COLUMBUS – Dozens of brides left to scramble when a Dublin bridal shop abruptly went out of business may get reimbursed for their losses if the state wins a consumer protection lawsuit against the shop’s former owners.
The lawsuit filed Thursday by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s office accuses Frances Murphy, owner of Elegant Bride, formerly located at 313 W.Bridge Street, of violating state consumer protection laws by failing to deliver bridal gowns, accessories and alterations to customers and failing to provide refunds.
When Elegant Bride closed abruptly in March without advance notice to customers, DeWine’s office received about 40 complaints from customers who said they had paid in advance for wedding dresses, accessories or alterations they had not received and after the store closed, they couldn’t get any information on whether they would receive their dresses in time for their weddings.
The lawsuit alleges that in some cases Elegant Bride told consumers their dresses had been ordered when they hadn’t been and that in many cases the company failed to pay dress manufacturers for the dresses consumers had purchased.
The lawsuit seeks reimbursement and an order to prevent Murphy and the company from doing business in Ohio until they have paid off what they are ordered to pay.