Meet Svetlana Schoggins. Happily married, mother of 2, born in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, a former Soviet Union state.  She then moved to St. Petersburg, Russia to attend a state university. Svetlana met her husband in St. Petersburg when he was working as an ESL teacher during his 3 year stay there.  Once they decided they were ready to raise a family, they moved to the US because it made more sense to raise a family here.   She’s the owner of a family-owned and operated restaurant, located in Parker Square,  Yellow Rose Steak & Chop House.

Yellow Rose has been open since 2008 and it is a staple of Flower Mound’s restaurant culture.  Regarding the “feel” of the restaurant Svetlana says “We like for all of our guests to come in, be comfortable, and relax. Settle in and join us, there is no hurry to leave. That’s why we don’t really have a dress code.”    With over 200 Whiskeys, Prime Steaks and Chops, Fish, Burgers, Salads and more there is something for almost anyone to enjoy!  This local restaurant is a delicious Flower Mound staple and the owner, Svetlana, is very involved in the day to day operations and always has a welcoming attitude with her guests!  Svetlana’s team has worked very hard adjust to keep patrons safe during covid and is so appreciative of all the clients that have stopped in for lunch or dinner!  

We have enjoyed getting to know Svetlana and we think you will too!

Please tell us a little bit about your family. I have an amazing husband and two sweet children that keep us busy. My mom and sister still live in Russia where I’m from, but we make the effort to see each other each year.  My Mom is still working in Russia, she is a radiologist.

Please tell us about your current career. Thing you love most about what you do? I own and operate a full service restaurant. I love to get to meet a lot of people every day and build new relationships. I love to be in a service industry and see people leave happy after a delicious dinner and good time spent in my restaurant.  We are closed on Sundays—because Sunday is our family day. It always has been, and I expect it always will be. Family is incredibly important to me!

Q: What inspired you to led you to your current career?

A: Opportunity and belief that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.

Q: What is the most unusual job you ever had?

A: I worked for a call center for a pager/cell company back when pagers were a big deal. You won’t believe what people paged each other. You actually got to know people on the other end and watch their relationships unfold.

Q: What are a couple of your favorite restaurants in our community and what do you love to eat/drink there?

A: Our family’s favorites are Sara’s Donut Story – Faith is a personal friend AND she makes amazing donuts, and Home Taste Asian Restaurant – delicious Asian food.

Q: Where did you grow up?

A: Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, one of the Soviet Union countries. I met my husband when he was teaching English there, he only lived there for about 3 years. Once we decided we wanted to raise a family, we moved to the US because it made more sense to raise our family here.

Q: Was there anything interesting/challenging/unusual you want to share that shaped you into who you are today?

A: My dad’s passing when I was 14. I think that kind of had a huge effect on my life and on where I am in life today.

Q: Do you have a hobby or interest that you enjoy?

A: I grow succulents on my window – they don’t need much care and don’t take much time. You only have to water them once a week, and even if you forget, they’ll still survive!

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be? And why?

A: The beach. I miss some sun and ocean. I love the beaches in Costa Rica.

Q: Where do you love to shop in Flower Mound?

A:  The Farmer’s Market is a fun place to visit.

Q: What is something on your bucket list?

A: Visit every continent. I’ve been to Europe, Asia, South America, and North America, so I’ve got 4 left to go.

Q: What is go-to band when you can’t decide what to listen to?

A: Rock music station.

Q: What is your favorite thing or something unique about our community?

A: I love the park system here. Having young children we get to enjoy the joys of playgrounds and open spaces to play.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 to 10 years?

A: Older and happy wherever life takes us.

Q: What is the most beautiful place you have ever been?

A: We are lucky enough to have traveled a lot and see a lot (yet we’ve got so much more to see), so I can’t pick just one place. However, Costa Rica is beautiful with the beaches and mountains, and I love Scotland.

Q:Who inspires you to be better?

A: My parents.

Q: What is one or two of your favorite smells?

A: Freshly baked bread. Linens out of the dryer.

Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people (general crowd or crowd of young people)?

A: To be happy and find happiness in whatever you are doing at the moment.

Q: If you had a full time staff member that was fully paid for who would you choose? Chef, Housekeeper, Driver, Coach, Physical Fitness Trainer or Nanny?

A: Housekeeper because I hate cleaning at home!