USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -Sears, in full Richard Warren Sears, (born December 7, 1863, Stewartville, Minnesota, U.S.-died September 28, 1914, Waukesha, Wisconsin), American merchant who developed his mail-order jewelry business into the huge retail company Sears, Roebuck .

Detailed explanation-2: -Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck issued their first catalog, 322 pages in 1891. At that time, 65% of the population lived in rural areas and were required to travel to often distant post boxes to pick up their mail, or to pay carriers for delivery.

Detailed explanation-3: -Sears started with watches. With the help of investor Julius Rosenwald, who joined the firm in 1895, their mail-order watch business soon grew into a general mail-order firm that delighted customers with its thick catalogs packed full of everything from clothing to toys to household appliances.

Detailed explanation-4: -By the early 20th century, Sears was already a household name across the United States, one that represented rural thrift and industry as well as material abundance and consumer pleasures. The company was founded as a modest mail-order retailer of watches in the 1880s by Richard W. Sears and Alvah C. Roebuck.

Detailed explanation-5: -In 1924, the company made a significant change in its operations by opening its first retail store. By 1929, there were over 300 Sears stores across the country. The move into retail stores was engineered by Robert E. Wood, a former U.S. Army supply officer who joined Sears after World War I.