The Washington PostDemocracy Dies in Darkness
Business

Brides panic as Alfred Angelo closes stores nationwide

By
July 14, 2017 at 3:20 p.m. EDT
The sudden closure of Alfred Angelo bridal stores nationwide has left many brides in limbo. (Video: Reuters)

Brides across the country are being stood up at the store entrance.

Alfred Angelo, a bridal gown chain with more than 60 stores nationwide, as well as partnerships with more than 1,400 retailers, has suddenly closed all of its store locations without any warning, leaving brides-to-be wondering if they’ll receive their wedding dress or get a refund.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the company is planning to file for bankruptcy protection, which has led to the closures. The company plans to hire the law firm Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson to handle the issue, according to the Journal.

Many brides-to-be took to social media to vent their thoughts and anger at the company for closing without warning right in the middle of the summer, which is the busiest time of the year for weddings.

The company is based in Delray Beach, Fla., and was founded in 1933 by Alfred Angelo and his wife, Edythe Piccione, in Philadelphia. In the 1960s, their children, Vincent and Michele Piccione, began running the company, which they would do for the next 35 years. It was under the children’s leadership that the company expanded its retail stores across the country.

Company employees told the Journal that no warning was given about the stores closing until Thursday morning — when they were told the stores would close for good at the end of the work day. Store managers were told to return their keys after closing time.

According to Syracuse.com, brides rushed to the Arnold Angelo store in DeWitt, N.Y., on Thursday to pick up their dresses or inquire about ones they had ordered, only to be met by puzzled store employees who had just heard the news hours earlier. The employees encouraged customers to call the company’s customer service line for help.

The Washington Post called the company’s customer service line on Friday and got the answering machine.

Syracuse.com also reported that Alfred Angelo plans to file for liquidation under Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to a letter sent by company lawyers to a “valued partner.”

David’s Bridal, a competitor of Alfred Angelo, didn’t waste any time after hearing the news. In a tweet to worried brides and grooms, David’s promised that there is a light at the end of the altar: It’s offering discounts to those affected by their rival’s store closures.

Alfred Angelo didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.