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  • Report:  #2954

Complaint Review: Prestige Gown Cleaning (JDL Inc.) - Flushing New York

Reported By:
- Tempe, Arizona,
Submitted:
Updated:

Prestige Gown Cleaning (JDL Inc.)
189-11 Union Turn Pike Flushing, 11353 New York, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-292-4696
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
I sent my wedding gown to be cleaned and preserved by a company in New York called Prestige Gown Cleaners in Flushing, NY. There was a tag attached to the receipt of an evening gown I purchased at a dress outlet store (no longer in business), stating that the garment I purchased should only be cleaned by the Zurcion method. I assumed the manufacturer of the garment recommended

Prestige, but I now find out I was deceived.

Prestige received my gown to clean and preserve in November '99 and charged my VISA. It was supposed to be receive it back by January 27, 2000.

I have been given a number of creative and conflicting reasons why the return of my gown has been delayed. I have been given new ship dates which have come and gone and now when I call and give my name, I am automatically put into a voice messaging system. No one returns my calls. I have also written a letter to the President of the company and followed up with calls - no return call or letter. This is not acceptable business practice!!!!

Roseanne, a customer service rep, has told me that Prestige has been sold and all dresses will be shipped back by Worldwide (the new company). Even though I was previously told (by Roseanne, while she was working for Prestige) that my dress was cleaned and preserved and ready to be shipped back in March.

She now tells me it was only partially cleaned. Roseanne said she would have it recleaned, but it will take a few more weeks. I told her no, ship it "as is." I called back again. They did not have a box to ship it in. Then I was told that they do not have the staff nor are they set up with UPS to ship out the over 400 wedding gowns that they have waiting to be returned to

irate customers.

Buyer Beware. Prestige has moved to Brookland and is doing business under the name of WORLDWIDE Gown Cleaning. Before Prestige, they were doing business as NATIONWIDE Gown Cleaning.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has list of complaints from people who cannot get their gowns back. The FTC is doing an investigation on the company and its owners for false labeling. Many of the gowns had labels sewn in the garment that said: "Zurcion Clean Only." So regular Dry Cleaners will

not clean the gown if they see this label. So the consumer is forced to send the dress to Prestige for cleaning. Their number is conveniently listed on the label. The FTC had fined the owner of Prestige for false labeling when he was doing business under Nationwide Gown Cleaning.

If you have been ripped off by this company, or have any information that might assist in FTC's investigation, contact Neil Blickman @ 202-326-3038.

Also contact the NY Attorney General Consumer Fraud and Protection Bureau @ 212-416-8376, contact: Lara F. Weinstein.

On June 29th I finally received my gown in a flimsy box which was torn open in many places. It only had one piece of tape going over the top. When I opened the box it had a strong musty smell. Upon inspection, my dress was never cleaned. It still had the lipstick stain inside. I also noticed that there were alterations done to my dress. The hem was now shorter, I could

tell it was cut and sewn poorly. The pads that I paid a tailor to insert into the dress were missing and a dart in the bodice was ripped open. My veil was crumpled on the bottom of the box. It was not in any kind of protective bag.

I called the BBB and told them I had my dress, but it was damaged. They said that their job was done, I have my dress. I called my rep at the Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau to tell her about the condition of my dress. They said they were only a mediation agency. There is nothing that they could do. I later found out that there is a lot more that the Bureau

can do in its jurisdiction, but the case on Prestige was assigned to an intern and nothing was done with it.

I received a call from the NY District Attorney. They said that they had subpoenaed the BBB and had 41 names of women who had problems with getting their dresses back. They heard about the case because the police department received a call from a woman asking them to get her dress from Prestige.

They were going to try to present a criminal case against Prestige, but most of the dresses were returned and there were not enough complaints in their opinion. Nine of the dresses were not returned out of the 41 dresses. And most of the dresses that were returned were not cleaned or came back

damaged.

Why does Prestige pre-charge $400 to clean and preserve a wedding gown, hold the dress for 7 months or longer and not even clean it? (and lie about it) Why has Prestige gone under 3 different names in the last 5 years? For what purpose was my dress altered? Why were we given a string of lies during

the entire process? These are questions I would like answered by some agency. There are at least 41 of us that would like to keep others from being harmed by Prestige, now going under the name of Worldwide Gown Cleaning, (with the same cast of characters).

Anyone who has had a bad experience with company should also file a report on this web site.


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