Article: Shutting down of Montgomery Ward saddens some Iowans; 128 years old:Stores will close in Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines and the Quad Cities

As general manager of a Cedar Rapids' Westdale Mall, Mike McCue says the shuttering of the Montgomery Ward store is both a disappointment and an opportunity.

"Anytime you lose a tenant, and particularly your second-largest tenant, it's a matter of concern," McCue said.

But he said he also sees it as a chance to attract another retailer that will provide what Ward does not.

General Electric's GE Capital finance branch said Thursday that it is closing the department store subsidiary.

The retailer has been in business for 128 years with stores in more than 30 states. It fell victim to competition from other big retailers and slow sales this holiday season, officials said.

The company had ...

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