Memory Lane

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In the later c.1950s, Mr. Romy Hammes vision the former Singer property, known as Marycrest, as a multi mix use property. It contained 50 acres on the main entrance to South Bend from the West. In order to show his vision to interested person (neighbors, politicians and users etc.) he had drawings made to represent the types of business he wanted to acquire. One was a Montgomery Ward & Co. type of establishment. The local Monkey Ward manager called and yelled at me that they had no intentions to relocate from downtown. She of course was a glorified clerk, one of the 37,000 employees in 30 states, an did not know or care that there were ongoing negotiations. Monkey Ward and the clerk as in the year 2000 went out of business. Romy Hammes Inc. still survives !!