DeWine
COLUMBUS, Ohio (Legal Newsline) - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced a lawsuit on Thursday against a Columbus-based bridal shop and its owner for allegedly violating Ohio's Consumer Sales Practices Act.
Alan Ray Bridal and Alan Ray Church, the store's owner, allegedly failed to notify customers when it closed and left multiple consumers with orders that went unfulfilled. The store was in business for more than 30 years, offering bridal gowns, bridesmaid dresses and accessories, until it closed down in late April.
"In what is supposed to be a happy occasion in life, many brides were left without their dresses when Alan Ray Bridal abruptly closed," DeWine said. "This action sends a message that it is unacceptable for any business to close without first fulfilling its obligations to paying consumers."
DeWine's office received multiple consumer complaints alleging that the consumers paid in full but did not receive their merchandise or dresses. Alan Ray Bridal also allegedly failed to order dresses from the designers at all, requiring the consumers to purchase wedding dresses from other businesses to receive them in time. Consumers allegedly paid Alan Ray Bridal $150 to $3,000 for dresses that were never received.
The lawsuit, filed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, alleges that Alan Ray Bridal and Alan Ray Church failed to deliver and engaged in unconscionable consumer sales practices. In addition, Alan Ray Bridal allegedly gave consumers inadequate and inconsistent information about their orders and took deposits without informing consumers that it could go out of business prior to the fulfillment of the order. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties, injunctive relief and consumer restitution.