Main Street Business

Jessica DeCarlo’s Rosemary Rose Finery: Adornment and alchemy in Salisbury, CT

By Published On: February 3rd, 2025

Cover photo by Christine Bates. Antique and vintage jewelry from all over the world grace the front window case at Rosemary Rose.

Jessica DeCarlo in her store. She is holding a bell jar of ethically sourced butterflies from Flutter by Katie. Photo by Christine Bates.

After interviewing Jessica DeCarlo I realized that since Main Street’s first issue 12 years ago, I have profiled four very different jewelry businesses all with a distinct focus, and all owned by women. DK Farnum Estate Jewelry, owned by Dana Kraus, exclusively sells high-end fine jewelry from brands like Hermes and Channel. Erica Weiner’s online store specializes in “the weirder, the better” jewelry from the 12th to the 20th century with fascinating historical commentary. Elizabeth’s Fine Jewelry in Millerton is a traditional retail jewelry and gift store. Jessica DeCarlo has a unique vision for her new shop in Salisbury, which includes her own designs, vintage jewelry, and an ever-changing assortment of products from African mud clothes to candles and butterflies.

When she saw the small, red FOR RENT sign in the window, Jessica DeCarlo knew immediately that she wanted the storefront on Main Street in Salisbury for her jewelry store. DeCarlo went back to the store daily to see if a phone number had been added. Others were interested, and she made her case with the landlord. After weeks of consideration, the landlord gave her a lease.

DeCarlo opened in April 2024 after painting, covering the walls with Art Nouveau wallpaper, installing lighting, and making the space her own. Passersby on their way to Sweet William’s next door were immediately captivated by the new store with its windows overflowing with every kind of jewelry. “The reception was warm and welcoming,” DeCarlo remembers, “More than I ever expected. People come in to look and start to talk about their grandmother’s necklace or huge cocktail rings.”

In fact, the store is named in honor of DeCarlo’s grandmother Rosemary Rose, whose framed certificate is displayed prominently on the back wall. “It’s her beauty salon license and certification in Philadelphia from 1948. I hung it there for proof of her name and to have her presence here with me. She would be 100.”

Not your traditional jewelry store

Rosemary Rose’s merchandise is an exuberant mix of De Carlo’s own designs, vintage costume jewelry, estate jewelry, and fine jewelry by contemporary designers. DeCarlo, who describes her own style as “modern, boho chic,” can usually be found in the store getting to know customers and people who just drop in to look. “My style is eclectic. I love true vintage pieces in great condition. My style has not changed since moving to Salisbury, I wouldn’t let that happen. I always go with my gut no matter how loud or tame I feel like being. I prefer not to be boring.”

These hammered sterling and gold-filled earrings designed and made by Jessica have always been her signature pieces. The spiral earrings at the top right are a best seller. Photo by Christine Bates.

Surprises lurk below the counters, including handwoven, blue-striped mud cloths from Africa, the herbal candles produced in Great Barrington, ceramics, and framed butterflies. “A close friend and artist makes the butterfly art pieces in Park Slope, Brooklyn,” explained DeCarlo. “She sources them ethically from different butterfly sanctuaries around the world, and they are really popular with customers.”

The store represents over fifteen local artisans and others that DeCarlo knows from a lifetime in the jewelry business. She hosts special events featuring local small businesses like Allegra & Luca’s crafted clothing and Falls Village’s House of Tonic’s syrups, soaps, and body lotions. Her enthusiasm is infectious.

DeCarlo’s interests extend to plants and fragrances – the alchemy part of Rosemary Rose. She has studied herbalism and plants for the last ten years and taught classes at the New York Botanical Garden and plant education to students at Salisbury Central.

One of her goals for this year is to expand activities in the store to include educational workshops making elderberry syrup or mixing essential oils to make natural fragrances. Her shelves are stacked with products from local herbalists, mostly small women-owned businesses, including cream, lotions, candles, soaps, and scented sprays. All made with “integrity.”

Florence to Fort Greene Flea to Salisbury

Vintage rings with precious and semi-precious stones are always on display at Rosemary Rose. Photo courtesy of Jessica DeCarlo.

DeCarlo graduated from a small liberal arts college in Vermont, where she studied fashion design, and then discovered her passion for jewelry in Florence during a year abroad program. After graduation she returned to Italy and studied at Metallo Nobile, an international program where she learned the traditional basics of making fine, handmade jewelry from creating wax models to bench work and setting stones. Returning home she easily found her first job working as an assistant in David Yurman’s Tribeca studio. “It was way too corporate for me, but I did learn a lot about the business and made friends in the industry.”

DeCarlo’s next step was being in the right place, at the right time. “The Fort Greene Flea Market was right around the corner from my home and was just starting in 2008. I begged and pestered them to let me in, and after a month I had a booth and started my own business. It was a phenomenon. I loved it. I made jewelry in my apartment during the week and sold it on weekends, always adding vintage pieces to mix things up. At the same time, I did three or four trade shows a year and sold my own designs to independent jewelry stores all over the county. Magazines found me, and my designs even reached celebrities, including Joan Jett and Kendall Jenner. I put up a little website and made business cards. It was an exciting time.”

“My husband and I had been spending weekends in the country since 2008, and we decided to leave Brooklyn and become full-timers just before COVID hit in 2020. I moved my workshop and focused on making custom pieces for private clients, which kept me afloat for two years. When the Flea market opened back up, the going back and forth between Wassaic and Brooklyn was just too much. Then I saw the ‘For Rent’ sign.”

The first year in business

DeCarlo says she was drawn to her retail space because of the quaint, authentic quality of Salisbury’s Main Street. She appreciates the thoughtful, sophisticated clientele that is attracted to her store. “It’s so much less intense here than in New York.” It took her a while to get used to the routine of having a store and understanding the rhythms of the seasons. Summer time was a real surprise with completely different people dropping by, and the Salisbury Fall Festival weekends were like Christmas.

Vintage and estate jewelry are strong sellers, and DeCarlo continues to rely on trusted dealers she has known forever. Then there’s the market at Brimfield in Massachusetts, and the thrill of the treasure hunt trusting to stock the store. Estate sales, her favorite, and auction houses are also sources for her inventory, even the Salisbury’s Library’s Books and Baubles sale. Prices range enormously from $20 to $15,000 for fine estate pieces.

Surprises can be found on the shelves of Rosemary Rose, like these antique perfume bottles. Photo by Christine Bates.

Asked how she keeps up with the ups and downs in the price of gold, DeCarlo explained she knows what she has paid for any piece and doesn’t “zoom up the price because gold reached a new high.”

The infrastructure that supported her business in Brooklyn – Squarespace, Instagram, (her new store link is @rosemaryrosefinery), and QuickBooks – has easily been transported to Salisbury. Word-of-mouth, especially important to her, works even better in a small community. Merchandising and organizing products to catch attention and sell become more important in a permanent location so DeCarlo moves things around if they don’t sell.

Valentine’s Day and beyond

Jessica is making big plans for celebrating Valentine’s Day at the store, starting with Sip and Shop, DIY crafting, nail painting, and permanent jewelry from River Links. (Yes, that’s a thing. Ankle chains, necklaces, and bracelets are soldered permanently to fit, eliminating the clasp. It doesn’t hurt.) This year DeCarlo intends to expand her estate jewelry section and add other accessories – like scarves, belts, and vintage sunglasses. “I’m having a blast. The community vibes have been so warm and welcoming and positive. This is a very special place. Strangers say they’re happy that were here. We had no idea what to expect.”

What advice does Jessica have for anyone contemplating opening a store? “Give yourself time, some grace, and patience. Things take a while. You must love your product and have a connection with what you’re selling. Be grateful to every single person that comes in the door. Love talking to people and helping them find the right thing. It brings you joy. It’s beauty medicine; it’s retail therapy.”