Montgomery Ward Inc., the department store chain that helped pioneer American retailing, said Thursday that it is shutting down after more than 125 years in business and will file for bankruptcy.

Montgomery Ward Shuts Its Doors. By ABC News. December 28, 2000, 4:23 PM. ... Dozens of employees were seen leaving the company’s headquarterswith boxes in hand today.

The original king of mass retailing is dead. Struggling and lost among today’s giants such as Sears, Wal-Mart and The Gap, the venerable Montgomery Ward is liquidating and firing 37,000 emplo… ...