Federated Selling Bridal Group

CINCINNATI-Federated Department Stores is selling its Bridal Group chains to a private-equity firm and retailer Men’s Wearhouse for about $850 million. The retailer, which acquired the group’s nearly 800 stores as a part of its August 2005 purchase of May Department Stores, announced intentions last May to sell it off.

A Los Angeles-based private-equity firm is taking the 269-store David’s Bridal and 10-store Priscilla of Boston chains for about $750 million. Men’s Wearhouse, based in Houston, will buy the 511-unit After Hours Formalwear for approximately $100 million. The parties expect to close the deal in next year’s first quarter.

David’s Bridal, with headquarters in the Philadelphia area, was founded in 1950 and acquired by May in 2000, when the chain had 110 stores. After Hours, with head operations in Atlanta, was bought by May in 2001 when it operated 242 units. Both chains are mostly in open-air centers.