Sears

Okay, you walk into sears to do your shopping all the time.  But do you ever really stop and think just how much history this store has behind it?  Sears is nor Walmart.  Walmart is a relative new comer to the world of retail sales.  Sure it’s the biggest and the baddest right now, but it has not had to adapt yet. Sears on the other hand has been around for over a century and has survived three wars and one catastrophic depression.  Sears is a survivor and the following timeline should give you an idea about how prolific this company really is.

1886       Richard Sears starts selling watches to supplement his income as station agent at North Redwood, Minn.

1887       Sears settles in the company's first Chicago location and hires a watchmaker named Alvah C. Roebuck.

1888       Date of the earliest catalog featuring only watches and jewelry.

1893    Corporate name becomes Sears, Roebuck and Co.

1896    First large general catalog.

1911    Sears establishes testing laboratory.

1916    Savings and Profit Sharing Fund of Sears Employees is established.

1925    First Sears retail store opens in catalog center on Chicago's west side.

1926    Sears launches the Craftsman® and Kenmore® brands.

1931    Allstate Insurance Co. established.

1945    Sears sales exceed $1 billion.

1953    Simpsons-Sears, Ltd. established in Canada.

1973    Sears moves its national headquarters to Sears Tower.

1981    Sears acquires Dean Witter Reynolds Organization and Coldwell, Banker & Company.

1985    Discover Card introduced nationally.

1986    Sears celebrates its 100th anniversary.

1993    Sears sells (IPO) 20 percent of Dean Witter shares to public, spins-off remaining shares to shareholders. New company called Dean Witter, Discover & Co.

1993    Sears sells 20 percent of Allstate to public.

                 Sears sells Coldwell Banker Residential Services   and Sears Mortgage Banking Group.

Sears introduces popular "Come see the softer side of Sears" advertising campaign.

1994    Sears appoints Arthur C. Martinez as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.

1995    Sears launches the KidVantage Program.

1996    Sears opens The Great Indoors stores. Sears makes Craftsman® tools available on-line.

Sears becomes a founding sponsor of the Women’s National Basketball Association.

1997    Sears launches Wishbook.com.

1998    Sears introduces "The Good Life at a Great Price" advertising campaign.

Sears launches Sears.com.

2000  Sears appoints Alan Lacy as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.

2001  Sears returns to downtown Chicago, opening a new flagship store on State Street.