BALTIMORE—After more than 50 years in business, the Komar Company is shutting its doors.
The company will host an auction on Feb. 8—auctioning off inventory, machinery, fixtures and more—and will officially close down roughly a week later, Komar Operations Manager Mark Foreman told AVN.
The decision was made to close the doors following the recent retirement of owner Morton Hyatt due to personal and medical reasons, Foreman said.
Based in Baltimore, Komar Company got its start in the mid-1960s under the ownership of Sam Boltansky. Hyatt joined the business as a partner in the 1980s, and then bought out Boltansky in the 2000s. Boltansky made a name for himself not only as the man who ran a successful family-owned business, but also as a fighter for the First Amendment. Boltansky was accused by the federal government of illegally distributing obscene material and having ties to organized crime. He won an acquittal in in 1972 following an 18-count federal obscenity prosecution, and later mounted a legal campaign to ensure prison inmates had proper access to pornography.
Boltansky died in 2002.
Komar has been a major player in the industry from the start, from its beginnings in the magazine pack market in the back of a liquor store to eventually distributing adult novelties, magazines, DVDs and lingerie. In 2015, the company moved to its current 100,00-square-foot headquarters in the historic mill section of Baltimore.
Foreman said the announcement to close was a sad one for staff members, some of whom have worked at the business for more than two decades.
“We have had very loyal customers and employees throughout the years,” he told AVN. “Many of them are more than just business; they are real relationships.
“Mr. Hyatt always appreciated both his customers and vendors, and thanks them for all their support throughout the years.”
For more, visit KomarCompany.com.
