USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The catalog allowed more civilians to live in cities, as they could order and buy goods without actually having to go into a store. Nearly 50 years later, when Sears stores became a staple of malls, Americans trickled back out to the suburbs.

Detailed explanation-2: -Sears, Roebuck and Company is a retail giant with 19th-century roots as a mail-order business operating in rural America. Sears grew into one of the nation’s largest corporations, redefining the American shopping experience in the process. Its 130-year history embodies the rise and fall of American consumer culture.

Detailed explanation-3: -"Sears democratized retail in America.” The store made consumer credit widely available, which was a first for many of its customers. That allowed families to buy labor-saving appliances and electronics like washing machines, stereos and TVs that otherwise would have been out of reach.

Detailed explanation-4: -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.