Al's Formal Wear and related stores suddenly shutter, leaving grooms and brides in the lurch
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Al's Formal Wear, a chain of tuxedo rental stores that's dressed generations of Houston grooms, suddenly shuttered its doors on Monday.
Grooms and their families who stopped by Al's locations in River Oaks and Voss were greeted with a sign on the door and no explanation.
"We came here to rent a suit because we're going to my daughter's wedding here in a month," Andrew Rolniak, who arrived with his wife at the Voss store excited, said. "I Googled it, and it was right around the corner from where we were, and I see the sign on the door, and it's like.. huh? It's closed."
According to a long-time store manager who spoke to ABC13 on the phone, all Al's Formal Wear locations were shuttered Monday with no warning.
Employees were sent an email saying, in part:
"I regret to inform you that you are being laid off from your position effective Monday, August 7, 2023. Unfortunately, the company is compelled to cease operations effective immediately."
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The manager for the Voss location managed to get tuxedos that were ready for delivery this week to a gift shop next door. Gabriel Vasquez, whose daughter is getting married Saturday, said he felt lucky that he and his son-in-law were able to pick up their tuxes.
"We ordered everything - the cummerbund, the tie, the jacket, the pants, the shoes, the everything. The whole nine yards. I hope it's all there," he said, knowing other families were not as lucky.
"You call, and nobody answers," Jake Granato, a groomsman who is trying to get fitted for a friend's wedding, said. When ABC13 told him the stores were shuttered for good, he immediately called the groom. Over speakerphone, the groom uttered, "Oh.. (expletive)" and then the two discussed how they were going to break the news to the bride-to-be.
"We're all supposed to match and look the same," Granato said. "We'll see. Maybe we'll be all wearing cowboy boots, jeans, and T-shirts."
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Al's Formal Wear, originally owned by a Houston family, was sold to Atlanta-based Dapper and Dashing in 2017. The corporate office operates about seven regional rental and wedding boutique brands. The now laid-off manager told ABC13 that he estimates about 100 stores in half a dozen states are affected by the sudden closure.
ABC13 made numerous calls to stores, corporate offices, and the public relations office. None of our calls went through.
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