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Bridal Chain Alfred Angelo Breaks Silence After Store Closings

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- A popular South Florida-based wedding dress-maker broke their silence days after closing their stores leaving many brides-to-be scrambling.

On Sunday, bridal company Alfred Angelo issued a statement on the shuttered stores saying they filed for bankruptcy, according to WPEC.

"Alfred Angelo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on July 14, 2017. As a result, all stores and wholesalers are closed. Margaret Smith was appointed Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee. If you wish to be contacted regarding your order status once information is available please send an email to: alfredangelo@mjstrustee.com. We will post additional information regarding the status of dresses on this web-site as it becomes available.

We apologize for the inconvenience and hardship resulting from this event. We appreciate your patience. Thank you."

Creditors now have until November 27th to file a proof of claims against Alfred Angelo.

A meeting is also set for a representative of Alfred Angelo to appear before creditors and be questioned under oath. It's set for August 28th at 1 p.m. at the Flagler Waterview Building in West Palm Beach.

Last week, the company, based out of Delray Beach, closed its doors to customers and in many cases only left a note on the door asking customers to call an attorney's office.

CBS4 checked both South Florida locations on Friday. In Coral Gables, some people were inside, but staff wouldn't talk. In Sunrise, the store was closed and a sign told customers to e-mail a law firm.

The Better Business Bureau is offering advice to customers affected by the closings saying this is what should be done next:

  •  Contact your credit card company- If your purchase was made using a credit card contact your credit card company and file a chargeback.
  • Gather your receipts and documents– This will help in preparation for any opportunities to obtain a resolution.
  • Contact third-party retailers- If you made your purchase from a third-party retailer look into their refund policy and contact them to see if they can help.
  • Be careful with discounts- Some Bridal stores are offering discounts to brides who have been affected by the Alfred Angelo closings. If you decide to take advantage of these discounts make sure you understand any applicable terms and policies, especially if you don't have time for errors and alterations.
  • Beware of online donations and crowdfunding pages- when unfortunate events occur, it opens the door to potential scammers who are looking to take advantage of the situation. Beware of any person who claims they can help you retrieve your dress from the store for a fee, or any crowdfunding pages looking to raise money for a dress they lost. Only communicate with a designated bankruptcy attorney, if assigned.

Customers affected can also click here to get updates from BBB.

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