About Us
With a confident smile, “Sir, Yes Sir,” is the reply that Jafar Hendi, owner of Shiraz Rug Gallery, will give a client asking for his help finding the perfect rug to complement their home or business.
Jafar Hendi opened Shiraz Rugs in 2012, out of his passion and love for beautiful rugs. His goal is to bring the beauty of foreign hand-knotted rugs to the Greater Northwest.
The Founder
Jafar’s appreciation for rugs and art began as a young man growing up in Iran. A third generation rug merchant, he sold his first rug at the age of fifteen as part of his family’s business. In his early twenties, Jafar’s adventurous personality took him to busy Dubai. After a couple years of success in the Dubai rug and design business, Jafar moved to Germany. Although he brought his knowledge of Persian carpets to Germany, he still had to learn the language and culture. So to do this, he decided to audit German-speaking college courses. In 1995, Jafar traveled to the United States and found his home in Seattle. He quickly became one of Seattle’s top rug merchants, working in downtown Seattle and on the road with the Costco Trade Show.
In 2012, Jafar was excited to open Shiraz Rug Gallery in the Old Main business district of Downtown Bellevue. His love of fine arts and his favorite wine inspired the name of the rug gallery. He works hard everyday to provide the best service to his clients, by having one of the largest selections of rug styles in Seattle.