New Kambourian rug shop to open in Virginia in August

PanARMENIAN.Net - About three months after his family's century-old rug business closed, Mark Kambourian is opening a new shop.

"It's a whole new company, but the Oriental-rug business is the only thing I know how to do," said Kambourian, whose family ran M. Kambourian Sons for 106 years before closing the store off Patterson Avenue in Henrico County, Virginia, U.S., in April.

The Oriental rug company was founded by his great-grandfather, an Armenian immigrant, in 1896.

The new store, called Kambourian Rugs, will be at Libbie and Grove avenues in the space recently vacated by another longtime Richmond establishment - the Hampton House - which moved in June.

“Deciding to take over the space was a no-brainer,” he said. "The location is exceptional. It's as good a spot as you can get."

At nearly 4,000 square feet, the new rug store is considerably smaller than the 15,000-square-foot Mr. Kambourian store on Patterson Avenue.

That's just fine for Kambourian, who says the former store was too big. "We don't really need all that space," he said.

The new store, of which he is the sole owner, will carry hard-to-find higher-end pieces that are "not so commercial" as what other retailers sell.

Kambourian Rugs also will carry some home accent pieces and art. For now, Kambourian is completely remodeling the space. "Our neighbors are going to be happy," he said.

He expects to open in early August, Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.