By Dave Matlow
The Fovama Oriental Rugs store, 1385 Post Road East, next to Balducci’s, will close by early July, according to owner Javad Ahmadi.
Javad Ahmadi, owner of Fovama Oriental Rugs, says rug buying habits have changed. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Dave Matlow for WestportNow.com
A presence in Westport for 20 years, Fovama opened in 1993 in the shopping strip anchored by Pier One and in 1997 moved to its current location.
“The economy has changed in the past three or four years,” said Ahmadi. “It’s become difficult for a bricks and mortar business like mine to succeed.”
Ahmadi, who came to the United States during the Iranian revolution in the 1970s, said the concept of owning rugs has changed.
“In the past, a rug such as these was for life,” he said. “Now many companies have entered the field which foster the concept of replacing rugs every few years. Customers rely on the Internet. Design styles change. It’s a step away from tradition.”
Ahmadi added that India also has had a big impact on the rug business.
More than 50 percent of the weavers are now in India, he said, and the India labor costs have risen. This, combined with the price pressures in a more competitive market, has reduced revenues, he said.
“Guys like me are caught in the middle,” Ahmadi said. “And on top of all this, our building was sold about one year ago and the landlord has raised the rent by almost 60 percent.”
But, this is a blessing in many ways, he said. “I always wanted to be a teacher and writer,” he added.
Ahmadi said he started writing poetry in English when he was 14 in Iran. When he came to the United States, he eventually attended and graduated from Sacred Heart University with a Bachelor’s in business and then earned an MBA at the same school.
He said his first love is poetry which he publishes regularly on his blog.
Ahmadi said he published four poems and three articles in Weston Magazine in the 2006-2007 period. He said he also is writing a novel based on the differences between American and foreign students he observed at Sacred Heart University.
“It’s based on the difference between haves and have-nots,” he said.
Now that he will have time he hopes to complete and publish it. Meanwhile, he said, “I’ve attended poetry workshops at Fairfield University for the past 20 years and plan to pursue a degree in fine arts at that school.
“I’ve been working seven days a week for 36 years,” Ahmadi said. “Now I can pursue what I really want to do.”
He is a divorced father with two teenage children.
Born in Iran, Ahmadi, 54, came to the United States with his three brothers in 1976 when he was 17. His father, Ahmad, started several rug businesses, including the one in Westport. He died on April 17, 2012.
A plaque dedicated to Ahmadi’s late father is on the wall at the entrance to the store.
And we give a damn because????????
How very sad, Mr Katz. I think this is a very interesting human interest story of immigration, a local business’ struggles with current trends and a man’s inner call to poetry. I give a ….
I looked up Daniel Katz and was not surprised to find a picture of a Jackass. Nice to see you’re wasting your freedom of speech to display what kind of person you really are.
Ahmadi, I look forward to reading your poetry and other writings, best of luck to you.
Ms. Feczcko has a valid point…I made the mistake of not reading the entire article but just the “store closing” portion….proves one should not jump to conclusions; the man sounds most interesting, indeed.
As to the Sanchez comment, it’s nice to have a picture of me anywhere, in any iteration.
Ahmadi, all the best and look forward to reading your poetry.
Good luck w/ your writing and future studies Ahmadi.