MOUNT LEBANON, Pa. — Area brides-to-be are in complete shock after a bridal store suddenly shut its doors.
Koda Bridal in Mount Lebanon took to Facebook to inform its clients that they would be closing their doors immediately. The problem, brides tell us, is that hundreds of them have not received the dresses they paid for.
Jaclyn Brezinksi purchased her dress from Koda Bridal in May and was scheduled to have it altered a few weeks ago, but after driving an hour and a half to the appointment the shop owner abruptly canceled.
“When I got there she said the seamstress had car issues and was not going to be able to make it,” Brezinski said.
Brezinski tells us she wasn’t originally worried until her calls started going unanswered.
“I’m messaging I’m calling and no response at all, and I’m like ‘what is going on’? And then I see these posts on Facebook,” she said.
Brezinksi and dozens of other brides on Facebook expressed their concerns as their calls continued to go unanswered and appointments canceled. Brezinski was determined to get her dress back and found an employee who was able to locate it.
“I begged and pleaded please let me get my dress this is a lot of anxiety and I just want this over with, so I was able to get my dress yesterday,” she said.
Brezinski picked up the dress at the employee’s home, not the shop.
“Why am I going to some lady’s house to pick it up? That was confusing to me,” she said.
Upon announcing the closure, Koda Bridal owner Mary Beth Ryfus said each bride would be contacted, but Brezinski said she hasn’t heard from anyone.
“What made you go from wanting to help plus-size women to just taking their money and not caring,” she asked.
Channel 11 tried reaching out to Ryfus by phone and social media and has not yet heard back.
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