Alfred Angelo issues statement regarding stores' sudden closures

Brides across the Pittsburgh area are trying to figure out what to do after a bridal store chain suddenly shut its doors.

Alfred Angelo is a national chain that's headquartered in Palm Beach.

The company posted the following statement on its website over the weekend:

"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@mgstrustee.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."

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Samantha Groh was one of dozens of brides and their families reaching out to Channel 11, wondering what the closure means for the thousands of dollars they spent.

“I called frantically yesterday trying to get ahold of someone,” Groh said. “She (an employee) said, ‘I'm sorry, you'll probably never see your dress and you'll probably never see your money."

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Bridal store chain suddenly going out of business

Several people in law enforcement and at the district attorney's office told Channel 11 the best thing brides can do is go to the magistrate in either Ross or Monroeville, where the two local Alfred Angelo stores are, and file a civil complaint.

"I'm going to be honest, I did cry yesterday," Groh said. She lives in Erie, but bought her wedding dress at the Alfred Angelo store on McKnight Road back in April. She paid for it in full, $2,000, and was supposed to pick it up in two weeks.

"I saw some rumors floating around social media Wednesday night that all the Alfred Angelo stores were closing," Groh said, who along with other brides, was sent into a panic.

They raced to both stores trying to get their dresses or their money.

Ross Township police detective Brian Kohlhepp says it's very hard to build a criminal case in this kind of instance, unless there's evidence showing clear intent to defraud these brides.

"We'd have to have something that glaringly showed that they had no intent whatsoever to at any point try to honor those transactions," Kohlhepp said.

In Pennsylvania, consumers can file a civil complaint at the magistrate level for a claim of less than $12,000.

Kohlhepp says right now, that's pretty much all a bride-to-be can do.

"This isn't your typical ‘mom and pop’ store, they had a great reputation, they have stores all over the United States,” Groh said. “I'm just in shock."

Cox Media Group