Sears Robuck & Co…… a little history

[guspech750]

I remember the Sears catalogs very well. Getting the mail after school and seeing a Sears catalog in the mailbox was an exciting moment. Go in the house, make a tasty after school meal, sit down and read the catalog. Sitting there Open eyed wishing I could own such an amazing assortment of cool products. And it didn’t stop there. How many of us would read that catalog for days or months on end? Sounds a bit pathetic in a way. But man. Life was much simpler.

My dad was a big Sears and Craftsman fan. That was what he mainly bought up until he died last year. I nearly dropped to the floor when he bought a John Deere riding mower about 3 years ago. Every mower, tool and yard tools was a Craftsman unless he could not find what he needed in Craftsman.

When My wife and I bought our first house in 2000. I still had a bit or Sears and Craftsman fandom left in me. Bought some tools, tool chest, TV’s, clothes, lawnmower and more from Sears. Soon after though I had had enough of their cheapening of products and warranties.

It’s too bad. Sears was everywhere in the Chicagoland area and now they are gone. I think there is possibly one store left. I was a big fan of buying stuff at Sears Hardware. I liked that store.

I for sure did not know about the watch venture being the start of Sear Roebuck and Company. That was very cool to read.

Two years ago I just replaced my Craftsman lawnmower with a super nice Honda. The Craftsman runs great still but I did not feel like fixing the drive system.

On a side note. Same could be said for Service Merchandise. Cool catalogs and mailers.


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[Tanukjaju]

@guspech750 deepest condolences on the loss of you dad.

It’s amazing how our memories can be triggered… the smells of books and catalogues bring me back in time too.

[guspech750]

[mention]guspech750[/mention] deepest condolences on the loss of you dad.

It’s amazing how our memories can be triggered… the smells of books and catalogues bring me back in time too.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

You’re right on about how our memories can be triggered so easily. Memories I thought that had been forgotten soon come back after being triggered by something. It’s quite amazing how it works.


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[Tanukjaju]

On a side note. Same could be said for Service Merchandise. Cool catalogs and mailers.

I have totally forgotten about Service Merchandise till you mentioned it. The last time I went into one of their stores was when I was in Indiana. I remember lots of lower mid range watches and lots of jewelry for sale. Not much more. They were already fading too in the 1990s.

[jrlmsla]

@straps68 sadly our economies and stock markets reward consumerism. Long term this isn’t sustainable.

For those that haven’t seen a seen a sears catalog…. They were the Amazon of their day.

Early catalog
https://www.hursthistory.org/uploads/1/ ... og_ppt.pdf


Later - 1970s
https://christmas.musetechnical.com/Sho ... er-Catalog

So in 1897, a shotgun was $6.68, a US made watch cost 98 cents, and one made by Swiss peasants cost $1.68. These days a Swiss watch costs several shotguns

The one from '75 is interesting to look at, too.

Depends on the shotgun!

[Piloten]

Well boy...Sears Roebuck...
Time was when you would order whatever from a mail order catalog full of pencil drawings and it would eventually show up, from shoes to houses. Yes, houses.


The Timothy Eaton Company... my grandmother worked there for decades. Another retailer with their own watches, one being our own @binbin
Woodwards, only hitting a chord in western Canada.
Army and Navy, a very Canadian chain.
Consumers Distributing...

Wow. Facefirst into the paving of memory lane. Thanks @Tanukjaju

[guspech750]

On a side note. Same could be said for Service Merchandise. Cool catalogs and mailers.

I have totally forgotten about Service Merchandise till you mentioned it. The last time I went into one of their stores was when I was in Indiana. I remember lots of lower mid range watches and lots of jewelry for sale. Not much more. They were already fading too in the 1990s.

Come to think of it. I bought my first “fancy” watch from Service Merchandise. It was a Movado Museum model. Payed it off on layaway. LOLzzzzzzzz. I actually still have it.

Damn it’s so small.





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