Azteca Bridal: Popular Phoenix business closes after 60 years of operation
PHOENIX, ARIZONA: Azteca Bridal, a beloved Phoenix-based business, has announced its closure after six decades of operation.
Azteca, a pillar of the Phoenix bridal and quinceanera industry reportedly concluded its services after 60 years on November 30, per Phoenix Business Journal.
The family-owned business started offering quinceanera dresses around 1972, responding to the growing demand from Phoenix’s expanding Latino population.
Azteca Bridal - 'Bridal shop for all of Arizona'
Bertha Gonzalez, who purchased her wedding dress from Azteca Bridal in 1967, returned to the store during its final two weeks of operation to buy a quinceanera dress for her great-granddaughter.
"This was a bridal shop for all of Arizona, especially for us … the Mexican people," Gonzalez stated.
What did the co-owner of Azteca Bridal say?
"If the doors are open, somebody in the family had to be here. It wasn’t a case that we were going to be distant owners," stated Raoul Torrez, Azteca Bridal co-owner.
"Somebody from the family got to be here and that was pretty much a guiding principle up until today."
Torrez took a trip down memory lane, reflecting on the thousands of customers Azteca has served over the years.
He reportedly used the final weeks of business to honor their stories. In the store’s last week of operation, all items were discounted by 70%, and all existing orders were assured to be completed.
Who founded Azteca Bridal?
A photo collage displayed near the entrance of Azteca Bridal in downtown Phoenix pays tribute to the store’s founders, Adolfo and Kay Torrez.
The couple, who are also Torrez’s parents, opened this bridal shop in 1962 near 10th and Washington streets.
Before this, they had successfully run a variety of businesses including a restaurant, flower shop, and furniture store, extending the family’s business legacy to over 70 years.
"My parents, they’re the ones that went through the struggles and making sure that things started working well and operating good," Torrez noted.
Kay and Adolfo Torrez first crossed paths in a Phoenix nightclub, where Kay was working as a photographer.
Kay had developed business acumen from managing a photography business with her father, while Adolfo was the "strong man behind the strong woman," as described by Raoul Torrez.
From Azteca Cafe to Azteca Bridal
The couple, not wanting to work for others, decided to open a restaurant in a building in downtown Phoenix, which already had a sign that read 'Azteca Cafe', and they kept the name.
The father, seeing an opportunity in the bridal business, encouraged his wife, who had no sewing experience, to manage it, assuring her that she could hire others to sew.
Kay Torrez reportedly took on the daily operations of selling formalwear and interacting with customers, while Adolfo handled the cooking, shopping, and cleaning, becoming the first "Mr. Mom."
They worked as a team and even built the building that Azteca Bridal still operates in, using the floor from an old gymnasium and lumber from demolition projects.
Kay hired local men to remove the nails from the wood.
Siblings continue parent's legacy
In the early 1980s, as Kay and Adolfo Torrez grew older, they gradually transferred the reins of their business to their children - Raoul Torrez, Gregory Torrez, and Royna Rosell.
All three siblings had been involved in the business from a young age, having grown up in an apartment connected to the plaza.
However, the transition of power was not immediate. Their parents, who were always present, simply reduced their involvement, allowing their children to gradually assume more responsibility.
Following the death of their parents, Rosell assumed her mother’s duties, which included overseeing alterations, managing employee schedules, and ordering wedding gowns.
Raoul Torrez took over his father’s behind-the-scenes work, while Gregory Torrez served in a consulting capacity.
What happened to Kay and Adolfo Torrez?
In 1972, Kay and Adolfo Torrez experienced a tragic accident that resulted in Adolfo becoming semi-paralyzed on his right side.
Despite this setback, Adolfo demonstrated remarkable resilience by showing up every day until his last, as recounted by his son, Raoul Torrez.
"But he showed up … every day to the day he passed away," Raoul stated.
The Torrez family has decided to close their business following the sale of their property.
Raoul Torrez reportedly mentioned that there was no intention to sell the 'Azteca' brand name, given the abundance of other bridal shops available for customers to purchase wedding dresses from.
The Torrez siblings are set to embrace retirement. "For generations our family has been proud to serve other families in this community with all of their special moments," the AZ Bride page said on Facebook.
"We thank you for your trust in us and wish you and your families the very best! #aztecabride #azbride #foreverlove."
Alice Nielson DeWitt, a user who shopped at Azteca wrote on Facebook, saying, "I was sad when I read that Azteca Bridal shop is closing after all these years. I purchased my wedding dress and veil there in 1997 and I still love it."
"I love even more that my daughter decided to wear them for her own wedding this year. (Originally I resisted this, insisting that she should have her own dress, but she prevailed, and I’m so glad she did.)"