We still have a Montgomery Ward deep freezer from 1992. The thing still refrigerates our hunting trip meats like a champ.

My mom actually made a career out of working for Montgomery Ward. She worked there for 25 years, and started off on the docks before working all the way up to Store Manager before they shuttered her store as a part of the 1997/1998 round of store closings. She'd go off to work for Kmart (which is ironically how I discovered you and this video from your Abandoned: Kmart video) for another 5 years before retiring for good. The picture you show at 9:20 is actually my mother's store. It was the Montgomery Ward located at 2500 W Colonial Drive in Orlando, Florida. This Wards location actually had a very large Automotive Center attached to it as well. When the Wards closed, thankfully the location did not go abandoned and Orange County Sheriff's Office bought the land and with some renovations to the interior and the removal of the stone pebble exterior walls, some paint, and a small foyer built onto the front of the building as an addition along with some minor renovations to the auto center to serve as a fleet mechanic repair shop for the sheriff's vehicles, the location is now the Headquarters of the Orange County Sheriff's Office. As an aside, the other Wards location in Orlando in South Orlando near the Florida Mall went abandoned for many years until eventually it was purchased in the early 2000's I remember and turned into a warehouse/retail store combination for our local Goodwill Industries. The exterior was very similar to the store you showed at 7:56. Not sure if it was the same one or not, I don't know that much about the South Orlando store, only my mothers and that's been through years of on and off research. I was very young when all this happened with Wards closing (around 7-8 years old) but even into my teens and even after I went off to college (which was after my mom passed away sadly) we had perfectly functioning Montgomery Ward appliances in the house and my mom used to get all of my kid clothes from there. My mom even got me my first video game console (an NES) from Electric Avenue. I was too young to really appreciate Wards for what it was, and I always love hearing about a company that my mom gave 1/3rd of her life to working at and serving and learning more about them. Thank you very much for this very well put together video and in a roundabout way for also commemorating my mom's store.

I have a Wards refrigerator that my parents bought in 1977. Works well.

My first credit card was a Montgomery Ward card, went right to the store and bought me a Super Nintendo NES with Donkey Kong, teenage priorities my friends.

A suggestion of the difference between Abandoned and Bankrupt. Abandoned: Anything with a Physical remnant to it. While theme-parks, malls, and cruise ships are obvious; companies with remaining unused stores fit this. Bankrupt: Any company that has not left anything physically behind. PanAm worked because it's presence at an airport has completely vanished due to other companies swiftly coming in. Banks, Telecommunication, Energy Companies and such. Cancelled: Anything that had a potential but never came to be. I just realized you have an ABC of programming! A-bandoned, B-ankrupt, and C-ancelled! You should do something like that with your banner! (For a fourth series, maybe "Demolished")

146 years. It was a good run, Montgomery Ward. It was a good run indeed.

It always breaks my heart to hear of these things. Now I realize I'm part of that dying era too. The days of skating rinks, arcades and malls are sadly being phased out. I wonder being replaced by what?...

You know, I've always been under the impression that the company way pronounced the same way the city in Alabama is. It's spelt the same way, though I do look like an idiot lol

I find it astonishing that both Montgomery Wards & Sears exited the catalog business just before the internet brought back the catalog business. Both invested heavily in brick & mortar stores at just the time that brick & mortar stores were going out of date. Wards is gone. If Sears isn't gone yet, it may as well be.

My dad was an engineer at Mobil Research Corp all through the 70’s and 80’s. In ‘74 when Mobil acquired Montgomery Wards all Mobil Research employees got a substantial discount on all Montgomery Wards items so everything new around our house came from them. Washer, dryer, vacuum, dehumidifier, air conditioner, everything. I never really heard of them before that and then suddenly everything had the Montgomery Ward brand on it.

My grandma had an AC unit from them that worked for 20+ years. They really don’t make things like they use to

This continues to be my favorite series on KZfaq ... every episode is great

I cannot lie when I say that this is possibly my favorite KZfaq channel of all time, your content has so much thought put into it and soul, it’s almost as if the audience can feel the love put forth by the creator. Thanks for continually making this content dude.

It’s sad when stores from your childhood are no longer there. Thanks for making videos like this. Keep up the awesome work!!! 👍

Now that I think about it, a lot of retailers went bankrupt in the early 2000s 🤔

There was a point in my childhood where every appliance and electronic device in the house was bought from Montgomery Ward.

I'm a simple person. I see ABANDONED, I click instantly.

This one actually hit kinda close to home since my parents met being coworkers at a Montgomery Ward's. If they had gone under a few decades before they did, I might not even exist. Wasn't expecting an existential crisis from an Abandoned video but still enjoyed it!

The Montgomery Ward building a few miles from home is still standing abandoned since 1999.

I missed the 80s, watching those old commercials made me realize how much i missed those times.

3:46 god I love 60's architecture its so good that modern design still copies it.

I didn't know Rudolph was originally a marketing tactic! That's why I love your videos- so much interesting information.

This is an excellent profile of Montgomery/Jefferson Ward and you really told the history well. I grew up in the 1980's during their decline and had the chance to see their attempted retail comeback. I can still remember groaning "Are we going to Ward's?", in the mid 80's when my parents would be on the hunt for some trivial item (to me). I can remember being so bored there-especially the Jefferson Ward at the now long gone Normandy Mall location in Jacksonville, Florida. I was a big Sears fan as a kid. Ward's was one of the only store chains I ever experienced that did not seem to have developed a solid identity. Later on, in their comeback attempt they opened a store in Regency Square Mall, where I enjoyed browsing in "Electric Avenue".

In my hometown, Montgomery wards shut down and was bought out by Ames which shut down and was bought out by K mart that also then shut down and now theres a Target which is about to go out of business.

We always called it Monkeys Wards growing up . The toy catalog was always great at Christmas

The last Montgomery Ward near me was transformed into a Target after it's closing. It originally consisted of a two level retail store connected to it's auto repair shop. The auto repair section was torn down and the main store shortened to allow for the space to be turned into a parking lot. Surprisingly the mall it's anchored to (Lakewood Center Mall, Lakewood CA) is still going strong and finding ways to expand. The shopping mall isn't dead you just need the know how to keep it going. Great informative video. Thank you!

I miss Montgomery Ward. I have a few things from them that still work!

ln 1993 l bought a Sony 27" TV with picture in picture from Wards for 799usd. My grandmother still has that TV in her bedroom and it still works.

I couldn't hit the play button fast enough when I saw this!

HIGHLIGHT OF MY WEEK! You guys have evolved so much since you started. I was just watching a few of your old videos yesterday, and I find it so endearing how you’ve really started to show your passion for what you talk about! Instead of just listing info, you really insert some personality, and it makes it even better.

I used to love shopping at Montgomery Ward, they used to sell nice clothes at an affordable price. It's really kind of sad realizing that so many retail stores from my youth are now gone but they'll live on in my memories.

I found sewing needles that had Montgomery Ward on the packaging in my grandmas sewing stuff🤷🏽‍♀️

Lemme tell you something Jake. I found your channel I think a year back out of a hat, and while I still find your earlier videos a bit lesser in quality, you have clearly shown improvement. I'm already subscribed and in the squad, but I just wanted to remind you to keep doing you~

Mobil as in ExxonMobil, not Mobile, AL

There is still a Montgomery Ward standing abandoned in Winchester, VA. It has remained vacant since its closing. The last time I snooped around there, the doors still have the labels / Wards decals on them. The store is located in a largely dilapidated / very low end retail strip mall which still bears the name 'Wards Plaza'.

I worked for them in Houston at the Memorial City Mall from 1982-1984, and it was great. The management was perfect, and the employees were like family.

"Abandoned: Northridge Mall" Please do this i would be so happy. Also great job on the video i love watching them.

my hometown target used to be a montgomery wards and my sister worked there when i was a kid. i remember the store vaguely but i DO remember getting stuck in their elevator when i was 6 lol.

I remember when I was a kid one of the best things about Thanksgiving / Christmas time was the giant like 75 to 100 page catalog that Montgomery Ward would send out. So sad to see these places just abandoned to rot from the inside out.

I have two gallon jugs of Montgomery Ward anti-freeze in the garage and a 10 gallon MW air compressor that was my grandfathers. He bought it in the early 70's and it still works like a charm. Wards also sold farm equipment under the Allen Bradley brand, I remember a few farm wagons being still being used in the 90's.

Still have my cassette deck purchased at my local Montgomery Wards! Also the bet destination in my town for Kenner Star Wars figures! Miss MW! So many great shopping memories with my family! Very nice video!

Montgomery Ward also made an obscure direct to video animated adaptation of Rudolph The Red-nosed Reindeer back in 1996 called "Rudolph's Lessons For Life" which was sold exclusively at various Montgomery Ward Departments stores during the Christmas seasons in the mid to late 1990's. Ever since the company went bankrupt, it's now harder to those videos besides poor quality videos that can be found on KZfaq. Makes sense since Rudolph actually originated from a Christmas campaign back in the late 1930's as a poem/story.

Sears has just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy(October 16, 2018).

I remember Golden Bear! I have its ad jingle stuck in my head. No removal. "Its a honey of a, honey of a place where food is good. GOLDEN BEAR!!

I used to have a Montgomery Ward near me in my childhood. I loved that store and was sad to see it go.

So happy to see another BSF video on my notifications. Awesome as always!

The Sears equivalent of Montgomery Ward's Electric Avenue was Sears Brand Central. Brand Central was what Sears used to call their electronics and appliance department. My dad used to be a salesman at Sears Brand Central from 1992 - 2002.

I just received my new Montgomery Ward Summer 2021 catalog! It’s like stepping back in time. They’ve got a nice and varied selection of merchandise. I worked for Wards back in the1980’s, so I’ll always have a soft spot for them.

Whass up Jake ?.......I used to go to "Monkey Wards" with my parents. It was the poor mans Sears store. But looking back now, their stuff was way better than a lot of the crap out there today. And they had a glossy catalog to drool over ! ! !

I always used to pass by the one in Panorama CA and to this day, you can still sort of see the sign. I had never been inside so this video is really interesting. Good job Jake!

Lotta Memories of Montgomery Wards, Growing up in Chicago my mother loved going to both Sears and Wards. Brand loyalty really wasn't a thing, more so than the fun they had walking through huge department stores and finding things lol. The Brickyard Mall (Was abandoned for quite awhile before being torn down) Had Wards as one of their Anchors and was the store we always shpped at. Lots of Holiday Seasons spent in there, almost tear worthy to think about now. Lots of those family members are long gone now. Got my original 1977 Star Wars bed set from Wards, as well as my NFL set. (Wards always sold those NFL Helmet Cars we finally got them all after a number of years lol) Later in 85 my Commodore 64 came from Wards. Wards for me was just the place we went to when I was younger, now that I'm older and it's gone I look fondly on that store and the many memories. Strange how 2 competing stores can still live on in memories when they were just stores lol. Thanks for the image of Golden Bear, wow that was one of our favorite places as kids after being made to go to Church lol. That and Ponderosa Steak house, sad all these great places get replaced with these cookie cutter chains now that will never make a memory like these places did.

You should do a video on service merchandise. I recall shopping there when I was younger and always wondered what happened to the chain.

Glad I waited to start my heavy weekend drinking till a bit later.

Okay, Mobil oil company. Moh-bull Not Mo-beel like the city in Alabama.

"Monkey Wards" kept me fly EVERY Easter as a child. 😎

It´s become a personal tradition to start every Sunday with some tacos and watch a new episode of one of your series in BSF

Been looking forward to this for a long time. I've got another one for you (either on this or Bankrupt): Service Merchandise.

I absolutely love all your videos! I love how much time and dedication you put in your videos, it definitely shows! Thank you so much for giving of these amazing videos, I love seeing them pop up on my timeline 😁

Your channel is the epitome of yesteryear and depression as I grew up and knew the majority of your content and topics. But, I also find it very intriguing as historical foundations is a concrete interest of mine. Keep up the great and informative work!

I'm addicted to watching these videos! So interesting! Teaches me of places I didn't know existed! Yay! Keep it up BSF!!

Coming soon: The Bon-Ton and Toys "R" Us

YESSSSS JAKE! Another great vid

Subbed. Loving your Abandoned videos. Have also see Bankrupt in the past but it’s the Abandoned that’s got me. Appreciate all your time investigating the history. Your voice and delivery is great too 👌🏼

Can you please do mervyn's? Does anyone remember this store?

Love the videos as always! I feel like this better suits the bankrupt series since it focuses on what led up to the failure. I feel like abandoned talks about what led it to where it is now, and what is happening at a specific location. Keep on rockin'!

Excellent as always Jake! I love this series. Very entertaining and interesting. Keep 'em coming!

I worked for Montgomery Wards and it was awesome. My store was super old and had crows nests for loss prevention to watch people. When the store adapted cameras the nests were untouched. I used to eat lunch in them so I can watch around the store from above. Good times!

Wow this is crazy. I did not know that Montgomery wards went thru all of this. Thanks for sharing this! Great video !

I get the pun. Time to make it higher... electric avenue.... lol

Hahaha you showed a graphic of the NJ/PA locations, and I was like..but those were Bradlees stores when I was growing up. xD

The one episode I some how missed. Definitely have been missing out thanks for helping

I worked at Wards part-time in the mid- to late 1990s until a year or so before it closed, selling electronics and appliances on straight commission during college. The average customer was very old and many stores did not look good, which turned off a lot of people. They also had big problems keeping TVs in stock, which really hurts when it's an impulse buy. It cost me commissions many times. In spite of that, I did OK for part-time work. They also expanded into selling insurance (they paid for employees to get state licenses) and we got big commissions on extended warranty sales, which they were always pushing us to sell. But margins on electronics are not big and very competitive, so it's a tough market. Our store never recovered after a Best Buy opened nearby, followed by a Circuit City. Because of the decision after WWII not to expand into suburbs like Sears, many Wards were in second-tier suburban malls. If Wards opened a new location in one, you could bet it was when the mall was at least a little past its prime.

Thank you for this. I loved Montgomery Ward as a child. I can remember when Electric Avenue hit our store. I was like a kid in a candy store. I was so sad to see it go.Our store was replaced by a Burlington Coat Factory. Another similar company you can research is Service Merchandise. Pretty much the same story

I vaguely remember this store. I got a few of my clothes from there, and it's a shame that they went under. Another great video Jake!

Jake, you're the best,man. What a pleasant surprise to come home to after a long day at work. Another Bright Sun film!

Keep up the amazing videos! Love your work!

Loved the Christmas catalogs!

One of the few channels on KZfaq when I like the video's before they begin, cause you just know it's gonna be good. :)

Montgomery Ward also had their own elevator company at one point with them not only designing, manufacturing and installing elevators in their own department stores but also getting contracted to install them in other buildings back then!

You are my FAVORITE KZfaqR on all of youtube!!!!! I Love the "Bankrupt and Abandoned" Series. Love your vids!!!!

Great video! The 2 story Montgomery Wards in Tyler Texas became the Baylor Scott & White Spine & Joint Hospital. The original building has been so heavily renovated and added on to, you couldn't tell it used to be a Wards.

Both Ward stores in my area (Indianapolis) were almost instantly taken up by the upscale chain Von Maur. Since then, Von Maur has been doing great. I loved Wards, but Von Maur is definitely an upgrade. They’re still doing great today.

I love this series....please keep'em coming!

I remember there was a Montgomery Ward in my neighborhood when I was little (early 80s). It was in a small two floor shopping mall that was abandoned once Montgomery Ward closed. I was well into my twenties and there were still plastic hangers at my parents house with the Montgomery Ward name/logo.

Mobeel?

I’ve heard about Montgomery Wards a lot recently as Herbergers liquidates and old MGs get redeveloped. Sad

Montgomery Wards actually does send out catalogs and do accept mail orders! All you have to do it call the Wards number, and ask to get a catalog sent to you. I work for a call center that takes calls for here all the time.

I love your videos so much, keep up the great work!

You should cover the BEST Products company. They were a catalogue-showroom franchise that folded in 1997, best known for their postmodern architecture like the “Indeterminate Facade” in Houston or the “Tilt Building” in Maryland. Despite their buildings being landmarks of mid-century architecture, only one still stands in Richmond, VA. The owners were also quite enigmatic, gaining notoriety for buying fine art using their company’s furniture and electronics as payment. They left their legacy by funding a massive expansion to The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, in which they donated their entire collection of art.

Can u plz do the 4 GM companies that went away from 2004-2010

I remember this retail chain for its electronics. My family bought our first big screen television from Montgomery Ward. This was during the early 90s. The building was demolished and rebuilt as a Target store.

Riverside, CA Montgomery Wards at the Plaza was my first job. I worked the dock for 1 1/2 years when we got notice they were going to close. I had a great time working there, and working with people I will never forget.

My favorite part of Friday! Always enjoy an episode of Abandoned with a beer and no pants on 😎

Hey Jake, might i suggest a criteria for the three shows -For Abandoned have things that are abandoned (thought that seemed obvious) - For Cancelled, a Product that is no longer sold or streamed on Tv, or a project that was cancelled -For Bankrupt, companies out of the shopping industry, such as..... I live in Australia, things go bankrupt so fast here we don't know whats gone and whats not. Anyway, im done.... Bloddy Rippa of an Inernet Vidyo Jake!

Love your videos. Great job, Jake. And your voice is so nice and relaxing. Love that Canadian accent. Love from Oklahoma 🧡

Amazing job as always .. I would love if you did a episode on the Montgomery ward in the Los Angeles area that is still standing and abandoned across from a mall. it is in panorama city California and really creepy 😄

You should do the car brand Saturn

Does anyone remember a department store called "Best" from the 1980s?

Another fantastic video from you. Keep up the great work.