Proodian magic carpet ride ends after 89 years

LYNN — After 89 years in business, W. Proodian & Sons Rug Store, a Lynn institution known for its handwoven rugs, deep family roots, and iconic neon sign, has officially closed. The store held its final day of operation on Sunday, March 30, 2025.

The business was founded in 1936 by Walter Proodian Sr., a survivor of the Armenian genocide who immigrated to the United States in 1921. He opened the original shop on Eutaw Avenue before relocating in 1945 to the building at 32 Western Ave., where it remained for the next 80 years.

Walter Sr. ran the store with his wife, Nora, who grew up in Chelsea, and their two sons: Walter Jr. and Robert “Bob” Proodian. Now in his 80s, Bob has spent nearly his entire life in the Oriental rug business in Lynn. In 1985, he took over the company as president and CEO, assuming full leadership while his brother pursued other endeavors.

“The business was started by my father,” Bob Proodian said. “Then my brother and I joined. Later, my nephews got involved. My mother helped too. It was a family thing.”

The store specialized in hand-knotted Persian rugs, offering both geometric and floral patterns. Bob is especially fond of Persian Serapis, bold, geometric designs that have long been popular in the American Southwest.

One of the shop’s most recognizable features was its large red neon sign, installed in 1952. Designed and fabricated by Bob Proodian’s uncle — Walter Sr.’s brother—the sign featured a blinking red camel and the words “Proodian & Sons Rugs.” It became a beloved landmark within the City of Lynn, much like the Citgo sign in Kenmore Square, Boston.

The iconic Proodian and Sons neon camel sign, designed by Bob Proodian’s uncle in 1952, now belongs to neon sign preservationist Dave Waller, who maintained it for years before adding it to his collection. “It’s a glowing testament to the American Dream,” Waller said. (Dave Waller)

The sign was preserved by Dave Waller, a neon sign preservationist and longtime customer of the shop, who maintained it for years and acquired it for his collection when the store closed.

Carrying on in the family tradition, Bob Proodian’s nephew, Walter Proodian III, owns and operates Proodian Rug Cleaners Inc., located at 52 Columbia Ave. in Lynn. Though the two businesses are separate and independently owned, both have upheld the family’s reputation for quality craftsmanship.

While preparing to close the store, Bob Proodian arranged to donate the remaining rugs to a dealer.

The Proodian family’s connection to Lynn stretches back more than a century. When the family first acquired the Western Avenue building, it housed an ice cream parlor and a restaurant — where a New York sirloin steak dinner cost just $1.95. At the time, part of the street was still filled with gravel, a remnant from when trolleys ran along Western Avenue.

As the Proodians began to grow their rug business, they rented out the extra space to a variety store and a kindergarten. Years later, with business booming, the family converted the entire building into retail and showroom space for their growing operation.

The future of the building at 32 Western Ave. remains uncertain. Some have speculated that it could become a barbershop or restaurant, but no official plans have been filed.