EDMONTON- The closure of a south Edmonton bridal shop has left some customers anxious, wondering if they are going to receive their orders.
The Wedding Gown Shop, located at Gateway Boulevard and 75th Street, shut its doors on Monday, after only being in business for seven months.
“On Tuesday, I received a call from a friend saying that the Wedding Gown Shop had closed its doors,” said Judy Lucht, whose daughter ordered her bridesmaids dresses from the shop.
“I felt sick, I felt knots,” she explained Thursday. “I feel a little bit betrayed.”
The Wedding Gown Shop Owner Frances McLean was also part owner of Wedding World which closed its doors in November.
She says she was forced to close the shop because she could no longer compete with big box stores and online competition.
“I’m really sorry. I do apologize,” McLean said with tears streaming down her face.
“It’s not something that I ever, ever intended on happening. I worked really hard to try to save this and it all just came crashing down so quickly. I don’t want people to think that it’s in my character to rip them off, because it’s really not and I feel completely horrible.”
McLean has been working with the suppliers and other Edmonton shops to make sure all of her customers are taken care of.
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“The dresses have all been ordered, they are there, people can have access to them, it’s just to get them pointed in the right direction where they need to go for that,” McLean explained.
However, customers are going to have to pay wholesale price and shipping for their orders.
Lucht says she empathizes with McLean, but knows this is going to be costly.
“In the end, we will be paying almost 300 and some dollars for a $100 dress and we’ll probably be paying about $80 shipping.”
Deposits paid to the Wedding Gown Shop are gone and if you ordered a dress from the Wedding Gown Shop, you’ll need to contact the designer to get your dress.
The Wedding Gown Shop has provided the following information for customers, depending on the designer of the dress:
– Dessy Group dresses – ABC Bridal in Edmonton has now taken over the orders. It has the customer list and details from the Wedding Gown Shop and you can contact ABC directly.
– Alfred Angelo dresses – The supplier is calling all customers directly and working with them to get dresses shipped out. You will be able to buy your dresses from Alfred Angelo at wholesale price and will have to pay for shipping.
– Venus Bridal dresses – The Wedding Gown Shop says there were not many of these and McLean is paying for them directly with money she has left. She will contact bridal parties to deliver the dresses. This was a company the Wedding Gown Shop did not have an outstanding debt to, so this is why this company will release the dresses to McLean.
– Bill Levkoff dresses – This designer will deal with customers directly and will be contacting them directly. Customers will have to pay wholesale price and shipping on all orders. There will also be a $50 handling fee.
– Impressions – McLean says Impressions is currently refusing to deal with customers directly, and only wants to deal with a wedding shop that will take over the orders. McLean is still working with company representatives to try to work something out.
McLean says she is still checking the company email address. If you need a copy of your receipt to prove to the supplier which order is yours, you may email her at weddinggownshop@live.com
With files from Julie Matthews, Global News.
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