Bridal Castle lifts the veil for last time today

Bridal Castle Tuxedo Palace is closing its doors to the public with today being its last day open. The business at 3209 Kennedy Lane will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today for the last time. The Texarkana business has served area brides, grooms and formal event attendees since 1971.
Bridal Castle Tuxedo Palace is closing its doors to the public with today being its last day open. The business at 3209 Kennedy Lane will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today for the last time. The Texarkana business has served area brides, grooms and formal event attendees since 1971.

Bridal Castle Tuxedo Palace, a Texarkana business that has served area brides, grooms, etc. since 1971, will close its doors for the final time at the end of today's business. The family that has run Bridal Castle all this time has decided it is time to retire.

"It is time," said Vickie Landreth, who is co-owner of the business with Dorothy Schelkopf, her mother. "We've enjoyed our deep ties with the community providing generations with their formal wear needs. But it is time to take care of the family."

Schelkopf opened the business in 1971 and ran it from their location at 2604 New Boston Road, next to what was at the time a Dairy Queen and is now Big Jake's. Now it's on Kennedy Lane.

"Bridal Castle was there for 30 years," said Landreth. "We ran it along with a couple other family businesses, including Gauntt's Flowers."

Landreth joined Bridal Castle in 1982, after getting her marketing degree at East Texas State University. Landreth did not picture herself going into the family business for good after graduation, but once she was in, she stayed.

"It was the family business," she said. "And I enjoyed it. Over the years, we have established relationships with our customers and our community. At Bridal Castle, we say, 'Bridal Castle, where the bride is treated like a queen.' We have always sought to do more than sell a product. We put the customer first. So over time, we have done proms, pageants, weddings and have seen women grow up and have handled their formal wear needs over multiple occasions and generations. All these occasions, we have been there, through many lives."

Landreth said the number of women they have assisted over the years numbers in the thousands.

"I wish we had kept a log," she said.

Landreth said the secret to the long-term success of Bridal Castle is about those deep ties with generations in the community. Also, she credited keeping her finger on the pulse of the world of formal fashion.

"I am the former director of Miss Texarkana and am still on the pageant board," said Landreth. She also has served as president of the Southwest Bridal Association and director of bridal marketing for the Bridal Marketing Association of America.

But now they will be closing the business and today is the last day. Contemplating the future without Bridal Castle, Landreth felt a bit disoriented.

"I feel a bit lost," she said. "It has been a part of my life for a long time. But time moves on. We will miss it. We have built relationships with customers over the years and you don't just let that go."

Even though Bridal Castle closes today, they still will be clearing out the space. If anyone is interested in anything available, give them a call. Also, for anyone interested in taking over the space, they are entertaining offers.

"If you are interested in any of the above items, contact us," Landreth said.

Bridal Castle Tuxedo Palace is at 3209 Kennedy Lane. Call 903-838-3886.

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