We're finally getting close to that point on The Bachelor where we start to recognize every woman who's left, instead of wondering at the end of every rose ceremony, "literally, who is this person? Has she been here the whole time?" One woman who definitely made an impact on Nick Viall in Week 4 (in spite of the fact that her one-on-one date got censored in her home state of Arkansas) is Raven, the 24-year-old Bachelor contestant and business owner from a tiny town called Hoxie. She owns a women's clothing boutique called Grey Suede, but can you shop at Raven's store? You sure can!
The brick-and-mortar store is actually located in Jonesboro, Arkansas, which is about a 30-minute drive from her hometown. Jonesboro is a little bit bigger, which probably hugely helps the trendy boutique. Grey Suede sells accessories, dresses, tops, bottoms, shoes, outerwear, lingerie, and even those "Wine, Bachelor, and Yoga Pants" wine glasses. Raven's employees also curate their own staff picks on the Grey Suede website, showcasing their favorite pieces, so she's obviously invested in staffing her store with people who have great taste. The store has a blog, too, which is currently (and unsurprisingly) devoted to all things The Bachelor. The cross-promotion has obviously begun, so Raven is definitely putting her national platform to good use.
On The Bachelor, Raven relies heavily on being a small-town Southern girl, but the "About Us" section of her store's website shows how ambitious and passionate she really is:
At the age of 24, after a year of Law School, and the devastating news of her Dad being diagnosed with lung cancer, Raven had a "come to Jesus" moment. Life's too short not to do what you love — and she loved two things: Fashion and being a Girl Boss. With less than $1,000, Raven single-handedly created Grey Suede, one of Northeast Arkansas most successful businesses. With less than a year of being open, Raven now employees 10 women, and has made young girls all over Arkansas believe that you should never be limited by where you come from, what you've been through, or how much money you don't have. You can make your dreams become a reality.
It's a moving account of how much Raven accomplished with so little, and it's heartening to see her committed to using her privilege to break down class barriers for women in her home state, even through something as simple as style. You can shop Grey Suede online through their website, if you want to lend Raven some extra support.
