Content about Montgomery Ward

June 6, 2011
Soapbox: Good to Great to Gone

The story of Circuit City’s meteoric rise and catastrophic fall reveals myriad leadership lessons. It also underscores the critical strategic role that training and development play in a company’s continued success.

By Tom Wulf

In early 2009, 34,000 American workers lost their jobs and one of retail’s greatest stories of entrepreneurship abruptly came to an end. More than 250,000 people—families, suppliers, supporting businesses—were impacted directly by the closing of Circuit City Stores, Inc. The 60-year-old retailer, with a presence in every major U.S. city, seemed to just disappear.