Passion for fashion leads Poland woman to successful career

Correspondent photo / Gary S. Angelo….
Diane Young, owner of Consign and Design consignment shop in Poland, shows some of the items available at her store, which she runs with her longtime friend, Stacey Duber. The business started 20 years ago when consignment shops were a relatively new concept.

POLAND — Diane Young, owner of Consign and Design consignment shop, always had a love for uniquely arranging pieces together, whether it be clothing or furniture.

Twenty years ago, Young and her longtime friend, Stacey Duber, started the business, which gives customers an avenue to pick out one-of-a-kind furniture pieces and home decor items to make their homes feel special.

“Stacey suggested that she and I would start a decorating business, and I said it wouldn’t fly. So we both agreed to start a consignment business. At the time, consignment shops were kind of a relatively new concept. Since childhood, I always enjoyed the aesthetics of putting things together with clothing and furniture. Also, I absolutely love the idea of going into a store expecting to buy something, but ending up finding something totally different. The best things you find are the items that you don’t expect to find,” Young said.

Young is originally from Salem and attended Salem High School. She said that retail has been in her blood for a long time. Young’s father, Robert Roberts, owned Roberts Engineering. She learned the value of owning a business from observing her father’s hard work ethic.

“I started with a small inventory. At Consign and Design , we make owning a business look easy, but in reality there is a lot of work behind the scenes. We have a staff of seven, and we move heavy items with dollies. We sanitize everything that comes into our store. The consignors bring items to us and receive a commission at point of sale,” Young said. “It is a fun business, and people are no longer dumping unwanted items into landfills. People are buying secondhand items. I want to enrich people’s lives, and I tell people that you don’t have to live in a mansion to have a stylish home. Home is what you make it,” Young said.

Young has a degree in retail management, and she also has a degree in interior design from Kent State University. She graduated from Bauder Fashion College in Miami, which Young said opened up a new world for her because she was living in a big city. After college, Young got a job as a buyer in Beverly Hills, California.

“I always loved proportion and color. I always wanted to open up my own business,” Young said.

After working in Beverly Hills, Young moved back to the area to start a family. While back in the area, Young modeled in fashion shows for Easter Seals and modeled furs at Beachwood Mall in Cleveland. She also worked at Nancy’s Fashion’s in Salem, a boutique owned by her friend, Nancy Martig.

“I always had an interest in helping women feel good about themselves and developing style. Whether it be fashion or interior design, all you need is confidence and flare. I moved to Poland 20 years ago and at the time I knew very few people in that area. Through Consign and Design, I met so many great friends. People believe in what we do. We think of ourselves as a place where women feel pampered,” Young said.

Young said her family one way or another were very artistically inclined. Her mother, Marilyn, had a good eye for creativity, and her father was an engineer. Her brother, Bob Roberts, who was an attorney, was also an excellent artist and her other brother, Ron Roberts, does state-of-the-art woodwork.

“I always say that both of my brothers are great artists, but people would tell me that I am a great artist as well,” Young said.

Young is a cancer patient, but that does not stop her from feeling a great sense of gratitude for the great opportunities life continues to offer her. Consign and Design has been a huge blessing and a joy for her and she is grateful to be able to come to work everyday. Young is thankful for her customers and to still have a business that allows her to use her creative talents to the fullest.

Her husband, Paul Young, who was a builder for 30 years, was very instrumental in helping her achieve her dream of starting a business. Young has two children, Dr. Angela Choi of Charleston, South Carolina, and Collin Rank of Columbus.

“When I started this store , I was 50 years old and I was healthy. My parents, who are now both in their 90s, helped me and they worked behind the counter during the early days of my business. I developed cancer, and became a grandmother to three grandchildren. My life has changed, but I still have my store, a wonderful family and great customers. I am blessed and my positive attitude has kept me going,” Young said.

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