MECHANICSVILLE, Md. — After having three different business names, Charlene and Nick Tsiragotis settled on The Apple Basket, which started out in Solomons Island and is now located at 27056 Mt. Zion Church Road in Mechanicsville.
They opened the shop in 1984 and are celebrating 40 years in business.
Charlene was born and raised in St. Mary’s County and said she was known as a “picker.” Buying and selling was her passion. She said she still has three sheds full of unique items to one day bring in.
Displayed in the front room of The Apple Basket are original shipping baskets from the ports in Baltimore that were shipped down to Solomons Island.
Charlene opened the original ledgers from 1955 and 1956.
Once a local general store owned by the Milburn family, the 1800s-style, 6,000-square-foot, two-story home with 13 rooms boasts a welcoming front porch with two white rocking chairs and delightful decor.
Charlene, a floral arrangement specialist, said she really enjoys meeting her clients time and time again.
“I knew early on that I wanted to own this particular piece of property,” Charlene said. “The woman that owned it was only open a couple days a week, and she mostly sold yarn and a few other crafts.
“I had been going to yard sales and thrift stores, buying and selling,” Charlene said. “At one time, the store was called The Apple Basket Antiques, but then people thought we only sold antiques. I settled on the name The Apple Basket because I’ve always enjoyed collecting baskets for decorating, and I enjoyed having apples around the home.”
As Fate Would Have It
On a whim one day, Charlene went into the store, and the rest is history.
“I just asked her if she wanted to sell or make a deal, and right then and there, we got the ball rolling,” Charlene said.
Charlene and Nick have two employees, Lori and Pam, whom they truly depend on. Charlene designs each room with a perfectionist’s eye—nothing out of place. The shopper gets a clear depiction of Charlene’s artistic viewpoint.
“My husband is a builder, so he’s added on rooms for me, and we struggled at first without running water at this location for two years. That took some work, but we worked that out,” Charlene said. “A lot of people come in just to look around; some used to think it was a grocery store. I do sell a lot of 14-carat gold and sterling silver. I bring things in every single day. There is always something to work on.”
Look for new items this spring. Annie Sloan chalk paint is slowly moving off the shelves. The Fusion Mineral Paint has now become very popular. You can find it upstairs on the second level.
Charlene and her team just started carrying Yankee Candles again, and local wines are a big hit. The Maryland Room is a unique experience to pick up all things Maryland. Charlene has visited Atlanta and purchased Maryland cutting boards.
The honey that she carries is purchased from a Charlotte Hall beekeeper. The children’s rooms are decorated with stuffed animals, books, blankets, pictures, and much more. Her tea and antique rooms are beautifully designed and offer a welcoming presence—each room just makes you want to look further into the store. They are hosting a sale on women’s clothing and select Vera Bradley items.
“I purchase from my customers as well,” Charlene said. “It’s coming full circle. Some things they purchased years ago are coming back to me. Original customers are downsizing.”
The Apple Basket welcomed vendors to set up in the past, but Charlene said that during the pandemic, vendors really stopped setting up. She has made it clear that she’d love to see vendors come back, especially in the springtime.
When asked if she would ever retire, Charlene said, “No, I want to keep working. This is what I really enjoy doing, and I really love my clients. I enjoy talking with them about what they bring in.”
She also had advice for anyone desiring to start a business of their own.
“Be prepared to work hard,” she said.
Business hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Starting in May, the store will be open seven days a week.
Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com
