MANSFIELD — After Alfred Angelo bridal shops closed its shops around the United States without warning Thursday, brides and bridal shops were both left wondering: What’s going on?
“The phone calls are crazy,” said Bonnie Schwiger, owner of Bridal & Formal Wear By B. “But I’m in the same boat as everyone else right now. I don’t know what’s going on.”
At least three local bridal shops have been unable to contact Alfred Angelo through any medium. When the Richland Source called one of its corporate office phone numbers during business hours Friday, a machine answered the call. The recording said, “Consumer line is currently away,” before allowing people to leave a message.
While there are no Alfred Angelo stores in Richland, Ashland or Crawford County, there are independent boutiques like Bridal by B, Special Moments Bridal and Juliana Bridal that carry Alfred Angelo bridal and bridesmaid dresses.
None knew about the closure before Thursday. None have been able to get in touch with the bridal chain either.
Bridal By B had its grand opening ceremony at its new Richland Mall location Wednesday afternoon. But 48 hours later, Schwiger was focused on something else – her brides who chose Alfred Angelo dresses.
“We’re just trying to unscramble all the information,” Schwiger said. “We’re not sure what it all means.”
She’s notified some of her brides and many have reached out to her, too.
If need be, she’ll find her brides different dresses, but for now, she is waiting for further information. She read that an official Alfred Angelo statement may be released soon. She knows that independent stores like hers are classified differently than Alfred Angelo specific locations, so she’s hesitant to be hasty.
Schwiger has, however, pulled the Alfred Angelo dresses from her storefront.
Thursday she received an order, and on Monday, she placed one. The person she spoke with gave no indication that Alfred Angelo would soon close.
Friday, Schwiger could not access her account on the store’s website.
Special Moments Bridal, 213 S Sandusky Ave. in Bucyrus, is in a similar situation.
“It’s a shock,” said employee, Amy Vargo. “We did not know at all.”
She keeps checking for updates, but as of Friday night had yet to find anything new.
Special Moments Bridal has called each of its clients who are buying Alfred Angelo.
“We called all the brides individually, and we will come up with a backup plan,” Vargo said.
That backup plan will come into play if their Alfred Angelo dress orders don’t arrive.
The Bucyrus store has three brides and seven groups of bridesmaids waiting for Alfred Angelo dresses with the soonest wedding scheduled for September.
For Juliana Bridal in Ashland, Alfred Angelo is a main supplier.
“So, it does affect us quite a bit,” said owner Jessica Neff.
She discovered the news when she read emails from “frantic” brides.
“This was news to all of us,” Neff said. “We’ve had no warning.”
She spent the day talking to brides and independent retailers across Ohio. By late afternoon, she has taken care of Alfred Angelo brides for the rest of this year.
“We order way in advance,” she said. “But our customers have been amazing.”
