Montgomery Ward Socket Set - should I reopen my Ward's Card?

[Cato]

I bet you all thought Wards was gone!

They still sell tools even!

http://www.wards.com/Outdoor-Furnit...ket-set.pro?fpi=111539&catCd=S2&prefixCode=S2


Don't hold your breath waiting for Sears to fold. I bet it will be around for many, many years too.

 

[harvero]

from wikipedia

Montgomery Ward is the name of two historically distinct American retail enterprises. It can refer either to the defunct mail order and department store retailer, which operated between 1872 and 2000, or to the current catalog and online retailer also known as Wards.

the wards web sites says

Welcome to Montgomery Ward®
Improving American Homes Since 1872

For more than 140 years, "Montgomery Ward" has been a well-known and trusted catalog brand. In 1872, Aaron Montgomery Ward established the first mail-order business with an innovative single-sheet catalog offering 163 items. Montgomery Ward's superior service and impressive assortment of goods led to rapid growth, and by 1904 the original Montgomery Ward company was mailing catalogs to three million customers.

In 2008 the "Montgomery Ward" brand was acquired by a subsidiary of The Swiss Colony, Inc. (now known as Colony Brands, Inc.), a family-owned direct-mail business that strives to continue the heritage, traditions and values of the brand that were inspired by the founder, Aaron Montgomery Ward. Today, Montgomery Ward offers one-stop shopping for quality items at affordable prices—and quick, convenient delivery.

 

[Steinmetz]

It is gone. The trademark was simply acquired by another.

 

[bobcatdan]

This new Wards might as well sell Thorsen tools and Fisher stereos.

 

[Cato]

It is gone. The trademark was simply acquired by another.

Would you say this is any different than another company being sold over and over again? Like Chrysler becoming German and now Italian? Or Range Rover becoming Indian. Or Budweiser becoming Belgium?

 

[bobcatdan]

Would you say this is any different than another company being sold over and over again? Like Chrysler becoming German and now Italian? Or Range Rover becoming Indian. Or Budweiser becoming Belgium?

It is different, wards is dead and gone. Somebody bought the rights to the name after wards went under and basically started a new company. In all your examples, owner ship changed hands, buy it is still the same company.

 

[chadster1]

it is different, wards is dead and gone. Somebody bought the rights to the name after wards went under and basically started a new company. In all your examples, owner ship changed hands, buy it is still the same company.

sk?
.

 

[J.A.Varela]

Great Grandkid snorted away his trust fund and setup on the interwebs ?

 

[bob15]

sk?
.

You aren't understanding......

Monkey Wards went out of business, and closed up shop and sold everything off.

SK declared bankruptcy, which by definition means, they cannot pay it's debtors But, by declaring bankruptcy, it typically allows companies to either write off debt or allows them to pay off debt at a reduced rate (not sure what SK actually did). Two days after declaring bankruptcy, SK was bought out. SK didn't close up shop or sell everything off, like Ward's did.

 

[J.A.Varela]

Sounds like SK wasn't "too big to fail".

 

[Holzarbeiter]

Indian Motorcycle

 

[kythri]

SK didn't close up shop or sell everything off, like Ward's did.

Didn't they?

Ideal built a brand new factory, they didn't buy the old SK's liabilities, etc.

 

[franzdom]

At least SK uses known designs, looks like they used to. This website looks nothing like Montgomery Ward stores used to.

 

[bob15]

Didn't they?

Ideal built a brand new factory, they didn't buy the old SK's liabilities, etc.

From my understanding , there were still employees working for SK when they went bankrupt. Maybe the plant was all but shuttered, but there still were workers and SK tool.

Monkey Wards was gone for many years before being brought back. They are no different than if you saw Billings and Spencer tools again. McCulloch is the same as Wards.....the name is the only connection to its past. Nothing else from the old company is left.

 

[ecotec]

From my understanding , there were still employees working for SK when they went bankrupt. Maybe the plant was all but shuttered, but there still were workers and SK tool.

I am not buying any new SK tools until the workers are union again. Anyone know if there are plans to do so?

 

[bobcatdan]

I'd say SK is a little bit in the grey area in regards to this subject. Here is the best example I can give. Studebaker is long gone, somebody goes and buys the name and builds cars that have nothing to do with the old cars. People would recognize the name and assume it was the good old bakers and want one.

 

[honcho]

Heck, Monkey Wards is selling Snap On stuff too!

http://www.wards.com/Outdoor-Furnit...to/snap-on-1600-psi-electric-power-washer.pro

 

[mshell56118]

And actually there is someone that bought studebaker and is trying to bring it back


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[ecotec]

And actually there is someone that bought studebaker and is trying to bring it back


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I have always wanted one of the Raymond Loewy Studebakers.

 

[Steinmetz]

Would you say this is any different than another company being sold over and over again? Like Chrysler becoming German and now Italian? Or Range Rover becoming Indian. Or Budweiser becoming Belgium?

Yes. Wards was extinct for a number of years before some other entity began to use the mark. Chrysler has continuously operated in the same plants with the same management, even though ownership has changed.

 

[Steinmetz]

sk?
.

SK filed for Chapter 11 under the Bankruptcy Code. This allows for a reorganization of the existing business under court supervision. It is not a complete liquidation (e.g., Chapter 7). Montgomery Ward underwent a complete liquidation to satisfy its creditors.

 

[Nortonscustom]

I am not buying any new SK tools until the workers are union again. Anyone know if there are plans to do so?

Nope, not going to happen.

 

[Steinmetz]

And actually there is someone that bought studebaker and is trying to bring it back


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There was a dealer in the South Bend area, I think, that bought certain rights and unassembled parts from the bankruptcy liquidation with the intention of assembling marketable automobiles. It never came to fruition.

Studebaker also operated their Canadian plant for a few years after the U.S. bankruptcy, but that went dormant nearly fifty years ago.

The big losers were the pensioners. The Studebaker bankruptcy was principally why Congress enacted ERISA.

 

[Steinmetz]

Nope, not going to happen.

You never can tell. It depends upon how the workers are treated with regard to wages, hours and other conditions of employment.

 

[bczygan]

I just got their catalog in the mail.

Called them up and the girl in the call center (Which serves a number of mail order companies) had no idea of the history.

Circular file for the catalog.

 

[bob15]

I am not buying any new SK tools until the workers are union again. Anyone know if there are plans to do so?

You might be waiting awhile. If Ideal is smart they won't allow unions to leech into their factory.

 

[HighPlainsWrencher]

I am not buying any new SK tools until the workers are union again. Anyone know if there are plans to do so?

I hope not. They have a good thing going, why ruin it.

 

[Farmall450]

At least SK uses known designs, looks like they used to. This website looks nothing like Montgomery Ward stores used to.

How is a website supposed to look like a store?

 

[kythri]

I am not buying any new SK tools until the workers are union again. Anyone know if there are plans to do so?

Wait, SK isn't a union shop?

I'm going to go place a huge order of SK stuff right now.

 

[Fedwrench]

It's not like the linked socket set says Power Kraft on it.

 

[Parabellum]

Nowhere as good as the Wright made PowerKraft tools.

 

[mustube]

I am not buying any new SK tools until the workers are union again. Anyone know if there are plans to do so?

Why on earth would you support any organization that raises business costs and makes companies have to lay people off because they can't afford the ridiculous wages that unions bring? Unions are a part of the problem. There is no reason that someone with a very simple assembly job needs 35 dollars an hour.

 

[Cato]

How is a website supposed to look like a store?

The logo looks pretty much the same as the signs on the store fronts and their internet logo states "Improving American Homes Since 1872." So whoever owns Wards now is trying to highlight some continuity with the "old" Wards.

I see a lot of similarity with other companies that get bought and sold to large parent corporations. Chrysler is Italian as far as I'm concerned and Range Rover is Indian. I love Budweiser too much to care who makes it, though!

 

[bob15]

I love Budweiser too much to care who makes it, though!

I'm sorry to hear that you care that much about dishwater.

 

[928'er]

This new Wards might as well sell Thorsen tools...

Hey, I resemble that remark.

I've got a set of the "real" Thorsen metric combination wrenches bought circa 1972 that are still my go to wrenches.

Sad to see the Thorsen name slapped on all that chinese ****. (Sorry spell checker - chinese doesn't deserve to be capitalized.)

 

[mshell56118]

There was a dealer in the South Bend area, I think, that bought certain rights and unassembled parts from the bankruptcy liquidation with the intention of assembling marketable automobiles. It never came to fruition.



Studebaker also operated their Canadian plant for a few years after the U.S. bankruptcy, but that went dormant nearly fifty years ago.



The big losers were the pensioners. The Studebaker bankruptcy was principally why Congress enacted ERISA.

That place was called national reserve and was selling parts. I live in south bend area. The guy I am talking about bringing it back is in Colorado



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[Virgil Cain]

I am not buying any new SK tools until the workers are union again. Anyone know if there are plans to do so?

You're hoping that the unions can do for SK what they did for Detroit then?

Personally SK being non-union is a huge plus for me and makes me more inclined to buy their product.

 

[Coach James]

I am not buying any new SK tools until the workers are union again. Anyone know if there are plans to do so?

That's the way! If everyone did that, SK would go out of business and all those American workers would lose their jobs. Great way to support the working man.

Coach

 

[David Jackson]

Indian Motorcycle

Good example. Was originally Indian Motocycle (no "r" in the word.)

 

[ttpete]

Wards deserved to die. They never carried spare parts for anything they sold. I had a Wards washer, and had to source parts from Norge. They also imported Benelli motorcycles and parts were totally unobtainable.