TILDEN — After more than five years online, a Tilden business has finally found a physical home.
Owner Crystal Wright opened Rose Grace Boutique, a women’s clothing store, at 101 W. Second St. in Tilden last August. The women’s clothing store previously existed solely online.
Wright said she wanted to open a physical store for a while, so that way people could shop for products in person. However, there were no available locations in town.
But her luck changed when a new building was constructed in Tilden. Wright said she jumped on the opportunity.
“We just wanted to be able to serve our small town so that they can get what they need here without having to drive to Norfolk or other places that are a long distance away,” Wright said.
As the only retail business in Tilden, Wright said her business carries more than just women’s clothing. She also stocks gifts and products for men and children.
“We have products for every age,” Wright said. “We try to carry a little bit of everything just because we’re in a small town.”
And although Wright opened Rose Grace Boutique 5½ years ago, the journey to opening her business started around 10 years ago, when she and her husband had just been married. The couple soon after purchased their first house and had their first daughter.
Wright said she then finished school and started working as a registered nurse; however, the couple’s lives were upended when their 1-year-old daughter suffered a traumatic brain injury.
“I had to leave my full-time job so that I could care for her while also taking her to all of her therapy and doctor’s appointments, many of which were hours away,” Wright said. “We went from having two promising, full-time incomes, down to one and piles of medical bills. We made the move into a more affordable home and continued caring for our daughter and taking her to appointments and doing countless hours of therapy.”
Wright said she then began to search for work she could do from home to bring in income. After months of research and medical setbacks, she finally made a $300 purchase of clothes to sell. And from there she was able to make a profit off of the first order of clothes. So she bought more clothes, again and again, until she had enough inventory for a website.
“I turned this bedroom into my little store and hosted ‘open’ hours for shoppers to come in,” Wright said. “Once that grew, we moved into the basement. And once that was full, we moved into a warehouse and now almost six years later, we’re working out of our new storefront.”
Wright said her business allowed her to not only support her family financially, but also to spend more time with her children.
“It’s been a challenge, but I wouldn’t do it any other way,” Wright said. “… I don’t have to miss out on anything, which was my biggest thing — I wanted to be able to be there for all of the important things in their lives, too.”
Wright ended up naming the business after her two oldest daughters’ middle names — Rose and Grace.
“My two younger kids — we had after (we started the business), unfortunately,” Wright said. “But I wanted to pick something that I wouldn’t get tired of, and I knew that I wouldn’t get tired of that.”
Although she never envisioned herself owning a clothing store, Wright said she always wanted to open a business.
“This wasn’t in my plans when I was a kid,” Wright said. “I always really wanted to have my own business. But I never really knew what direction it was going to take me.”
As a fashion-forward person who’s not afraid of newer trends, Wright said owning a clothing store just kind of happened. Now, Wright said she really enjoys the feeling of helping people.
“I love the interaction that I get with people, and I love being able to help people,” Wright said. “Being able to help someone and make their day when you can tell they come in and they’re having a hard time or they’re just struggling — being able to help them find those pieces that give them confidence and make them feel good is a really great feeling.”
Rose Grace Boutique has three employees, including Wright, and is open Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The business still sells products online.
“To some people, I sell clothes,” Wright said, “but to me and my family, this business has been part of a big journey and story, and it’s so much more.”
