From Myers-Briggs to the Big Five, personality tests have been one way for people to connect with others. Recently, downtown Auburn has engaged with these concepts to connect the Auburn community with businesses.
Beginning in January, The Downtown Auburn Merchants Association started the Enneagram Series where they sort the downtown businesses into the nine enneagram types on their blog and Instagram.
According to The Enneagram Institute, the enneagram is a tool to deepen the understanding of ourselves and others.
Jessica Kohn, downtown coordinator and creator of the Enneagram Series, said the Series is all about doing something fun for people to engage with. While she does research each type, she said she is not an expert.
“I really want to make sure I take the time to know a little bit more about [each type] and then try to relate it to certain businesses,” she said.
Kohn said each business has its own personality and this is her own interpretation. The businesses are sorted into three categories: retail, restaurant and "bonus" for each type.
So far, they have sorted Type 8 with J&M Bookstore, Hamilton’s and Toomer’s Drugs. For Type 9, Auburn Oil Co Booksellers, Tacorita and The Collegiate Hotel Rooftop. For Type 1, Fab’rik, Acre and Dimension’s Salon. For Type 2, Wrapsody, Irritable Bao and Create-a-Spa and for Type 3, Mountain High Outfitters, The Hound and The Talon Group.
Kohn said they try to post every 7-10 days with Type 4 planning to come out this week.
While she started getting interested in the enneagram a couple of years ago, she said part of what inspired her to begin this series was seeing other organizations, from schools to churches, engaging with the enneagram.
“I thought it would be a fun and engaging way to bring in our audience and also to shed light on merchants at the same time,” she said.
Kohn knows she can’t cover every business, but she said she hopes to recognize most of them through the process. With that, they plan to not repeat any businesses even if they have traits of another enneagram type, she said.
According to The Enneagram Institute, Type 1 is the Reformer and they strive for perfectionism and are purposeful. Type 2, the Helper, is defined as being generous and people-oriented.
“[Type 2 is] just someone who is always intrigued by other people’s feelings so much so that they tend to neglect their own feelings or their own wants or needs,” Kohn said. "They are going to go out of their way to make sure everyone else is taken care of and put others' needs before themselves.”
According to The Enneagram Institute, Type 3 is the Achiever with desiring success, and they tend to be focused on their image. Type 4, the Individualist, is known for being sensitive and expressive. Type 5, the Investigator, is perceptive and they likely prefer alone-time.
Type 6 is the Loyalist, and they are thought of as responsible, focused on security and, with that, are prone to be anxious, according to the Enneagram Institute.
“[Type 6] are going to think before they do and they are also going to overthink everything,” Kohn said.
According to The Enneagram Institute, Type 7 is the Enthusiast, and they tend to be fun-loving and spontaneous.
Kohn said she feels like everyone has an idea of who their seven is in their life. She said you often find a lot of them while in college.
Type 8 is the Challenger with being willful and driven. Type 9, the Peacemaker, is easy-going and receptive, said The Enneagram Institute.
Kohn said creating the Enneagram Series has been enjoyable, especially seeing people feel a connection to the different downtown businesses and the enneagram types in their comment section.
“I really didn’t think it would be as popular as it was when we first came out with it,” she said. “I mean it was just something fun and I enjoyed reading about it and learning about it and I thought ‘hmm I think we can tie this into downtown businesses.’'’
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Abigail Murphy, senior in journalism with minors in history and women and gender studies, is the operations managing editor at The Auburn Plainsman.
