When actress and Nashville native Reese Witherspoon shot a movie in Atlanta several years ago鈥攕mack in the middle of a culinary and artistic renaissance鈥攕he realized there were no stores that captured those uniquely Southern experiences, everything from tailgating to sprawling Sunday suppers.
鈥淚 was being approached at that time by some big American brands to represent their businesses,鈥� she said during a Q&A with students Oct. 27 at the . 鈥淏ut then I thought, 鈥榳hy isn鈥檛 anybody telling these Southern stories?鈥欌��
Witherspoon鈥檚 first inclination was to start a blog showcasing the lifestyles of a new kind of Southern woman鈥攖hose with a cosmopolitan bent who, like her, have come to embrace their hometowns in cities like Atlanta, Nashville and New Orleans (not unlike Witherspoon鈥檚 film Sweet Home Alabama).
The blog, however, was a non-starter. 鈥淭his is a terrible idea,鈥� Witherspoon鈥檚 husband, talent agent Jim Toth, told her. He said she would quickly gain a huge following, and then do what? 鈥淓ventually, I鈥檓 going to sell to them.鈥� Why don鈥檛 you just skip the blog part, he asked, and start selling now?
Thus was born , which falls somewhere between Tory Burch and You Greek, Me Greek. With backing from Forerunner Ventures鈥攖he financing company behind brands like Warby Parker, Bonobos and Serena & Lily鈥擠raper James (named for Witherspoon鈥檚 grandparents) launched online in May and opened its flagship store in Nashville鈥檚 12th South neighborhood in October. As a side note, the store, Witherspoon said, 鈥渓ooks exactly鈥� like her own house.
Sales from Draper James benefit , a national non-profit that helps young girls set and achieve life goals.
As part of the 菠萝视频 Q&A, members of the at Owen asked several elementary school girls what they would ask Witherspoon if they had the chance. Like the graduate school women themselves, the girls wanted to know how the actress and mother does so much: Running a Hollywood production company, launching a retail business, making blockbuster films and having three children.
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鈥淚f I lean in any more, I鈥檓 going to fall over.鈥�
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鈥淚 can鈥檛 sit here and say I have the typical life experience,鈥� Witherspoon said, explaining that she has a supportive staff that helps her manage everything. But, she added, 鈥淚f I lean in any more, I鈥檓 going to fall over.鈥� Nevertheless, it鈥檚 important to keep seeking new challenges and opening different chapters in life, she said.
When things do get rough, however, Witherspoon says she thinks back to advice given to her by a former NCAA softball coach who was helping her while working on a movie: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e allowed to have one bad inning, but you鈥檙e not allowed to have seven. So give yourself a minute to feel rotten, and then move on.鈥�
鈥擱yan Underwood