What Happened to Monkey Wards?
Let’s go all the way back to 1872 when Montgomery Ward & Company (aka Monkey Wards) began its pioneering mail-order business.
In a modest yet remarkable space perched atop a bustling livery stable in Chicago, Illinois, the visionary businessman Aaron Montgomery Ward ignited a revolution with his groundbreaking enterprise, driven by an unwavering passion to provide affordable products directly to eager shoppers during a time when retail options were disappointingly limited.
He recognized the untapped potential of the burgeoning postal system, allowing him to reach customers far beyond the confines of traditional storefronts.
By providing an extensive assortment of goods—ranging from apparel to home essentials—Ward revolutionized shopping habits and established the foundation for America’s retail landscape.
His innovative approach paved the way for other mail-order companies and eventually evolved into the modern e-commerce landscape we know today.
Coincidentally, this story is not unlike many successful online businesses we see today. It usually starts with very humble beginnings.
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Of course, 1872 was a very different time and the concept of a mail order catalog seemed crazy. Yes, Mr Ward was crazy…crazy like a fox!
Why was Montgomery Ward called Monkey Wards?
Although this cannot be 100% verified, it is believed that Montgomery Ward sold exotic live monkeys. Back in 1872, this is not entirely a crazy idea. The name Monkey Wards was born!
Monkey Wards Competition
Twenty years after it’s inception, Montgomery Ward had some serious competition from another mail-order business. You may have heard of them. They were called Sears.
At the turn of the century, Sears led with over $10 million in sales, while Montgomery Ward followed with $8.7 million.
To boost his gross sales, Mr. Ward opened his first retail storefront in Plymouth, Indiana, in 1926. Within two years, he expanded to 244 brick-and-mortar stores.
Monkey Wards Struggle and Decline in the 70’s
In the 1970’s, due to a series of poor business decisions, the great Montgomery Ward began to struggle.
By 1985 it closed it’s mail-order business permanently.
Yes, we could bore you with all the financial details but let’s save that for another time.
In the late 90’s, companies like Target and Walmart began to become more and more of a threat and Montgomery Ward could not withstand the pressure.
In 1997, GE Capital promised to help Montgomery Wards but withdrew soon after. Montgomery Wards declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and after a poor Christmas season in 2000, closed all its stores. This left 37,000 employees unemployed.
Monkey Wards Goes Online
In 2004, an online marketing company called Direct Marketing Services Inc purchased the intellectual property of Montgomery Ward and began selling online under that name.
This acquisition did not quite work out for them and the Montgomery Ward name was sold again to Swiss Colony.
If you want to check them out today, you can find their online store below:
Despite its decline in the early 2000s, Monkey Wards’ legacy endures through its online presence.
While it’s unfortunate to see such an iconic department store vanish from neighborhoods, we can still value its impact on American retail history.
Montgomery Ward was ahead of its time, providing affordable and quality products long before others. Perhaps one day, Monkey Wards will return as a household name.
For now, let’s fondly remember it as a cherished part of our nation’s past.
About Aaron Montgomery Ward
Aaron Montgomery Ward (1844-1913) was an American businessman and entrepreneur who is widely regarded as the “Father of Mail Order Shopping.”
He was born in Chatham, New Jersey, and moved to Niles, Michigan at the age of nine. After working in a variety of jobs, he eventually became a traveling salesman for a dry goods company.
Aaron Montgomery Ward transformed the department store landscape with his mail-order business, enabling convenient and cost-effective purchases.
His marketing innovations boosted department store success and established him as a leading entrepreneur of the late 19th century.
10 responses to “Monkey Wards”
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[…] sections of Route 66 had dangerous hairpin turns. Because of these dangers, the term “Bloody 66” was born. […]
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[…] a mailbox could fashion one out of anything from crates and old cans to food cartons. As you can imagine, this led to an unsightly display of mismatched […]
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[…] At the advertised price of $2,368, Ford Motor Company projected sales at under 100,000 cars for that first year. It far exceeded this projection by selling almost 400,000 Mustangs. In it’s first 18 months, one million Mustangs were built! A great American automotive brand had been established! […]
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Montgomery Ward gave me my very first credit account when I arrived in the U.S. in the late 60’s. It wasn’t much but for me I felt like my patronage was really appreciated. Thank you Montgomery Ward.
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I still receive catalogs from time to time from Montgomery Wards, is it legit?
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Several years ago I began buying Christmas presents from MW on the credit account they approved for me. At the time I was struggling with retirement finances but the credit MW gave me allowed the opportunity to buy really nice gifts for my children, grandchildren and friends that I would not have been able to buy otherwise. I love my MW account and love shopping their catalog and website.
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I love growing up shopping at Montgomery Wards. My Mom always loved their jewelry & my Dad always loved to buy his tires there. Mom & I used to eat in the little restaurant our Wards had in the store. I have a lamp in my livingroom that I bought at Wards in the early 90’s! I miss shopping there as it was always a nice calm atmosphere,, neat, clean, & well stocked with quality merchandise from clothing to fine jewelry to furniture & appliances to electronics, home goods, & automotive services. ❤️🙂
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[…] At the core of the show is the Cleaver family – Ward, June, Wally, and the ever-curious Theodore “Beaver” Cleaver. “Leave It to Beaver” portrays the everyday adventures and challenges of this quintessential American family, encapsulating the essence of suburban life in the late 1950s and early 1960s. […]
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[…] Montgomery Ward […]
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I worked at Montgomery Ward Corporate Offices from 1979 thru 1985 and remained associated with them until 1995.
I worked with the company as a job coach, who helped train people with disabilities hired by Montgomery Ward. Even though I worked there full time, I was not employed by Montgomery Ward.
I really enjoyed being there. I got to know many good people in my time there.
It was so sad to see the takeovers during those years. When I started there in 1979, there were almost 4,000 people working there. When I left the agency I was working for several years later, the number of employees dropped to 1,500.
In 1995 I started working at Wards. There seemed some hope of a revival when GE pumped some money into the corporation by remodeling the stores and buying more merchandise to be sold.
That ended when GE pulled out, resulting in the closing of Montgomery Ward in 200. It was a sad time for me and thousands of us who lost jobs.
This seemed to be the beginning of the end for the department store.
J.C. Penney and Macy’s are the sole survivors.
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