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David’s Bridal Declares Bankruptcy — Again

Mass layoffs. Massive debt. Plus, 70 dogs in Philadelphia need your help. Now.


a storefront of David's Bridal, the Conshohocken-based wedding gown retailer that just declared bankruptcy for the second time

A storefront of David’s Bridal, the Conshohocken-based wedding gown retailer that just declared bankruptcy for the second time (Getty Images)

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David’s Bridal Declares Bankruptcy — Again

Considering that David’s Bridal has claimed to sell one-third of all wedding gowns in the United States, you’d think the company would be a huge financial success. But success seems to elude the Conshohocken-based company, which just declared bankruptcy for the second time in five years.

On Friday, David’s Bridal announced it was laying off more than 9,000 employees nationwide. That’s more than 80 percent of its workforce. After that, the company filed for bankruptcy protection in Philadelphia’s bankruptcy court.

In those bankruptcy court documents, David’s Bridal lays out some of its massive debts. Those debts could total as much as $500 million, owed to a total of at least 25,000 creditors. Among those creditors: UPS, to which David’s Bridal owes $1.3 million; Google, more than $900,000; and Microsoft, at nearly $800,000.

The company also filed for bankruptcy protection in 2018, emerging from bankruptcy the following year.

As for the future of David’s Bridal, the New York Times reports that management wants to sell the company. This is a Chapter 11 bankruptcy case as opposed to Chapter 7 or Chapter 13, indicating that the goal is reorganization, not liquidation.

David’s Bridal is still selling gowns and is reportedly able to make good on all orders. If you run into any problems, do let me know.

Curses, Foiled Again!

What do you do when you see police chasing a car theft suspect down the street after a high-speed pursuit ends on the block? Well, if you’re a pizza delivery guy for Cocco’s in Delco, you trip the suspect. “I couldn’t do anything with my hands because I’m holding the pizza, so I just stuck my leg out,” the driver told 6ABC. Yes, there’s video.

Mo Money? No Problem.

Just as we were wrapping up today’s Philly Today, news came across the wire that Jalen Hurts and the Eagles came to terms on a five-year, $255 million contract extension. The deal makes him the highest-paid player in NFL history. Go Birds.

New Fashion District Rules Go Into Effect Today

After concerns and complaints over large groups of teens in Center City — in particular a group outside Fashion District — the shopping complex’s new rules go into effect today. If you’re under the age of 18, you need to be accompanied by an adult 23 years or older. It’s going to be interesting to see how this plays out.

Headlines We’re Scared to Click On

“Worse Than the Spotted Lanternfly?” (Say it ain’t so!)

Back to Work

After his hospitalization for depression, John Fetterman returns to the United States Senate today.

By the Numbers

3: Days this week with lows that will dip into the 40s.

$64: Cost of a nosebleed seat at tonight’s Sixers playoff game.

400: Workers striking at Coca-Cola’s Northeast Philadelphia facility.

70: Dogs expected to be euthanized in Philadelphia next week if not adopted before then. Maybe it’s time to foster?

And from the Play-the-Song! Sports Desk …

I had my grandkids here for the weekend, so I didn’t actually get to watch much of what was going on in real time. But here’s what I’ve reconstructed in retrospect. Oh, and it was totally worth it for the hugs.

The Sixers handily won the first game of their NBA playoff series against the Nets on Saturday, 121-101. For some idiotic reason, the game was at one o’clock in the afternoon. The grandkids very considerately napped during the first half. They very inconsiderately woke up at halftime, and that was the last I got to see of Joel and company, so it’s a damn good thing the game wasn’t close. They play again tonight at 7:30 (the Sixers, not the grandkids), and our house guests are off my hands now, so I can’t wait! In case you haven’t heard, if you were anxious to see Ben Simmons in this showdown, you won’t, because he’s rehabbing his, ahem, injured back. He’s not even traveling to Philly for the games here, because he’s a giant wienie.

Nor did I get to watch any of the Phillies’ three-game series vs. the Reds over the weekend. I did get to watch about 9,543 episodes of a terrible Netflix kids’ TV show called Meekah, a word that even the one-year-old has learned to say, very emphatically. The Phillies thrashed the Reds, 8-3, on Friday; got creamed on Saturday by those same Reds, 13-0, and then pounded the hell out of the Reds yesterday, 14-3. In Sunday’s game, which I saw on replay, they more than batted around in the first inning and went up by nine runs. This is turning into a very confusing season for the Fightin’s. They start a three-game series against the White Sox tonight at 7:10. Bryson Stott’s been on a record-setting hitting streak:

On Saturday, Julian Carranza’s late doop helped the Union battle back from a two-goal deficit vs. the Chicago Fire—well, one was a bizarre own goal by our own Nathan Harriel—to land a 2-2 draw in the away game. The fans are getting restless …

In other news, Joel Embiid is one of three finalists for the NBA MVP award, along with Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. It’s the third straight year in which Joel has been named a finalist, and HE HAD BETTER WIN THIS TIME or somebody is going to be very, very sorry, and it’s not my grandkids.

The Flyers, meanwhile, are toast.

All Philly Today Sports Desk coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.