SALEM, Ore. -- The owner of a Salem dress store may be closing up shop after accusations of taking wedding dress orders then not delivering the gowns or providing refunds.
Aaron Michael Steach wrote on Facbook Tuesday that he would be liquidating merchandise from his store, Aaron Michael Prom & Pageant, formally Simply Grand by Aaron Michael.
Steach then deleted the store’s Facebook page and store’s phone line was also disconnected.
The news comes as more frustrated customers come forward including Glen Small of Newport. His daughter Emily was married last weekend and wore a dress purchased last minute from a different store.
“It was a beautiful wedding despite the dress fiasco,” said Small.
Small said his daughter ordered her dress from Steach last April, put down $500 for it and was told it would arrive in plenty of time for her December wedding.
“A little over a month before the wedding there was no dress,” said Small, “just a series of promises and lies.”
Small wanted to share his story after seeing KGW’s first report on Steach.
Customer Megan Heidt said Steach owed her nearly $700 for a dress she ordered from Simply Grand in March for her November wedding, but never arrived. On December 1, Steach told KGW he would refund Heidt’s money within a week. Heidt is still waiting for her money and taking legal action.
Small is considering doing the same to recover $500 he said Steach owes his daughter.
“Going with her that day to the store and confronting Aaron Michael and just seeing this distraught bride, that was tough,” Small said.
Customers aren’t the only people seeking money from Steach.
A former store manager who wished to remain anonymous, told KGW she quit in November because of the way she said Steach was dealing with customers, vendors and staff. She said Steach still owes her a month’s worth of pay.