Southern Utah Small Business Spotlight: Flying Carpet

Sponsored By | Gander RV & Outdoors

Flying Carpet:

One-of-a-Kind, Hand-Knotted Turkish Rugs

By Tolga Celikkanat

I grew up with handmade carpets. During my childhood, I spent a lot of time at my grandfather’s rug shop in Cappadocia, Turkey. He used to tell me stories about the flying carpet. Rugs are a form of art. Through their patterns and motifs, they have been able to communicate for centuries. Each rug will tell you a story.

Weavers in Turkey are trying to keep the 1,000-yearold tradition of hand-knotted rugs alive. The industry has been hit hard by the Indian, Chinese, and Pakistani copies. Original Turkish rugs are becoming harder to find, and in today’s market, they are highly collectible because the production of handmade rugs in Turkey has almost stopped! I was visiting my friends in St. George, Utah, last Christmas and fell in love with the area, its nature, and its wonderful people. During my visit to St. George, I visited local antique dealers, designers, and furniture store owners. They all said, “You must open a store in St. George because there isn’t a handmade rug store here, and business is booming.” After searching the area, I saw a great potential and decided to move my business, Flying Carpet, from Maine to St. George. We specialize in one-of-a-kind handmade rugs. Each piece is individually selected by me, and no child labor is involved in making these rugs. Visiting villages and buying rugs from villagers is a great cultural experience. I get a chance to interact with the weavers and get the details and history of the rugs I buy.

Flying Carpet is a direct importer of fine Turkish handmade oriental rugs. Each rug comes with a certificate of authenticity. We sell handmade ceramic plates, antique pottery, mosaic lamps, and other handmade gift items. We also offer special rug cleaning, rug restoration, and appraisals. To experience the beauty of our unique, handmade rugs, please visit our showroom:

755 S. Bluff St. | St. George, UT 84770 (435) 375-4500 | www.FlyingCarpet.us

Gander RV & Outdoors of St. George

341 East Sunland Drive St. George, UT 84790

Gander RV & Outdoors of Hurricane

1210 W State Street Hurricane, UT 84737