The carpet is literally being pulled out from under a long-time Edina business. After more than 35 years, Grand Oriental Rugs held a going-out-of-business sale and then shut its doors this past fall. Owner Kurosh Amrami, whose father and grandfather were both in the oriental rug business in the Middle East, was hit hard by the economic recession and was unable to survive a slide in retail sales. “I was getting older and had been in the business long enough,” he says. Grand Oriental Rugs specialized in both antique and contemporary handmade Persian carpets from Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Afghanistan, Egypt, China, Tibet and other countries.
Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Edina welcomed Yogurt Lab to the former home of Sprongs in the 50th and France neighborhood. Andrea and Aaron Switz opened their first Yogurt Lab location a year ago near the Lake Calhoun Whole Foods store. That location’s success prompted them to expand south into Edina. The Yogurt Lab offers 60 flavors including avocado, watermelon, salted caramel and green apple.
