RETAIL ROUNDUP:

COSTA MESA — Hashem Kermani has had two exciting developments lately at his Orient Handel rug shop — a new location, and a very old rug.

The Iran native operated his family-owned store in Corona del Mar for 35 years before moving to a new location at 3077 Bristol St. in August.

A few weeks later, he got an unusual prize in his possession: a mint-condition carpet woven 140 years ago by legendary designer Haj Jalili. The rug, which Kermani prices at $50,000, is the oldest he has ever carried — though it’s not the most expensive piece in the shop.

That would be a finely woven wool-and-silk carpet that measures 20 by 13 feet and took nearly a decade to finish. Kermani offers that one at $250,000, which makes one wonder, how much would a rug of that size cost if it were 140 years old and in perfect condition?

“If you ever find a rug of this caliber in that size, you’re talking $1 million,” Kermani said.

Orient Handel, which was a staple of East Coast Highway for years, is still finishing its new location across the street from the Hilton. The store doesn’t have an official sign yet and gets by with a banner slung in the window, and the grand opening is a few weeks off.

Still, even as construction continues around him, Kermani is happy to show anyone around.

“I never refuse a customer,” he said.

Contact Orient Handel at (714) 545-2244.

Mayor receives glass Costa bowl

When Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor presented a city proclamation to South Coast Plaza Thursday morning, Simon Pearce manager Stan Warehime presented him with a glass bowl — signed by Pearce himself, who runs the glass-and-pottery chain from Vermont.

The bowl was significant for another reason: it was one of the first items in the store’s Costa line, named after the city that harbors Simon Pearce’s newest location.

The collection includes glass bowls, vases and lamps with translucent white stripes going through them and four-leaf clover designs on the bottoms; the Pearce autograph, though, was a one-time deal.

The store debuted the Costa products at the start of October. Prices range from $95 to $495.

Warehime said the hefty price tags were partly due to the fact that each Costa piece was handmade in Vermont, with the clover designs inserted with a glass blower.

“Exclusive is what we’re after,” he said.

Contact the store at (714) 825-0477.

MICHAEL MILLER may be reached at (714) 966-4617 or at [email protected].