Wards Company officially changed its name to Circuit City and became listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 1984. A slightly modified version of this logo is used for the second revival.) (it was also used for the revival throughout its entire run until it shut down in 2012. Third and final Circuit City logo, used from 2001 until its liquidation in 2009. The company continued to expand with the new format modeled after "Wards Loading Dock" and renamed it Circuit City Superstore in 1981. The large-format store was very popular with customers. Department Store) in Richmond, Virginia and in the extra space, "Wards Loading Dock", its first warehouse showroom opened in 1974. After developing a long range plan for the company in 1973, construction began on a distribution center and new corporate offices building at 2040 Thalbro Street (named after Thalhimer Bros. Alan Wurtzel, his son, became CEO of Wards in 1972 and initially focused on digesting the acquisitions and shedding unprofitable operations. Samuel Wurtzel served as president of the company until 1970 and remained the chairman until 1984.
Wards experimented with several retail formats in Richmond, including smaller mall outlets branded "Sight-n-Sound" and "Circuit City". During the 1970s and early 1980s, it also sold mail-order under the name "Dixie Hi Fi", advertising in hi-fi magazines. The company continued to grow and acquired stores in other locations including Albany, New York Mobile, Alabama Washington, D.C. "Half Plug" Circuit City Superstore format in Huntsville, Alabama that included a more open showroom, used from 1995 to 2000.īy 1959, Wards Company operated four television and home appliance stores in Richmond.