About Us

• Joseph Shehadi, the founder of Shehadi Rugs, was born in 1880 in Beirut, Lebanon and came to America in 1900. During his early years in New York, Joseph was contacted by Alexander T. Brown (the inventor of the L. C. Smith typewriter) who called upon young Shehadi to outfit his home with $6,000.00 worth of oriental rugs. After this large order Joseph started Shehadi, Inc. in Syracuse with sister stores in Lake Placid, NY and Palm Beach, FL selling fine linen and children's wear. Joseph's son, George, took over the Syracuse store from him in 1930 upon graduation from Syracuse University. By this time Shehadi's was a flourishing retail operation complete with a home furnishings department as well as the original oriental rug operation. In the early 60's the store was moved from S. Warren St. to its current location on Erie Blvd. in order to be more accessible for customers. In 1977 at the ripe age of 25, Steve, the son of George Shehadi, assumed ownership of Shehadi, Inc. and continued on the Shehadi legacy to the third generation.