The calls began about two weeks after Hurricane Irma, as homeowners in the keys began returning and assessing the damage to their properties. Among the damage were Gabbehs, potentially ruined. They’d been on floors, many of which no longer stood. The rugs, if they weren’t swept away by flooding, were tangled up in mangroves or buried in sand, debris, and seaweed. They were soaking wet, moldy, festering, and stinky. Some had disappeared altogether (along with, in some cases, marble countertops––Irma was nothing if not powerful).
This, we told our clients, was exactly the moment to appreciate their investment. Day after day, we drove around––to Big Pine Key, Shark Key, Key Haven––picking up Gabbehs that were almost unrecognizable. One by one, they returned from our expert cleaners as good as new, shining and beautiful.
One client laughed that she hadn’t thought to call us–-she figured, we had our own problems. She simply took her Gabbeh outside, slung it over a porch railing, and pressure-washed it clean.
Hand-knotted thousands of miles from the nearest hurricane, Gabbehs are nonetheless built to withstand them, as well as the challenges of everyday life–-be it your St. Bernard or active grandchild. We say it every day, but Irma proved it: a Gabbeh is built for life.