PITTSTON, Pa. — The gowns in the window of Gerri Bridal on Main Street will soon come down after the owner decided it's time to close up shop after 56 years in business.
"My mother started the business and I've been there since the day we opened, it would be 57 years in July," said Judy Monko, owner.
Racks and racks of sparkly dresses fill the shop, along with shoes and accessories to complete the look.
Monko says the pandemic hit the wedding industry hard.
"Giving refunds to everybody, it just nailed me, and I got stuck with a lot of gowns because they were ordered, so I had to take them. The pandemic has just changed the whole world," said Monko.
Even when weddings started to pick back up, the business was crippled by the worker shortage, rising costs, and supplier delays.
Monko is also seeing brides scaling down on the big day.
"They used to have lots of bridesmaids but I'm finding the girls are having smaller weddings on average anymore. I mean, you still have some girls that come in with ten girls in their wedding party," she said.
Looking back at all of those years in business, the owner says it's been an honor and a privilege being a part of so many special occasions.
"I've dressed thousands and thousands of brides, brides maid's prom kids. You see them and you tend to have families who have been coming here generation after generation," Monko explained.
Jolynda Brown and her daughter came into the shop on the hunt for the perfect prom dress.
It brings back memories for Jolynda; she found her prom dress with her mother at this very shop.
"I came here with my mom when I was going to my junior prom and now I get to bring my daughter. We had to make sure we stopped in to do one last hoorah, especially because she's my only daughter and it is her senior year," she said.
Gerri Bridal will officially close Saturday.
All items, including gowns, are fifty percent off.
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