Brides and bridesmaids across the US are panicking after a popular wedding dress chain closed many of its locations Thursday with no warning, leaving purchased and ordered dresses in limbo.
Alfred Angelo is a national bridal chain that has been designing wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses for over 80 years. It has retail stores across the country, and its designs are also sold in many other stores and boutiques.
However, on Thursday, brides-to-be and other women around the country were stunned when they visited their local store and found they were closed without warning.
Pretty soon, people began to flood social media with images of similar signs on their local store.
Found this sign on front door of @AlfredAngelo store in Monroeville this AM. Small print: email predmond@stearnswea… https://t.co/KcZ7ErASu5
Some signs, like this one, urge customers to contact a person who appears to be an attorney. BuzzFeed News has attempted to contact that person.
Others shared photos of bewildered brides showing up to get a peek at their dream dress and being met with the paper sign.
Employees post signs at @AlfredAngelo Boyton Beach Location that read store closed. Bride's shocked @CBS12
"So @AlfredAngelo called me last week saying my dress is ready for pick up and today I see this sign. Now what??" one stunned customer wrote.
So @AlfredAngelo called me last week saying my dress is ready for pick up and today I see this sign. Now what??
In addition, the Palm Beach Post reported Thursday that employees were seen leaving the company's corporate headquarters "en masse."
@WCVB @AlfredAngelo is closing its door tonight at 8pm: I have no dress, no refund, and no time frame of when or where my dress will arrive
“Everyone left one-by-one with cardboard boxes, plants,” one anonymous employee told the newspaper. “One of them said they were all fired today … It was so bizarre.”
On Friday, the company officially filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in federal court in Florida. It stated in court documents it owes between $50 million and $100 million, and only has between $1 million and $10 million in assets.
Trying to balance my @News8 10p story but when @AlfredAngelo bridal has NO response to shutdown-leaves lots of tim… https://t.co/1mWJRIKmKx
The court records state the company's board of directors agreed on Monday to file for bankruptcy.
Alfred Angelo has released no official statement on the closures or its bankruptcy filing, either on its website or through social media. When BuzzFeed News attempted to contact a spokesperson for the company, her mailbox was full.
In addition, three stores contacted by BuzzFeed News did not answer when contacted during normal business hours. All three stores also had full voicemail boxes.
Brides and bridesmaids who spoke with BuzzFeed News said they have received no word from the company about what is going on. Take Kodi Burdsall from Indiana, who bought her Alfred Angelo dress from a local boutique.
The panic is not only affecting brides, but also entire bridal parties who were to be outfitted by the company.
Amid the panic, on social media many small business are offering to help brides out, with discounts and rush shipping.
We feel awful for these poor brides having to deal with Alfred Angelo closing over night! Please call us to let us… https://t.co/5Guho6Nh3T
National bridal chain David's Bridal also announced Friday it is offering discounts and rush shipping to Alfred Angelo customers affected by the closures.
"With 300+ stores nationwide, many in close proximity to Alfred Angelo locations, David’s Bridal is in a unique position to help brides find 'the dress' which fits her style, budget and vision," a spokesperson for the company said in a press release.