David's Bridal will likely close all five of its Minnesota stores and lay off employees amid corporate bankruptcy, according to a notice sent to the state's economic development agency.
David's Bridal will likely close all of its Minnesota stores amid bankruptcy
Layoffs and store closings are being reported across the country as the wedding-dress chain files for bankruptcy.
April 17, 2023 at 9:59PM
The closings and layoffs will affect both local store employees and corporate and distribution center workers employed in the state.
David's Bridal, one of the country's largest sellers of wedding gowns, on Monday announced it filed for bankruptcy protection over the weekend. The company had re-emerged from filing for bankruptcy in 2018.
Leaders of the Pennsylvania-based company said it could eliminate more than 9,200 jobs nationwide if it is unable to find a buyer.
The company notified the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development on Friday of its plans to shutter its stores in Oakdale, Maple Grove, Richfield, Rochester and Duluth, according to the WARN letter.
An exact number of local employees affected was not provided in the memo to the state.
In the letter, a David's Bridal representative said the company expects to lay off Minnesota employees in stages beginning this month and ending some time in the summer.
"[David's Bridal] is in the process of evaluating its strategic options, including a sale as a going concern, a sale of certain assets and intellectual property, or a potential winddown of some or all of the business and a resulting limited or company-wide reduction in force and job elimination of employees within the state," Andrea Dauphinee, David's Bridal senior vice president of human resources, said in the letter.
A David's Bridal spokeswoman said stores will continue to fulfill orders and the company expects previously scheduled dresses and bridal appointment times will not be impacted. She didn't offer a specific number of employees who will be terminated in Minnesota.
David's Bridal has about 300 stores across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and employs more than 11,000 workers.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
While the state posted overall job growth for the third consecutive month, the Department of Employment and Economic Development plans to host in-person and virtual factory tours to spark interest in the industry during October’s Manufacturing Month.
