tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post2439474164910790953..comments2024-03-21T01:17:34.038-05:00Comments on Pleasant Family Shopping: "Have A Nice Day" at Wards!Davehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788722183424550052noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-28000177609676633512013-01-30T07:04:45.220-06:002013-01-30T07:04:45.220-06:00Can anyone give me any information on the MOntgome...Can anyone give me any information on the MOntgomery Ward store that was located in downtown Columbus, Ohio? I have such fond memories of that big store and the people who worked there in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Was the location on Third St. or Fourth St?Sandynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-6338935285424172672012-09-10T07:26:24.013-05:002012-09-10T07:26:24.013-05:00Love the lawn department pic...they don't make...Love the lawn department pic...they don't make mowers like that anymore!Mattnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-3324724213352343812010-10-18T00:10:02.921-05:002010-10-18T00:10:02.921-05:00As usual, this was a very well-written entry. I l...As usual, this was a very well-written entry. I love reading your blog!Howard in Japannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-69710273899332938492010-10-12T17:37:43.886-05:002010-10-12T17:37:43.886-05:00I dunno. 1972 might be too early to be considered...I dunno. 1972 might be too early to be considered the most '70s-ish year. I think 1972 still had a late '60s veneer to them. The '70s didn't really take on a life of their own till '73. '75 or '76 is the most typically '70s-ish year, I think. 1977 was a transition year and '78-'80 were definitely, as you note, an '80s warm-up.Nightdragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08370963631661800240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-65393903868573449252010-10-12T09:29:32.425-05:002010-10-12T09:29:32.425-05:00The tube racks for clothing generally look tacky a...The tube racks for clothing generally look tacky and conjure up images of discount stores. The clothing departments in the MW shots actually look attractive. If Monty Wards could have maintained traction with this format, they could have beaten Target to the "cheap chic" image that the latter has made the most of. The psychodelic style of the "chain shop" and "reflections" has surprisingly aged very well, given early 70's fashions.<br /><br />The major issue that tainted Montgomery Wards was they had a reputation for poor quality goods, sometimes deserved, sometimes not. Combined with the obvious large geographic voids, Montgomery Wards couldn't overcome being an also ran in comparison to JCPenney and Sears.Kennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-24571276077876556482010-10-05T00:19:05.237-05:002010-10-05T00:19:05.237-05:00It was during this period when Wards finally built...It was during this period when Wards finally built out stores in their 'modular' format in Wisconsin. Until 1973, the only large-format store I can recall was one store that anchored the Mid-Cities Mall between Manitowoc and Two Rivers. (and this is just through reading stuff online and in old phone directories, not born until a few days shy of '79)<br /><br />Two of these so-called 'modular' stores, both around 50-60,000 SqFt were opened in Janesville (Janesville Mall) and my stomping grounds of Fond Du Lac (Forest Mall), respectively, in 1973 and 1974.<br /><br />Of course, since my hometown Wards was gone by early 1984, my memories of the store are at best, fuzzy. I recall the exterior more than the interior, but I'm sure the inside looked quite close to these images you posted....Day-Glo, rainbows and smileys in tow during its short 10-year stint. The outside was just as you put forth....preformed concrete slabs making up the walls, with an attached Auto Center flanking the west end of the store. I think our location also boasted a cafeteria-type restaurant, but I'm not sure.<br /><br />I only recall going into the store at several entry points...once through the interior mall entryway (we rarely left Wards for the mall via this way....it was always through Prange Way in those days. Hit Wards, get stuff, then drive around back and hit P-Way and the mall for other things), and several times through various exterior entries, including something that I can only describe as a side-corridor through the Auto Center's doorway.<br /><br />My mother's old Montgomery Wards' brand avacado green washer/dryer pair, and a mid/late 1970s GTE/Sylvania console stereo, all from my hometown Wards. I'll recall all that stuff vividly any day.<br /><br />Been a while since I did comment it seems. I still keep up with the blog constantly, Dave. Always a treat to see these sort of vintage shots, even if they don't help out anymore in drumming up more vivid recollections. It didn't help that by the mid 1970s - mid 1980s Wards was in a virtual freefall, and I was just a month into my 5th year of life when they pulled the plug on my town's location....and pretty much all other WI locations for that matter, save for Green Bay's location.<br /><br />I'm sure you'll have THAT part of the story coming soon. I'm interested in pinning down events of the late '70s and early '80s in the company history. I just know those things above, and that Mobil Oil owned Wards during that time.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16995028308806276177noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-52690078473192072922010-10-04T12:56:12.590-05:002010-10-04T12:56:12.590-05:00The canary yellow with black type scheme of "...The canary yellow with black type scheme of "Party Papers" seems to have inspired the look of Loblaws' "No Name" product line and "No Frills" supermarkets in Canada.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-83776721522051400482010-10-03T22:08:25.853-05:002010-10-03T22:08:25.853-05:00Kendra – Disney is full of creepy animatronic figu...Kendra – Disney is full of creepy animatronic figures –not even counting Pirates of the Caribbean! ;) <br /><br />I haven’t wanted to stare at the pic long enough to figure it out, but I’m pretty sure they are (too realistic) mannequins. <br /><br />A.S. – The height of cool, especially for Wards. I’m with you on the lawn tractors – lots of steel and very little plastic in those days, just like the era’s cars.<br /><br />Rachel - I agree –I much prefer the modern look where appliance colors are concerned (seems like stainless steel and black are the biggies today), but the harvest golds, avocado, burnt umber, etc., evoke that much simpler time and a raft of good memories.<br /><br />Didi – And I’m glad that you do! <br /><br />Some of this stuff may be available at thrift stores – you probably have some great ones in the Chicago area. Maybe there’s a special on avocado stuff this week! :)<br /><br />The store does seem a bit heavy on the canary yellow, and those mannequins did remind me of the older Bradlees scene. <br /><br />Glad that you liked this.<br /><br />Doug - My guess is they were a bit out of date chainwide. JCPenney especially seemed to be much more in style, with Sears somewhere in between.<br /><br />Target does a pretty solid job with the mid-price clothing they carry, but the “store within a store” concept would be interesting. It seems that many chains through the years have tried that as a last resort, but it would be intriguing to see how a vibrant chain as opposed to one in dire straits might go about it. <br /><br />Paul – Wow, great point. Who in the world would have bought one of these in 1972? Certainly someone from the old school (there were plenty of senior citizens around in ’72 that would have spent their young years with a wringer washer at home, and probably a fair amount with just a steel tub and washboard!) . Also, it may have been a solution for homes with well water and a very small holding tank, where a conventional washer wouldn’t work. Sure is anachronistic, though!<br /><br />David – The Wards described in Herndon’s book was long gone within just a few years. There was a huge difference between the Wards of 1970-72, when they were near their pinnacle, and that of the early 1980, when the final slide was already well underway. <br /><br />The “dating” story is an indicator of how much society has changed since then, and company policies everywhere were extremely lax as compared to today. <br /><br />“Eye bleach” – yow!Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07788722183424550052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-68779461860461725772010-10-02T19:17:05.362-05:002010-10-02T19:17:05.362-05:00Having read Booton Herndon's book back in the ...Having read Booton Herndon's book back in the 80's (yes I was a geek even then), only one thing remains that I recall from it. Apparently, Wards had no prohibition on employees dating other employees as most other businesses did. I am surprised that did not get them a bunch of harassment suits, maybe no one thought of that in the early 70's. Anyway, after reading the puff book by Herndon, I wondered why Wards seemed so different in reality than it was portrayed in the book. Maybe the decade or so since the book was written was not so good to Wards.<br /><br />That furniture department made me search for some eye bleach!D Truetthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08709934844508157519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-15330873116814662372010-10-02T12:15:28.331-05:002010-10-02T12:15:28.331-05:00Amazing that wringer washing machines were still b...Amazing that wringer washing machines were still being offered in 1972 (see the right hand side of the picture).Paul Ducanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-31610140680474137192010-10-02T00:10:26.187-05:002010-10-02T00:10:26.187-05:00Nice set of photos. I'm a skosh too young to h...Nice set of photos. I'm a skosh too young to have experienced the early seventies, but a lot of that still looked familiar to me from the "pre-80's"-I wonder if our local Monkey Wards stores were out of date or something.<br /><br />Didi, I agree that a sort of re-named "store within a store" would work in the clothing department at places like Target. I happen to like some of the stuff I see at Target (I particularly dig their graphic tees), but the plain pipe racks they use don't really entice me to shop there. Well, I shop there because I know better, but if I saw Target as a place to get inexpensive office supplies and stuff I wouldn't think about going into the clothes department.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05155864890687070702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-48993724255438682342010-10-01T10:17:36.696-05:002010-10-01T10:17:36.696-05:00And I love beginning sentences with "and"...And I love beginning sentences with "and" too, Dave. Not to fear. You are not alone. <br /><br />Where do I start? These pics are even more groovier than the last set you posted. <br /><br />I love the decor in the second photo. Anyone know where I can get a panel-like structure seen in that one? I could really use one for my living room.<br /><br />I'd love to see a contemporary spin on The Chain and Reflections at a place like Target, complete with signs and font, I think they would fit in quite nicely.<br /><br />The canary yellow in Tiny People and Paper Party is quite groovy, though those child mannequins are a bit creepy. Remember that one photo you posted a while back inside a Bradlee's store with the display mannequins all lined up like zombies? Yikes, I'd hate to see the scene with the kiddie ones!<br /><br />On the left side of the photo with the small kitchen gadgets, there appears to be waffle irons that come in different shades. My husband bought an avocado green one just like those pictured at an estate sale for five bucks, though we have yet to actually use it. <br /><br />My parents bought a rug from Wards in '89, though by then the color selection was not nearly as interesting or bright.<br /><br />And I'd be the type to buy an avocado green bbq and place a plant on it for decoration. It might spruce up the back yard!<br /><br />Fun post, Dave!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-28926691798165865412010-10-01T07:23:33.772-05:002010-10-01T07:23:33.772-05:00The yellow appliances are so atrocious, but they b...The yellow appliances are so atrocious, but they bring back such happy memories of my parents' house when I was young!Rachelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-48427743092974387682010-09-30T23:09:03.491-05:002010-09-30T23:09:03.491-05:00What a cool looking place. I could live there. Tho...What a cool looking place. I could live there. Those lawn tractors are <i>so</i> much better looking than today's.Armpit Studioshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11638263987047515853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-53492235195113755312010-09-30T21:46:08.040-05:002010-09-30T21:46:08.040-05:00Tiny World...I think I went on a ride at Disney a ...Tiny World...I think I went on a ride at Disney a bit like that once, replete with equally creepy mannequin-children.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com