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Reading bridal shop closes, bride has no gown

Don't Waste Your Money
Posted at 6:17 PM, Oct 23, 2017
and last updated 2017-10-26 11:31:33-04

European Bridal, a popular Reading, Ohio bridal shop, has shut down, leaving at least one bride saying she may head to the altar with no wedding dress.

Kristin Waldvogel picked out a beautiful wedding dress this past summer, and paid almost $4,000 for it at European Bridal in the Benson Road bridal district.

But now, the dress is missing, and the store is out of business.

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UPDATE 10/25/17: The former owner of European Bridal, Mary Lyon, tells 9 on Your Side she is in the process of contacting the 26 brides who still do not have their dresses.

Lyon says she has been in touch with the dress designers, and says she is working to ensure that everyone gets their gown well before their wedding date.  As the sole owner, she says, it has been a time consuming process shutting down the business and settling all accountts.

"Every bride will get her dress," she said in a brief phone interview.

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Kristin Waldvogel says she had called the store a few times the past 3 weeks, but says "it wasn't until last week that I got an actual voice mail saying this number isn't taking phone calls any more. I was in complete disbelief," she said.

Now, five weeks from her dream wedding, the Western Hills woman can't reach anyone from the Reading store

A public notice states it was suspended by the Hamilton County Tax Commissioner for back taxes.  However, neither its website or Facebook page announced the store would be closing.

What you can do

Every few months, it seems we hear of a bridal shop or wedding vendor going out of business.    

That's why its so important to keep detailed records and know where everything is coming from.

Tina Minshall, manager of longtime store Bridal and Formalacross the street, has heard from several European customers the past week, and says their best hope is contacting the dress designer.

"What you can do is contact the designer of the dress," Minshall said. "Chances are the dress has already been produced and they can either ship it to another retailer, or another local bridal store."

Kristin Waldvogel is trying to do that now, and says the wedding is still on, gown or not.

"I know I'm going to marry the man I love, so I am ok, I can wear a T-shirt.  But I don't want to," she said.

As always, don't waste your money.

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