VoyageDenver Article - Azari Rug Gallery

After moving to the United States in 1979 to pursue engineering, Jay Azari, founder and owner of Azari Rug Gallery, found the corporate engineering industry was not for him. Instead, he decided to pursue a passion from his childhood: Hand-knotted rugs. Jay then established Azari Rug Gallery in 1986. Transitioning into the rug business and three decades of hard work later, Jay’s dreams became a reality.

After years of running the business, Jay’s daughter, Farine Azari, joined him in helping run the gallery. Together they offer a piece of their culture to the world, and share the beauty, dedication, and immense craftsmanship of hand-knotted rugs to Colorado.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As a small business owner, the road to owning a company is never smooth. The economy as well as the climate of business is unpredictable. Unprecedented events such as the rise of the COVID pandemic forces small business owners to become flexible and resilient. Jay Azari is no exception to this, and through the years he has had to learn to adapt and grow to become the exemplar of determination, integrity, and diligence. Jay’s transparency and reliability has made him a force within the Colorado design community. The lessons and struggles he has endured over the decades of business only strengthens his business and deepens his proficiency in his craft.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Azari Rug Gallery ?
Azari Rug Gallery is home to the largest collection of hand-knotted rugs in the Rocky Mountain region. The gallery, including a professionally lit showroom, a rug restoration department, and a facility dedicated to traditional rug cleaning, has become a staple in the Colorado interior design community. The gallery is also home to an extensive antique collection that rug shoppers and antique enthusiasts alike may peruse. Jay specializes in Traditional, Tribal, Modern and Contemporary hand-knotted rugs sourced from around the world. Both he and his daughter Farine excel as teachers in textiles and rug restoration to interior designers, continuing the education and legacy of their craft.

The gallery offers several additional services, including in-home consultations and installations, restorations, resizing, appraisals, trade-ins, rug pads, rentals, and custom made rugs and rug pillows. Azari Rug Gallery is designed to support you every step of the way in choosing and maintaining these one-of-a-kind functional works of art.

Supporting locally owned businesses like Azari Rug Gallery is imperative for the people of Colorado. A community that values family, dedication, and a stellar reputation. Azari exemplifies those qualities and more. It is more than a business, it is a connection to previous and future generations, and you can feel that in each piece of art that Azari Rug Gallery offers.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
Luck does not so much play a role in the success of Azari Rug Gallery as Jay’s hard work and dedication to making his dream become a reality. Seizing every opportunity to come his way and working tirelessly, Jay has achieved his goals through his own perseverance and tenacity. The only luck Azari Rug Gallery can claim is the serendipitous relationships formed with the local community of designers and home-owners. To have their trust and the responsibility of making their dream home a reality is a privilege and honor that Azari Rug Gallery will continue to cherish for decades to come.