On October 8, 2009, I dropped off several items to be consigned with It’s a Bridal Thing. At the time, it was located on 7512 E Independence Blvd, Suite 104, Charlotte, NC 28227. I spoke with the owner, Sonya Fogle, and she agreed to sell three items for me: a wedding dress, a veil, and a tiara.
I then heard nothing else from her, except for when I would email her to get a status update. I wasn’t sure how consigning items worked, but I thought it odd that once she took the items, she stopped communicating. When I would ask her how they were doing, she would simply reply that they hadn’t sold yet but they were still for sale.
On August 8, 2010 (almost a year after I dropped off the items), I emailed her asking for yet another status update and she asked if I’d like to reduce the prices. I’d never even been told what the prices were. I asked her to please let me know what they were on sale for, and she responded that she’d set the prices at $60 for the tiara, $180 for the dress and $50 for the veil. She recommended we not drop the prices, so I told her that was fine to leave them as-is.
I emailed her a few times over the next year, always with the same response: that the items had not sold.
On August 1 of this year, I emailed her for another update. I had a red flag when the email (sent to sonyafogle@metrolivinghs.com) was returned. I googled her shop, found a new email address for her, and forwarded our exchange to her at the new address, sonya@itsabridalthing.com. She responded back that she would research the items and get back to me. On August 12, she emailed me this message:
Melissa: I cannot seem to find a file for you. Did you return the forms. What three items were consigned? Thanks, Sonya
Considering we had been in contact several times during the past two years, I was surprised that she was acting as if she had no clue who I was. But I chalked it up to bad organization skills and I reminded her of the items. She said she would research them and get back to me.
Later in the day, I received this message from Sonya:
Yes, the dress I have located. It is still on display. It has been difficult to sell due to sizing. It is cut very small in relation to the tag size displayed. We usually sell wedding gowns in 7 – 10 months. The gown is liked by many because they think it has a vintage look. I don’t know that we are going to be able to sell the gown. We can release the gown back to you. I need to research the veil and tiara.
I responded back for her to let me know once she’d researched the other items and we would figure out what to do at that point. I was confused by the seemingly conflicting notions that many liked the gown, however, they were unable to sell it. I was also disappointed that the items had been sitting for two years, diminishing their value.
I waited until August 26, and I emailed her again to please give me a status update regarding the veil and tiara. She responded back that day:
I hadn’t forgotten about you. I apologize I am getting down to the wire on a wedding I am planning on this weekend. I was able to locate the veil and tiara… I am leaving at 3pm this afternoon to head to a wedding for the weekend. But as soon as I return, I will be able to assemble these items for you next week to release the consignment back to you. I am to return to the office on Tuesday. I will be in touch at the start of next week. Thanks for your patience.
My patience had waned by that point, and I told her that in a message sent to her that day. I asked her to please get them back to me the following week. I heard nothing in return. I sent emails on Sept. 9, Sept. 19, Sept. 20. I told her if she did not return my items in a timely manner, I would be contacting the authorities. On Oct. 6, I asked her via email to please send $290 to cover the fees in lieu of returning the items.
During the month of September, with my suspicians raised, I did some online research and discovered that others had been unhappy with her as well. Apparently Ms. Sonya Fogle has a habit of taking items to sell and then not selling or returning the items. I found a negative review on their facebook page, which has since been erased. There’s a negative review written on yellow pages.com and yahoo.com from a girl who seems to have had the exact same experience I had. It‘s a Bridal Thing’s web site is no longer working. It was working in August, as that’s how I was able to obtain her new contact information. I had the following phone numbers for Sonya: 800/804-2082, 704/567-2176 (both disconnected), and 704/968-0444 (working.) I left a voice mail for Sonya to return my call on the working number. No response. She has a new facebook page, under the name of It’s a Bridal Thing Too. The information there mentions that she has a shop in Matthews, NC, but does not include an address. I did find her personal Facebook page, which she does seem to keep current.
Additionally, a review written on their google site signed by “Shelly” but with username Sonya (hmm) states that they will rent gowns the day of. Uhm, what? That tells me she could have been renting my items out for the past two years, making money off of them, and I never saw a dime. She never mentioned one word to me about renting my items out. Based on that, I don’t even want the items back – who knows what condition they are in by now. I just want the money, based on what she said they were worth.
Another review left on this site seems to echo my experience:
In September 2010, I left my bridal gown at Sonya Fogle’s store on consignment. It has been almost one year and when I went by to get my dress after she has been eluding me, her business is closed down. I checked with the county’s business office and she officially went out of business in December 2010. She is now claiming that she has a new business in Matthews NC, even giving me an address to meet her. She never showed, there is a different business there, and she does not have a registered business in the county. Now she is avoiding my calls and I cannot get my dress or my money. I am pressing charges against her. Do not trust her. She is a con artist.
So, I’m not sure what to do next. I have filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I’m sending a copy of this to Action 9, since I’m not the only one with this issue. I hope they can help me get the money that Sonya Fogle owes me!
*Update: After I filed the complaint with BBB and they contacted the business, I finally got a voice mail from Ms. Fogle – from a blocked number. She said “I hope you haven’t been trying to email me, because I’ve been out of town for a month.” She asked me to email her to her personal email (this makes the third email address I now have for her) with my address and she would ship me the items. As she’s had the items for two years, she’s likely been renting them out this whole time without my consent, and who knows what condition they are in, I responded to this third email account that she should just send me the money. I got another call from a blocked number with no voice mail around 8 pm last night; no voice mail but I suspect it was her. Have not heard back from the email yet. Will keep you posted!
