Donna’s Fashions Celebrates 20 Years at Shops of Seville
By RAEGAN DOUGHARTY
Contributing Writer
SUCCESSFUL OWNER: Donna Brollier sits in her shop, Donna’s Fashions, 10051 S. Yale Ave., located in the Shops of Seville on the corner of 101st Street and Yale Avenue. Donna’s Fashions is celebrating 20 years in 2018.
GTR Newspapers Photo
Donna Brollier is the owner of Donna’s Fashions, 10051 S. Yale Ave., located in the Shops of Seville on the corner of 101st Street and Yale Avenue. The upscale retail shop is celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2018.
The store is tucked away in a tight-knit shopping center, offering customers a shopping experience that Brollier hopes weaves together multiple generations of shoppers.
In addition to owning her own retail shop, Brollier, a Broken Bow native, is a jewelry designer and blogger and the mother of three children, Corey, Tristan and Ashtyn. Her son Corey Kent White is a country music singer who competed on ’s The Voice in 2015, making it to the top eight. White, a Bixby High School graduate, went on to receive a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music. He lives in Nashville with his wife, and they are expecting their first child.
Brollier earned her undergraduate degree at Oklahoma State University in family and children’s services, a path that emphasized retail and fell under the college of home economics. She earned her master’s degree at Oral Roberts University in Christian Counseling.
“I think my two [degrees] have served me well in that they have helped me to improve my customer-interaction skills and my ability to listen, which have helped me to build beautiful relationships with my customers over 20 years,” she says.
Brollier opened her store in September 1998 after spending four years in the counseling field. Brollier says her hope was that the store would be an extension of the community’s neighborhoods and even homes.
She credits as a long-time supporter of her store, publishing the very first article and advertisement for Donna’s Fashions after she opened her doors.
With the ever-changing nature of the retail industry, Brollier has taken a number of steps to set her shop apart over the past 20 years. With the growing popularity of online shopping, brick-and-mortar stores now more than ever must “constantly evaluate inventory and realize what’s moving and what isn’t,” she says.
Additionally, Brollier believes that her shop offers something that no online store can, a unique shopping experience with unmatched customer service.
“Tulsa has been good to us, and our customers have been amazing to trust us for 20 years. I think we’ve built a relationship that they know when they come here, they’ll get honesty and quality,” Brollier says.
Brollier’s belief in strong community involvement has led Donna’s Fashions to support local projects, such as Oklahoma Project Woman, Joy In The Cause, Dress for Success and The Salvation Army, among others. She encourages store guests to shop local and says that everyone wins when community members help one another by supporting local businesses. Those businesses often give back to local causes and charities, which Brollier says benefits everyone involved.
Brollier is also constantly evaluating her store’s offerings, always on the hunt for on-trend versatile fashion pieces that can be shared by numerous generations, she says.
Donna’s Fashions carries well-known brands, including Joseph Ribkoff, Johnny Was and Tommy Bahama. Since beginning to carry Tommy Bahama in 2008, Donna’s Fashions has become one of the top 100 best-selling stores for the brand in the country.
To further set herself apart in unique offerings, Brollier launched her own line of jewelry in 2014, creating designs that she envisioned but was unable to find anywhere on store shelves. She says her line, Steel Magnolia Jewelry, is based on sophistication, strength and southern charm.
“I remember thinking at that point it seemed like the right time to try something new,” Brollier says. Her store provided her the opportunity to test out her jewelry designs and gain customer feedback. She says the positive feedback was encouraging.
Brollier includes the Christian cross on many of her jewelry designs as a way to share her faith and her belief in women’s strength, she says.
“I think it goes back to that as women, we’re strong in our faith and in our values to raise our families, and together we can do just about anything.”
Another way that Brollier stays connected with her customers is through her blog, where she covers topics from closet organization to how to wear certain pieces. She says that the blog serves as a newsletter for the store and helps to bolster the relationship side of her business.
As Brollier looks to the future and reflects on the past, she credits the success of her shop to “my amazing employees and loyal customers who have been with me for 20 years.”
To learn more, visit Donna’sFashions.com. Donna’s Fashions is open Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. and Friday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Updated 02-28-2018
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