Final sales as bankrupt wedding retailer closes location for good but shoppers remain hopeful other stores stay open

A POPULAR wedding dress store is closing its doors for good in East Brunswick, New Jersey.

David’s Bridal has long been a popular bridal boutique since it first opened in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1950.

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Over the decades, the chain grew to around 300 stores, but now the retailer is saying goodbye to shoppers across the country.

The East Brunswick store is one of many locations that announced its upcoming closure and also said that no returns or merchandise would be accepted after July 22.

Currently, seven other David’s Bridal stores remain open in New Jersey: Deptford, Freehold, Maple Shade, Mays Landing, Paramus, Totowa and Watchung.

DAVID’S BRIDAL DESCENT

David’s Bridal publicly says it sells one out of every three wedding dresses in the United States, but this popularity hasn’t been enough to keep the chain financially afloat.

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The store filed for bankruptcy earlier this year, and several locations have been shuttering in the aftermath.

With online competition fierce and many brides and grooms reeling in their spending budgets amid high inflation, the chain just couldn’t keep up.

While initially shoppers worried that all of David’s Bridal’s stores would shutter due to the bankruptcy, the store has finally found a buyer to take it under its wing.

Earlier this month, the sale of the once thriving bridal store to Cion Investment Corporation was approved by US Bankruptcy Judge Christine Gravelle.

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Because of the acquisition, around 7,000 jobs are estimated to be saved.

While David’s Bridal once operated around 300 stores, the company anticipates 195 will remain open now that Cion has saved the retailer.

MORE DAVID’S BRIDAL CLOSURES

Joining the East Brunswick location are several other shuttered David’s Bridal locations as the chain works its way through bankruptcy.

That includes 13 locations in Texas, which brings down David Bridal’s total number in the state to just 12.

Some of the state’s most populous cities, like Austin, Dallas and Houston, will no longer offer the well-known bridal boutique, leading shoppers to look elsewhere for their big day.

Another unit closed in Springfield, Missouri on July 18.

Meanwhile, the store in Rochester, Minnesota shuttered just a day later in the TJ Maxx Plaza, according to local radio station KROC.

Additionally, a store in Portage, Michigan had its final goodbyes on the same day.

Shoppers at that store reported sales of up to 70 percent off.

In late June, another location in Topeka, Kansas also closed its doors for good.

Other closing stores include one in North Carolina, four in Iowa, seven in Tennessee, and three in Massachusetts.

To get rid of all inventory, David’s Bridal offers generous discounts on the majority of its items.

Closing locations have been found to offer bridal gowns 40 percent off and 80 percent off evening dresses and women’s formal wear.

RETAILERS SHUTTING DOWN

David’s Bridal joins a long list of other companies closing down stores as the retail environment becomes increasingly precarious.

As hundreds of stores are closing down, experts are dubbing the phenomenon the “retail apocalypse.”

An H&M location in the Apache Mall in Rochester, Minnesota likewise said goodbye to shoppers this summer.

"Assessing and reviewing our store portfolio to adapt to changing customer behavior is something that we have done ever since we opened our first store," a company spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, department store chain Belk also shut down a location in Alabama.

"We are grateful for the contributions of our Selma associates and are providing them with support during the transition, including the opportunity to interview for a position at another Belk store," the company said in a statement to the local NBC-affiliated news outlet.

And Bed Bath and Beyond, which once dominated the home retail space, has also lost its footing in recent years.

In June, all 360 nationwide stores closed after the company declared bankruptcy.

The brand will continue to exist online only after being purchased by Overstock.

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Department store chain Macy’s has also closed a key location after 50 years.

Another popular wedding retailer has shuttered as well, leaving many brides unsure where to go for their big day.