Martin ImportingThis division is responsible for two specific products.
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100% Wool Hand Hooked Rugs
Hand hooked rugs originated in Europe and evolved into a major cottage industry in Early America. Hooking rugs seemed to address the more formal or Victorian décor and became an important segment of general rug making.
Martin Importing has created, as well as duplicated, many of the designs that represent the past by having them hand hooked in China to strict specifications that will provide years of use and enjoyment.
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100% Wool Hand Loomed Rugs
Hand crafted in the United States, our Heirloom II Collection is produced on a traditional handloom. Each rug is made to order by a true craftsman of many years of dedicated experience.
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Thorndike MillsThis division of T.M.I. Industries manufactures their entire collection of braided rugs in historic New England under the “Bay Colony” label.
Our modern facility was built and equipped to produce the
finest quality machine made braided rugs that most closely replicates
the look and performance value that our forefathers created.
The primary component to the creation of a true quality product is the
use of new raw material, made to the strict specifications of the
Thorndike standard of excellence. Thorndike features “cloth”
constructed braided rugs, our premier product, which are exclusively
distributed through a network of authorized dealers. |
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T. M. I. Industries, Inc
From Humble Beginnings Arose Excellence
 At
the age of 15, our father, Gabriel M. Garabedian, was forced to flee
his homeland of Armenia due to the first mass genocide of the Twentieth
Century. Completely alone and without family, he found his way to
America in 1917 and settled in Boston, Massachusetts. Unable to speak
English, Gabriel attended night school and gratefully worked any job
available in order to survive and pursue his “American Dream”.
During
his youth, Gabriel had some experience in basic textile manufacturing.
In 1925, he decided to use his experience to start a small business in a
Boston cellar making hand loomed rag rugs for local distribution. Just
when it seemed that success was certain, the “Great Depression” took
its toll and he had to cease operations. Once again, Gabriel reverted
to whatever work he could find to pay his debts and save to restart his
business.
In 1933 he moved to Thorndike, Massachusetts (a
village of Palmer, Massachusetts) and founded the G.M. Garabedian
Company, which evolved into Thorndike Mills, presently a Division of
T.M.I. Industries, Inc.
Upon marriage to our mother, Mary
Babaian in 1935, our parents worked side by side building their
successful business. Over the years their small company evolved from
hand loomed to machine fabricated rugs, to become the only commercial
manufacturer today of true “cloth” constructed braided rugs in the
world.
To grow the business even further, Thorndike Mills
acquired many smaller, but significant, competitors. The acquisition of
E.J. Martin of Southbridge, Massachusetts created Martin Importing Co.,
a Division of T.M.I. Industries, Inc. Martin Importing then became the
operating company to import hand hooked rugs from the Far East.
It
is with great pride and unwavering dedication to the vision of our
parents that we continue the tradition of quality and excellence in
braided rug manufacturing.
Mitchell, Margaret, Edward and Anna – 2nd Generation
Karen and Janice – 3rd Generation |
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Uniquely styled, elegantly designed.