“Oakland has history and tradition,” making it a great place to shop for old furniture and rugs,” says Mozey Tehrani, owner of the Montclair Rug Gallery. In his mind, it’s the perfect place to open shop and that’s what he did 17 years ago.
Montclair Rug Gallery is a mecca for fine oriental carpets, old and new. “We carry all kinds of rugs from Persian to Pakistani, Indian and contemporary Nepalese.” Specialists on cleaning and repair visit the shop weekly.
Tehrani – who now lives in Montclair - grew up in Iran - in a house that was filled with Persian carpets. Still the entrepreneur confesses, he didn’t know much about them until he got into the business. “It’s not something your born knowing” – not even in Iran, he explained.
“You buy and sell and learn,” Tehrani says. “Even after years in the business, I can still come across an old rug that puzzles me.” Tehrani and his wife Jan Moseley – who works with him - are “constantly educating themselves through research.”
Tehrani works through importer stateside with his entire inventory except for the Iranian Persian carpets which – he favors – and buys directly from Iran. Tehrani has relatives in the carpet business there.
Fine carpet making is an art passed down from generation to generation. There is no mass productions in Iran even to this day, save some co-ops that are sprouting up.
The carpets come in a variety of styles. Tribal rugs have more geometric designs while their urban counterparts sport a more linear design and are deemed more sophisticated or formal, says Moseley.
Moseley and Tehrani play the role of educator as well as salesperson. Quality is determined in part by the number of knots per square inch. The more knots per square inch, the finer the carpet.
“Anybody with a few thousand dollars to spend on a carpet is intelligent enough to differentiate quality,” says Tehrani “When people are educated (on carpets) it makes my job easier.”
“I am a straight shooter,” Tehrani continues, who characterizes his style as direct and honest with his customers.
Through the rug shop, Tehrani and Moseley several local causes, their favorite being the schools. “We donate rugs to the silent auctions and other fundraising efforts,” Moseley said.
Most Montclair Rug Gallery customers are women, Moseley said. Many are from the hill areas and Contra Costa County, but some come from as far away as San Francisco and Marin County.
“The Bay Area is such a cosmopolitan area,” comments the British born Moseley. “It’s like the UN here, you can find anything.”
That diversity is also what clients – like Montclair residents Laura and Mark Novak – say they appreciate about Tehrani’s shop.
“He’s willing to unfold as many rugs as you want to see,” Laura said. “He never seems tired of it. He will even come to your house and see, your colors and décor and make suggestions accordingly.”
Still Tehrani says, Persian rugs aren’t for everybody. People want fashion colors that will work with their décor,” he said. But Persian style carpets don’t work quite like that their designs are not dicatated by current fashion trends.
“I’m planning to retire in 13 years,” says Tehrani. “I urge you to come soon. I’m not planning a retirement sale,” he said with a grin.

© 2005 Mimi Rohr

Oakland, CA.