Tulanian Rugs
Tulanian Rugs Hutchison & Mills, Architects Leslie R. Wilson, Developer & Builder, 1923 In 1922, Armenian genocide survivor Hachadoor Tulanian (1894–1965) arrived in Berkeley and opened an Oriental rug shop at 2938 College Avenue. In 1927 he bought this building, which contained three small shops, and moved the rug business to the corner location, where he added a concrete floor and drain for rug washing and wooden pallets on the roof for drying. Living nearby on Benvenue Avenue, he would leave a “back after lunch” sign on an unlocked shop door. He could regularly be seen transporting rugs tied to the running boards of his car. In 1950 Hachadoor’s two sons joined the business and it expanded into the entire building. His two grandchildren and great-granddaughter took over ownership in 1997, proudly continuing one of the Elmwood district’s longest family-owned businesses. The building’s distinctive design features oversized arched clerestory windows and a fireplace. It was one of the locations used in the 1993 Whoopi Goldberg film Made in America. Berkeley Historical Plaque Project 2023