Since Prom season is coming up I thought I'd share my prom dress horror story:
I had bought my prom dress about three weeks in advance for the event but sadly where I had gone to buy said dress only had it in a size larger than what I had needed, therefore me needing alterations.
I asked my grandmother where to get alterations for my dress and she had told me this location was the best and that my aunt, her daughter, had gotten wedding dresses, jeans, etc. altered here many times and the owners were wonderful. Hearing this I of course brought my dress here about 4 days later (2 1/2 weeks before prom).
My first impression was that the, I'm assuming owners, were very professional and sweet. The atmosphere was slightly dirty but not enough for me to be grossed out and leave lol. They fitted me there within 10 minutes and told me I could pick up my dress the next week after Wednesday. I said okay and that I would be there Thursday (prom was on the following Saturday).
Wednesday rolled around and I got a call that my dress was ready to be picked up whenever. The next day some family issues had came up so I wouldn't be able to get the dress until the day of prom (Saturday morning). I looked on their website and it had said Store Hours: 10AM-3PM.
*THESE HOURS ARE STILL UP IF YOU DONT BELIEVE ME*
Just to be sure though I called the store. I got the answering machine and basically left a message saying I would be there Saturday morning to get the dress. They called me back and left me a message saying that was fine and they'd be closing at 3.
Saturday morning rolls around and after doing a ton of girly prom duties, I decide it's time to go pick up my beloved dress. I arive here with my mom at 12:05. We go to walk in but alas.. the door is locked and the lights are off & on the front door.. the normal hours are posted with ductape over the 3 stating that the store now closes at 1. But still.. 55 minutes before close... where are they? We wait almost over 10 minutes hoping maybe the owners went over to Safeway maybe to grab a snack. After almost 15 minutes a another car drives up and A young girl gets out about my age goes to the door tries to open and immediately start looking around because the doors are obviously locked. I get out of my car and I ask her if she had an appointment with them also and she said yes she was getting her prom dress for the same day today. SO OBVIOUSLY ITS NOT JUST ME! My mom, me, girl, and the girls mom all start spamming the phone, Facebook, email, EVERYTHING. NO ANSWER. We were forced to go buy a completely new dress. Prom was amazing nonetheless.
After two days of no response to any of our calls, emails, etc. my dad finally went down and told the store owner off. I got my initial prom dress back but of course was out almost $500 from the combined dresses.
When asked about their whereabouts, the store owner said him and his wife were "out of town." ARE YOU JOKING SIR
My advise: don't do business with sketchy people and if you do.. don't wait till the day of an event to pick something up. read more