Furs and other fur products have always been expensive and required special care and storage. Nikolai Alekseevich Mikhailov, who became wealthy from the sale and processing of skins and furs, understood this well. His products were renowned for their high quality, which allowed him to become a Supplier to the Court of His Imperial Majesty.

In 1912, he had the idea to create a unique center for fur storage in Moscow. The building's design was developed by Nikita Lazarev. The fur refrigerator implemented innovative solutions for that time: air cooling using artesian water, cork partitions, and no windows from the 3rd to the 8th floor. Only professionals in the field of fur worked there. This refrigerator became the world's first center of its kind and was popular among Muscovites. Over time, they began to store not only furs but also dresses, suits, and carpets.

In 1918, the center was nationalized. In addition to storage, they began sorting and preparing fur and tanned skins for export. Furs from various animals, such as arctic fox, sable, mink, and others, became a kind of currency in the Soviet Union. The refrigerator also became a center for training fur craftsmen and developing new GOST standards. Zoologists often visited in search of valuable taxidermy.

Later, the center came under the management of the Ministry of Light Industry of the USSR. Interestingly, the institution founded by the pre-revolutionary entrepreneur Mikhailov continues to operate today. That is what it means to build for centuries!