By John Schlipp
Special to NKyTribune
Editor’s note: We’re celebrating ten years of Our Rich History. You can browse and read any of the past columns, from the present all the way back to our start on May 6, 2015, at our newly updated database: https://nkytribune.com/category/living/our-rich-history/
Nearly a century ago, the corner of Eighth Street and Madison Avenue buzzed with excitement as a new Montgomery Ward department store opened its doors in Covington on August 17, 1929, just months before the Wall Street stock market crash.
Similar in design to numerous Ward’s neoclassical facades constructed nationwide in the late 1920s, these buildings were among the earliest “place-product-packaging” examples of modern chain retailers. That is, the stores shared a recognizable logo and building style, including a terra cotta torch-bearing “Spirit of Progress,” the icon of Montgomery Ward.
The Covington building’s facade also includes an emblem of meat cleaver logos reflecting the chain’s Lakeside line of knives, slicers, and butcher’s tools. Meanwhile, the green multi-diamond pattern motifs on the building frieze reflect Ward’s earliest black diamond-shaped common law trademark for alpaca goods sold in its catalogs in the 1870s. Moving away from such product-specific emblems, Montgomery Ward’s later corporate logos included a mid-century modern M mirrored W icon in a diamond pattern. The iconic Ward’s building in Covington is a classic example of a retailer creating an identifiable storefront, now so common today with the familiar frontages of Target and Macy’s stores.
The sleek modern Montgomery Ward building was constructed by Fleischer Brothers of Cincinnati on the site of the old Covington Industrial Club. The Industrial Club ultimately became the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. Montgomery Ward identified Covington as a thriving business and residential community. Mr. J.H. Jarus, first store manager, expressed, “We expect to become a real Covington organization and we will work and strive for the welfare of this city” (“Manager Tells Why Covington Was Selected,” “Kentucky Post,” August 15, 1929, p. 5).
According to Frank Brown Latham, author of “1872–1972 A Century of Serving Consumers: The Story of Montgomery Ward,” “Wards saw to it that each store was of the town as well as in it. Local people were hired and the store managers were active in civic affairs. A percentage of the store’s profits was contributed to charity appeals and other drives.”
These fresh new retail enterprises were viewed as progressive and innovative for each of its communities.
The roots of such modern merchandising started in 1872 when founder Aaron Montgomery Ward in Chicago introduced the pioneering mail-order concept. It offered rural families access to affordable goods without the need to travel to distant cities. Ward’s catalogs became household staples, filled with everything from farm tools to clothing. The frequently published catalogs provided innovative accounts of the latest new machines, gadgets, and fashions.
The success of Montgomery Ward’s catalog business was amplified by the introduction of Rural Free Delivery (RFD) in 1891, which allowed mail—including catalogs and orders—to reach even the most remote homes. This postal service advancement expanded the company’s reach and popularity, which expanded to opening stores like that in Covington for in-person shopping.
The Covington location was unique in that it included the local Curtis Commercial College on its second floor and other commercial tenants. The college offered day and night classes in accounting, bookkeeping, stenography, typing and even a letter service department providing training in circular work, addressing rural resident mailing lists, compiling lists, filing, and checking (“Curtis Commercial College Moves to New Montgomery Ward Building” “Kentucky Post,” August 15, 1929, p. 10).
Fast forward to today, Ward’s iconic building is now reimagined as SparkHaus, a vibrant new educational center for entrepreneurship and innovation. SparkHaus is a $16.4 million redevelopment project designed to support startups, founders, and investors in the region. With co-working spaces, private offices, and a public café, SparkHaus carries forward Montgomery Ward’s legacy of democratizing access to branded goods and services—this time, to business resources and collaborative enterprising opportunities.
The restoration of Ward’s former Covington building — complete with its historic motifs — into a new entrepreneurial launchpad further tells stories of innovation, resilience, and community impact, values that continue to shape the region’s economic landscape. Today, that legacy has evolved as a incubator for new ventures, empowering small businesses and entrepreneurs to create the next generation of iconic brands.
The spirit of this transformation is showcased at the upcoming Entrepreneur & Small Business Day hosted by the Kenton County Public Library’s Erlanger Branch at 401 Kenton Lands, Erlanger on Wednesday, September 17.
The event celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of our region and offers practical guidance for those ready to turn ideas into assets:
• Morning Workshop (9:15–11:30 a.m.): “Tired of Looking for a Job? Start Your Own Business!” Hear firsthand from local founders about their startup journeys and the challenges they overcame.
• Afternoon Workshop (1–4 p.m.): “From Idea to Asset—Navigating Intellectual Property for Your Business” — Presented in partnership with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, this session will demystify trademarks, patents, and copyrights for new business owners and other creative types
Whether you’re inspired by Covington’s historic brands or ready to build your own, this event is a powerful reminder that every great business starts with a bold idea—and the right support. Kenton County Public Library offers stories and solutions for entrepreneurs and small business start-ups. Learn more here.
John Schlipp is a Career Navigator Librarian at Kenton County Public Library specializing in business resources and intellectual property awareness. He is a member of the Patent & Trademark Resource Center Association, and can be contacted at john.schlipp@kentonlibrary.org. NOTE: The trademark images displayed in this article are for historical reference, news reporting, and educational purposes.
Paul A. Tenkotte, PhD is Editor of the “Our Rich History” weekly series and Professor of History at Northern Kentucky University (NKU). To browse ten years of past columns, see: https://nkytribune.com/category/living/our-rich-history/. Tenkotte also serves as Director of the ORVILLE Project (Ohio River Valley Innovation Library and Learning Engagement). For more information see https://orvillelearning.org/. He can be contacted at tenkottep@nku.edu.
