So this whole Maxx New York thing started buggin’ me after I found one of their bags at a thrift store last Tuesday. Had that fancy logo but felt like knockoff leather, ya know? Paid five bucks for it ’cause the stitching looked decent. Got home and Googled the brand – bam! Nothin’ recent. Like the company ghosted everybody. Weird for a brand that used to be everywhere at Macy’s.
Digging Up Dirt Like a Raccoon in Trash
Hit up my local Marshall’s and TJ Maxx first – figured that’s where these bags probably ended up. Found three more tucked away in the clearance corner. All different styles, but same deal:
- Logo looked legit
- Zippers felt cheap and sticky
- Lining fabric started peeling when I rubbed it
- “Made in China” tags looked newer than the bag designs felt
Asked a manager if they still got shipments. She shrugged. “Whatever’s in the back is what we got. Ain’t seen new Maxx stuff in ages.” Dead end.
The eBay Rabbit Hole
Spent like two hours scrolling eBay. Found older bags listed as “vintage Maxx New York.” Different vibe – thicker leather, brass hardware, cleaner lining. Sellers claimed these were from the 90s/early 2000s.
Then things got fishy. Saw listings using the exact same photos as the older bags, but labeled as “NEW Maxx New York Bag!” Price was too low. Asked one seller: “Is this the actual older bag or a new one?” Radio silence. Another seller finally replied: “New stock similar vintage style.” Yeah, right.
Connecting the Sketchy Dots
Checked the business registration databases – messy. Looked like the original company holding the trademark might have folded years back. Found some legal mumbo-jumbo about trademarks changing hands between holding companies I never heard of.
Checked reviews for newer bags (not the vintage listings). People were PISSED:
- “Strap broke in two weeks!”
- “Fake leather cracked like an eggshell.”
- “Logo started peeling off.”
Total pattern. The good older bags are legit vintage. The new stuff hitting discount stores? Seems like somebody’s slapping the Maxx name on cheap junk after buying up leftover trademarks cheap. Zero quality control. Driving me nuts trying to find anyone actually manufacturing NEW bags with care!
Mystery kinda solved? More like uncovered a depressing little scam where a decent brand name got turned into dollar-store bait. What a waste.
