Asheville – Trevor Togar describes Togar Rugs as a 47-year-old family business transitioning to the second generation. The business began with his mother-in-law and father-in-law. Tunch was from Istanbul, and Nancy was from Asheville, so they did a lot of traveling between the two cities. As they did, Tunch started bringing a couple rugs at a time back to the states to see if he could sell them.
Business grew slowly. It started in the basement of the Togars’ home in Biltmore Forest. Trevor said sales were like Tupperware parties, but before long, Tunch was traveling as far as Louisiana and Texas to sell his rugs. The Togars would be in Turkey buying rugs from January until May or June every year. After a while, Tunch established a good reputation, and makers and collectors sought him out.
When they moved the business out of the house after about a decade of selling in the basement, the Togars chose to build a warehouse on some farmland in Arden. They built a facility with a ceiling high enough to hang the larger rugs and enough floor space for showroom stacks. They had to push the walls back once already. With 12,000 square feet at the warehouse, Trevor said they’re starting to think about their next expansion.
Business has remained strong, except during the COVID shutdown. It was “challenging,” but the Togars managed to keep things going. They did a little business by showing rugs by appointment in the parking lot. They would also travel to people’s homes to show the rugs in their yards. When things got tighter, they had to furlough employees, many of whom found work opportunities elsewhere. So, when the mandates were lifted, Togar essentially had to rebuild its team.
Tunch still travels abroad to hand-select all his rugs, which are predominantly made by Turkish, Persian, and Caucasian artisans, but now he buys from Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, as well as Turkey. Goods are stored in a seven-story warehouse in Istanbul, which ships to the Arden facility four times a year.
What’s special about the rugs is that they’re handmade, so each one is unique. Trevor said in rural Turkey, making rugs is “women’s work.” Tunch used to travel the countryside to purchase rugs as mothers and daughters wove and knotted in front of their houses. Trevor turned over one of the rugs in the warehouse to show the millions of tiny knots on the back. He said it might take six months to complete an area rug.
Most of the rugs have a classic Persian look to them. A lot of the Turkish selections take a twist on the motif with unexpectedly high-contrast color palettes. Bulgarian rugs stand out with their cheerful colors and designs, and Moldovian rugs often have an old-world charm with a red hue reminiscent of Rembrandt’s gold. Rugs also come in geometric designs, with even simple stripes representing days of labor. Currently in stock are a couple cowhide pieces from Brazil and a bright red floral design from China.
Trevor said a nice area rug can cost from $2,000 to $4,000. The most expensive items in inventory tend to be antiques, which are over 90 years old. Most of Togar’s inventory is either antique, semi-antique, or vintage (40–60 years old). Silk rugs are also top-of-the-line. Trevor fetched an elegant, knotted silk rug with shimmering peach hues an as example.
In addition to rugs, Togar sells rug products. That is, they make their own wooden furniture, like ottomans, and upholster them with rugs from their inventory. They do the same for leather purses. For those wanting just a small touch of Turkish class, the upholstered coasters can be found accenting many professionally decorated, upscale homes.
Members of the public are free to browse and buy in the warehouse and showroom at 562 Long Shoals Road in Arden, or they may visit the Marquee Showroom in the River Arts District. Togar has also opened a location in Greenville, South Carolina. In addition to in-person and online direct sales, the business works with a lot of interior designers and dealers.
Togar’s rugs may be seen in the entrance to the Biltmore Estate, the North Carolina Governor’s Western Residence, and several country clubs in the area. Trevor said they have sold a lot of rugs for the residences of the descendants of George Vanderbilt who live on the estate, and Andie McDowell used to come in the store a lot when she lived in Asheville. He said it wasn’t uncommon for famous people to drop in looking for something unique.