Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Reynolds.
Hi Christy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Sure! My name is Christy Reynolds and my business partner, Erika Swart and I are the owners of Doxology, a boutique in historic downtown Winter Garden. We specialize in women’s clothing, accessories, gifts, and unique furnishings for the home. We have been in business since March 2019. Doxology started when we acquired the inventory and buildout from a store that had been in our same location. Erika and I had been customers and when we heard that they were closing, we decided to open a store of our own with a new name and new vision. Neither of us had any experience running a retail store. I had made my career as a sign language interpreter and Erika had been a grant writer. We both had three children each and very full lives. However, we both felt God calling us to do this and we decided to step out in faith and go for it!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Anytime you take on a new endeavor, there are bound to be bumps along the way. Though Erika and I definitely made some mistakes early on, we quickly learned from them and only improved with time and experience. One of the best things we did was to research what people liked from the previous store and what they didn’t. Many people said that they would have preferred more affordable clothing in a wider variety of sizes. We listened to this and made the changes accordingly. You can now find clothing at a variety of price points and in sizes from XS-3X. Listening to and learning from our customers has helped to make us successful.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
One of the things we are most proud of is that we are unapologetic about our store being faith-centered. We have a prayer chapel right in the middle of our store. It is the first thing that you see when you walk in. Some people would think we are crazy for giving up such prime “real estate” but we really feel that it is the heart of our store and the thing that sets us apart from other retailers. We encourage people to write prayers and praises on tags and then hang them on the chapel walls. Each morning, before we open our doors, we take a few off and pray over them. It can be a heavy space but also very uplifting. We especially love reading the prayers of children. The innocence in what they boldly ask for is so encouraging in a world that often feels dark and without hope. Overall, we want to be a light in the Winter Garden community and a place for all people to feel the love of Jesus.
How do you think about luck?
While we don’t believe in luck, we do believe that God has a plan for our lives and with Doxology. This business was handed to us in a way and we take it very seriously. We try to make decisions that honor God and to run our business as ethically as possible. When you establish yourselves as a “Christian” business, you know that people are watching. We strive to show our community the love of Jesus in how we interact with our customers and run our business.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@shopdoxology.com
- Website: www.shopdoxology.com
- Instagram: @shopdoxology
- Facebook: @shopdoxology
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/doxology-winter-garden
Image Credits
@thefloridacomeback, @mackotherose
