House of Brides Issuing Refunds Next Month

Alabama Mobile A lawyer for the bridal shop says they've set up a hotline for customers who are owed deposit money.

by Chad Petri

Published: Fri, November 14, 2008 - 3:31 pm CST Last Updated: Sat, November 15, 2008 - 10:28 am CST

Echoing the message on their business line, an attorney for House of Brides says the Mobile shop closed due to the economy. In a statement, he says the company has opened a hotline for customers with outstanding deposits. He says customers with merchandise already locked in the store should call too. The number is 251-605-2681.

Meanwhile, things have been busy at the Better Business Bureau this week. The office has fielded dozens of calls and written up 14 complaints about the House of Brides. Compare that to the nine they got over the last three years. BBB President Tina Waller says this is a civil, not criminal matter.

“You have to prove intent, that this was an intentional deliberate attempt to take someone's money and not deliver a product,” says Waller. At the businesses, notes from distressed brides continue to pile up at the front door. Velma Lenox says her daughter got a strange call from the House of Brides last week asking her to pick up her wedding dress early.

“They had told her that they were going to repaint the entire building, they were going to put everything on trucks and they didn't want to be responsible for the bridal gowns,” says Lenox. The attorney says refunds should start after December 1st.

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carl Says:

Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 9:39 am

My only question is about a possible bankruptcy and how claims would be handled before and after a possible bankruptcy.I think it would be prudent for those involved to find out before it might occur.The old"fool me once,shame on you,fool me twice,shame on me” kind of thing.These people might be upstanding people of the community but bankruptcy laws have no friends or morals.I’ve been though a similar situation with a business that went out of business with no warning what so ever and they kept my money and my item and it was ruled by the BBB the same way,not a criminal act even though they knew what they were gonna do when they took my money,so buyers beware and take what ever actions needed to protect your self before it happens.

claycitymadness Says:

Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 9:13 am

these were pretty hard working boys, who built the business up after the death of thier father. remember when it was the topic of the news on the 80’. anyway i am sure they would have preferred to stay in business rahter than end this way and i am confident they will do the right thing.

butterflykisser101 Says:

Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 11:08 pm

bet u anything it is bankruptcy…and it takes about that long to get it started…..that is going to suck

carl Says:

Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 5:50 pm

I wonder if that has any impact on a possible bankrupcy action before Dec.1st?I don’t think there can be any claims after a bankrupcy claim but I don’t know about any claims before a bankrupcy is granted.