If you have a fur coat in storage with Maximilian, or you’re standing in Bloomingdale’s considering a purchase from their salon, one question matters above everything else: are they still in business?
It’s a fair concern. The fur industry has changed significantly over the past decade, and luxury niche retailers don’t always broadcast their struggles publicly. So let’s look at what the actual evidence shows — no speculation, just what’s verifiable.
What Maximilian Furs Is and Who Runs It Today
Maximilian is a luxury fur and outerwear retailer. Their primary retail presence is inside Bloomingdale’s department stores, with the flagship salon located at 1000 Third Avenue in New York City — the 59th Street and Lexington Avenue location.
The business operates under BC International Group, Inc., a company based at 930 Riverview Drive, Totowa, New Jersey. BC International Group holds the MAXIMILIAN trademark in Canada and runs the fur salon operations. They’re described in business directories as “a leader in fur retail” with salons positioned inside Bloomingdale’s locations.
Maximilian isn’t just a store that sells coats. Their core services include fur storage, cleaning, conditioning, restyling, repairs, and alterations. You can reach them through Maximilian.com, at info@maximilian.com or LexingtonAve@maximilian.com, or by calling 1-800-TLC-FURS (800-852-3877).
The Brand’s History and How It Got Here
Maximilian has been around for a long time. The company was founded by Polish-born fur designer Anna Maximilian Potok (born June 4, 1897; died April 1987) and her brother Maximilian Apfelbaum, who later went by Michael Maximilian and died in September 1953.
They built the company — formally called Maximilian Fur Co., Inc. — into one of the notable New York furriers of its era. That’s not a small thing. New York’s luxury market is competitive, and the brand survived multiple decades of shifting tastes and economic cycles.
By 2023, the brand was still represented in stores and operating an online shop. That kind of longevity tells you something. This isn’t a pop-up brand or a recent startup facing its first real test. It has institutional roots.
Is There Any Evidence That Maximilian Furs Is Closing?
This is the direct question, so here’s a direct answer: there is no public evidence of closure, bankruptcy, or liquidation as of the time this article was written.
Here’s what the available data actually shows:
- The Yelp listing for the New York location was updated in July 2026, which suggests ongoing activity.
- Maximilian.com is active, with a product catalog and service descriptions available online.
- Business intelligence platforms like ZoomInfo and Visual Visitor show active contact information and employee data.
- Manta lists BC International Group with open weekday hours and current contact details.
- An active LinkedIn company page shows an ongoing corporate presence under the Maximilian name.
- Two physical locations appear in current directory listings: Bloomingdale’s NYC (1000 Third Ave) and Chevy Chase, MD (5300 Western Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815).
None of these sources reference a going-out-of-business sale, a store closure announcement, or any legal filing. That absence doesn’t guarantee long-term stability — but it does mean the concern may be based more on general industry anxiety than on specific news about this company.
What the data does suggest is that Maximilian operates as a small, niche retailer. Business data estimates the company at roughly four employees — treat that as an approximation, not a precise figure. A lean staff and a limited number of locations can look like decline from the outside, but it’s also just what a specialty luxury business looks like when it isn’t trying to be a national chain.
Why the Fur Industry Has Shrunk — and Where Maximilian Fits
The reason this question comes up at all is context. The broader fur industry has contracted meaningfully over the past decade. Anti-fur activism, animal welfare concerns, and policy shifts have pushed many mainstream brands to stop selling fur entirely. When large retailers go fur-free, it reduces visibility for specialty furriers even if those furriers are still operating normally.
That doesn’t mean demand has disappeared. A niche luxury market for high-end fur, shearling, and leather persists — and Maximilian operates squarely in that niche. Think of how film cameras became specialized rather than mainstream, but brands serving serious photographers kept going. The market got smaller and more focused, not extinct.
Maximilian’s positioning — inside Bloomingdale’s, with a strong services arm including storage and restyling — reflects this kind of adaptation. They’re not trying to compete with fast fashion. They’re serving a specific customer with specific needs.
A small footprint in this context doesn’t signal trouble. It signals a deliberate, focused operation. The risk is real in any niche market, but the current evidence doesn’t point to imminent shutdown.
What to Do If You’re a Customer Weighing Risk
Whether you’re considering a purchase or have valuables in storage with Maximilian, here are practical steps to verify their current status and protect yourself.
Verify Before You Commit
Don’t rely on a third-party article — including this one — as your final check. Call 1-800-TLC-FURS or the NYC salon directly at 212-705-3335. Ask about current availability, hours, and services. If the phone is answered and staff can handle your inquiry, that’s a real-time confirmation that the business is operational.
You can also contact Bloomingdale’s directly and ask whether the Maximilian salon is still operating in their store. Department stores have an interest in keeping their concessions accurate in customer-facing communications.
If You Have a Coat in Storage
This is where the stakes are highest. If you’re paying for summer fur storage and you’re concerned about what happens if the business closes, take these steps:
- Pull out your storage contract and read it carefully. Look for what happens to stored items if the business closes or relocates.
- Call and ask directly. A business that can’t answer basic questions about storage policies is itself a warning sign.
- If you have concerns, consider whether to retrieve your coat and arrange storage elsewhere while you evaluate the situation.
- Prefer flagship locations — the Bloomingdale’s NYC salon has stronger institutional backing than a standalone pop-up would.
If You’re Considering a Purchase
Buying a luxury fur coat from a specialty retailer involves long-term thinking. You want after-sales support, access to cleaning and repairs, and a business that will still be around when you need alterations five years from now.
Before buying, ask about warranty terms and what your service options are if a specific location closes. Get contact details in writing. Check whether services are available through multiple channels — online, phone, and in-store — rather than a single point of contact.
For more coverage of niche business markets and retail industry trends, Lead Business Mag covers practical topics relevant to consumers and business owners alike.
What We Don’t Know
It’s worth being honest about the limits of what’s publicly available. There is no public financial data on Maximilian or BC International Group. That means we can’t assess profitability, debt levels, or internal operational challenges. The absence of a closure announcement is not the same as a clean bill of financial health.
What we can say is this: as of the available evidence through mid-2020s, the company shows clear signs of ongoing operations — active listings, a functional website, multiple physical locations, and reachable contact points. That’s the factual baseline.
The Bottom Line
Maximilian Furs does not appear to be going out of business based on any current, verifiable information. The company operates as a small, specialized luxury retailer under BC International Group, with salons in Bloomingdale’s New York and Chevy Chase, Maryland, an active website, and reachable customer service.
The fur industry has undeniably shrunk, and that context makes questions like this reasonable to ask. But concern about the industry is different from evidence about this specific company. Right now, the evidence points to a niche business that’s still operating — not one in the process of closing.
If you’re making a financial decision based on their continued operation, verify directly with the company before committing. That’s good advice for any specialty retailer, not just this one.
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