Vintage rug dealer sells great finds on Craig's List

Paul De Beer, vintage Persian Rugs
507 East 83rd Street #1B
By appointment
646-422-0189 or debeer.paul@gmail.com
cash or check, no credit cards

Story with a happy ending: Gracie enjoys the new living room rug.

A man in Iran owed a man in New York City some money. Instead of flying to Iran and beating on the man's door every month, the man in Manhattan thought it would be a more pleasant arrangement to take his debt in rugs (the business of the man in Iran). Together, they decided that in square feet the debt owed equaled roughly six thousand rugs. Every two months, the man in New York flies to Iran, selects his rugs, ships them back to NYC, and sells them through Craig's List.

Meanwhile, a woman uptown had bare floors. But kittens, a dog–all are guaranteed to ruin rugs. She wanted something pretty, but something she wouldn't cry over when the dog threw up on it (inevitable). So she started surfing the internet.

This is how I, the pet-challenged shopper, met Paul De Beer, a retired Dutch engineer selling vintage or "semi-antique" rugs out of his apartment on the Upper East Side. While others might feel resentful recouping a debt through so much work, Mr. De Beer likes the arrangement. He purposefully moved to his present apartment because the landlord allowed him to cut a hole in the floor, install some stairs, and turn the basement space underneath the kitchen into a storage space and tiny salesroom.

I wasn't in love with the first rug I went to see, so I told Mr. De Beer my measurements, price range, and color scheme, and the next day he emailed me photos of about ten more rugs. I chose six and went back to see them. I was interested in a $600 rug and Mr. De Beer said that he often lets customers pay half now, half later. But ... sick pets. I really liked an 8' x 11' $300 dollar rug; it had a flaw, and when I found another the price was reduced to $250. A steal, and a sale! Mr. De Beer even carried  the rug to a taxi for me.

Paul De Beer has been in business for about eighteen months, and he figures it will take him another two years to recoup his debt. The rugs, mostly Persian, average 40–50 years old, but some are new; they all are washed and cleaned. His business is increasing through Craig's List (search "Persian UES") and word-of-mouth. There is no bait and switch, no hard sell, only a pleasant experience and another quirky New York story.

02/06/08 UPDATE: Paul has signed up to be a dealer at the Brooklyn Flea.

Stairs descend from kitchen to basement showroom.

Rug spread on floor covers three others I was interested in seeing.

Comments

[stan]

I was there last week. Paul is great. Didn't buy a rug, but will go back with more dollars.
Fun to find this article.

[Kristi]

Tell him "hi!"

[Karen]

I just bought two to test and will return one. They're lovely!

[Disappointed Customer]

It was a total rip-off. While in his dark showroom, De Beer said that I could return it if faulty. When I took the rug home I noticed that it was was damaged, shabby and discolored, almost as if bleached. I immediately called him and he refused to exchange it.

[Disappointed Customer]

I went to Mr. De Beers based on your article and recommendation.

1.- At no time I asked for a discount, and I paid the full asking price. However, as I was short of cash, Mr. De Beer did not let me pay the other half later, as you mention.. I paid 50% in cash and 50% with a check.

2. I was there with my infant child (who has a disability) and when my son tried to look at the window of his ground floor office, Mr. De Beer stopped him in such a harsh way that made him cry.

3. At that point I tried to get out of there as soon as possible. At no time Mr. De Beer offered to carry the rug until I found a taxi (not even to his doorstep!). I carried it myself, struggling to carry the big rug on one arm while holding my son with the other.

He initially said that I could exchange it. But once my check cleared, he never again answered my emails or phone calls.

The rug is still rolled in my apartment. I can't do anything with it. Grateful if you'd help me returning it and getting my money back.