In 1886, Richard Sears bought an unwanted shipment of gold watches from a Chicago jewelry shop. The purchase changed the course of his life. The sales that he made from those watches launched a career as a watch retailer. Later, Sears hired watchmaker Alvah C. Roebuck to assist him. After some time working together, they decided to start a company by the name of Sears, Roebuck and Co. It was not until 1896 that Ward experienced his first serious competition, Sears, Roebuck and Co., which managed to surpass Ward's business in 1900.
The company became very profitable, and in 1895 the partners offered their mail-in catalog, which illustrated shoes, garments, wagons, fishing tackle, stoves, furniture, saddles, bicycles, and much more. The move brought Sears into direct competition with Montgomery Ward's "Wish Book" that had been in circulation since 1883. As the demand for more products grew, Sears, Roebuck and Co. built numerous stores throughout the United States, which became a record expansion over a six-year period. Today the company is the owner of such major brand name products as Kenmore, Craftsman, Die-Hard, and Tuff-skin.
Off-site search results for "Sears and Roebuck"...
Roebuck Resources ... of William Roebuck Will of George Roebuck Robucks & Roebucks in Spartanburg Cemeteries ROEBUCK SITES Carol Middleton's The ROEBUCK Family Got a Roebuck resource? Share the url. Email me Carol Middleton to Carol Middleton's Family Resource ... http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~cmddlton/rbkrsrs.html
Sears Intro ... Sears The Sears, Roebuck & Company and Montgomery Ward Promotion Wars The Sears, Roebuck & Company Catalog The Development of Mail Order America & Consumer Society Sears Website Bibliography Contributed by Lori Liggett, American Culture ... http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/acs/1890s/sears/sears.html
