David’s Bridal laying off nearly 100 Iowa employees

MARION — David’s Bridal will lay off nearly 100 employees across its four Iowa stores — and potentially thousands of employees across the country — after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday.

The Workforce Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice filed in Iowa on April 14 reports 26 employees will be laid off in Marion, 17 in Sioux City, 22 in Davenport and 29 in Clive. These are all the David’s Bridal locations in Iowa.

Layoffs are expected to occur June 12, according to the notice.

The Pennsylvania-based company could eliminate more than 9,200 jobs across the country, the Associated Press reported this week. The company — one of the largest sellers of wedding gowns and formal wear — has about 300 stores and more than 11,000 employees.

This is the second time in the last five years the company has filed for bankruptcy protection. David’s Bridal last filed for bankruptcy protection in 2018.

James Marcum, David’s Bridal CEO, said in a news release the company has “modernized our marketing and customer interaction processes and driven our retail service levels to best in class.”

“Nonetheless, 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,” Marcum said.

The company is looking to sell, but stores remain open for now and orders are being fulfilled without delay, according to the Associated Press.

If a buyer isn’t found, the company is preparing to close its stores and wind down operations by the end of July, The Los Angeles Times reported.

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