Reese Witherspoon to open 12South store

It’s official: Actress turned entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon is opening the first brick-and-mortar store for her new lifestyle brand Draper James in Nashville’s 12South neighborhood.

The store will be located on the first floor of the under construction Becker’s Corner development on 12th Avenue South between Summer Classics and 12 South Dental Studio, the building’s developers confirmed Thursday.

The Nashville location will be the first Draper James store in the country, which launched online in May.

Witherspoon’s brand is meant to honor her grandparents, Dorothea Draper and William James Witherspoon, and also to put the spotlight on Southern style. It pays homage to her Music City upbringing with products such as the “Vanderbilt tote,” the “Nashville shirt” and the “Belle Meade dress.”

“I created Draper James to honor my past and allow others to embrace the beauty, style and excitement that embodies what is happening in the South today,” Witherspoon said in a statement in May.

According to the Draper James website, the Nashville store is aiming for a fall opening.

The Becker’s Corner development includes 4,500 square feet of retail space and four apartments. The developer is The Shop Trust, a partnership between Andy Howell of C.A. Howell and Company and his brothers.

The building’s design team includes Ireland Architecture, DFH Services, Farmer|Morgan and Fulmer Engineering. Howell and Company is handling leasing and property management for the property.

The development is also slated for a fall completion. Last month, popular California-based bakery Sprinkles Cupcakes announced plans to open a shop with a 24/7 cupcake ATM at the building, marking the return of a bakery to the site where longtime Nashville favorite Becker’s Bakery operated for decades. Sprinkles is aiming for a winter opening.

Draper James sells colorful and printed clothing, with prices ranging from $58 for a printed t-shirt to $300 for a dress. Accessories include jewelry, handbags, wallets, belts, sunglasses and hats, while the home decor offerings include a custom cocktail napkin set, stationery, stationery, blankets and pillows. Many of the items are named after Southern cities or neighborhoods.

Witherspoon is working with Southern artisans and manufacturing facilities to produce the Draper James brand.

Witherspoon spent her childhood and teen years in Nashville before hitting it big in Hollywood.

During a visit in July 2014, Witherspoon reinforced her love of Music City, posting photos on her Instagram account from Cheekwood, Pinewood Social, Pucketts and the Hermitage Hotel. “#Nashville I’m home!” she proclaimed in one caption.

Witherspoon did a recent interview about Draper James on “Good Morning America” at Riverwood Mansion in East Nashville.

Witherspoon and her husband, Jim Toth, reportedly purchased a home in Oak Hill in August 2014 for $1.95 million.

– tennessean.com