Minerva's Bridal Outlet

t I expected. I recently visited the store with my daughter and her friend on Wednesday, April 9 around 3:00 PM. Upon arrival at Minerva’s Bridal & Prom Outlet on West Sand Lake Rd in Orlando, FL the conditions were far from ideal, with a power outage (no lights and no air conditioning). It was cooler outside, and we had to use a phone flashlight in the dressing room. Despite these uncomfortable conditions, we stayed and continued shopping, working with the staff in good faith, only to feel misled about the value of their dresses. After trying on three other dresses, at 3:40pm we selected a dress by La Femme, style number 32023 in Navy. Upon closer inspection, we noticed a hole, missing beading, and a damaged slit tack. We were unsure of the price as the pricing structure of the store wasn’t clear—other dresses were either full-price or discounted, but there was no mention that some sections or items were marked at full price when compared to others, creating confusion. We were offered $20 off their full price, or their price and they would make the repairs. We placed the dress on hold and did some researching. After comparing prices with other online and local retailers, we found the same gown was being offered for significantly less, and in perfect condition, while we were being asked to pay over full retail price for a damaged item. What I find to be crazy is that the store was selling this gown at a higher price than everywhere else, even though it was in an outlet store and was damaged. With no communication or signage stating they had outlet and “regular” priced items. I called the store at 4:15 PM and emailed them, bringing up competitor pricing. A price match and a $50 “damage” discount were offered, but it didn’t address the fact that we were still being asked to pay a premium for a damaged dress in an outlet store with poor shopping conditions. We had discussions throughout the day via phone and email, continuing until after 10:00 PM, hoping for a resolution. The response from the store manager as well as the owner to my concerns was dismissive and unprofessional, completely ignoring the issues raised. It felt as though legitimate concerns were not being taken seriously, and I was left with no choice but to escalate this matter. I'm happy to say that despite the disappointing experience at Minerva’s Bridal & Prom Outlet, my daughter found another beautiful dress elsewhere. Additionally, we plan to order the same gown by La Femme, style number 32023, from a different retailer at a significantly better price, with none of the issues we encountered at this store. I’ve decided to file complaints with the **Better Business Bureau** and the **Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services**, as well as share my experience publicly so that others can make an informed decision before shopping here. It’s unfortunate that what could have been a positive experience turned into a frustrating one, and I hope the store management takes customer feedback more seriously in the future.