Author: Kevo Kalantarian

A young couple walks through a set of glass doors with a wagon. It’s heavy, so they’re both hauling it with purpose. Rolled up, laying inside it is a red rug.

“You didn’t convince him of the color?” asks Mikael Manoukian. His family has owned Manoukian Brothers Oriental Rugs in Arlington, VA for generations.

“He’s not quite sold,” says the customer, Tsholo Chidakwa, who just moved to the area from South Africa.

“Do you think the blue would work?” asks Manoukian. “I might be able to get one of these in a light yellow.”

“Just send us a picture and then we’ll come and take a look at it in the store,” says her husband, Munya. “Rugs, they define the space.”

Although he studied business management in college, Manoukian didn’t plan to become a businessman. His passion lies in video production and live events, having spent nearly two decades as a cameraman – and is a self-described “recovering” actor. But when his father, Paul, began to age out of work, it fell upon him to run the family business: The oldest “oriental” rug store in the D.C. region.

Mikael Manoukian walks through the back of the shop, where hundreds of rugs sit in stock.Héctor Alejandro Arzate / DCist/WAMU

“I wouldn’t have chosen to do it,” says Manoukian, 52. “My goal was to basically honor my ancestors and their effort and do the best I could do.”

Those ancestors were the Manoukian brothers – Manouk, Noury, Mishel, and Mikael’s grandfather, Moses. They were forced to flee the city of Aintab, which is present day Gaziantep in Turkey, during the Armenian Genocide. That genocide, which has been recognized by the United States, occurred between 1915 and 1923.

According to Rouben Adalian, the director of the Armenian National Institute, a non-profit organization that researches and documents the history of the genocide, more than two million Armenians were systematically killed and forcibly deported.

Outside the shop, a sticker with the flag of Armenia reads, “Armenia Wants Peace.”Héctor Alejandro Arzate / DCist/WAMU

“The Armenian-American community effectively emerged on account of the atrocities that were being committed in the Ottoman Empire,” says Adalian. “Nearly all of them were people seeking refuge, looking for a way to simply hang onto life now and restart.”

The Manoukian family was able to escape to Aleppo in Syria before catching a French boat traveling across the Mediterranean. Eventually, they reached Ellis Island in New York before moving to D.C., where the brothers started a new life.

“My grandfather and his brothers came over here not to start a business, but to flee a genocide,” says Manoukian.

Most of the brothers found work at places like the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. (A&P) grocery stores to provide for their family, according to Manoukian. In 1922, with enough money saved up, Manouk opened A&P Rugs store in Foggy Bottom, taking inspiration for the name from his days at the grocery chain. Like many immigrants throughout U.S. history, Manoukian says his great-uncle opened a business that felt familiar to his own culture.

Tsholo Chidakwa and her husband, Munya, return a rug to Manoukian.Héctor Alejandro Arzate / DCist/WAMU

“He started the first little boutique, and it was probably simply because he came from an area and tradition that [knew] about rugs,” says Manoukian.

Seeing the benefit of selling products they were knowledgeable about, the rest of the Manoukians decided to open up rug shops in the District too. Not long after, says Manoukian, the brothers combined forces under one brand: Manoukian Brothers Oriental Rugs.

At the time, getting a hold of hand woven “oriental” rugs took both business acumen and hustle. The brothers would make their way to New York City to meet with rug dealers who imported the goods from Afghanistan and India, among other countries. They built relationships with the wholesalers, browsing hundreds of intricate rugs in between friendly games of backgammon and cups of thick Turkish coffee. When the brothers saw a rug they liked, they’d engage in lengthy negotiations before striking a deal.

“That was a very traditional thing to do,” says Dona Manoukian, Mikael’s mother, who continues to help run the business alongside him. “They brought their culture with them.”

Although it has gotten smaller over the past century, Adalian says the Armenian community in D.C. thrived for a time. Some families got involved in the hotel business, while some others specialized in the rug business.

A stack of rugs are spread by Manoukian to showcase the different styles and patterns.Héctor Alejandro Arzate / DCist/WAMU

“Small as it was, it was a coherent community,” says Adalian. “That’s one craft that many Armenians practice in the old country and one that turned out to be a profitable business in the U.S.”

Business was good for the Manoukians. The rug store became a staple not just for local customers, but nationally as well. In 1971, Manoukian Brothers supplied an antique sarouk rug from Iran to the federal government. When the rug was used as an underlayment for the U.S. Constitution inside the National Archive, it marked a milestone for the family. Since then, the business has provided, cleaned, and repaired rugs for institutions like Congress, the U.S. Capitol, and the Supreme Court.

As a youth, Paul, Mikael’s father, would help his father and uncles around the store. It was expected of him to not just continue the family business but also earn a college degree, Manoukian says. Paul became a civil engineer for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority, but on his lunch breaks, evenings, and weekends, he was a part-time rug salesman.

As time moved on, however, Moses, Mikael’s grandfather, and his brothers got older and were unable to travel as frequently as they once were. As he approached retirement from the WMATA in 1998, Paul took on the responsibilities of running the family business full time, just as his son Mikael would eventually do for him.

A framed photo reads, “CONSTITUTION DAY – SEPTEMBER 17, 1971. Antique Sarouk Carpet from Manoukian Brothers with the Constitution of the United States of America.”Héctor Alejandro Arzate / DCist/WAMU

For more than 20 years, Dona and Paul carried the family business into a new generation. He strengthened relationships with clients both longtime and new, while she streamlined their management and hired more employees. For Dona, it was just part of being married to a Manoukian.

“You don’t just marry the person, you marry the whole family,” says Dona. “The food, the traditions…things like that.”

Paul continued to barter with rug wholesalers in New York City. Sometimes, returning with a carrier van filled to the brim with Afghan gabbehs or peshawars from Pakistan. Or sometimes, no rugs at all.

Despite the ups and downs of running a business, Dona says it was always one of Paul’s goals to be fair to his customers and make the hand-knotted rugs – which are sometimes seen as luxury goods – more accessible by making payment plans available for them.

Manoukian places his hand over a recently repaired rug.Héctor Alejandro Arzate / DCist/WAMU

“One of the things that Paul Manoukian always tried to do was to price rugs so that anybody who wanted a handmade rug could afford it,” says Dona.

Although the business sat in the heart of the District for most of its existence, they relocated to Arlington after losing their lease about 4 years ago – which is around the same time that Mikael took over the reins. While it hasn’t been easy, he feels an obligation to carry on the family business. He says it’s not so difficult compared to his family’s escape from the Armenian Genocide.

“All I have to do is run a business,” says Manoukian. “I’m not fleeing for my life.”

In addition to his daily responsibilities, Manoukian is focusing on community outreach. Last year, the business hosted the Rug Shop Concerts inside the store front. Utilizing his chops in video production, the performances were shot in 4K and provided local musicians with a safe venue to perform and receive donations.

Manoukian is also working to continue raising awareness of the Armenian Genocide. In March, the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates passed a resolution to commend the store for celebrating 100 years of business. Delegate Alfonso Lopez, the son of a Venezuelan immigrant, says the resolution is one way to honor the family’s history after escaping the Ottoman Empire.

“Not only is it a family-run business rooted deeply in the history of our region, but its past is grounded in the same kind of stories of perseverance and success that have drawn so many immigrant families to the United States, including my own,” says Lopez. “It’s only right that the Commonwealth of Virginia officially honor the Manoukian family and the success of Manoukian Brothers Oriental Rugs—because they embody the very best of what the American Dream has meant to so many who have come before us and will provide an example of hope to the many who will come after.”

Manoukian in his office.Héctor Alejandro Arzate / DCist/WAMU

As a second generation Armenian-American, Manoukian recognizes the challenges and sacrifices his ancestors had to endure. Like many immigrants and refugees, the Manoukian brothers didn’t plan to flee their home country. He hopes that Afghan refugees and other groups that have recently arrived in the region can find solace in his family’s story.

“I’m a product of a departure from 100 years on,” says Manoukian. “It might give hope to people who have come 20 years ago. Who have come 10 years ago. Who are coming now.”

While the next century has yet to be written for the business, Manoukian says it would be great if it could transition to someone who also cares about the quality of the work, even if it’s outside the family. Much like the Manoukians and their culture, Dona says she is certain that the demand for high-quality rugs will live on.

“They are classic just like classical music. It will always endure.”

https://dcist.com/story/22/05/15/va-manoukian-brothers-100-armenian-genocide/

On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a military invasion campaign to destroy Ukraine. The invasion, however, did not go as planned. Russia has not been able to capture any strategically important Ukrainian cities, and the Russian army suffered heavy material losses.

The Russian occupation forces retreated from Kyiv and the neighboring Chernihiv region in early April, as a result of a united front and extraordinary resistance. 

On the other hand, experts on Russia warn against describing this pullback as a decisive victory for Ukraine. Although the pull-out indicates that Putin’s plans have been turned upside down, it also provides an opportunity for Putin’s aggressive war machine to regroup its forces and strike new blows to Ukraine.

Kyiv is aware of this as well, and President Volodymyr Zelensky said “Support us in whatever way you can” in one of his appeals implying that an intense battle is on the horizon. However, Kyiv is not the only country looking for allies as it prepares for the war’s worst phase. So is Moscow. Armenia, a traditional and long-standing military-political ally of Russia, is at the top of the list.

Armenia is Russia’s only ally in the South Caucasus. It is home to two Russian military bases and more than 3,000 Russian troops opposing NATO’s eastern flank. 

Armenia is also involved in a number of Kremlin-led neo-imperial projects: The Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), formalized in the aftermath of Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea, is Moscow’s trade orbit to keep its Eurasian neighbours under its dominance, while the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) attempts to balance NATO in this part of the world.

Russia also officially protects Armenia’s airspace and state borders. It’s unsurprising that a country with such close military-political ties with Moscow is among Putin’s closest allies.

Yet, Yerevan has very little room to maneuver because it remains so heavily reliant on Moscow. Russia is Armenia’s main trading partner and investor with the two countries sharing a single market by virtue of their membership in the Eurasian trade block. 

The countries’ defense systems are largely integrated, with Russia serving as Armenia’s security guarantor. Its security architecture was designed by Russia and Armenian military officers are trained in Russian academies, a long-standing post-Soviet policy.

ARMENIA IS essentially Russia’s geopolitical hostage. In February, Armenia abstained from voting on a UN security resolution calling for Russia’s immediate withdrawal from Ukraine. Days later, when the UN Human Rights Council called for an urgent debate on the war, Armenia again abstained.

Armenia’s political support for Russia on the international stage is nothing new. When Russia invaded eastern Ukraine in 2014, Armenia made its geopolitical alignment clear and refused to cooperate with the EU. Then-Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan was reportedly the first leader to congratulate the Kremlin on its annexation of Crimea in March 2014. 

Much like North Korea, Syria and Iran, Armenia has reliably voted against UN resolutions condemning Russian aggression in Ukraine. Yerevan even established trade ties with annexed Crimea, violating Ukrainian laws.

With Russia likely to be weakened as a result of its Ukraine invasion, Armenia may face greater pressure to move closer to the West. Politically, Yerevan has already faced pressure from Moscow with both countries’ foreign ministers holding talks at the beginning of March, where the coordination of approaches in the international area was discussed. 

Benyamin Poghosyan, head of the Yerevan-based Center for Political and Economic Strategic Studies, is confident that the Ukraine war will accelerate the emergence of a post-unipolar world. What’s less clear is what that world will look like. 

“If there is no regime change in Russia, the long-term Cold War will start between Russia and the West, with clear dividing lines,” maintains Poghosyan. “In this scenario, Armenia, as a part of the Russian zone of influence, will be on the other side of the barricade, which definitely will negatively impact Armenia’s relations with Euro-Atlantic institutions and separate states.”

Armenia has no free trade agreement with the EU, but remains firmly entrenched in the Russian ecosystem as a member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU). Armenia could thus help link high-value Russian sectors unable to operate in Moscow to the global economy. Already, dozens of Russian companies, mostly IT firms, have relocated to Yerevan.

Armenia’s economic ministry has even published a guide for Russian businesses seeking to relocate, explaining everything from how to register a business to renting an apartment to bringing pets across the border. There is a precedent for this, as Yerevan’s relationship with Russia could parallel its cooperation with Iran. 

Despite extensive US sanctions from 2014, Yerevan did not curtail trade with Tehran. In 2018, the neighbors signed an interim free trade agreement with the EAEU, enabling duty-free trade and closer cooperation.

However, Armenia’s activities appear to have caught the notice of Western countries. “The secretary urged the US commitment, alongside other partners, to continue to hold Moscow and its supporters accountable for the Kremlin’s unprovoked and unjustified war against Ukraine” Blinken said to Armenia’s Prime Minister Pashinyan in a phone call. 

Yet, this reminder does not appear to be sufficient and the US has recently said that it is in contact with Armenian officials to ensure that Armenia does not assist Russia in evading sanctions.

Looking ahead, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine looks set to alter the regional balance of power. A dogged Ukrainian resistance plus a litany of Russian blunders and mistakes has put Moscow in a hole. A weakened Russia will almost certainly increase the risks for Armenia’s security architecture, with 90% of the country’s arms coming from Russia and its security dictated by Russia, particularly in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia’s options are limited.

In the late 2020 war, Azerbaijan regained much of the territory it had lost to Armenia in the first war between the two in the early 1990s. But, it continues to seek control over the remaining portion. If Russia were to withdraw, Armenia would likely lose its last remaining foothold. If yet another war broke out, it’s not certain that Russia would even be able to supply arms to Armenia.

Under that scenario, Moscow might force Armenia to recognize the southeastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent or Russian-controlled territories. Russia could also seek to bring Armenia into an axis with Belarus. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has already said Armenia can’t escape such a move.

Ukraine has shown how unpredictable and irrational Putin can be, particularly to his supposed brethren. As an embittered Russia emerges from the ashes of Ukraine, Armenia may find itself caught in the crossfire.

The writer is a freelance journalist based in London.