From the moment you open the blue door, you’re welcomed by piles and piles of rugs. Some are tightly bundled. Others are draped over the walls. As you turn every corner in the 2,000-square-foot space, there’s a seemingly endless variety of colors, patterns, and geometric designs.
Located at 141 West Lyman Ave., minutes away from campus, Oriental Rug Source carries rugs from around the world, including styles from India, Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran. Traditionally, Oriental carpets come from “western and Central Asia, North Africa, and the Caucasus region of Europe.”
“What makes us unique is we are a family-owned business,” said owner, Ilyas Zarifgil. He and his sister Adel took over the business after their uncle retired. “We’ve been doing it for the past thirty years ourselves.”
Zarifgil’s favorite part of his job is interacting with customers, visiting their homes, and assisting with their interior design. “Every house has a different type of rug that it should go with,” he said. Oriental rugs are especially useful for adding “warmth, a friendly atmosphere, or coziness” to a home.
With many modern homes built around an open floor plan, Zarifgil sees rugs as more than just decoration. “When you put area rugs in there, it specifies and divides the space. Individually, you can see the living room, kitchen, dining room, or piano rooms by themselves,” he said.
Looking back on the past few decades, Zarifgil remembers customers who used to come in with their children. “Now the kids are grown, and they’re buying from us,” he said. Along with serving a second generation of customers, Zarifgil takes pride in helping people maintain their rugs.
He described the process of handwashing wool rugs with a special wash that doesn’t distort vegetable dyes, followed by airlifting them to dry. As most of the rugs are handmade and often increase in value over time, clearing away stains and preserving their colors is essential.
“It’s an art on your floor,” Zarifgil said. “I’m sure anyone can sell a rug. When it comes to taking care of them in a proper way, you have to know what you are doing.”
When asked what has helped his family’s success in the rug business the most, Zarifgil looked back to the golden rule. He said, “We like to treat people the way we want to be treated. Fair and honest.”
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