2008 Woodie Awards
A hiden gem of Bloomsburg: Bella Donna Boutique
Deirdre Miller
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: features
- Page 1 of 1
| |
|
Bella Donna, located at One East Main Street, has been in business for two years and draws in shoppers of all ages with elegant merchandise and reasonable. Rosie Parrish, the owner of the store, conceptualized the idea for the store when she was visiting the area several years ago. She saw the opportunity to open a business unlike any other in Bloomsburg. Rosie's connections in the Manhattan Fashion scene gave her access to discounted wholesale markets and allowed her to buy selectively among some of the top designer names in the business. She is now able to offer top-quality designer brands at discount prices. With new merchandise arriving every week, shoppers have the luxury of choosing the styles, sizes and prices to suit their needs.
For the first year the store was open, Rosie was still living in the Big Apple but she commuted to Bloomsburg every weekend to take care of her blossoming business. Eventually, she decided it was time to move to the area permanently. According to Rosie, Bloomsburg is very quiet compared to New York, but she enjoys the small town life. "It was kind of a culture shock at first," she said.
According to Rosie, the most popular items are the designer handbags and jewelry, including Dolce & Gabbana, Kate Spade, and Christian Dior. In addition, Bella Donna sells colorful, stylish head bands, scarves, wallets and other accessories. The clothing ranges from casual to classy along with dresses for formal events.
Ashley Cochran, a senior from Roseland, New Jersey, did some Christmas shopping at Bella Donna last year. "It's like having a Canal Street in Bloomsburg," she said. "I bought Coach scarves and Chanel earrings for both of my sisters."
Rosie's partner, Steve Parrish, handles the marketing and accounting for Bella Donna, while she takes care of selecting the merchandise and running the store. He emphasized the desire to integrate the business into the Bloomsburg University community and suggested that student sale days may one day be implemented. Steve and Rosie look forward to opportunities to work with students in the future.
Bella Donna has also been expanded in the past year to accommodate the store's growing collection. In addition to offering personalized fashion consultations, the store offers a "custom bling" service. This involves attaching rhinestones to jeans or other apparel in any design.
Although most of Bella Donna's customers are women between the age of 18-55, men can also find what they are looking for. Scott Coup, a graduate student from Milton, recently went into the shop to help a friend find a birthday gift for his girlfriend. According to Coup, there was a wide selection and they didn't have to worry about buying something she wouldn't like. "They had a lot of nice stuff in there," he said. "I can see why girls would like it."
Bella Donna will participate in this year's Late Night Shopping in downtown Bloomsburg on Friday, Nov. 31, from 6 p.m. to midnight. All the stores will say open late to provide a unique shopping experience. "We've done it before," said Rosie. "It is a late night but it's worth it." For inquiries about merchandise or to learn more about Bella Donna, contact Rosie or Steve Parrish at 784-5916.