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30 Years in the Fur Trade
Written By: Jenny King | Issue: 2016/05 - May | Photograph By: Marjorie Christiansen Photography
Highlands Furs, in Highlands’ Mountain Brook Shopping Center and open since October 2015, is a full
service furrier.
Owner Alex Neymark is internationally acclaimed and could not be prouder of his new business because after over 30 years in the fur trade, this is the first time he’s worked for himself. He put in his time designing and creating for other well-known furriers in Russia, Ukraine, Italy and the United States; now it’s time for him to embrace his entrepreneurial spirit. He and his wife Julia have been coming to Highlands for 10 years from Cornelius, North Carolina, on Lake Norman where they keep his wooden 15-foot Gentleman’s Racer, built by Neymark himself.
“I have OCD,” he admits. “It comes in handy when doing detailed jobs like working with fur and wood.”
He was born in Russia but moved to Ukraine as a child. He became a Civil Engineer, a profession that also requires his self-described obsessive attention to detail. Working for the government was less than fulfilling so he began investigating what it takes to create fur pieces. Many teachers and years of study later and he has become known as one of the finest furriers alive today.
His store/workshop is a feast for the eyes. You can see the famous Black Opal Select Mink, the highest quality in the world, as well as Canadian Lynx. All furs are on sale now and their inventory includes new, high fashion fur from around the world by famous designers as well as the newest in lightweight reversible fur. For storage, the vault is kept at the perfect temperature year-round. Do you have a fur you’d like cleaned or repaired? If you have old, sentimental furs hanging in a closet, bring them in and Alex will repair and restyle them into a throw, pillows, vest, or perhaps a purse or hat. Nowhere else in Highlands will you be able to observe a genuine furrier at work. He encourages you to stop by and watch just what he can do. It’s truly a fascinating experience and Alex Neymark is a remarkable man. Highlands Furs is located at 411 North Fourth Street in the Mountain Brook Center in Highlands. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. and Sunday noon to 5:00 P.M. You can also call (828) 482-1452.
