D+K Renewals Owner Dawnelle Sarlo Is Our Saint Cloud FL Local Business Spotlight
D+K Renewals is the focus of our 32nd episode of Discover St. Cloud FL. Dawnelle Sarlo is interviewed by Jeanine Corcoran broker of Corcoran Connect. D+K Renewals is located at 1310 11th St. St Cloud, FL 34769.
Jeanine loves interviewing the local businesses in Saint Cloud and these spotlights are her favorite. She stated that D+K Renewals reminds her of a retail store she used to visit often as a kid. Kristin said Dawnelle created a great aesthetic in her store and she loves it.
Jeanine began the interview and asked when she started her business. Dawnelle answered that she started her business six years ago. D+K Renewals started as an online business when Dawnelle lived in Washington state. She is often asked what the “D” and “K” stand for in the business name D+K Renewals. The “D” represents her first name, and the “K” represents her cousin Kirstin.
Video Interview Of Jeanine Corcoran And D+K Renewals Owner Dawnelle Sarlo
When she started D+K Renewals as an online business six years ago, it was only the textiles she was selling. Dawnelle was running her business from her home after moving to St. Cloud FL and it was difficult at first. She did have a 2,000-square-foot garage for her products to operate from when living in Washington. However, when Dawnelle moved to St. Cloud FL, all the products were now in her home. It wasn’t working for her.
D+K Renewals Opens Its Saint Cloud FL Retail Store In September 2021
She talked to her husband and decided to open a retail store in downtown Saint Cloud FL. Dawnelle figured if she was going to pay overhead then why not do it in a retail store environment. Having a retail store allowed her to see her customer’s reactions to what she offered versus an online customer where you get no feedback. Dawnelle loves seeing the people’s reactions and the expressions on their faces when in her store.
She was asked if she does live videos by Jeanine. Dawnelle said yes. She likes doing live sales as well as posting on her social media channels. Her business in Saint Cloud has now been open for a year and it is her second location.
Dawnelle was asked by Jeanine how she got started in her business and why did she choose it? She replied that she had a bachelor’s degree in interior design as that was her focus in college. When Dawnelle was 18 years old, she went to Ghana for a few months and taught people there about textiles. She also learned a great deal about the people and fell in love with their textiles.
Dawnelle’s approach is vastly different from the big box approach when it comes to textiles. Big box stores offer textiles that are very expensive and there is no story behind them.
Who Is Dawnelle Sarlo Owner Of This Unique Retail Store?
She gave an example. One of Dawnelle's sources is a woman in India. She makes authentic pieces for her store in St. Cloud. Dawnelle pays her well for her work and in return, she gets an authentic piece with a unique story to tell her customers and as a result, can offer great value to them.
Jeanine then asked Dawnelle to tell the audience about herself. She answered that she is a mother and has 3 children. She’s been married for 15 years. Dawnelle is the oldest of 7 children and she likes to make people smile. Dawnelle likes to be surrounded by happy people and good vibes.
Jeanine then asked Dawnelle about the products in her store and if she had a number one bestseller or category. Dawnelle answered that in-store plants sell the best. She likes helping introduce plants into people’s homes. She also likes helping educate people on the textiles in her store and where they came from and their meaning.
How do you serve the people of Saint Cloud and the town itself Jeanine asked. Dawnelle replied that she brings a different vibe to Saint Cloud than you can’t find elsewhere. She loves to see the reaction of people that come into the store. She feels it when customers walk in, and they can immediately feel at peace.
The Owner Of D+K Renewals Offers A Peaceful Experience In Her Store
Dawnelle feels like people have an actual experience in her store. She said there are so many things to look at and touch in the store and she likes to provide that for people.
Jeanine commented that they had a store like Dawnelle’s where she grew up in New Jersey called Pick Wick Village. She said it was her favorite store, something new in the 1970s. Jeanine said it was her happy store.
Jeanine asked Dawnelle what state she moved from coming here to Saint Cloud. She replied that her family is originally from the East Coast, and they were living in Washington, just outside of Seattle for the last 10 years prior to moving to Saint Cloud.
Dawnelle said she moved here because of Covid to be close to family as her in-laws live here near her and her husband. Her husband’s grandparents live close by as well and so does her grandmother who lives an hour south of St. Cloud.
Jeanine asked her what she would say to someone moving to Saint Cloud FL. Dawnelle said she really loves it here. She likes it because it is centrally located, and you can easily access Orlando from here. If you want to go to Orlando for the food, the shopping, the city, or the theme parks, you can. She continued that you can also get to the coast quickly and enjoy the beaches which she loves.
The Small-Town Vibe That Saint Cloud FL Has Is Attractive To Out-Of-State Visitors
Dawnelle said that Saint Cloud has that small-town vibe which is perfect for her and her family. It has a small-town feel. She walks into the grocery store and sees people she knows. She loves the small-town southern feel of living here.
Jeanine asked her about the people coming to visit Saint Cloud what is the one place that they shouldn’t miss aside from her store of course. Dawnelle said it would have to be the downtown area; she loves it. She spends a lot of time downtown and shops at all the cute boutique stores here. It is a fun place to come and walk around and dine at great restaurants and shop.
We hope you enjoyed Jeanine interviewing Dawnelle Sarlo of D+K Renewals our Saint Cloud FL Business Spotlight. This will continue to be a monthly focus for the Discover St. Cloud Florida podcast.