WoolRugWashing.com
Title
Rug Cleaning & Repair: Richard Kirishian
Description
Our history began 100 years ago, when the grandparents of Richard Kirishian began manufacturing hand knotted wool Oriental rugs in Sivas Armenia for export to America and Europe. At the turn of the century, Armenia was a troubled place. Civil wars and starvation drove thousands of Armenians to find new homes in other countries. My grandparents sold all their belongings, including centuries old treasured rugs made by my ancestors, to pay for passage to the United States where they started over and continued to make rugs in the traditional styles.
In 1918, my Grandfather Sarkis and his brothers, Dikon and Hosvop, opened our family's first retail rug store. The popularity of hardwood floors in the first half of the 20th century created a huge demand for quality rugs. My family couldn't make them fast enough. We needed new suppliers. My Grandfather and his brothers began traveling the world looking for high quality hand made rugs to sell in their newly adopted country.
I grew up in the business trained by my father and grandfather, uncles, and other in-laws in all aspects of the Oriental rug business. I've dyed, knotted, and woven quite a few rugs myself. I've been a rug importer for over 20 years. Every few years I travel back to Turkey and Armenia and spend a few weeks visiting local rug makers and dealers and surveying local quality and craftsmanship. Just as my father and his father before him, I have always been committed to offering my customers the very finest rugs for their money.
