Aurora Bridal Shop Files For Bankruptcy, Denver Shop Offers Help
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - An Aurora bridal shop has filed for bankruptcy, leaving many brides frantic about what will happen to the dresses they've bought. Now a Denver bridal show is coming to the rescue of some of the bride's-to-be.
The website advertises 50 years in business and generations of women have found their dream dresses there. The store gets an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. But now Schaffer's Ultimate Bride, Ltd. is going out of business.
It's been emotional for both the brides and the shop owner.
"I basically got a text last night saying the store was going bankrupt," a customer told CBS4.
"My wedding is Saturday and I'm supposed to pick up my dress tomorrow," another said.
Nobody seems more upset than shop owner Angie Vasquez.
"I'm heartbroken," Vasquez said. "The economy has been bad for the last three years. We've been able to just get by, but now we can't."
Customers are still able to pick up their dresses if the supplier has sent them. But because Vasquez got behind in payments, some of the suppliers aren't delivering the gowns.
Customers were required to put 50 percent down on a deposit. Now it's not clear if they will get that money back.
"I don't know, it has to be worked out through bankruptcy," Vasquez said.
Some women did indeed get what they paid for, and they all got a tearful apology.
"I love my brides, I love my customers," Vasquez said.
Now Bridal Collection in the Tech Center is offering to help out women who ordered through Schaffer's.
"We have actually been able to help a lot of the brides in different situations. If we had similar designers we could look into their particular dress they picked out or get other dresses here in a hurry," Chelsea Jones with Bridal Collection said.
Bridal Collection has already helped out seven women in need of a wedding gown.
Some tips for protecting yourself as a consumer are as follows:
-- Never put down more than 50 percent deposit on an item
-- Pay with a credit card so you can challenge the charge
-- Never pay for alterations until you have your gown in hand.
Other bridal shops have said the last couple of years have been difficult because brides have less money to spend and there's more competition from both online bridal websites and consignment wedding shops.
