The History of Montgomery Ward - An American Retail Icon from 1872-2001
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- čas přidán 23. 05. 2021
- Aaron Montgomery Ward worked hard as a young teenager to help support his family. Learning many trades and working as a traveling salesman, he realized the farming market was wide open without competition. Farmers and ranchers had to purchase equipment and products from local country/general stores while Montgomery Ward wanted to provide better quality products at a better prices and began the first even mail-order catalog in 1872. After success, Sears came out with their own catalog in 1893 becoming a competitor to the end. Montgomery Ward opened a large headquarters and company catalog house in Chicago in 1908. He passed away in 1913 but the company's success continued. The expansion of the automobile led to a decline in catalog sales and Montgomery Ward opened up numerous retail locations.
During World War II, head of Montgomery Ward, Sewell Avery, went head to head with his unions as well as President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Not wanting to cease production in the necessary of war time, Roosevelt seized Montgomery Ward twice throughout the war time until 1945 - at one point even physically removing Avery from his Chicago office. The company began to struggle due to not expanding to shopping malls in the beginning while other companies were. There were other department stores such as Walmart, Target and many more expanding by the 1990s. Montgomery Ward struggled and through a couple of acquisitions from other companies, closed by 2001. Today, the Montgomery Ward name and website still exist, but from a new owner that purchased only the names and trademarks in 2004. Please check out the video for more detailed history of this iconic American company. #retailrewind
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Till this day we still have a microwave from Montgomery wards
And it still works!
I remember my Mom taking me there for back to school shopping as a kid. Lots of memories. Looks likeSears have fared no better than MW these days. Thats sad too. They could have been right there with Amazon, if they had only had a little more foresight.
It's fun that so many people, including myself, have back to school shopping memories at places like Montgomery Ward, Kmart, or even different malls. MW was indeed innovative.
I remember every Christmas looking through the Montgomery ward and Sears catalog picking out stuff for Christmas the good all days are gone it’s a damn shame thanks Walmart for destroying so many great American stores
Nice work! It was really a shame to see them go.
Thank you! A real shame indeed.
I remember we bought our n64 from Montgomery ward.... That's it.. it's all I remember.... 😕
The best video game system :)
Why do you claim the company died in 2001? I order from them every Xmas. They are mail order only.
Good question! Their retail establishments were liquidated in 2001. You're correct though, the Montgomery Ward catalog can be found today and were started by a DSMI, a marketing company, I believe in 2004. They bought the intellectual properties (names, trademarks, etc) of the former Montgomery Ward company. So, even though the name exists, in essence, the original Montgomery Ward that began in 1872 sadly was gone after 2001.
@@RetailRewind The new owners wanted the public to believe Montgomery Ward was resurrected, when in fact the original company died as you mentioned. GE Capital sold the trademarks and other intellectual property related to Wards to DSMI, who then was acquired by Colony Brands in 2008.
Different company.
Thanks Walmart for destroying yet another great company
nothing last for ever MW been round almost 130 years i think that very long time .
Glad they are gone!