet me on her 13th birthday because she wanted to meet the person who had opened the bookstore for her. I let her choose something from the store as my birthday gift to her, and she selected a journal and pen.

Those are the moments I’m most proud of. I am a retailer—not a counselor, pastor, or replacement for professional support—but I am a retailer with a heart. I can listen, show kindness, help someone find what they came looking for, and recognize when their needs should be directed to someone better equipped to help.

There may be days when business is slow and I wonder how I’m going to keep pushing forward. Then someone walks through the door and reminds me that being available still matters.

I sell books and gifts, but I want people to leave knowing they were treated like a person, not just a transaction.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t really believe luck—good or bad—has defined my life or my business. I believe my life has been divinely purposed by God, and my responsibility is to have faith, stay alert, and remember to allow God to lead me.

Life reminds me of a giant jigsaw puzzle. When you first open the box, the pieces or random and disconnected. You pick up one piece at a time without always understanding where it belongs. But eventually, those pieces begin to connect and reveal the picture that was there all along.

That is how I see my journey. There have been pieces I didn’t like, times when I didn’t know which direction to go, seasons I didn’t understand, doors I wanted to open that didn’t, and directions I never expected to take. But when I look back, I can often see how one experience prepared me for another.

I’ve learned that when I become quiet enough to pay attention—even in the difficult seasons—I can usually find something that is preparing, redirecting, or positioning me for my next step.

So I wouldn’t call my journey lucky. I call it purposeful. I don’t always understand the pieces while I’m holding them, but I trust that God already knows what the finished picture looks like so it is important for me to follow God and trust Him in not just the good times but the hard times.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://WWW.SHOPTHEMAINSTREET.COM
• Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/themainbookstore
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shopthemainstreet
• Other: https://Www.shoprejoice.com