July 15 (UPI) — Alfred Angelo Bridal has closed all of its stores, leaving brides-to-be across the nation without their gowns after paying deposits for their weddings.
The private national chain, which has 60 stores and sells its products at 1,400 locations worldwide, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy liquidation in Florida. The chain is based in Delray Beach, Fla.
Alfred Angelo, which opened in 1933, plans to liquidate its assets, said Patricia Redmond, a lawyer Stearns Weaver Miller, the Florida firm handling the bankruptcy filing.
Redmond wrote a letter to customers that was later obtained by The New York Times. In it, the attorney said the company would motivate their trustee to “finish and fulfill as many orders as possible.”
Adding that Alfred Angelo “regrets” the filing’s “dramatic impact” on brides-to-be, Redmond said the company would work to fulfill all orders already purchased from Alfred Angelo.
“It typically always gets better after the bankruptcy filing for customers who have goods that have already been purchased,” Redmond wrote.
Many stores were locked up for the last time Thursday with no warning to customers or employees.
The company has not posted any information about the store closings on its website or official social media accounts. The customer service line was listed as 888-218-0044 but went to voicemail when called Saturday. Its email address is [email protected].
On the company’s website, it advertises an extended sale of 50 percent to 80 percent off for all gowns in-store.
Brides took to Twitter to complain.
My wedding is in 29 days. I’m glad orange is my wedding color because I’m gonna be married in jail if I can’t get my dresses. #alfredangelo
This is probably the worst day of my life, thank you Alfred #alfredangelo
One bride, Candace Lawrence, told CNNMoney said she put down $950 for her dream wedding dress at Alfred Angelo’s Manchester, Conn., location in April.
Lawrence had planned to pick up her gown at the end of July.
“This is the most memorable part of your wedding day, and you don’t know what’s going on,” she said.
Some other bridal retailers offered discounts to those affected by the Alfred Angelo closings. David’s Bridal, a Conshohocken, Pa.-based chain, posted on its website that it would take 30 percent off wedding dresses and 20 percent off bridesmaid dresses for Alfred Angelo customers without their orders.
The Bridal Boutique of Naperville, Ill. tweeted an offer for 20 percent off wedding apparel.
