This Oklahoma Retailer’s New Showroom Carries On a 74-Year Family Tradition

Near the entrance of Brockhaus Jewelry’s new showroom in Norman, Oklahoma, sits a relic from another era. It’s a rotating Selector watchband-display case, which the owners rescued from the attic of the former store and restored to working order. Customers can take it for a spin, much as they did decades ago, back when founder Tom Brockhaus ran a watch repair shop and Norman was a much smaller town. 

Around this relic rises something the founder could scarcely have imagined: soaring 20-foot ceilings and 16-foot windows, a dedicated Rolex boutique, and an upstairs lounge where community groups gather. There is a bar on the main floor, a VIP room with black-and-gold wall coverings and a guitar-pick-shaped table, and a mezzanine overlooking the showroom. 

Tom and Rosemary Brockhaus built the company in 1952. Long before curation became a buzzword, Tom had built his reputation on carrying jewelry lines nobody else in Oklahoma stocked. Their daughter, Katherine Brockhaus Maloy, spent three decades serving customers and helping run the business before her death in 2025. Today, her brother, John Brockhaus, and her sons, Brad and David Shipman, carry on the family traditions. 

The Shipman brothers are co-owners, with David overseeing day-to-day operations and the staff. The titles matter less than the shared commitment, however; in a business built by family, everyone pitches in. “We’re still a small family business,” Brad says. “I’m the janitor. We all do everything.” 

Deep roots 

Moving into the new, 7,280-square-foot store, just 2 miles north of the previous location, was an emotional experience. 

“It was exciting, going from being in one place 22 years or so,” recalls Brad. “It was like going from Grandma and Grandpa’s house to a modern new home.” 

The old showroom had served the company well. When it opened more than two decades ago, its dark woods and traditional showcases reflected the style of the time. But retail had changed. “The other store, we’d kind of fallen behind a generation or so,” he says. “With this store, I wanted to be ahead.” 

Today’s customers want more openness and interaction. “So much of this store was drawn with the intention of being beside the customer [at the showcase],” he explains. That philosophy guided every decision. 

When it came to store design, the owners wanted to focus on the unexpected. Store designer Jesse Balaity of Balaity Property Enhancement visited before drawing up any plans. “A trip to Norman helped me understand their particular balance of approachable luxury, both in the culture of the Brockhaus staff and in the trajectory of new development in the community,” he says. 

Balaity discovered a family business with deep roots and a loyal multigenerational clientele, but one willing to take risks. The Shipmans were committing to a major site development, building a Rolex boutique and creating an entirely new customer experience. 

The one thing they declined to change was the culture. “The building could be bold and the interior could be dramatic,” Balaity says, “but they had no interest in changing the casual and inviting nature of their business.” 

For the community 

The result is grand without feeling intimidating. Gray brick and cast-stone walls, oak veneers, custom lighting and blackened-metal finishes have a subtle appeal. Monumental windows flood the interior with natural light. The Rolex boutique occupies its own corner. The VIP room delivers drama with its black-and-gold color scheme and custom furnishings. 

The goal was that someone spending $200 should feel every bit as welcome as someone spending $200,000, says Brad. 

The most distinctive feature of the building above the retail floor is a mezzanine lounge with a conference table, seating areas, a wet bar and a giant TV wall. Early in the design process, Brad told Balaity he wanted the space to belong to the community. “He simply wanted the space to be used, even if it was just for the ladies’ knitting club,” Balaity recalls. 

The community embraced the idea. Nonprofit boards, local groups, and bridal-shower participants have all found a place upstairs. Norman Regional Hospital’s board held its year-end meeting there. Demand for the space – which Balaity describes as “a sort of ‘come for the game, stay to buy diamonds’ environment” – has exceeded the owners’ expectations.  

Getting the word out 

The family announced the new store’s debut with a billboard near the new location, a lot of social media, and a little bit of traditional print and radio. “We get a lot of drive-by, too,” Brad says. “We’ve been in business for [nearly] 75 years, but very often, customers come in who thought we moved here from somewhere else. It’s crazy the amount of traffic you get just by moving your business, from people who didn’t know you were there.” 

SEO, reputation management and social platforms drive awareness. Events like last year’s “Watches, Whiskey and Wine” create opportunities to build relationships without focusing on immediate sales. The company has started creating its own swag, including branded shirts and hats.  

“You’ll be out somewhere and see someone wearing your hat, and that’s kind of crazy,” Brad says. “We’ve even heard stories from clients who’ve had people stop them and ask where they got their gear.” 

The personal touch 

The marketing mission still focuses on the personal. Handwritten thank-you cards go out. Personalized texts follow important visits. Associates are expected to learn something personal about every client they serve. If they can’t, the conversation wasn’t deep enough. 

The Shipmans often return to a Maya Angelou quote that has become something of a philosophy: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” 

Brad often wonders what his grandfather would think of the new store. “He’d probably cringe knowing how much I spent on it, but he’d be very proud that we’ve managed to make it this far in carrying on the traditions. The tradition of treating everybody like family and being a warm and comfortable environment. Just doing the right thing for the customer.” 

Seventy-four years later, those values are still at the center of everything. 

Main image: The new showroom in Norman, Oklahoma. (Brockhaus Jewelry/Jesse Balaity)