JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<link rel="stylesheet" href="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/3.4.5/select2.css">
<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/select2/3.4.5/select2.js"></script>
<select id="selectLocation" style="color:#09F; font-size:18px;" name="categories">
        <option style="color:#999999;">Choose an Attraction</option>
        <option></option>
        <option value='boscenChoice'>A. Boston Medical Center</option>
        <option value='boslibChoice'>B. Boston Public Library</option>
        <option value='chrcenChoice'>C. Christian Science Center</option>
        <option value='chuapaChoice'>D. Church Park Apartments</option>
        <option value='copplaChoice'>E. Copley Place Shopping</option>
        <option value='fenparChoice'>F. Fenway Park</option>
        <option value='findisChoice'>G. Financial District</option>
        <option value='houbluChoice'>H. House of Blues</option>
        <option value='huntheChoice'>I. Huntington Theatre</option>
        <option value='isamusChoice'>J. Isabella Stewart Gardener Museum</option>
        <option value='logairChoice'>K. Logan International Airport</option>
        <option value='lonmedChoice'>L. Longwood Medical and Academic Area</option>
        <option value='mashosChoice'>M. Massachusetts General Hospital</option>
        <option value='mastecChoice'>N. Massachusetts Institue of Technology</option>
        <option value='musartChoice'>O. Museum of Fine Arts</option>
        <option value='newstrChoice'>P. Newbury Street Shopping</option>
        <option value='prucenChoice'>Q. Prudential Center Shopping</option>
        <option value='pubgarChoice'>R. Public Garden</option>
        <option value='symhalChoice'>S. Symphony Hall</option>
    </select>

CSS

* {
    font-family:'Century Gothic'
}

JavaScript

$('#selectLocation').select2(
    {
        width:'400px',
        formatResult: format,
        formatSelection: format,
    });


function format(option) {
    if (option.id.indexOf('Choice') != -1) {
        return "<span style='display:inline-block;width:20px'>" + option.text.substring(0,2) + "</span>" + option.text.substring(2)
    } else {
        return option.text
    }
}