Montgomery Ward 1999 closures

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pseudo3d
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Montgomery Ward 1999 closures

Post by pseudo3d »

In January 1999, Montgomery Ward closed 39 stores and several more Auto Express locations, but I can't find a list anywhere and my Google-fu is failing me. It's especially frustrating as I know I've seen a list before in the last few years and my hometown Montgomery Ward (Bryan) was on the 1999 closure list. Did anyone save a copy or know where I can find it?
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Groceteria
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Re: Montgomery Ward 1999 closures

Post by Groceteria »

I am a librarian. We have powers.

Wards

Dothan AL 1969 Northside Mall, 59,765 3489 Ross Clark Circle NW
Mobile AL 1974 Springdale Mall, 153,877 3250 Airport Blvd.
Blytheville AR 1967 Day S/C, U.S. 51,463 61 N. & Moultrie Drive
Fayetteville AR 1963 Evelyn Hills S/C, 96,137 71 & 62 Highway
No. Little Rock AR 1994 McCain Plaza S/C, 98,895 4220 E. McCain Blvd.
Santa Maria CA 1967 Broadway Plaza, 69,076 1318 S. Broadway
Ft. Myers FL 1991 South Plaza S/C, 108,095 4650 South Cleveland Ave.
Tallahassee FL 1971 Tallahasse Mall, 101,888 U.S. 27 & Knox Road
Tampa Bay FL 1980 Tampa Bay Center, 125,824 3302 W. Dr. M.L. King Blvd.
Des Moines/ Merle Hay IA 1974 Merle Hay Mall, 165,615 1100 Merle Hay Mall
Des Moines/Southridge IA 1978 Southridge Mall, 109,114 1111 S.E. Army Post Road
Matteson IL 1973 Lincoln Mall, 149,838 500 Lincoln Mall
Niles/Village Crossing IL 1989 Village Crossing S/C, 120,705 5601 W. Touhy Ave.
Junction City KS 1963 Westside S/C, 67,204 1010 W. 6th Street
Shreveport LA 1974 South Park Mall, 149,296 8924 Jewella Avenue
Lansing MI 1969 Lansing Mall, 157,232 5220 W. Saginaw Highway
Brainerd MN 1967 Brainerd Mall S/C, 46,691 Highways 210 & 25
Duluth MN 1973 Miller Hill Mall, 111,404 1600 Miller Truck Highway
Billings MT 1976 Rimrock Mall, 123,791 320 S. 24th Street West
Great Falls MT 1966 Holiday Village S/C, 103,278 900-10th Avenue South
Bismarck ND 1970 Kirkwood Mall, 101,438 613 Kirkwood Mall
Johnson City NY 1973 Oakdale Mall, 135,488 Reynolds Road & Harry L. Dr.
Lockport NY 1971 Lockport Mall, 57,330 Route 78 & Shimer Road
Watertown NY 1993 Salmon Run Mall, 81,841 1300 Arsenal Street
Mansfield OH 1964 Kingsgate Mall, 111,209 1200 Park Avenue W.
Grants Pass OR 1965 Grants Pass S/C, 45,412 1101 NE "D" Street
Indiana PA 1969 South Regency Mall, 53,370 1550 Route 286 South
Reading PA 1996 Fairgrounds Square Mall, 107,395 3050 N. Fifth Street Highway
Scranton PA 1993 200 The Mall At Steamtown 109,920
Sunbury PA 1967 Sunbury Plaza, 57,402 1125 N. Fourth Street
Clarksville TN 1965 Clarksville Plaza, 50,896 Pageant Lane & Crossland Ave.
Bryan TX 1966 Manor East S/C, 67,984 Highway 6 & Villa Marie Rd.
El Paso/Sunland TX 1992 Sunland Park Mall, 97,776 750 Sunland Park Drive
Sherman TX 1970 Sher-Den Mall, 94,954 3201 Texoma Parkway, Suite 700
Tyler TX 1959 Bergfeld S/C, 86,889 1814 Roseland Blvd.
Fairfax VA 1992 Fairfax Court, 122,071 11284 James Stuart Circle
Roanoke VA 1990 Valley View Mall, 109,970 1581 & Hershberger
Morgantown WV 1974 Moutaineer Mall, 93,393 5000 Greenbag Road
Cheyenne WY 1964 1510 E. Pershing Blvd. 88,243

Auto Express Locations to Close - Stores Will Remain Open (1/15/99)

Chico CA 1964 801 East Avenue 8,100
Eureka CA 1963 2525 Fourth Street 10,500
Los Angeles/West CA 1970 1833 S. LaCiengega Blvd. 15,700
Merced CA 1970 1111 W. Olive Avenue 10,300
Oroville CA 1964 2450 Oroville Dam Blvd. 8,000
Redding CA 1963 300 Locust Avenue 8,200
Jacksonville/Regency FL 1993 9501 Arlington Expressway 10,400
Jacksonville/Orange Park FL 1992 1919 Wells Road, Unit 2 11,200
Peru IL 1970 1607 36 Street 10,500
Las Cruces NM 1970 2300 E. Lohman Plaza 9,100
Toledo/North OH 1981 343 New Towne Square Drive 16,900
Toledo/South OH 1972 2110 Reynolds Road 23,500
Eugene OR 1975 500 Valley River Center 8,100
Abilene TX 1959 4601 S. First Street 12,400
Brownsville TX 1974 Mexico Street & Palm Blvd. 19,500 10
Winchester VA 1964 2280 Valley Avenue 9,800
Longview WA 1961 #1 Triangle S/C 9,700

This is from a PR Newswire release that's behind a password wall. The numbers refer to year opened (after city) and square footage (after address).
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Andrew T.
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Re: Montgomery Ward 1999 closures

Post by Andrew T. »

Groceteria wrote: 22 Sep 2021 19:15 Morgantown WV 1974 Moutaineer Mall, 93,393 5000 Greenbag Road
Sigh...I lived in Morgantown, WV in the 2000s. The Mountaineer Mall went from "critically ill" to "dead as a doornail" during my time there, and Montgomery Ward's closure probably did more than anything else to set that off.

It's difficult to overestimate just how deleterious Montgomery Ward's struggles, bankruptcies, and closure were for malls. Malls that had been viable shopping destinations in the 1990s suddenly found themselves dying with vacant anchor pads they couldn't refill, and the malls that had already been struggling (typically due to being eclipsed by a newer mall in the same city) found themselves vacating to full abandonment soon after MW went bye-bye.
"The pale pastels which have been featured in most food stores during the past 20 years are no longer in tune with the mood of the 1970s."
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Super S
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Re: Montgomery Ward 1999 closures

Post by Super S »

I remember the Longview, WA Auto Center closing about a year or two before Wards closed for good. It ended up sitting vacant until the Triangle Center was redeveloped. I did not, however, remember a news story at the time and was not aware that this was part of a list of closures.

The Longview Montgomery Ward actually pre-dated the enclosed mall and was built in the early 1960s. It did not see much in the way of remodeling over the years and was in dire need of updating. I think the detached Auto Center may have been a slightly newer building, but still had 1960s era signage.

The Triangle Center had two vacant anchors: Montgomery Ward and Newberry's. The vacancies were a huge reason why the mall was redeveloped.
pseudo3d
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Re: Montgomery Ward 1999 closures

Post by pseudo3d »

Groceteria wrote: 22 Sep 2021 19:15 I am a librarian. We have powers.

Wards

Dothan AL 1969 Northside Mall, 59,765 3489 Ross Clark Circle NW
Mobile AL 1974 Springdale Mall, 153,877 3250 Airport Blvd.
Blytheville AR 1967 Day S/C, U.S. 51,463 61 N. & Moultrie Drive
Fayetteville AR 1963 Evelyn Hills S/C, 96,137 71 & 62 Highway
No. Little Rock AR 1994 McCain Plaza S/C, 98,895 4220 E. McCain Blvd.
Santa Maria CA 1967 Broadway Plaza, 69,076 1318 S. Broadway
Ft. Myers FL 1991 South Plaza S/C, 108,095 4650 South Cleveland Ave.
Tallahassee FL 1971 Tallahasse Mall, 101,888 U.S. 27 & Knox Road
Tampa Bay FL 1980 Tampa Bay Center, 125,824 3302 W. Dr. M.L. King Blvd.
Des Moines/ Merle Hay IA 1974 Merle Hay Mall, 165,615 1100 Merle Hay Mall
Des Moines/Southridge IA 1978 Southridge Mall, 109,114 1111 S.E. Army Post Road
Matteson IL 1973 Lincoln Mall, 149,838 500 Lincoln Mall
Niles/Village Crossing IL 1989 Village Crossing S/C, 120,705 5601 W. Touhy Ave.
Junction City KS 1963 Westside S/C, 67,204 1010 W. 6th Street
Shreveport LA 1974 South Park Mall, 149,296 8924 Jewella Avenue
Lansing MI 1969 Lansing Mall, 157,232 5220 W. Saginaw Highway
Brainerd MN 1967 Brainerd Mall S/C, 46,691 Highways 210 & 25
Duluth MN 1973 Miller Hill Mall, 111,404 1600 Miller Truck Highway
Billings MT 1976 Rimrock Mall, 123,791 320 S. 24th Street West
Great Falls MT 1966 Holiday Village S/C, 103,278 900-10th Avenue South
Bismarck ND 1970 Kirkwood Mall, 101,438 613 Kirkwood Mall
Johnson City NY 1973 Oakdale Mall, 135,488 Reynolds Road & Harry L. Dr.
Lockport NY 1971 Lockport Mall, 57,330 Route 78 & Shimer Road
Watertown NY 1993 Salmon Run Mall, 81,841 1300 Arsenal Street
Mansfield OH 1964 Kingsgate Mall, 111,209 1200 Park Avenue W.
Grants Pass OR 1965 Grants Pass S/C, 45,412 1101 NE "D" Street
Indiana PA 1969 South Regency Mall, 53,370 1550 Route 286 South
Reading PA 1996 Fairgrounds Square Mall, 107,395 3050 N. Fifth Street Highway
Scranton PA 1993 200 The Mall At Steamtown 109,920
Sunbury PA 1967 Sunbury Plaza, 57,402 1125 N. Fourth Street
Clarksville TN 1965 Clarksville Plaza, 50,896 Pageant Lane & Crossland Ave.
Bryan TX 1966 Manor East S/C, 67,984 Highway 6 & Villa Marie Rd.
El Paso/Sunland TX 1992 Sunland Park Mall, 97,776 750 Sunland Park Drive
Sherman TX 1970 Sher-Den Mall, 94,954 3201 Texoma Parkway, Suite 700
Tyler TX 1959 Bergfeld S/C, 86,889 1814 Roseland Blvd.
Fairfax VA 1992 Fairfax Court, 122,071 11284 James Stuart Circle
Roanoke VA 1990 Valley View Mall, 109,970 1581 & Hershberger
Morgantown WV 1974 Moutaineer Mall, 93,393 5000 Greenbag Road
Cheyenne WY 1964 1510 E. Pershing Blvd. 88,243

Auto Express Locations to Close - Stores Will Remain Open (1/15/99)

Chico CA 1964 801 East Avenue 8,100
Eureka CA 1963 2525 Fourth Street 10,500
Los Angeles/West CA 1970 1833 S. LaCiengega Blvd. 15,700
Merced CA 1970 1111 W. Olive Avenue 10,300
Oroville CA 1964 2450 Oroville Dam Blvd. 8,000
Redding CA 1963 300 Locust Avenue 8,200
Jacksonville/Regency FL 1993 9501 Arlington Expressway 10,400
Jacksonville/Orange Park FL 1992 1919 Wells Road, Unit 2 11,200
Peru IL 1970 1607 36 Street 10,500
Las Cruces NM 1970 2300 E. Lohman Plaza 9,100
Toledo/North OH 1981 343 New Towne Square Drive 16,900
Toledo/South OH 1972 2110 Reynolds Road 23,500
Eugene OR 1975 500 Valley River Center 8,100
Abilene TX 1959 4601 S. First Street 12,400
Brownsville TX 1974 Mexico Street & Palm Blvd. 19,500 10
Winchester VA 1964 2280 Valley Avenue 9,800
Longview WA 1961 #1 Triangle S/C 9,700

This is from a PR Newswire release that's behind a password wall. The numbers refer to year opened (after city) and square footage (after address).

Thanks! I'm surprised to see Merle Hay Mall on the list; I thought I read that the mall forced it out due to a lawsuit with the Wards becoming too downscale from what was on its lease. I've been doing a bit of research again on Manor East Mall (hence the question); some archived city council minutes say that Wards had plans to exit the mall in the early 1990s (possibly relocating to Post Oak Mall in College Station, but who knows) because even by that time, the mall was suffering. JCPenney (which was not a charter anchor but was there since the mid-1970s) was sniped by Post Oak Mall, and filled instead by a Food 4 Less(!!!) which ended up closing a few years later (it was filled with a 50-Off Store in the early 1990s but that also closed down a few years later). They had managed to get a Wal-Mart as a third anchor back in 1982 but that only lasted about a decade before it moved to a Supercenter.

[We all know how this ends--in the early 2000s the mall was closed and redeveloped as a typical strip center]
trainman
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Re: Montgomery Ward 1999 closures

Post by trainman »

Groceteria wrote: 22 Sep 2021 19:15 Tampa Bay FL 1980 Tampa Bay Center, 125,824 3302 W. Dr. M.L. King Blvd.
This is, specifically, in the city of Tampa ("Tampa Bay, FL" is not a real place). When it opened, it represented an expansion of the Tampa Bay Center mall from two anchor stores to three -- Burdines and Sears were already in place. It was the replacement for a standalone store about a mile and a half to the south, between Himes Ave. and Dale Mabry Hwy. just north of Interstate 275 (a Walmart is now on that lot).
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