Richard Warren Sears facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Warren Sears
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| Born | December 7, 1863 |
| Died | September 28, 1914 (aged 50) |
| Years active | 1886–1908 |
| Known for | Founder of Sears, Roebuck and Company |
Richard Warren Sears (born December 7, 1863 – died September 28, 1914) was a clever American businessman. He is famous for starting the company Sears, Roebuck and Company with his partner Alvah Curtis Roebuck. This company became one of the biggest stores in the United States, especially known for its mail-order catalogs.
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Richard Sears's Early Life
Richard Sears was born in Stewartville, Minnesota. His father, James Warren Sears, was a blacksmith and made wagons. His mother was Eliza Burton. The family later moved to Spring Valley, Minnesota. Richard's father even served on the city council there.
When Richard was a boy in Spring Valley, he became friends with Almanzo Wilder. Almanzo later married Laura Ingalls Wilder, who wrote the famous "Little House on the Prairie" books!
In 1880, when Richard was about 16, he started working as a telegraph operator. He worked for the Minneapolis and St. Louis Railway. He later became a station agent in North Redwood Falls, Minnesota. This job was important because it taught him a lot about shipping goods by train.
How Richard Sears Became a Businessman
In 1886, when Richard Sears was 23, something interesting happened at his train station. A shipment of gold watches arrived from a company in Chicago. But the local jeweler, Edward Stegerson, refused to accept them. He hadn't ordered them.
At that time, some companies would send products that weren't ordered. If the store refused, the company would then offer the items at a lower price. This was a trick to get stores to buy things they didn't really want.
But Stegerson was smart and didn't fall for the trick. Richard Sears saw a chance to make money. He made a deal with the watch company. He would keep any profit he made above $12 for each watch. Then, he started selling the watches to other station agents along the railroad line for $14 each.
Why People Wanted Watches
Watches were seen as a fancy item that people in cities had. Also, with more railroads and new time zones, people like farmers and train workers needed to know the exact time. Before this, it wasn't as important. Because of these reasons, the station agents easily sold the watches to people passing by.
Starting His Own Company
In just six months, Richard Sears made $5,000! This was a lot of money back then. He felt very confident and moved to Minneapolis. There, he started his own business called the R. W. Sears Watch Company.
He began putting ads in farm magazines. He also sent flyers (small papers with ads) to people who might buy his watches. From the start, Richard was great at writing ads. He wrote in a friendly way, talking directly to people in small towns and farms. He convinced them to buy things by mail. This meant they could order from a catalog and have items shipped to them.
Moving to Chicago and Growing the Business
In 1887, Richard Sears moved his company to Chicago. Chicago was a major hub for trains and shipping in the middle of the United States. He also hired Alvah Curtis Roebuck, a watch repairman, to fix any watches that customers returned. Alvah was Richard's first employee.
Sears, Roebuck and Company is Born
Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck became partners. In 1891, when Richard was 28, they formed Sears, Roebuck & Company.
A few years later, in 1895, the company needed more money. Alvah Roebuck had left the business. Richard Sears sold half of the company for $75,000 to two new partners: Aaron Nusbaum and his brother-in-law, Julius Rosenwald. The company officially became Sears Roebuck & Co. of Illinois on September 7, 1895.
Richard Sears retired from the company in 1908 when he was 44 years old. Julius Rosenwald then became the president.
The Famous Sears Catalog
The very first Sears catalog came out in 1893. It only sold watches. But by 1897, the catalog had grown a lot! It offered many different items, like clothes for men and women, plows for farming, silverware, bicycles, and sports equipment.
The catalog grew to 500 pages and was sent to about 300,000 homes. Richard Sears understood what people in rural areas (farms and small towns) needed. This was because he grew up on a farm himself. He also knew how to use the railroad to send products to places far away.
In 1908, Sears made another big step. The company started selling mail-order homes through their catalogs! People could order an entire house kit and have it shipped to them.
Richard Sears's Death
Richard Warren Sears passed away on September 28, 1914, in Waukesha, Wisconsin. He died from a kidney disease called Bright's disease. He was buried in a special building called a mausoleum at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago. His business rival, Aaron Montgomery Ward, was also buried nearby.
Richard Sears's Legacy
Richard Sears's birthplace in Stewartville, Minnesota, is now a historic site. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1892, Richard Sears was honored by being added to the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame. His ideas for selling by mail and his focus on customers changed how people shopped forever.
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Richard Warren Sears
