Not related to the Rapture

Discount designer wedding dresses hit Costco and the crowd is intrigued, if notinspired to buy

The wedding gown scene at Costco.
Photo by Caroline Gallay
Kirstie Kelly, designer
Photo via www.KirstieKelly.com

We reported back in March about the designer wedding dresses slated to hit Costco stores (and we were a little apprehensive).

Well, six designs by Kirstie Kelly hit Costco Thursday, and we dropped by the Richmond location to see the scene. The dresses looked expectedly out of place in the midst of the discount warehouse, but the ambiance fared better once we stepped inside the pop-up, makeshift "fitting room."

We were prohibited from snapping any photos of the interior, but it was pretty standard fare: White curtains and carpeting, strappy sample sandals for trying stuff on and a long rack of sample sizes of the various designs. There are no individual stalls, just one semi-spacious fitting area, so cost-conscious brides-to-be are encouraged to make an appointment.

We talked to one of the two Kirstie Kelly reps, who told us that "a few" women had been by, but not many. The passersby we saw did less dress shopping than smartphone picture taking, and we were right there with them.

The rep also told us that there was no particular design that usually sold best. (Whether that's a statement on the overall success of the Costco wedding dress market or on the universal appeal of the designs, we can't speculate.)

But even if you don't find the dress of your dreams at Costco, you can still scoop up your cake. Your wedding bands. Your honeymoon. Your foliage. And your lifetime supply of hummus.

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no more magic of macy's

Macy's to shutter dozens of stores nationwide, including 1 in Houston

Courtesy photo

Macy's said it would be moving forward with closing 66 locations, including Houston's Alameda Mall store.

A major department store name is contracting its presence in Texas: Macy's is planning on closing six of its locations statewide, including a Houston store, by the end of April 2025.

Macy's is the New York-based brand, which includes Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, and Bluemercury.

According to a press release, the company will be closing 66 stores nationwide as a part of its "Bold New Chapter" strategy to make the company profitable again. In all, Macy's is planning on shuttering 150 "underproductive" locations by 2026.

The singular Houston Macy's that is included in the closure is located at Almeda Mall. A clearance sale is expected to begin this month and will last for approximately 8-12 weeks, according to a FAQ on the Macy's website. Shoppers who currently patronize that store will soon have to travel eight miles farther to Macy's Baybrook Mall location in Friendswood, or visit one of the three remaining locations in the city limits.

The five Dallas-Fort Worth stores that are closing include:

Macy's Village, 201 Stacy Rd. in Fairview
Shops at Willow Bend, 6209 W. Park Blvd. in Plano
Southlake Town Square, 321 State St. in Southlake
Market by Macy's WestBend, 1751 River Run #101 in Fort Worth
Highlands of Flower Mound, 6101 Long Prairie Rd. Suite 500 in Flower Mound

Though Texas is losing six stores, California and New York will be hit harder with the loss of nine stores each.

"Closing any store is never easy, but as part of our Bold New Chapter strategy, we are closing underproductive Macy’s stores to allow us to focus our resources and prioritize investments in our go–forward stores, where customers are already responding positively to better product offerings and elevated service," said Tony Spring, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, Inc. in the release.

shopping closings