Bailiffs open shuttered dress shop to frustrated brides-to-be
Posted July 20, 2019 6:41 pm.
Last Updated July 20, 2019 6:50 pm.
A bridal boutique that suddenly closed over a rent dispute leaving dozens of brides-to-be without their gowns briefly opened its doors Saturday.
“I came today with a glimmer of hope thinking maybe my dress would be here because my wedding [is] in two weeks,” said bride-to-be Kristina Manorath.
The landlord locked up Jolie Bridal near Dufferin Street and St. Clair Avenue West last week, alleging the tenants haven’t paid rent since March and owed over $32,000.
This left dozens of wedding dress customers in limbo just weeks before their big day.
Customer Janeta Pereira said she doesn’t understand why the shop continued to take dress orders even though they were in financial trouble.
“Even if they knew they were going under, if that’s the case financially, they should have stopped taking money and dresses,” she said.
Watch below: dozens of customers lined up outside Jolie Bridal on July 20 after bailiffs allowed access so they could claim their dress orders.
Unfortunately, most of the customers would leave the shop empty-handed, including Manorath.
“[There are] not many dresses left there at all,” she said. “Some of them have been ordered, some of them haven’t.”
The bailiff in charge said there were a total of six gowns available to be picked up on Saturday, but only one was claimed.
The shop will open up for a second time on July 27, as the bailiffs said they continue to get dozens of calls from both suppliers and customers.
However, luck appeared to be on Manorath’s side– a lawyer she said represented the owners returned the $1,700 she paid for the dress.
And since sharing her story, she said several women offered to give her a dress for the big day.
“I’m so excited to marry my fiance, this is just a bump in the road,” she said.
The bailiff said the suppliers have been helpful in this situation, and he’s advising anyone to reach out to their dress-makers in the event their gown has not yet shipped.
CityNews attempted to call a number thought to belong to the owners of the store, but the phone number was listed as unassigned.