INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Attorney General’s office is taking action on behalf of concerned brides after a Castleton bridal shop shut down suddenly.
Brides and bridesmaids told Call 6 Investigates Alfred Angelo stopped operating Thursday.
And now, many are waiting to find out if they will receive their wedding dresses, bridesmaids dresse, a refund, or nothing.
“My dress is in limbo,” said Amanda Webb, a bridesmaid who paid $199 for her dress from Alfred Angelo for an October wedding. “My dress is actually being reordered but we have another bridesmaid dress inside. We don’t know what to do.”
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Webb’s friend and bride Lindsey DeRiter is trying to stay calm.
“It might seem silly, but we have to plan this stuff,” said DeRiter, who thankfully bought her wedding dress from another bridal shop. “The frustrating part is she’s paid for a dress and she doesn’t know what’s going to happen with the money, or if she’s going to get a dress or not. So, that’s the hard part.”
DeRiter said another bridesmaid did receive her dress in the mail Friday afternoon.
Another bride, Lindsay Ottinger, is getting married September 2 in Fishers, and said she has invested $2,000 with the bridal shop.
Ottinger was supposed to have her final fitting on Monday.
Call 6 Investigates Kara Kenney went to Alfred Angelo’s website and was able to make an appointment for next week, despite the store being closed.
A note on the door says “We are sorry. We knew nothing” and that dresses in the store would be shipped.
Another note directs people to a law firm in Florida that did not answer a phone call or email from Call 6 Investigates seeking more information.
Call 6 Investigates was also unable to reach anyone at Alfred Angelo Corporate, and Castleton Square Mall declined to comment on the closing.
Customers can’t believe a bridal company would continue to take orders and money knowing they were having financial problems.
The company is expected to file bankruptcy.
“It's just disgusting,” said Webb. “To think they were selling dresses on Tuesday and still did this. It's so sad."
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill encouraged Hoosiers who have recently chosen to purchase dresses through Alfred Angelo to act quickly to protect any financial commitments they may have made.
Hill’s office is trying to reach out to Alfred Angelo on behalf of Indiana customers who have dresses at the store.
The Attorney General’s Office provided the following tips for customers:
• If a customer ordered a dress from Alfred Angelo and it is undergoing alterations, it should be returned to the customer.
• Likewise, if a customer’s dress is ready for pickup, the dress should be returned to the customer.
• Additionally, anyone who has paid a deposit on a dress should contact Alfred Angelo and have the amount of the deposit refunded if they are unable to pay the remaining balance and receive the dress.
• Finally, anyone who has paid by credit card and not received goods or services should contact their card company immediately to dispute any charges.
• The Attorney General’s office also recommends reaching out to other bridal boutiques and retailers to see if there are any special deals for customers of Alfred Angelo who are now scrambling to have alterations completed and additional dresses ordered ahead of their wedding days.
• When a company goes out of business, the AG’s office strongly advises Hoosiers affected by the news to file a complaint at IndianaConsumer.com.
• When a company files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, consumers are encouraged to file a creditor claim, which can be done by contacting the U.S. Bankruptcy Clerk of Court in the nearest location to where the store is headquartered. Indiana locations include: Ft. Wayne; Hammond; Lafayette; South Bend; Indianapolis; Terre Haute; Evansville; and New Albany.
