Portrait of a Pioneer

While in the library doing research for a graduate course in marketing, I analyzed some catalogs such as Spiegel, Lands’ End, and Smith & Noble. Then I came across two old Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalogs published in 1897 and 1908.

At first, I read the Sears books only out of curiosity. The catalogs ran to almost 1,200 pages and included a seemingly endless selection of food, clothing and machines. The company sold more than 100,000 items at the time, consistent with its tag line, “We Sell Everything.”