Consignment Culture: Behind the Counter at Virginia’s Rose Consignment, LLC

Walk into Virginia’s Rose Consignment shop and one thing you might notice right away is the sweet smell of lavender, which permeates the store’s many rooms. Adding to the scene is earthy background music combined with low lighting; for a moment you might even think you’ve entered a spa.

Such is the mood store owner Linda Szarko is trying to set.

“It’s peaceful here,” Szarko said. “We want all of our customers to feel at home.”

Szarko recently took time out of her busy day to talk about working in the consignment industry and how the recession wasn’t necessarily bad for business.

Name: Linda Szarko

Title: Owner, Virginia’s Rose Consignment, LLC

Fast Fact: Store has been open for nearly two years

Fun Fact: She likes to shop at nearby consignment boutique La Kokette

On her start in the consignment business: I worked for two sisters in Ellicott City for 11 years who ran a very successful consignment shop, and I was able to raise my children and work part time for them, and I loved it.

What do you sell in your store? We sell upscale couches, tables, lamps, home accessories, vintage items, jewelry, pocketbooks, scarves, handmade soaps—I just sold a Henry Dunn couch and love seat. We carry a lot of nicer merchandise. We carry Ethan Allen. We carry Pottery Barn. A lot of items are new when they come in.

What is behind the store’s name? It’s named after my mother. I had all boys.

Have you always been in the retail business? Yes.

What do you love most about your job? People.

What do you hate most about your job?: Never having enough time to make it beautiful. If I had 30 hours in a day it would be better.

What do you think people don’t know about your store that you wish they did? That we’re kind of a hidden pearl. We take in between 300-500 items a week. Our retail items change quickly and drastically. So if you were to come in next week, the store wouldn’t look like this.

What’s your day-to-day like? Waiting on clients, helping them decorate, matching items for them, suggesting items for them, entering inventory, moving furniture, cleaning, rearranging. You can see from the bruises I’m a furniture mover (laughs). Sometimes it’s just giving a client a cup of coffee when they need it.

On the store as a refuge: For some clients, this is just a place of solace. They come here for 15 minutes of peace. They know that they can come here and feel comfortable.

Who are your main customers? We pull from all over the state of Maryland.

Do you sell any off-the-rack items? Yes. We’ve given seven women an opportunity to start their own businesses by carrying their homemade candles, handmade cards, their jewelry, their barrettes. These are women who don’t have the opportunity to rent their own space so we give them an opportunity. Considering I was given the opportunity for 11 years to learn, I’m trying to pay it forward.

Was your business affected by the recession? I think with consignment, when the recession is up consignment is up as well. There is no down time for us.

What’s your life like outside of the store? I have a son who is a senior. He’s a travel baseball player so that’s where my interests and dedication lie. In addition, we privately run a charity that helps to feed families in Howard and Carroll Counties. We’ve been doing it since my son was 5 years old.

What’s the strangest thing someone has ever tried to sell through your store?: A mummified skull—I declined it (laughs).

Virginia’s Rose LLC, 1720 Liberty Rd. Tues., Wed., Fri., Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Thurs. 10-7 p.m.; Sun. 12-4 p.m. 410-549-3222. VaRose@verizon.net.