Montgomery Ward Catalog

[maytagmike]

Montgomery Ward in Wheaton Plaza, Wheaton Md

In the early 70's after I graduated from high school, I used to go to this wards store and check out the new model washing machines. It was one of the anchor stores for the mall. They always had the Signature machines right next to the Maytags. My cousin bought a top of the line almond Maytag pair from Montgomery Ward.

 

[roto204]

Style and substance

Here in Tucson, our Wards opened with the El Con mall, before they leveled the adjacent El Conquistador resort. It looked a lot like the Wonderland store in Kevin's post, but in its later years, was a beige stuccoed monolith, with the lousy 70s logo to the end. It was forgettable--I can't find any photos after it was turned bland.

Compare its opening day photo (nifty) with the Park Mall Sears that opened around the same time (wow!). The Park Mall Sears is still there, as is much of the flagstone, but it was turned 80s-bland at some point as well.

Or, compare it to the chic Penneys (still at El Con; the Wards store was razed for an equally uninteresting Target, and the interior mall was removed, so that's now an exterior-facing entrance--with the yawner Helvetica signage now, alas).

 

[roto204]

And now

Here's what they became--for shame. (The MW store is an approximation, but it's close; the Sears and Penneys stores are, sadly, actual.)

 

[vacerator]

Oh, the Dearborn

Wards on Michigan and Schafer of course! There was also another on the east side at Gratiot and Seven Mile.
The Southgate shopping center had a Wards, and a Federal's.
Lincoln Park had Hudsons and Penneys on Fort street until Southland mall opened. The Sears on Southfield in Lincoln park is still open.
Universal mall at 12 mile and Dequindre had a Wards and a Crowleys.
Wonderland mall is long gone. Northland closed last year. Eastland is next. It was not enclosed when built, like Wonderland.
The Livonia mall, Oakland and Macomb mall were alike companion designed malls
operated then by the Schostak brothers developers. Two are left.
The miles I traveled in the D working for Borman food/ Farmer Jack.

 

[gansky1]

A few quick snaps from the Fall & Winter 1940-41 MW Catalog - 

http://from the MW Catalog on the Coffee Table F&W 1940-41

 

[a440]

Greg,

Those are fun scans! GASOLINE RANGE?! I have never heard of such a thing! UL Approved at that. Wonder how safe they really were? Or how in the world they even worked?

I loved the Signature Model washers / dryers. As a kid, I thought they were beautifully styled and unique. Also loved the wonderful sounds when running.

I often thought Wards and Western Auto were in competition with each other. The customers that shopped at Western Auto and Wards left Sears and Penny's to the "High Class" folks.

 

[rp2813]

Greg!

Wow -- that looks like a re-badged KA mixer!  If Wards had maintained relationships with high quality manufacturers like that, I'd probably have a different opinion of them.  Instead, I've been scarred for life.

 

[davey7]

So I was in Monroe, Wisconsin for Cheese Days this week and learned that the Swiss Colony has purchased Montgomery Wards and runs it and it's warehousing from their various buildings on the west side of Monroe.