Vallejo, CA, November 21, 2005--Religious artifacts, art forms, decoration, an expression of culture--rugs are all of those things, says Roger Stringer of Benicia Rug Imports, according to the Vallejo Times-Herald.
"There's something about rugs. I gravitate to them. I see each as a piece of art on the floor and I enjoy the places they come from," said Stringer, whose store opened Sept. 1 inside a former military workshop on Park Road in Benicia. "I've been around the world three times, now, and I'm learning about the culture and the meanings of the designs."
Stringer, a 49-year-old married father of two, is also intrigued by the history that surrounds his profession.
"It's one of those really ancient occupations," he said. "In ancient days, their resources walked with them. They'd sit outside their tent and spin the yarn and make the dyes and weave."
Nowadays, the rug seller is world traveler, bringing work from exotic locales like Egypt, Turkey, Afghanistan, Morocco, Pakistan, Persia, Israel, India, China, Tibet, Nepal, Belgium and Spain.
Stringer's 5,000 square feet of warehouse and showroom space contains examples of rugs common and rare.
They include a line inspired by the work of pop culture icon Andy Warhol, and the National Geographic line, inspired by exotic locals worldwide. There are rugs with batik patterns and rugs inspired by South American and Native American motifs. There are rugs with contemporary looks and ones Stringer calls "transitional," which combine modern fashion colors and traditional designs.
Some are machine made or power-loomed, some are hand-tufted and hand-loomed, hand-knitted and hand woven.
Stringer specializes in "chobi" quality, a rug industry-related word literally meaning "wood" in Persian, and deriving from a town where Turkoman tribesmen long ago developed a unique weaving process and the use of natural dyes. Stringer brought home examples of the raw materials used to make the dyes, and has them on display in the center of the showroom.
"They use walnut shells, limestone, bark, mustard flowers and other herbs," he said. "They use roots, pomegranate, plants."
Stringer prides himself on offering "heirloom quality at warehouse prices," he said.
The building Benicia Rug Imports occupies contains several smaller spaces in which Stringer is designing atmosphere rooms, and inviting interior designers or other related artists to build displays.
"I think it's hard for designers and artists to start up, and I'd like to help people with a passion for something like mine for rugs, and invite them in to create an environment," he said.
Originally from Seattle, Stringer and his family have lived in Vallejo and Benicia for nine years, he said. He worked in the wholesale rug business for 15 years and then in retail sales for 15 more. He eventually became a representative for a very large rug distributor and became a manager, he said, before deciding to go into business for himself.
During his years in the industry, Stringer said he learned not just about rug construction, but about the history and personal stories of the rug makers and their cultures. It awakened in him a wider interest in history. It's another reason he's so happy with his store's location, he said.
"I love old things and to utilize them," Stringer said.
Stringer said he hopes to grow what will be the largest selection of rugs in Northern California, into the best selection in the country.
"I'll have 2,000-plus rugs on display here by July," he said.
