A new docuseries coming to local screens will feature Boone business owners and how they give back to the community.

Boone media agency Artemis Independent is behind “Boonies,” the three-episode docuseries, which will spotlight one local entrepreneur per episode.

The featured entrepreneurs include Proper chef and owner Angela Kelly, auctioneer and First Security Insurance agent Jesse Miller and Anna Banana’s owner Anna Roseman.

Artemis Independent president Selena Lauterer said she stumbled upon the idea for “Boonies” while walking by an auction in front of Espresso News.

“I made a beeline toward the voice. I was so captivated,” Lauterer said. “It turns out it was Jesse Miller auctioneering for benefit for an employee of the coffee shop who was having to undergo brain surgery and needed funds.”

Lauterer said she and her husband began following Miller to his other nonprofit auctions.

“He is an insurance man by day but does volunteer auctioneering for nonprofits in the area at night and has raised over $1 million for those nonprofits in the past few years,” Lauterer said.

When Lauterer thought of “Boonies,” she immediately wanted the pilot episode to spotlight Miller.

“I needed funds for that, so I started fundraising like mad and I got a lot of demoralizing rejections,” Lauterer said. “Fortunately the Watauga Economic Development Commission was my bright and shining star of a sponsor.”

Lauterer also received funding from First Security Insurance and a crowdfunding campaign.

Lauterer raised enough money to have a professional crew shoot Roseman and Kelly’s episode during fall 2018.

Lauterer said she featured Roseman and Kelly in “Boonies” because they are humble.

“They never go for the spotlight,” Lauterer said. “They are constantly behind the scenes doing extraordinary work for everybody in this community. I wanted to celebrate that.”

Roseman opened Anna Banana’s in 2010 after leaving her Charlotte radio sales job.

“Looking back, I really didn’t have any idea what I was doing,” Roseman said.

Roseman said she was inspired to start a consignment shop while thrifting with her friend in 2010.

“Finally, all of these thoughts of what I wanted to do next came together, and I’m like, ‘That’s exactly what I do, I sell’ because I knew I could sell things,” Roseman said. “I was really big on wanting to do something that was very local.”

Roseman said Lauterer has consigned with Anna Banana’s for years, and they bond over their appreciation for the High Country.

“People have no idea how great this area is,” Roseman said. “I think we’re both advocates of the High Country, and Boone’s a small town. You get to know your people.”

Lauterer’s husband and co-manager of Hog Wild Films Kelly Davis directed the series, helped write the script, ran the production sets, conducted interviews and made sure all necessary footage was captured.

Davis said he hopes “Boonies” will inspire people to open more small businesses in Boone.

“We have a wonderful community of entrepreneurs in Boone, but more is better for the local economy, for tourism, for Boone’s livability and for those shops already open,” Davis said.  “At minimum, though, the series is a celebration of some of the wonderful people in this town.”

Davis said Boone has strong tourism, but he would love if “Boonies” helped spread the word about the best part of Boone: a thriving, exciting community that spends its time making it a better place.

Lauterer said she hopes “Boonies” will create more jobs and small businesses.

“I hope that if there are people sitting at home thinking they can’t start their own business, but they’ve always wanted to, that they will see the people in the stories and feel inspired,” Lauterer said.

Lauterer said UNC-TV will air and stream “Boonies” episodes in the spring.