Couple closing Oriental rug business in The Woodlands
From India to Pakistan, Turkey and China, Don and Karen Mudd have traveled the world in search of high-quality Oriental rugs to add to the inventory of their shop, Woodlands Oriental Rug Gallery. Every item on display at the 10,000-square-foot retail store is handcrafted by artisans who put months and sometimes years into each piece. However, after running their retail store for 17 years, the Mudds have decided to retire and close the shop.
The Mudds sold wholesale in Houston for many years before deciding to open their own retail store in The Woodlands in 2000. At the time, the community was growing fast and the couple loved the area. They wanted to not only provide excellent customer service but also educate their customers about the rugs they purchased.
“We decided that we were going to do things right . ... We made it a pact that we would do the right thing to help people, our clients, and educate them,” Karen said.
The couple developed relationships with their clients, who soon became friends. The business garnered a reputation for customer satisfaction and grew based on referrals.
“Our customers are loyal customers and they repeat buying from us over the years; and that’s what we’ve really enjoyed, to have the customer come back,” Don said.
“Losing the business means losing a lot of clients, and that’s hard. That’s very hard . ... You just get emotionally involved with your clients because we care,” Karen said. “We’ve made a lot of friends out of this business and so that makes it [closing] very sad.”
Don and Karen Mudd invest in the community as well as their business. They have supported several school and church fundraisers over the years. Of special interest to the couple is the annual Toys for Tots drive, which helps families who can’t afford Christmas gifts provide presents for their children.
“Just to imagining that children didn’t have toys for Christmas was heartbreaking,” Karen said.
What started as a simple toy pick-up location developed into hosting an invitation-only Marine Corps gala to raise funds for the Toys for Tots program. Of course, the Mudds befriended several of the Marines and their wives who attended the event each year. Even though the store is closing, the Mudds plan to remain involved in The Woodlands community.
Don officially retired fours years ago, leaving Karen to run the business mostly by herself. However, they knew they needed someone with expertise in the industry to help run the day-to-day operations that Don would no longer be performing. They needed someone who was knowledgeable about rugs and who really understood their history and value. That’s when they approached longtime friend and colleague Luis Arce, who agreed to join the business.
“He’s been quite an asset to us as far as the Persian rug business is concerned. He’s very knowledgeable,” Don said of Arce.
The husband and wife duo will close the retail part of their business over the course of the next few months. The doors will close for good once the current inventory has been sold.
Although they can no longer be purchased, Oriental rugs still can be professionally restored. The cleaning and repair portion of the business will remain open in a new location to be chosen at a later date.
In regard to closing the retail business, Don had a simple farewell to his clients: “Thanks for everything.”
The Woodlands Oriental Rug Gallery is located at 1590 Lake Woodlands Drive, The Woodlands. For more information, visit woodlandsruggallery.com.