Yesterday, a lady came in and said she was looking for a green runner. We showed her many pieces of green runners, but she happily left with a pair of 8' x 2' 3" Beige (Creme) runners. Some of rug customers do not exactly know what they are looking for.
It was while ago when a couple came in looking for a 10 x 10 feet silk rug. After two hours and messing every thing up in our rug store, they ended up liking and buying a hand-knotted Persian Sarouk rug. The wife was so excited she said she could not wait to get home!
I have had many old customers who bought modern design Persian or Oriental rugs and young customers buying classic and traditional design hand made Oriental or Persian carpets!
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Friday, April 4, 2008
Rug Buying and Selling in Los Angeles
Rug selling has become strange these days! Yesterday a couple came in and looked for a 5 x 8 black area rug. I showed them several pieces. The wife liked one medium quality, medium priced one and the husband liked a high quality area rug. They had discussions off and on. The lady mentioned that this rug was to be used for the entrance, therefore should not be expensive. The husband believed that the higher quality rug would look much nicer and would not curl and would not be mis-shaped after a while. Luckily, the husband was the winner. In most of the cases, wives would like to pay higher prices and spend more, but the husbands resist and give excuses. This case was different. They also bought a rug pad since their floor was tile and they should use the padding to keep the rug in its place. I gave them two doormats free of charge and as a gift so they do not wary about their expensive area rug getting dirty. They paid by credit card and the gentleman wanted to carry the rug. I said I would do it myself and put the rug in their brand new black Cadillac Scolade.
We have racks for 5 x 8 rugs. All of our rugs are labeled and tagged with price and specification. So our customers can trust us and make sure that we do not give them prices from the top of our heads by throwing something!
Yesterday, a lady called me in the morning regarding a runner she had for cleaning. It was water damaged by a pipe breaking in their house. I said we could take care of it. Do you want us to pick it up or you will bring it in? She said her husband would bring it to our rug gallery later during the day. The husband brought the runner around 5:00 pm. It was a completely wet hand knotted Chinese runner. The gentleman was a school principal in West Los Angeles. We became friends in minutes. He sat down for half an hour and we talked about everything, from politics to inflation and housing, and of course kids and parents. He complained about how some parents spoil their kids by paying too much attention to them and giving them expensive gifts they should not receive such as expensive cars!
We were relatively busy yesterday by receiving few rugs for cleaning from different customers who dropped off their rugs. One of the rugs was a hand knotted 9 x 12 feet Nepalese rug which belonged to a movie production company. The rug was very dirty with many stains on it. They use this rug for filming on the stage. If the stains do not come out by washing, we have to do expert stain removal by a repairman we have on site. I went home around 7:15 pm
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
We have racks for 5 x 8 rugs. All of our rugs are labeled and tagged with price and specification. So our customers can trust us and make sure that we do not give them prices from the top of our heads by throwing something!
Yesterday, a lady called me in the morning regarding a runner she had for cleaning. It was water damaged by a pipe breaking in their house. I said we could take care of it. Do you want us to pick it up or you will bring it in? She said her husband would bring it to our rug gallery later during the day. The husband brought the runner around 5:00 pm. It was a completely wet hand knotted Chinese runner. The gentleman was a school principal in West Los Angeles. We became friends in minutes. He sat down for half an hour and we talked about everything, from politics to inflation and housing, and of course kids and parents. He complained about how some parents spoil their kids by paying too much attention to them and giving them expensive gifts they should not receive such as expensive cars!
We were relatively busy yesterday by receiving few rugs for cleaning from different customers who dropped off their rugs. One of the rugs was a hand knotted 9 x 12 feet Nepalese rug which belonged to a movie production company. The rug was very dirty with many stains on it. They use this rug for filming on the stage. If the stains do not come out by washing, we have to do expert stain removal by a repairman we have on site. I went home around 7:15 pm
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Kashkouli Kashkuli Rug Water Damage
A lady called me yesterday from southern California asking several questions about Kashkuli rugs and their prices. I said what is the purpose of asking these questions? Are you planning to buy such a rug? She said no. We are manufacturer of dish washing machines. One of our customers from Chicago had water leaking from her dish washer damaging her Kashkuli rug. She has taken the 4 x 6 rug to several rug appraisers who came up with three different appraisals, $1,400, $1,900, and $5,500. She wants us to pay her the damage occurred to her rug because of our washing machine working improperly.
I asked her to e-mail me a photo of the rug before I can tell her an approximate price on this water damaged rug from the province of Shiraz, in south west Iran. She e-mailed me the photo of the rug while we were on the phone. I said if you visit our web site www.rugidea.com , on the home page to the left side, there is a link called Qashqai Collection, click on this link and you will see many rugs made with hand spun wool and natural dye similar to this rug with around $800 to $900 prices. I would say the maximum this rug is worth could be $1,400 which one of the appraisers has mentioned. Besides, this rug can be possibly restored and the damage to the construction and the color maybe fixed. She was so happy to be able to find us on the Internet to get some first hand idea about this kind of rugs. Kashkuli is a clan within the big Qashqai tribe who make beautiful rugs.
It is good to help those who need.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
I asked her to e-mail me a photo of the rug before I can tell her an approximate price on this water damaged rug from the province of Shiraz, in south west Iran. She e-mailed me the photo of the rug while we were on the phone. I said if you visit our web site www.rugidea.com , on the home page to the left side, there is a link called Qashqai Collection, click on this link and you will see many rugs made with hand spun wool and natural dye similar to this rug with around $800 to $900 prices. I would say the maximum this rug is worth could be $1,400 which one of the appraisers has mentioned. Besides, this rug can be possibly restored and the damage to the construction and the color maybe fixed. She was so happy to be able to find us on the Internet to get some first hand idea about this kind of rugs. Kashkuli is a clan within the big Qashqai tribe who make beautiful rugs.
It is good to help those who need.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Hand Knotted Persian Gabbeh Rug, Area Rugs, Los Angeles Getting Cold
Usually I come to work around 8:00 to 8:15 am every day. On my store and on the Internet, I have posted 9:00 am as the start of my work, but I get to my work earlier. Today, a gentleman stopped by right after I opened my rug gallery and bought a 4 x 6 hand knotted Persian Gabbeh rug made with hand spun wool and natural dye.
During the past couple of days, we also sold one Afshar kilim, a flat weave with no pile and few area rugs. We also picked up and delivered few rugs for cleaning and repair. We have a repairman on site who does the repair and stain removal. We also do water damage and color run and color bleeding restoration. I work with three other repairmen when we are busy with more work load.
It has been cold in Los Angeles these days and it rained last night. You fell the spring, but should have a jacket and sweater with you not to get cold.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
During the past couple of days, we also sold one Afshar kilim, a flat weave with no pile and few area rugs. We also picked up and delivered few rugs for cleaning and repair. We have a repairman on site who does the repair and stain removal. We also do water damage and color run and color bleeding restoration. I work with three other repairmen when we are busy with more work load.
It has been cold in Los Angeles these days and it rained last night. You fell the spring, but should have a jacket and sweater with you not to get cold.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Rug Master, Rug Blogs, Rug Blog
My rug blog, RugMaster.blogspot.com had 43 visitors yesterday. That is great! This is what I could never imagine when I started my rug blog in Los Angeles few months ago. What a nice way to communicate with my unknown friends from around the world. Another good point; if you type "rug blogs" in Google, my blog is number one blog on the Internet. WOW!
For a long time, I wanted to have a diary, but I did not know how to write and mange it and where to put it to be handy. I found the solution few months ago and started my blog, RugMaster.blogspot.com
Now, I have a wonderful online note book diary, easy to write in and easy to mange. I can also share it with many other new and unknown friends. In a former post, I wrote about sized bedar in Balboa Park north of Los Angeles, when Iranians celebrated the 13th day of Nworuz, the new Persian year. Persians go to the nature on the 13th day of their new year to get red of all bad things. Someone called me from San Francisco and asked a question. He had found my web log and had read my posts and called me. I receive calls and e-mails from many places from those who happen to visit my web log. That is great.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.rugidea.com
310-770-9085
For a long time, I wanted to have a diary, but I did not know how to write and mange it and where to put it to be handy. I found the solution few months ago and started my blog, RugMaster.blogspot.com
Now, I have a wonderful online note book diary, easy to write in and easy to mange. I can also share it with many other new and unknown friends. In a former post, I wrote about sized bedar in Balboa Park north of Los Angeles, when Iranians celebrated the 13th day of Nworuz, the new Persian year. Persians go to the nature on the 13th day of their new year to get red of all bad things. Someone called me from San Francisco and asked a question. He had found my web log and had read my posts and called me. I receive calls and e-mails from many places from those who happen to visit my web log. That is great.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.rugidea.com
310-770-9085
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Rug repair, Indian Rug Restoration and Stain Removal
Oriental rugs are good in so many regards and one regard is their restorability. A customer brought in an Indian rug two weeks ago. His dog had peed on this rug for many years and the rug was never cleaned. It was spoiled and rotten. The fibers were broken. We took care of it. First we removed the damaged area, and then we restored the foundation by warping and wefting the open space area which was about 10 x 10 inches. We rewove the part by doing a knot by knot job. We matched the color and the design. We cared and paid so much attention to follow the construction of the rug, so the knots will come close the the original knots.
You may see the photos of the rug from before and after the repair job. We still have to take care of the pet urine stains which will take a couple of days. We will have to test the stains and use some light chemicals to remove the stains without damaging the fibers of the rug. The owner of the rug has not seen the rug. I will call him later this week after we remove the stains which did not come out in the cleaning process.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
You may see the photos of the rug from before and after the repair job. We still have to take care of the pet urine stains which will take a couple of days. We will have to test the stains and use some light chemicals to remove the stains without damaging the fibers of the rug. The owner of the rug has not seen the rug. I will call him later this week after we remove the stains which did not come out in the cleaning process.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Monday, March 31, 2008
Seezdeh BeDar, Sizdeh Bedar, Dodging the 13th day of Persian New Year in Balboa Park, Los Angeles
On the thirteenth day of the Persian new year, which also marks the end of the Nowrooz break for the school children, families leave their houses and head for the outdoors where they eat, play games, and celebrate a happy and healthy holiday season.
This tradition is called Seezdah Bedar, 13 Bedar (seezdah means thirteen) which in English translates to "getting rid of thirteen". This fun and exciting outing involves all family members and is intended to end the holiday season on a relaxing and positive note. The concept of avoiding the number thirteen is mainly to symbolize the will and power to deal with all evil in the new year.
The two weeks long NoRooz celebration ends with SeezDeh Bedar. SeezDeh means Thirteen and SeezDeh Bedar is the process of getting over with or passing over the thirteenth day of the New Year. (Some believe 13 being an unlucky number)
This day is usually celebrated outdoor in a picnic style. This is the last day of Persian New Year celebration and life will return to normal the following day. Schools will open in Iran, shops will start on their regular hours and offices and Government agencies are back in normal operation. So, this is the last chance to spend some time with family and friends and enjoy the fresh smell of Spring.
Sizdah-Bedar is also believed to be a special day to ask for rain. In ancient Iran, every day had its own name, and belonged to a different angel. The 13th of Farvardin belonged to the angel of rain. This angel is depicted as a horse. Sizdah-Bedar is also a day for competitive games. Games involving horses were often chosen as a victory of a horse represented , the angle of rain.
On this day, girls & boys tie a knot with grass and make wishes perhaps for a husband or wife. When the knot is opened (
it is beleived that) their luck will open and their wishes will come true. Newly weds also tie a grass knot making wishes for a baby, a house, or whatever is on their Have-To-Have list.
We all went to Balboa Lake and Park, north of Los Angeles where thousands of Iranians gathered to spend a few hours in the nature. Many booths provided the crowd with Persian food, sweet, drinks and handicrafts. The mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa also attended the festival and delivered a short speech after welcoming everybody and saying happy new year in Farsi, the Persian language. You can see him in two of the photos with light blue shirt and jeans.
There were several Iranian singers and comedians who performed. The festival started from 10:00 am and ended 7:30 pm. Every body had fun. There were many non-Iranian guests as well who joined their Iranian friends. People were there from all walks of life and age. You can notice this from the pictures posted here. The police was very cooperative and handled the traffic and every thing perfectly. Thank to Los Angeles and San Fernando valley Police Department. Last year, Sheriff Baca who commands the largest Sheriff’s Department in the United States also attended our celebration. Roberto, an Iranian event manager who has years of experience in organizing events like this organized this wonderful one of a kind Persian festival.
Khosrow Sobhe
310-770-9085
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Rug Market in Los Angeles
Our rug market here in Los Angeles has moved a little bit since a couple of days ago. We have sold several area rugs and one 4 x 6 Persian Nain rug. It has not been great, but at least we saw some customers who came in and left happy with rugs.
People are not ready to buy expensive rugs yet, but what can we do at this difficult time. We should work harder and smarter.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.Rugidea.com
310-770-9085
People are not ready to buy expensive rugs yet, but what can we do at this difficult time. We should work harder and smarter.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.Rugidea.com
310-770-9085
Persian New Year Party @ CSUN Cal State Northridge
Yesterday evening we were invited to a party which was held in the Camden House restaurant in Beverly Hills. A good friend who was my school mate at the university of Southern California, USC has opened a Mind Therapy Center and held a big party there. She is a very successful psychologist. My wife and I went there and stayed for a couple of hours. The
n we had to rush to another party, this one a Persian new year, NowRuz party in the Californian State University Northridge, 15 miles north of Los Angeles. They have a very active Persian club and my son Ashkan is its president. With the help of other members of the Persian club and their adviser, they held a very well attended party with lots of Persian food, dance and fun. We were there till 11:00 pm. Every body liked the event. It was fun for us as guests, and good practice for the young students to practice to hold such 
events.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
n we had to rush to another party, this one a Persian new year, NowRuz party in the Californian State University Northridge, 15 miles north of Los Angeles. They have a very active Persian club and my son Ashkan is its president. With the help of other members of the Persian club and their adviser, they held a very well attended party with lots of Persian food, dance and fun. We were there till 11:00 pm. Every body liked the event. It was fun for us as guests, and good practice for the young students to practice to hold such 
events.Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Rug Cleaning, Rug Repair, Slow Rug Market Los Angeles
It has been very slow lately in Los Angeles. It has been Easter and few other religious and cultural holidays as well as spring break for many schools here. We were busy with few rug sales and rug cleaning and repair. It has been quiet and nothing exciting or major has happened. My son who is our company's web master and web developer and I, have been working on our new website to have a better Internet presence. We are redesigning it. Its address is www.RugIdea.com and it will go under major changes in a few days. I will right more on this later as we will get closer to its launch.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Persian New Year NowRuz 1387
March 20th was the first day of Spring and the first day of Persian new year. We have special ceremonies for our new year, for which we prepare a table with several fruits, greens, vegetables, grains and etc. each stand foe some thing. We celebrate and visit friends and relatives.
In the mind of Iranians, the word nowruz invokes colorful images which are sumptuous, elegant, and opulent as well as delightfully simple, refreshing, and cordial. Although colored with vestiges of Iran's Mazdian and Zoroastrian past, the Nowruz celebration is neither religious or national in nature, nor is it an ethnic celebration. Jewish, Zoroastrian, Armenian and Turkish Iranians and Central Asians celebrate the Nowruz with the same enthusiasm and sense of belonging. Perhaps it is this very universal nature of the message of Nowruz that speaks to its wealth of rites and customs as well as to its being identified as the unique fount of continuity of the Iranian culture.
Khosrow Sobhe
310-770-9085
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Rugs and the Rug Sale in Los Angeles
Rug market has been very slow during the past few days for us in Los Angeles. Thank to rug cleaning and repair which has kept us busy. Customers come and go, but they do not want to buy rugs. Their stay in our rug gallery has reached its all times low. They ask for something, look at it and go! It is like they are on a mission and after they make their question, the mission is accomplished and they can go.
Will it change? Was this slowness because of the tax season? Will the government stimulus plan and checks help the rug market pick up? It is yet to be seen! We should never lose hope. We should work harder and smarter.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Will it change? Was this slowness because of the tax season? Will the government stimulus plan and checks help the rug market pick up? It is yet to be seen! We should never lose hope. We should work harder and smarter.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Why Should We Buy Old and Antique Persian and Oriental Rugs?
Why Should We Buy Old and Antique Rugs?
Because:
1- Old and Antique Persian and Oriental rugs are scarce, and the demand for them is much greater than the supply. Therefore, these rugs appreciate in value as the time goes by.
2- We can use and enjoy them, while we can invest in them. There are many other kinds of investment that cannot be used in our daily lives. For example, we cannot use our coins, stamps, bonds and stocks. But we can use and enjoy our beautiful old and antique rugs.
3- Antique rugs are surely making a strong comeback and making their presence felt in the extremely competitive rug market.
4- Possessing antique rugs is a matter of pride for the owners. It took the care and maintenance by generations to preserve their beloved old and antique rugs. And why not? After all, their antique rug still shines bright amidst the cacophony of modern day rugs.
5- Antique rugs present us with an opportunity to connect with history.
6- Antique rugs are never out of style. They do not come and go with fashion and trends.
Khosrow Sobhe
310-770-9085
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Indian Rug Cleaning For a Customer From West Lake Los Angeles
Last Sunday, a couple brought an Indian 8 x 10 rug for cleaning. They had come from West lake, a city close to Los Angeles. There were some little stains on the borders and I did not promise those stains be removed by regular cleaning. After the rug was returned from cleaning, the stains were still there. I paid $25 to our repairman to remove those stubborn stains. The spots were taken care of. The husband and wife came in today to pick up their rug after they called and made sure they could get the rug. I showed the rug and pointed the place of the removed spots and said if you're happy with the job, pay me $25 more which is my cost and I do not want to charge you more. They did not want to pay. They took their rug and left. They had paid the original cleaning cost upfront. I blamed myself and made a decision. I should be tougher at the beginning and if the customer is not ready to pay the price, I should call and tell them that there would be an extra charge for stain removal. Some of the customers do not appreciate what you do and there is no sense giving them what they do not appreciate.
We sold few pieces of area rugs and runners, but overall, the past few days have been very slow in regard with sales. It was Sunday today and I stayed at work until 5:45 pm.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
We sold few pieces of area rugs and runners, but overall, the past few days have been very slow in regard with sales. It was Sunday today and I stayed at work until 5:45 pm.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Friday, March 14, 2008
Buy Persian Rugs Direct and Save Big
Visit the 6th Kish Handmade Carpet International Exhibition
April 29 to May 2, 2008
Buy Persian Rugs Direct and Save Big!
Free weaving, dying workshops & scholarly forums on Persian carpets
YOU DO NOT NEED VISA TO TRAVEL TO KISH FREE ZONE ISLAND
Just 12 miles south of Iran mainland in Persian Gulf, 20 minutes fly from Dubai, UAE
Kish Island has excellent hotels and shopping centers with tax-free items.
This trip will be a dream vacation to the beautiful island/resort of Kish while you can buy Persian rugs directly from the producers and professional exporters. You will see all types of village, rural and city/workshop Persian rugs under one roof.
For airline tickets and hotel arrangements:
Shahrzad Travel
Tel. 310-477-9400
Fax 310-445-3235
For more Carpet Exhibition information:
Dr. Khosrow Sobhe
Tel. 310-770-9085
Following five successful handmade Persian carpet exhibitions which were held in Kish and brought together famous producers and exporters with their unique collections, the Exhibition Committee has decided to hold the sixth exhibition at an international level, with carpet producers and dealers participating from across the world. Kish Island will host the Exhibition from April 29 to May, 2, 2008.
A Free Trade Zone and renowned tourism resort, Kish Island possesses 21,000 square meters of exhibition space and a wealth of experience in holding various events. The Island offers a calm and pleasant environment for exhibitions and business activities. Foreign nationals need no entry visa and foreign goods may be easily imported into the Island benefiting from low rates of customs tariff. These favorable factors provide other countries with a suitable opportunity to take part in the exhibitions held on Kish Island.
The present exhibition is expected to attract a large number of carpet producers and dealers from around the world along with Iranian carpet producers and exporters, who will display a wide variety of handmade carpets and floor coverings.
Moreover, handmade carpet dealers from other countries who are invited by the Exhibition Committee have a suitable opportunity to buy their requirements and desired collections. Also, a large number of visitors are expected to attend and buy from the Exhibition.
TO VIST KISH ISLAND, YOU NEED NO VISA
Those potential visitors from North America can visit the following link and follow the instructions to apply for a visa to go to mainland Iran.
http://daftar.org/Eng/default.asp?lang=eng
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
April 29 to May 2, 2008
Buy Persian Rugs Direct and Save Big!
Free weaving, dying workshops & scholarly forums on Persian carpets
YOU DO NOT NEED VISA TO TRAVEL TO KISH FREE ZONE ISLAND
Just 12 miles south of Iran mainland in Persian Gulf, 20 minutes fly from Dubai, UAE
Kish Island has excellent hotels and shopping centers with tax-free items.
This trip will be a dream vacation to the beautiful island/resort of Kish while you can buy Persian rugs directly from the producers and professional exporters. You will see all types of village, rural and city/workshop Persian rugs under one roof.
For airline tickets and hotel arrangements:
Shahrzad Travel
Tel. 310-477-9400
Fax 310-445-3235
For more Carpet Exhibition information:
Dr. Khosrow Sobhe
Tel. 310-770-9085
Following five successful handmade Persian carpet exhibitions which were held in Kish and brought together famous producers and exporters with their unique collections, the Exhibition Committee has decided to hold the sixth exhibition at an international level, with carpet producers and dealers participating from across the world. Kish Island will host the Exhibition from April 29 to May, 2, 2008.
A Free Trade Zone and renowned tourism resort, Kish Island possesses 21,000 square meters of exhibition space and a wealth of experience in holding various events. The Island offers a calm and pleasant environment for exhibitions and business activities. Foreign nationals need no entry visa and foreign goods may be easily imported into the Island benefiting from low rates of customs tariff. These favorable factors provide other countries with a suitable opportunity to take part in the exhibitions held on Kish Island.
The present exhibition is expected to attract a large number of carpet producers and dealers from around the world along with Iranian carpet producers and exporters, who will display a wide variety of handmade carpets and floor coverings.
Moreover, handmade carpet dealers from other countries who are invited by the Exhibition Committee have a suitable opportunity to buy their requirements and desired collections. Also, a large number of visitors are expected to attend and buy from the Exhibition.
TO VIST KISH ISLAND, YOU NEED NO VISA
Those potential visitors from North America can visit the following link and follow the instructions to apply for a visa to go to mainland Iran.
http://daftar.org/Eng/default.asp?lang=eng
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Oriental Rug Market Los Angeles and Tax Season, Shaw Area Rugs
During the past few days, our rug business has been relatively slow and quiet. It might be because of the tax season. On the other hand, oil price has hit the $110/barrel and this has set the record and the price of gas at almost $4/gallon reduces the purchasing power of the people. These and other economic reasons and variables make people want to spend less. All this will affect the rug market weather it is area rug or hand knotted rug. People have less money and want spend less.
Of course the rug market has not been totally dead. We have sold a few pieces and were busy with cleaning and repair. But it has not been great. During the past couple of days, I have been busy working on my business tax and I have to submit all the numbers and documents to my CPA by tomorrow around noon.
Yesterday, I had an appointment with a representative of Shaw Floors and Shaw Living. She had visited me in our rug gallery and had shown me few samples. I wanted to see more samples so we met at 9:00 am in a showroom on the 5th floor in Los Angeles Mart, LA Mart. The showroom was big, but full of accessories and everything was visible but area rugs. I went inside and asked for the sales rep. and she showed up in a minute and guided me to the back of the showroom where they had only few pieces on few racks. Frankly I had expected a huge showroom full of racks and rugs. The variety did not look great to me. The prices also seemed expensive. In addition to the already high prices, there will be shipping costs added to the prices which will make it difficult to complete. I have to thing about this and I may want to go ahead and order a small shipment but I have to see.
It is 6:30 pm and I have to go home. I leave the writing for another time probably tomorrow.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Of course the rug market has not been totally dead. We have sold a few pieces and were busy with cleaning and repair. But it has not been great. During the past couple of days, I have been busy working on my business tax and I have to submit all the numbers and documents to my CPA by tomorrow around noon.
Yesterday, I had an appointment with a representative of Shaw Floors and Shaw Living. She had visited me in our rug gallery and had shown me few samples. I wanted to see more samples so we met at 9:00 am in a showroom on the 5th floor in Los Angeles Mart, LA Mart. The showroom was big, but full of accessories and everything was visible but area rugs. I went inside and asked for the sales rep. and she showed up in a minute and guided me to the back of the showroom where they had only few pieces on few racks. Frankly I had expected a huge showroom full of racks and rugs. The variety did not look great to me. The prices also seemed expensive. In addition to the already high prices, there will be shipping costs added to the prices which will make it difficult to complete. I have to thing about this and I may want to go ahead and order a small shipment but I have to see.
It is 6:30 pm and I have to go home. I leave the writing for another time probably tomorrow.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Rug Master, Rug Blog, A Busy Sunday in Los Angeles
Today was Sunday. I went to work at 11:00 am. Couple of customers brought Indian and Persian Tabriz hand made rugs for cleaning. One of our repairmen repaired four rugs brought by a rug importer. They needed some minor repairs for the damages done in transportation. Few customers also walked in and bought few pieces of rugs. We also picked up two rugs for cleaning from a customer's home. We delivered a big 12 x 16 Nepal rug to a customer's home in Encino, north of Los Angeles after we closed our store at 5:00 pm. Like every other week, we worked 7 days this week as well.
Tomorrow is Monday and the first day of a new week. Will something extraordinary happen? Will several customers walk in and buy many rugs? Who knows? We keep working hard with lots of hopes.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Tomorrow is Monday and the first day of a new week. Will something extraordinary happen? Will several customers walk in and buy many rugs? Who knows? We keep working hard with lots of hopes.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Turkmen Rug Lecture Los Angeles Textile Museum Associates of Southern California TMASC
Yesterday, we had a Turkmen Rug Lecture sponsored by the Textile Museum Associates of Southern California TMASC and the Textile Group of Los Angeles TGLA in our Oriental rug gallery on 1655 South La Cienega Blvd. We had 60 chairs which were all full and taken by the guests. The attendance was very good. The speaker was Jurg Rageth from Switzerland who presented a very well done presentation with interesting slides on Turkmen carpets and their designs. Several people had brought fine and antique Turkmen rugs for the "Show & Tell" section. Our program started at 10:00 am and finished by 1:00 pm.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Friday, March 7, 2008
Area Rug, Tufted Rug, and Tapestry
It was a slow day in regard with selling rugs. I only sold a 4 x 6 area rug, one tufted rug and a 24 x 48 inches tapestry. Several customers came in to our rug gallery and none of them looked serious. Some of them said they might return, but who knows.
I had a meeting with the representative of a very big floor covering and area rug producing company. We are supposed to meet again next week. I am considering to become one of their dealers if this is to my company's benefit. I have to see. As usual, we did some rug repair for a couple of the customers.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
I had a meeting with the representative of a very big floor covering and area rug producing company. We are supposed to meet again next week. I am considering to become one of their dealers if this is to my company's benefit. I have to see. As usual, we did some rug repair for a couple of the customers.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Rug Blog Helping you Buy a Rug
Yesterday, three different customers walked in to our rug gallery in different times. They all had one thing in common. They did not know the size of rug they needed. Customers and rug buyers should do their homework in regards with measurement. I have a 2-page rug buying tips. here is what I have written in this Oriental, Persian, and area rug buying tips when it comes to selecting the right size:
Choosing the right size is very important. Make sure to measure your room correctly before referring to any rug store. Get the maximum and minimum sizes you may want to cover to have a better choice by considering several rugs of different size ranges. Try to get standard size rug compared with odd sizes. The usual standard sizes in foot are: 3 x 5, 5 x 8, 6 x 9, 8 x 10, 9 x 12, 10 x 14, and 12 x 15. The standard width for runners of any length is 2' 6", although there are other widths as well.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Choosing the right size is very important. Make sure to measure your room correctly before referring to any rug store. Get the maximum and minimum sizes you may want to cover to have a better choice by considering several rugs of different size ranges. Try to get standard size rug compared with odd sizes. The usual standard sizes in foot are: 3 x 5, 5 x 8, 6 x 9, 8 x 10, 9 x 12, 10 x 14, and 12 x 15. The standard width for runners of any length is 2' 6", although there are other widths as well.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Rug Blogs Reveal My Business Secrets
This morning I thought to myself that I write everything about my business as regards with what I sell, how many pieces I sell, how many rugs and what I receive for cleaning and repair and many other details about my business. This can be read by my colleagues and competitors. Then I told myself, rug dealers are busy selling rugs and counting their money. They do not have time or they are not in a mood to read a rug blog. And if they read, what can they get out of my Oriental rug blog? So I should not wary myself and keep my mind busy about what they might think or do.
So let me write about my day. A customer, a lady bought two 5 x 8 area rugs, one runner, 2' 2" x 8 and one 4 x 6 area rug and paid with her credit card and left. She was student at Santa Monica College here in Los Angeles. Another man bought a 4 x 6 area rug, and while I was gone to my bank, one piece of 5 x 8 area rug was sold to another customer. I visited a rug dealer in Beverly Hills. He is a collector and dealer of fine Persian old, antique and fine rugs. In the morning, a dealer from a neighboring town brought an old Kashan rug for cleaning and repair. Several other customers also walked in separately but did not buy any rugs. Few of them said they would return in the near future. Before closing the store, I sold two pieces Persian hand knotted rugs, one a fine Gabbeh, and another one, a 2 x 3 Persian Varamin rug, both made with hand spun wool and natural dye to a couple who were looking for simple design rugs.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
So let me write about my day. A customer, a lady bought two 5 x 8 area rugs, one runner, 2' 2" x 8 and one 4 x 6 area rug and paid with her credit card and left. She was student at Santa Monica College here in Los Angeles. Another man bought a 4 x 6 area rug, and while I was gone to my bank, one piece of 5 x 8 area rug was sold to another customer. I visited a rug dealer in Beverly Hills. He is a collector and dealer of fine Persian old, antique and fine rugs. In the morning, a dealer from a neighboring town brought an old Kashan rug for cleaning and repair. Several other customers also walked in separately but did not buy any rugs. Few of them said they would return in the near future. Before closing the store, I sold two pieces Persian hand knotted rugs, one a fine Gabbeh, and another one, a 2 x 3 Persian Varamin rug, both made with hand spun wool and natural dye to a couple who were looking for simple design rugs.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Persian Carpet Rug Show in Kish island Iran
Today, I received the brochures and the posters of 6th Persian Carpet Show in Kish Island, Iran. Kish Island is a beautiful resort on the Persian Gulf, 20 minutes fly from Dubai, UAE. No visa is needed for non-Iranian passport holders. Below, you may read part of what is written in the brochure:
Kish - Handmade Carpet International Exhibition
Following five successful handmade Persian carpet exhibitions which were held in Kish and brought together famous producers and exporters with their unique collections, the Exhibition Committee has decided to hold the sixth exhibition at an international level, with carpet producers and dealers participating from across the world. Kish Island will host the Exhibition from 29 April - 2 May 2008.
A Free Trade Zone and renowned tourism resort, Kish Island possesses 21,000 square meters of exhibition space and a wealth of experience in holding various events. The Island offers a calm and pleasant environment for exhibitions and business activities. Foreign nationals need no entry visa and foreign goods may be easily imported into the Island benefiting from low rates of customs tariff. These favourable factors provide other countries with a suitable opportunity to take part in the exhibitions held on Kish Island.
The present exhibition is expected to attract a large number of carpet producers and dealers from around the world including Afghanistan, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Lebanon, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, etc. Exhibitors from these countries, along with Iranian carpet producers and exporters, will display a wide variety of handmade carpets and floor coverings.
Moreover, handmade carpet dealers from other countries who are invited by the Exhibition Committee have a suitable opportunity to buy their requirements and desired collections. Also, a large number of visitors are expected to attend and buy from the Exhibition.
Khosrow Sobhe
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Rug Blog
My rug blog for me is like a good friend with whom I can speak whenever I have something to say. I can express myself. I do not know who reads my posts in my web log and from where in the world. But I know that roughly 40-50 visitors read my posts on my web log everyday. That is great.
Yesterday was Monday. Usually, Mondays are slow in terms of rug sale, because people had just the weekend and on the first day of the week and its beginning, have many more important things to do than buying area rugs, Persian or Oriental carpets. We were extremely busy yesterday. In the morning, three ladies and a gentleman came in and spent about 45 minutes looking at several area rug runners made of silk made in Belgium. They bought 4 runners and three small pieces of the same quality. They also bought an 8 x 10 fine rug pad. I went to Bank to deposit a couple of checks and for the 20 minutes that I was gone, three pieces of area rugs were sold to a Limousine driver who had stopped by and looked for high quality area rugs. We also received few Persian and Indian Gabbeh rugs from two different customers for cleaning and repair. A 10 x 14 Persian Tabriz rug was also picked up by a customer who had left the rug for cleaning and repair/replacement of the selvages. We were busy the whole day.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Yesterday was Monday. Usually, Mondays are slow in terms of rug sale, because people had just the weekend and on the first day of the week and its beginning, have many more important things to do than buying area rugs, Persian or Oriental carpets. We were extremely busy yesterday. In the morning, three ladies and a gentleman came in and spent about 45 minutes looking at several area rug runners made of silk made in Belgium. They bought 4 runners and three small pieces of the same quality. They also bought an 8 x 10 fine rug pad. I went to Bank to deposit a couple of checks and for the 20 minutes that I was gone, three pieces of area rugs were sold to a Limousine driver who had stopped by and looked for high quality area rugs. We also received few Persian and Indian Gabbeh rugs from two different customers for cleaning and repair. A 10 x 14 Persian Tabriz rug was also picked up by a customer who had left the rug for cleaning and repair/replacement of the selvages. We were busy the whole day.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Rug Sale Rug Sales Los Angeles
We have a rack in front of our rug gallery on 1655 South La Cienega Blvd. Los Angeles. We put one rug on sale every day and sacrifice it with putting a big sign with a very low price. This is very eye-catching and attracts customers who pass or drive by. Several of them notice us and then cannot resist. It has been working . We sell few pieces of area rugs everyday. Although our main line is Persian and Oriental rugs, but we carry different types of area rugs as well.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Textile Museum Associates of Southern California, TMA/SC TMASC Board meeting
It was Saturday yesterday and we had board meeting in the Textile Museum Associates of Southern California, TMASC in the home of a board member. We started at 9:30 am and finished at 1:30 pm. Several reports like the membership, the treasurer, web master, and few other reports were submitted and approved. The website and the new brochure of the society were also talked about. Our membership has gone up because of many good and interesting programs we have had. The board will meet again in three months.
While I was at the meeting, our store was very busy and several rugs were sold and two customers had brought in several rugs for cleaning and repair.
Today, Sunday, it was a slower day compared with yesterday. We sold only four pieces of area rugs. A lady called me and asked about our working hours. I said we would be open till 5:00 pm. She said we would be there in your store in one hour. They later came in with two kids, one boy and a very cute girl. They were from Redondo Beach, a city south of Los Angeles close to the ocean.They were looking for a 9x12 feet rug. They liked an Indian Agra rug with Ivory background and black border. The husband was willing to buy it5 and take it home, but the wife said they should do more research. The price I gave them was a good deal and I doubt if they can find such a rug with such a price. They may return.
Tomorrow will be Monday, and the beginning of a new week, full of hope.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
While I was at the meeting, our store was very busy and several rugs were sold and two customers had brought in several rugs for cleaning and repair.
Today, Sunday, it was a slower day compared with yesterday. We sold only four pieces of area rugs. A lady called me and asked about our working hours. I said we would be open till 5:00 pm. She said we would be there in your store in one hour. They later came in with two kids, one boy and a very cute girl. They were from Redondo Beach, a city south of Los Angeles close to the ocean.They were looking for a 9x12 feet rug. They liked an Indian Agra rug with Ivory background and black border. The husband was willing to buy it5 and take it home, but the wife said they should do more research. The price I gave them was a good deal and I doubt if they can find such a rug with such a price. They may return.
Tomorrow will be Monday, and the beginning of a new week, full of hope.
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Friday, February 29, 2008
Mothball Dispute, Area Rug Sale, Rug Cleaning and Repair, Tapestries
During the past couple of days, we were busy with selling area rugs, getting some Oriental carpets for cleaning and repair, and selling two tapestries. A customer had given us 13 rugs for cleaning and repair from Malibu, a very beautiful city close to Los Angeles. When the gentleman and his wife came in to pick up their rugs, they looked at few of them from the back and touched the face of the couple of the rugs. They liked the cleanness and softness of the rugs. I also showed them how we had fixed the fringes and had
secured them in a way that the knots would not come off. They liked the way the fringes were secured. They said that they would like to store few of these rugs and do not want to use them for a while. I mentioned that we could do this and gave them a one page rug storage tips we had. They agreed that we do the packing. We did few hours of work yesterday, vacuumed each rug, took its digital high resolution photos and put mothballs inside each rug. We Rolled each rug and secured it with rope. Then we used special type of heavy duty paper since plastics of any kind is not good for the rug storage. We taped each rug and then printed the photo with the size and taped it to the rug with the care instructions. They could not believe how professional this job was done. We only charged them $20 for each piece. A couple of the pieces were big, but we charged them $20 per rug regardless of the size. It took us a full half day. I did not mind doing a first class job to please my customers.The husband called me this morning around 8:30 complaining about the smell of the mothballs and said that I had promised to use undetectable mothballs without any odor. I did not have such a mothball and I had not promised to use something that I did not have. I told all this very nicely to the husband who seemed very angry over the phone. I was very nice to him and did not lose my temper at all. I believe it is my job to be nice to people and my customers. He said he would talk to his wife and would call me back. He called me back later and said he wanted me to take the mothballs out and I said I would be back in my store after 11:00 am. and toled him bring the rugs to our store.
The wife and the husband brought the rugs and I helped them bring the rugs inside our rug gallery. I said when do you want them back because I have to spend few more hours to open each package and unwrap it, open the ropes, spread the rug on the floor, vacuum the rug and take the mothballs out. Then wrap it and do the whole process again. I would have to charge you $100 for all seven pieces. The man got angry and shouted at me:"who do you think you are? You think you are from East LA (East Los Angeles)? I will make you do this for free. I have an attorney who is very expensive and he will make you do this and you will have to pay for that very expensive attorney. I told him nicely, politely and calmly that I have done my job once. To do the whole job all over again, I will need few hours of my time and a helper and materials and charging $100 for all this would not be a lot of money. He shouted at me again and talked about how his professional attorney would make me this job free of charge. I said OK sir, if this is what you think you should do, then I do not stop you. I helped him took the rugs inside his car and in the trunk and he and his wife left!! The man was so angry. I hope he gets home safely. Here I post the photos of the rugs in the packings with the photos and the instructions. I thought I did my job right, and did not promise something I could not deliver. I also tried to treat them nicely regardless of the nasty language and behavior of the husband.
KhosrowSobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Tabriz Rug 16th Century Safavid Era Record Breaking Rug
This Tabriz rug is a record breaking rug.
A Tabriz Medallion Carpet, North West Persia, 16th Century
21 Ft 8 in x 11 ft 9 in
From the collections of Barons Nathaniel and Albert von Rothschild
Christies London July 8, 1999
"Sheik al-Thani bought a 16th-century Tabriz medallion carpet for $2.4 million, far above its $410,000 high estimate."
The New York Times, Tuesday, February 19, 2008
At $90 Million, Rothschild Sale Exceeds Goals
By CAROL VOGEL Published: July 9, 1999
"a 16th-century Tabriz medallion carpet realised just under L1.6 million, an auction record for a carpet"
Rothschild riches
Spectator, The, Jul 17, 1999 by Moore, Susan
Source: http://www.spongobongo.com/
Khosrow Sobhe
310-770-9085
Persian Rugs
Persian Rugs Are Symbolic With Magical Quality and Prosperity
As many people know there are many different types of rugs that you can buy. There is one type of rug that is symbolic with prosperity. This is the famed rugs of
Now even though many people like to own Persian rugs they simply aren’t too sure if they can afford to have these magnificent specimens in their homes. As a result of this they may look for inferior rugs that claim to possess all of the beauty and quality of Persian rugs without their price. Buying a rug like this will only cheat you of the experience of having a richly woven Persian rug in your home.
While there are many very expensive Persian rugs for sale you can still find high quality Persian rugs that can fit your budget and these still look nice. The main thing that you will need to see is that you are buying a good quality rug. You should also see the size and shape of the rug that you want to have in your home.
As there are so many color shades and shapes on the Persian rugs, you should decide what are the complementary colors and main colors that you want your new rug to have. This way you can match your new Persian rug to your existing furniture. The other way that you can choose a gorgeous Persian rug for your home is to start with some pictures of Persian rugs that catch your eye and an empty room.
With the pictures you can see what shade your walls should be like and if you want a wooden floor. You can even see if your Persian rugs would look great on a fully carpeted floor in a neutral shade. From here you can also decide on the theme that you want this room to have. Once you have your room furnishings decided on you need to see what size Persian rugs you wan to buy.
This is important since many times you will find Persian rugs that are like miniature carpets. There is no real problem if you would like to have an area rug sized Persian rug or even larger. This way you can get the excellence of Persian carpets minus the high price. You also have the added bonus of being able to take your Persian rug with you when you move house.
Source: http://www.amazines.com/article_detail.cfm/215675?articleid=215675
Tapestry Tapestries Los Angeles
Tapestry Tapestries in
Each of our tapestries at RugIdea.com is finished with elegant and fine backing and generous rod pocket for easy hanging. www.RugIdea.com (
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Rug Blog at RugMaster: Rugs, Rug, Area Rugs, Oriental Carpets
Oriental Carpets and Rugs have gone under my skin and I cannot get rid of them. It is 3:35 am and I cannot sleep. So I though I read my e-mails and post something on my new baby, my RugMaster.blogspot.com
Yesterday, a rug dealer from a town east of Los Angeles visited me. I met him for the first time. He said that he is planning to add area machine made rugs to his existing Persian and Oriental rug business and asked if I was happy with area rugs sale. He has been in Oriental and Persian carpet business for almost forty years. I mentioned that area rugs do not give you that much of a profit unless you can work in volume. The good side of it is bringing foot traffic to your rug store since people can afford buying area rugs as compared with hand knotted carpets and rugs. I gave him few issues of the "Iranian Hand Knotted Rug" quarterly, a magazine which is published in Tehran by the "Iranian Carpet Exporters' Association". I am a board member to this society and I am also the Editor in Chief of this rug journal.
A rug dealer picked up a Persian Tabriz rug he had with us for stain removal. We sold two area rugs. Several more customers visited us but they were not serious buyers. A couple who had bought an old Qashqai kilim last year stopped by to take a look at some rugs. They liked a back background Hameda/Toyserkan rug but were not sure about the size. They said they would measure the entrance of their house and would come back. A couple also visited us two times in two hours. The man wants to buy two small rugs for his mother who lives in South America, but is not sure about the size and color combination. He said they might come back later. He liked two pieces. Since he was going to buy these two small rugs for his mother, his wife was not helping him and showed no sympathy whatsoever, and each time they cam in, his wife said: we got to go!! Would she act the same had she wanted to buy something for her mother. Hell no!!
Paying bills which never stop coming was part of what I did yesterday. Two customers brought two items separately for cleaning and repair. One was a very fine Tabriz rug, 10 x 14, and the other piece was a 10 x 14 Turkish Kilim with pet urine on it.
As far as rug sales is concerned, these two past days were very slow. Maybe buyers are waiting for their pay checks. It is the 27th of February. Two months of the new year have gone by before we know it. TIME FLIES!
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
Yesterday, a rug dealer from a town east of Los Angeles visited me. I met him for the first time. He said that he is planning to add area machine made rugs to his existing Persian and Oriental rug business and asked if I was happy with area rugs sale. He has been in Oriental and Persian carpet business for almost forty years. I mentioned that area rugs do not give you that much of a profit unless you can work in volume. The good side of it is bringing foot traffic to your rug store since people can afford buying area rugs as compared with hand knotted carpets and rugs. I gave him few issues of the "Iranian Hand Knotted Rug" quarterly, a magazine which is published in Tehran by the "Iranian Carpet Exporters' Association". I am a board member to this society and I am also the Editor in Chief of this rug journal.
A rug dealer picked up a Persian Tabriz rug he had with us for stain removal. We sold two area rugs. Several more customers visited us but they were not serious buyers. A couple who had bought an old Qashqai kilim last year stopped by to take a look at some rugs. They liked a back background Hameda/Toyserkan rug but were not sure about the size. They said they would measure the entrance of their house and would come back. A couple also visited us two times in two hours. The man wants to buy two small rugs for his mother who lives in South America, but is not sure about the size and color combination. He said they might come back later. He liked two pieces. Since he was going to buy these two small rugs for his mother, his wife was not helping him and showed no sympathy whatsoever, and each time they cam in, his wife said: we got to go!! Would she act the same had she wanted to buy something for her mother. Hell no!!
Paying bills which never stop coming was part of what I did yesterday. Two customers brought two items separately for cleaning and repair. One was a very fine Tabriz rug, 10 x 14, and the other piece was a 10 x 14 Turkish Kilim with pet urine on it.
As far as rug sales is concerned, these two past days were very slow. Maybe buyers are waiting for their pay checks. It is the 27th of February. Two months of the new year have gone by before we know it. TIME FLIES!
Khosrow Sobhe
www.RugIdea.com
310-770-9085
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