Oriental Rug Cleaning Company

H. Mirza Amirkhan, Sr. built a store for the Oriental Cleaning Services in 1919 on Ross Avenue.

DALLAS - The owners of Oriental Rug Cleaning Company have built their reputation on Ross Avenue for more than 80 years.

For Ellen Amirkhan, the owner of the business, the push to rename the road to César Chávez Avenue is bad for business. While she said she wants to honor the labor leader, she said Ross isn't the right road.

Instead, she said she wants the name change to happen on a road "that will not have a financial impact on anybody, and will not disrespect and dishonor the history of Ross Avenue and the businesses that work on Ross Avenue."

Amirkhan isn't alone.

Ken Skaggs and Soozy Martin, from 3008 Ross Avenue, have launched a "Save Ross Avenue" campaign. The group's recommendations include renaming the Farmers Market, the new downtown park or another new street after Chávez. Meanwhile, they say leave Ross alone.

"We just feel that Ross is very much an icon of Dallas," Martin said. "It's a downtown location and it's been here for more than 100 years."

As for the Ross brothers, who the street was originally named after, the César Chávez Task Force claims it wants to preserve their legacy with a historical marker and by leaving the family name in the section between Live Oak and Greenville, which was where they owned land.

However, they said they are adamant about the rename.

"We don't want to wait ten years for a new street to develop and to share this opportunity of joy, unity," said Alberto Ruiz, with the César Chávez Task Force. "We want to do it today. Ross Avenue is ready, today."

Meanwhile, Amirkhan and her neighbors said they are also ready, ready to save Ross Avenue.

"They don't know the pressure between Greenville and Houston Street," Amirkhan said. "They won't know what pressure is."

E-mail mdiaz@wfaa.com