Sears Roebucks was founded by Richard Sears in Minnesota with just one product. He used to sell watches at the store. It later expanded into a mail-order catalog empire around the turn of the century. It became a household name across the United States.
Sears became the institution that people felt confident about. When the country was trying to find its identity after the Depression, Sears created a sense of security. Its huge catalog was everywhere, and the fantastic work of product advertising & consumer education was excellent.
Before the internet, the catalog was equivalent to a search engine. Everyone had the giant catalog known as the wish book and had access to the same thing. By the mid-1950s, the number of Sears stores surpassed 700.
The 1950s was the booming decade for Sears. It was also reflected in the shopping catalog. The colorful catalog had the best models posing for them. The products fascinated everyone.
The departmental store catalog during the 1950s had appliances, tools, clothing, mattresses, jewelry, cosmetics, furniture, toys, shoes, & bags. It became a valuable source where rural America could buy anything, even if no local stores provided them.
Sears was innovative in founding several brands. First, it launched a few famous brands, such as Kenmore, Craftsman, Allstate Insurance, and Discover Card. The name "Sears" soon became synonymous with a fantastic shopping experience.
Their large department stores anchored shopping malls all over the country. However, things changed quickly, and, unfortunately, Sears was not quick enough to understand the changing requirements of the shoppers. The discounts offered at other stores, such as Kmart and later by Walmart, lured their customers away.
