548 replies to this topic

[StevenRocks]

I can unsderstand not wanting people to enter the site for safety reasons, though I'd like a piece of the place too.

[ILoveCallingNCHome]

StevenRocks, on Jul 28 2005, 01:50 AM, said:

I can unsderstand not wanting people to enter the site for safety reasons, though I'd like a piece of the place too.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

exactly....I wonder if some folks that want a piece of CCM went during the day when there are workers...if someone might be willing to help and humor you.  The way CCM looks, I would doubt being able to find much of substance though in all the rubble.

[StevenRocks]

ILoveCallingNCHome, on Jul 28 2005, 01:12 AM, said:

exactly....I wonder if some folks that want a piece of CCM went during the day when there are workers...if someone might be willing to help and humor you.  The way CCM looks, I would doubt being able to find much of substance though in all the rubble.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's probably still something polyester from Montgomery Ward in the rubble   You can't kill that stuff.

[Roadgeek]

Don't try to type in "Carolina Circle Mall" on ebay. I try it a lot, but no luck.

[ILoveCallingNCHome]

Roadgeek, on Jul 28 2005, 03:07 PM, said:

Don't try to type in "Carolina Circle Mall" on ebay. I try it a lot, but no luck.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Perhaps not, but you can type in shag carpet and find a nice selection of colors to pretend!

[Roadgeek]

Yeah, I would like to see some pictures of the inside of Montgomery Ward. I've sort of forgotten what it looked liked. I remember something about loud air vents, shag carpetting, a beauty salon, and escalotors in the middle. One great store. Acutally, the only Montgomery Ward I've ever been to.

[StevenRocks]

Montgomery Ward was actually pretty well-done for 1976.  

There were really high ceilings upstairs with 2x4 recessed flourecent lights grouped togther to make 4x4 lighting fixtures in the apparel portion of the store, the furniture department had these big incandesent recessed fixtures.  

The beauty salon was in the center of the floor and had these kelly green fixtures with light green and white walls.

There were all kinds of carpeting in the aforementioned shag and technicolor styles in the varous departments.  The aisles were white standard vinyl store tile.

The escalators were off center in the building plan, but were centered on the mall entrance.  They were glass escalators and they had a rounded escalator well surrounding them with glass and wood railings.

Downstairs had lower ceilings and HID (high intensity discharge) recessed lighting fixtures, later converted to 2x4 recessed flourecent lights.  There was a lot of tile downstairs, partly in residential-style decorative vinyl, the rest in standard vinyl store tile.

[Roadgeek]

I remember the last time I went to Montgomery Ward. I tried to go in my usual way through the loading dock entrance but they had closed off the entire lower level. So I had to go in through the us 29 side. All of the electronics were squeezed into the wall opposite the furniture department. The TV's didn't come with remotes and they were selling a Montgomery Ward 1980's TV. I should have bought that TV.

Edited by Roadgeek, 28 July 2005 - 02:46 PM.

[mediamongrel]

Roadgeek, on Jul 28 2005, 03:34 PM, said:

Acutally, the only Montgomery Ward I've ever been to.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have been to three.  One in Northern Virginia somewhere back in the 90's, one in Joliet, Illinois and the one at Carolina Circle.  Most had the same 1970's design.  I think the one at Carolina Circle was one of the last few to close.

[Roadgeek]

mediamongrel, on Jul 28 2005, 06:45 PM, said:

Most had the same 1970's design.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

One day I did a google image search on Montgomery Ward and I found a picture of a very modern circa 1990's Montgomery Ward. It had the 90's red wards emblem and was mostly made of glass. However, it wasn't connected to a mall.

[StevenRocks]

Montgomery Ward periodically opened new stores, but most of their store base was stores very similar to Carolina Circle in design.

I've been to the ones at Carolina Circle, Springfield Mall in northern Virginia (now a Target), Catonsville, MD (now a Wal-Mart) and the stores in Roanoke and Lynchburg, Va. that Wards purchased from Miller & Rhoads.

[Roadgeek]

Used to back when the M-W ccm store was open, I thought that was the only m-w. About 10 years ago I had a dream that there was a mall in Greensboro that had a Montgomery Ward and when I woke up I said to myself, "Billy there's only one Montgomery Ward". But I was so wrong. Probably because I was born in Greensboro and have never known what goes on at shopping centers I've never set foot at.

[Roadgeek]

Here are links to various pictures of non-ccm Montgomery Wards. But nothing can
be greater than the Montgomery Ward at Carolina Circle Mall!

Montgomery Ward One

Montgomery Ward Two

Edited by Roadgeek, 28 July 2005 - 06:08 PM.

[NCMike1981]

I never did go into a M.W.'s to my knowledge, unless my mom took me into the old South Square one b4 it became Ivey's when I was 2 hehe. I do remember driving by the one at Asheville Mall in 2001 and thinking "that name sounds so familiar"....

[NCMike1981]

Wow love the 2nd link Roadgeek! I especially like how the last 2 Wards actually appear modern. It sucks that they probably closed shortly after they opened.

[cosmoboy]

Montgomery Ward is still in business, it just has an online catalog as much of you probably know.

[Roadgeek]

Back in February I requested a Montgomery Ward catalog, but I've never got it. And once I get enough money, I might buy one of those laptop computer carts to use in bed. I saw it on the Montgomery Ward website. And I read something on their FAQ that sounds positive.

Quote

Can I see your products in a near-by store?
At this time we do not have any retail stores. You can only view and purchase products through our web site and our catalogs.

It said "At this time" that means they're thinking of making a come back. But that doesn't mean if they do come back that they'll open one in the Triad. But keep listening for updates. Even if they do come back and open in the Triad, it still won't match up to the legacy of the Montgomery Ward at Carolina Circle Mall.

Edited by Roadgeek, 28 July 2005 - 07:42 PM.

[mediamongrel]

cosmoboy, on Jul 28 2005, 08:31 PM, said:

Montgomery Ward is still in business, it just has an online catalog as much of you probably know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, but they seem like they are BARELY in business.  They dont have much on their webite available for purchase, and they probably paid some guy $250 to make the website.  Not much overhead needed to keep them in business...

Back to the CCM talk, I heard Greensboro got doused tonight with heavy rain since like 7pm, and it is still raining.  I wonder if this will help or hinder what is left of the demolition efforts.  It my view, it may metaphorically "wash" out the old memories of the CCM.  Hopefully, I'll get a chance to get up to that area sometime in the fall when they begin construction on the road that is supposed to run straight through where the old mall was.

Edited by mediamongrel, 28 July 2005 - 09:22 PM.

[cosmoboy]

Roadgeek, on Jul 28 2005, 08:33 PM, said:

Back in February I requested a Montgomery Ward catalog, but I've never got it. And once I get enough money, I might buy one of those laptop computer carts to use in bed. I saw it on the Montgomery Ward website. And I read something on their FAQ that sounds positive.
It said "At this time" that means they're thinking of making a come back. But that doesn't mean if they do come back that they'll open one in the Triad. But keep listening for updates. Even if they do come back and open in the Triad, it still won't match up to the legacy of the Montgomery Ward at Carolina Circle Mall.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not to put a damper on your parade, but I HIGHLY dought they will ever open up another store for the rest of their corporate life. The website/catalog is struggling to even stay alive. MW isn't the household name today as we used to know, I mean who want's to buy a dining room set for $800 online when I can go to IKEA and buy one for $400. MW is on the bottom of the food chain and eventually it will die or get eaten up by the "hawk(s)".....AKA IKEA, Linens and Things, Bed Bath and Beyond.

[mediamongrel]

cosmoboy, on Jul 28 2005, 11:25 PM, said:

Not to put a damper on your parade, but I HIGHLY dought they will ever open up another store for the rest of their corporate life. The website/catalog is struggling to even stay alive. MW isn't the household name today as we used to know, I mean who want's to buy a dining room set for $800 online when I can go to IKEA and buy one for $400. MW is on the bottom of the food chain and eventually it will die or get eaten up by the "hawk(s)".....AKA IKEA, Linens and Things, Bed Bath and Beyond.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah when is that IKEA coming to NC?  I don't even care where it is in NC, just put one here somewhere!