Barry & Ed Floor Covering

There are a lot of shops like this in Bay Ridge which – being an older community – boasts, for almost every imaginable type of houseware, furnishing, decoration, dinner, dessert, or personal service – not one but several musty-​looking. faded, lackluster storefronts. In every category, there is an ‘oldest in Bay Ridge’ type of emporium where the oldest of old-​timers bring their occasional business. These addresses, a newcomer usually passes without a glance because they seem to merely be ‘part of the background’ of the neighborhood. They never have sales or promotions heralded by blinking lights or neon signs. You wonder how they hang on. For instance, there are several stores which specialize in window treatments, and have done so for many years – even decades – and anyone’s grandmother or grandfather will quote their name automatically on the subject of window treatments (‘this is where we always get our windows’). There’s other such icons for residents needing custom lighting, custom roofing, custom floor tiles, custom pillows, curtains, and on and on. Such a place is ‘Barry & Ed’s Floor Covering’. They serve Bay Ridge’s need for exotic carpet. However – as I’ve said – I’ve crossed the corner on which this dusty shopfront sits for several seasons now, without a glance. It seems the sleepiest, most boring-​looking, drab example of the lot I listed above. Yet somehow, it must be popular to have lasted so long. One day I stood waiting for a light to change and actually noticed what a prime location this establishment sits on. 81rst & 5^th? A store for Persian, Turkish, and Oriental carpets? Really? Think of all the foot-​traffic a bar or restaurant would enjoy in that same spot. Peering closer at their wares (and even venturing inside to look over their selection) I found the prices surprisingly excellent. Better than I’ve encountered on-​line from eBay, Amazon, etc. The proprietors are friendly, easygoing, glad to see someone browsing. I would definitely purchase a carpet here; now that the scales have fallen from my eyes. A 6’x8’ hand-​woven Persian rug for under $ 40? That’s a bargain.