Monarc Antique Rugs Closing March 31

Monarc Antique Rugs, 1413 Wisconsin Ave. NW, is liquidating its entire inventory and will close forever at the end of March.

Signs in the windows and inside the shop announce the closure, which comes after several slow years of sales thanks to a sluggish economy, according to Matthew Farid, an oriental rug consultant for Monarc.

Monarc is liquidating its stock of some 2000 rugs dating from the mid-1800s to more contemporary items in sizes as small as two feet by three feet to "palace-sized," according to Farid.

When asked if Monarc would consider taking the business online, Farid said, "A lot more goes into purchasing a run than looking at a picture online."

Persian rug customers want to touch the rug and feel it, to learn about the designs, said Farid.

As Farid spoke, Hassan Beheshti, the store owner, was explaining the design of several rugs to a customer, showing how the date was woven into the carpet and detailing what the weaving meant.

But, the new generation of consumers is shopping online and Farid can't see this business surviving online.  Especially, he said, since many of these online shoppers are focused on getting a style or look, rather than quality.

"The romance of Persian carpets is leaving the market," he said wistfully.

Still he said since the beginning of the year when they decided to close the business for good, loyal customers have been coming through with a sense of "urgency" to complete their carpet shopping for spaces in their homes.

"Luckily the neighbors and the local have been very supportive," he said.

Whatever is let at the end of March will likely be sold to several wholesalers from New York an California.

"It's very unfortunate," Farid concluded.

Have you purchased a rug from Monarch? Will you miss having the store on Wisconsin Avenue?