Brides across the country are in a state of panic after a popular chain for bridal and bridesmaid dresses, Alfred Angelo, abruptly closed down many of its stores around the country without any warning (and just a sign in the store window). Many customers are now unsure of what will happen to their purchased and ordered dresses, and they are taking to social media to seek out information, BuzzFeed News reports.
Alfred Angelo has been around for the past 80 years, with its nationwide retail stores serving as a popular destination for bridal parties. Its designs are also sold in a number of other stores and boutiques across the country, BuzzFeed News notes. But on Thursday many customers who arrived at the store were shocked to find that the boutiques had closed down without warning, leaving only signs that read, “We are so sorry. We knew NOTHING,” and “STORE CLOSED,” for shocked brides-to-be.
According to BuzzFeed News, some of the signs also included contact information for a person who appears to be an attorney, while others informed customers that their seamstresses will contact them directly.
Many stunned customers posted images of groups of befuddled women standing outside the shuttered stores, while others shared their concerns about dresses they’ve purchased but had not yet picked up. The Palm Beach Post reported that employees of the company were also spotted leaving the corporate headquarters “en masse” on Thursday, with an employee telling the newspaper, “Everyone left one-by-one with cardboard boxes, plants. One of them said they were all fired today … it was so bizarre.”
BuzzFeed News attempted to contact the company’s spokeswoman, but her mailbox was apparently full. And while there have been rumors that the company filed for bankruptcy, no official records have been found yet. Luckily, other bridal boutiques (and chains) have seemed to step up, offering these brides-in-distress discounts in light of their cancelled Alfred Angelo orders.
