Ace of Grace taking the stress out of getting dressed

By Courtney Warren

From jewelry to dresses, Ace of Grace is ready to style anyone that walks through the door. Owned by Cantonian Misti Cochran, Ace of Grace is named after her daughters Aislynn, whose nickname is Ace, and Madi, whose middle name is Grace. Aislynn, now in college, and Madi, a senior at Canton Academy, can be found helping with sales, running social media, modeling clothes, and running the cash register.  

Ace of Grace originated in 2003 as a mobile boutique traveling all over the country, setting up at children’s beauty pageants where Cochran’s daughters competed. 

“I opened my brick and mortar store in a very small space on Center Street in August of 2019. It was getting close to Christmas time, and many of my customers wanted a place to come and shop with me in person and not just online. Also, the office in my home was getting smaller and smaller as inventory kept multiplying. I honestly didn’t know if having a storefront would just be a seasonal thing or how it would work out, so I signed a six-month lease to test the waters,” said Cochran. 

It didn’t take long for her to realize Ace of Grace was a hit on the square and she’d need even more room after those six months. 

“I chose the square because I love the atmosphere of shopping in a small town. The area is convenient to where I live and where my children attend school.  It’s so nice to just park and walk from shop to shop or grab a bite to eat,” she said. 

Born and raised in Mississippi, Cochran loves the small-town feel of Canton. 

“Ace of Grace could not be in a better place than on the square in Canton. We get the best of both worlds. The Canton Flea Market and Christmas on the Square literally bring in people from all over the southeast U.S. But honestly, the best part is the tremendous support we have right here in Madison County. 

‘I still get told all the time how happy people are that we opened here, since there wasn’t already anything like us. It’s so rewarding,” said Cochran.

She also said the support from Canton Tourism has been incredible. 

“Jana and her staff show support and love to all of the local businesses. They are amazing and are always looking for ways to bring events to Canton and are constantly promoting the businesses that are already here,” she said. 

Cochran was also determined to create a boutique for women of all sizes rather than cater to the typical model size of extra small to medium.

“I don’t even wear an extra small or medium! And most women don’t. It was important to me to provide cute, stylish, and affordable clothing and accessories that would address the needs of a wide variety of customers. I had no idea honestly how important that would become to my shoppers, though. Our regulars range from teenagers to grandmothers. The plus-size sector of my business is also a huge part of our boutique. Just because you may wear a larger size doesn’t mean you don’t want to dress in bright colors and trending styles,” said Cochran. 
Ace of Grace is constantly evolving, another goal of Cochran’s.

“We are always looking for new brands and staying on top of current trends. We have a huge social media following that we get invaluable feedback from. I say all the time that we have the best customers in the world, and it’s true! We aren’t just a store. We’ve done lives online that my children, husband, and pets have made appearances in. Our customers not only know me, but my family, too. I think the personal touch makes a huge difference,” she said.