1982–2003 :: East Alameda
In 1981, an outdoor courtyard along the Santa Fe River became the Serets first retail outlet. The business soon expanded into an adjoining two-story building. At the time Santa Fe was in the early stages of becoming an international mecca for an eclectic mix of creative people. Designer Chuck Winslow featured the Seret store in an Architectural Digest story. That same year Ira became the first designer to break away from viewing flatwoven rugs simply as art for covering floors. Opening up a whole new world of design, Ira began using dhurries and kilim to upholster fabulous couches, chairs, chaises, and other furnishings in unique, traditional
textiles. This new trend became one of the Seret's fashion trademarks, which has been widely imitated but rarely duplicated. The inventory also diversified to include handcarved architectural antiques and furnishings from India, northern Pakistan, Peru and Tibet. The courtyard and galleries overflowed with Central Asian and Indian furnishings that the Serets recognized as the perfect complements to the area's indigenous, adobe-style architecture. These elements, together with the bold new vision of carpet-upholstered furniture, greatly influenced the developing Santa Fe style.