David’s Bridal LLC, the privately held retailer of wedding dresses, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday, some five years after emerging from an earlier bankruptcy. The company said it plans to keep its roughly 300 stores open and operating while it works its way through the process, and intends to fulfill all customer orders without disruption or delay. Its online platform and vendor marketplace will remain available and accessible to brides and loyalty program members’ gift cards, returns and exchanges will be honored. The company is asking the court for “first day” relief, which will allow it to pay staff wages and benefits and honor obligations to critical vendors. The company had launched a review of its strategic options prior to today’s announcement that included selling assets, a course it intends to continue. “Our business continues to be challenged by the post-COVID environment and uncertain economic conditions, leading us to take this step to identify a buyer who can continue to operate our business going forward,”CEO James Marcum said in a statement. The company had recently informed the Pennsylvania Labor Department of plans to lay off more than 9,000 workers.
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