Diane Bryman Rugs closes in Chestnut Hill

The usually welcoming open door into Diane Bryman Rugs showroom is locked shut after 52 years. The Chestnut Hill retailer, located at 8038 Germantown Ave., closed its doors to the public at the end of the business day Monday. The Oriental carpet seller had been holding a close-out sale for the past two months in an attempt to save the business.

That effort failed said Edmond Azizi, owner and president of Diane Bryman Rugs. “We weren’t able to sell as much as we’d hoped,” he stated. The store specialized in top quality Oriental rugs.

What’s next for the Germantown Avenue property, Diane Bryman Rugs’ remaining merchandise and for its owner is still uncertain. Azizi declined to comment on future plans and options. The business owns the nearly 10,000 square foot retail space and right now there is much work to be done in order to clear out the premises.

Azizi blames declining sales in a struggling economy for the company’s demise. The current recession had taken its toll on Diane Bryman Rugs and Azizi said the store needed to raise capital quickly in order to satisfy its creditors. The carpet retailer had struggled financially since 2008.