Dan's Papers - June 22, 2007 - The ABCs of Carpets

Starting in 1897 when Sam Weinrib, a newly-arrived Austrian immigrant began to sell used carpet and unusual fabrics in a pushcart on the crowded streets of Manhattan's Lower East Side. Sam's son, Max, turned the mobile business into a discount carpet store and Max's son, Jerome, now Chairman of ABC Carpet & Home, moved that store to its current location at Broadway and East 19th Street in 1961 and began to transform his family's modest floor covering business into the largest rug and carpet store in the world.

In the early 1980s, the fourth generation, Jerome's daughter, Paulette joined the company. Together, father and daughter are now responsible for the present incarnation of carpet and home fashions. This "first family of home stuff," so anointed by New York Magazine, now leads a revolution for the home.

ABC Carpet & Home occupies two landmark buildings in the Flatiron district of Manhattan, creating almost 350,000 square feet of retail space. At 888 Broadway in the old W. & J. Sloane building, ABC presents a six-floor emporium of rugs, furniture, antiques, linens, table-top, fabrics, lighting, books, children's and bath and beauty products - a dynamic mixture of old and new, East meets West, formal and country, traditional and modern, classic and funky. Equal parts retail store, museum, theater and educational center, ABC Carpet & Home is an iconic temple of design known throughout the world.

At ABC you can discover everything from beautifully detailed antique and reproduction furniture of a bygone era to modern furniture reflecting today's lifestyle. Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams, Theodore Alexander, Ralph Lauren, Althorp and Dune Living can all be found at ABC. Most recently, the store became home to Barbara Barry Realized by Henredon - a 2500 square foot "gallery" presenting her complete vision of home and exclusive to ABC in the NY metropolitan area. Additionally, ABC Home's Grounded collection of furniture and upholstered pieces offers customers what is perhaps the most extensive collection of sustainable products in the United States if not the world. Its "pure" upholstery collection is among the first to be certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. As a mission-based business, ABC Home is committed to preserving and promoting values that sustain a healthy existence for the planet and its people and ABC Home and Planet and Mission Market offer great opportunities for social service with gifts that "give back" to the Manhattan-based store's 22,000+ culturally sophisticated weekly customers.

ABC Carpet & Home is the largest single retailer of rugs and floor coverings in the world. There are four floors of rugs to venture through. At ABC you'll find rugs from every carpet weaving area of the world. Visit the 6th floor at 888 Broadway and become enveloped in the beauty of the rich, luxurious carpets that surround you. The 6th floor shopping experience is unique and unforgettable. There are rugs from around the world, including Persia, Pakistan, Turkey and Romania - from centuries old and new. You'll find a rich collection of antique rugs as well as some exotic, smart and cutting edge carpets. ABC is a favorite shopping destination for both uptown designers and downtown artists.

Walk across the street to 881 Broadway and you'll discover an incredible inventory of over 35,000 rugs from around the world. You'll find the world's largest collection of modern rugs. There are rugs for every taste, lifestyle and budget. Discover beautiful European-inspired needlepoint and Abusson rugs, Turkish kilims, Indian dhurries and ABC's exclusive Amagansett Collection. For hip, fun rugs look no further. There are shags, sheepskin and cowhide rugs.

ABC's roots began in the Broadloom Department by establishing a reputation for quality and value. ABC knows that buying in bulk and selling from stock is the best way to pass savings along to the customer. When you visit the second floor at 881 Broadway you will be surrounded by rows and rows of broadloom samples. Every style, color and texture is available to you. ABC warehouses over 300,000 square yards of imported and domestic carpets. No job is too small or large for ABC. Our expert sales staff will guide you through the sale. In the basement at 881 Broadway discover one of New York's best shopping secrets - the Clearance Rug and Remnant Department.

ABC Carpet & Home is located at 888/881 BROADWAY. Call 212-473-3000 and visit www.abchome.com Other locations in the Bronx, South Hackensack, NJ and Delray Beach, FL.