American Commodore closing tuxedo stores, part of sudden closures in multiple states

Eric Marotta, Akron Beacon Journal
Updated ·3 min read
American Commodore formal wear store on Howe Avenue in Cuyahoga Falls suddenly closed its doors, one of dozens of stores owned by Dapper & Dashing brands to close in multiple states.
American Commodore formal wear store on Howe Avenue in Cuyahoga Falls suddenly closed its doors, one of dozens of stores owned by Dapper & Dashing brands to close in multiple states.

American Commodore stores in Northeast Ohio suddenly closed on Monday, creating havoc with wedding plans as Georgia-based Dapper & Dashing closed other similar chains across the country.

Messages left with American Commodore stores and Dapper & Dashing were not immediately returned.

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American Commodore locations in Summit Mall, Cuyahoga Falls, suddenly close

In Summit County, American Commodore in Fairlawn suddenly closed its doors Monday, along with stores in Canton, Cuyahoga Falls, Niles and Boardman.

A notice on the front door of the American Commodore location on Howe Avenue in Cuyahoga Falls tells patrons the store is closed "due to unforeseen circumstances."
A notice on the front door of the American Commodore location on Howe Avenue in Cuyahoga Falls tells patrons the store is closed "due to unforeseen circumstances."

Brian Pringle, assistant manager of the Jos. A. Bank store in Summit Mall, which is not affiliated with Dapper & Dashing, said store employees there were told over the weekend that the American Commodore would be closing and to expect an influx of customers.

On the American Commodore Cuyahoga Falls store's Facebook Page, customers were posting questions and responding to each other about their wedding plans and the store's closure on the store's last post, made at 11:04 a.m. Sunday.

Mike Langham of Mantua Township, who is opening a Crumbl Cookies location right next to the Cuyahoga Falls tux shop, said Tuesday morning he was dismayed that his new neighbor has been shuttered.

"It's sad to see American Commodore Tuxedo go out of business," he said. "They've been around for years. I rented my high school tux there."

He stopped to talk while loading boxes into his new store, lamenting that a fellow business was heading in the opposite direction.

"I met the manager yesterday, and she told me that she got an email from corporate. " Langham said. "They told her to gather her personal belongings because they were closing down."

Joe Bell, director of corporate communications for the Cafaro Company, which owns Eastwood Mall in Niles, said his firm has been trying to contact American Commodore seeking an explanation why their store there shut its doors without notice Monday.

Likewise in Boardman, a customer told WKBN TV-27 that an American Commodore store employee sent a text to customers telling them the store is closing and to come to the Southern Park Mall to pick up their clothing and not worry about returning anything.

American Commodore has 12 stores in Ohio. Its parent company, Dapper & Dashing, is a group of retail formalwear brands headquartered in Georgia, with stores in 12 states.

Stores in other states also closed suddenly

Dapper & Dashing lists seven regional brands as subsidiaries. It is unclear how many stores and which brands are closing.

KPRC TV-2 in Houston reports an employee of Al's Formal Wear, a Dapper & Dashing subsidiary, said employees were informed Saturday that all stores would be closing immediately. That brand has with about two dozen locations in Texas and one in Colorado. The station reported that employees received emails from Dapper & Dashing informing them the stores would not reopen and that customers need not return their rentals.

A look inside the American Commodore location on Howe Avenue in Cuyahoga Falls.
A look inside the American Commodore location on Howe Avenue in Cuyahoga Falls.

Likewise, Tip Top Tux and Dream Dress Express stores in Sioux City, Iowa, closed suddenly. A Tip Top Tux store manager told KTIV TV-4 that Dapper & Dashing notified employees by email at 2 a.m. Monday that the stores would be closed permanently. There would be no severance or benefits provided to employees, the station reported. It also posted a photograph of sign in one storefront window that states customers returning their tuxedos from the weekend may keep them.

Phil Masturzo contributed to this report. Eric Marotta can be reached at emarotta@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Dapper & Dashing, owner of American Commodore, shuts multiple brands