Today’s Market Basket column in the South Bend Tribune has a brief blurb about their attempts to contact Kathy Strukel owner of Brides A La Mode.

We did not hear back from the owner about a possible reopening, nor did we receive new information about the status of the business after requesting it from the City Plaza shopping center owner.

If Kathy Strukel won’t even communicate with the South Bend Tribune, then this store is out of business. If  you have been holding out hope, thinking that this wedding gown shop would reopen or the owner would do what was right and put out a public notice about what was going to happen, we strongly suggest it’s time to move on. We feel bad for the customers who have been caught up in this mess. We have been recommending taking steps to move forward and find alternatives since nearly the start of this on January 31 and this should be the proof that that is the only option.

Can you get your money back? Many credit card companies allow you to protest a charge from 6 months to a year after purchase. Even if you are beyond that time you should be still be able to protest if you have not taken possession of your merchandise!

Did you pay by cash or check? If yes, your situation is far more difficult. But most likely you won’t get an answer back so your alternative is small claims court. But depending on the amount of money involved it may cost more to pursue in court than just writing it off to lesson learned. And even being rewarded an amount of money in court does not mean the defendant will pay it to you.

Was your gown in and you were storing it at BAM until needed? If you haven’t heard from Kathy Strukel and your attempts to contact her have resulted in nothing, there is the option of contacting the police. Several years ago a Michiana photographer vanished on his clients and after several complaints to the police by customers, the police opened his office and carted off all the negatives and prints they could find to distribute to the rightful customers.

When restarting the search for the perfect wedding gown for your Michiana Wedding we recommend checking out the following wedding gown shops: Our favorite is Bernardo’s for the Bride, loacated across from Farmers Market, in South Bend. There is also Greta’s on Lincolnway near the corner of Miami. In Plymouth there is Treats and in Elkhart there is Stephensons. All of them have long stable histories in the Michiana Wedding market.