Sears Merchandise Building Tower

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name=Sears Merchandise Building Tower


year_built=1906
location=Lawndale, Chicago, Illinois USA
height_meters=76
height_feet=250
height_stories=15
construction_period=1905-1906
emporis_id=117500
roof=250 feet / 76 meters
top_floor=
antenna_spire=
floor_area=convert|3000000|sqft|m2|-5 1906
elevator_count=
architect=George G. Nimmons - William K. Fellows

The Sears Merchandise Building Tower is a small part of a building that was used by Sears as a retail headquarters and distribution center for what was the largest catalog retailer in the United States. Officially opened in 1906 it was the 40-acre home of Sears, Roebuck & Co., Chicago. [ Historic Sears, Roebuck and Co. Catalog Plant, ISBN 0-7385-3977-5, Founding date of the complex. ]

The largest mercantile plant in the world

It was the headquarters and main operations for all parts of the Sears Roebuck Company for almost seven decades. [ Historic Sears, Roebuck and Co. Catalog Plant, ISBN 0-7385-3977-5, Early foundings of the Sears company. ]
* Original Sears Tower 1906
* Automatic Telephone Switchboard 1906
* Long distance operators switchboard 1906
* Catalog printing facilities 1906
* Pneumatic tube system 1906
* Administration Building 1906
* Drinking fountains (300), and Moving Stairway escalator 1920
* Recreation room and library
* WLS radio station 1924
* Sears first retail outlet 1926
* Allstate Insurance 1931
* Allstate building 1945
* Homart Development Company 1959
* Parking deck 1960, added needs for employee parking.

Early catalog advertising 1906 invited customers to come to Chicago to tour the facilities as their time permitted when visiting Chicago. This included not only the merchandise building, but also the advertising building, administration building, and power house.

In the 1920s extensive athletic facilities were added and athletic field events. They encouraged after-work socialization to keep high morale among their employees. Included were a clubhouse and tennis courts, and the Sears Department of the YMCA. Events included an annual track and field competitions, and company baseball teams. WLS radio formerly broadcasted from the 11th floor. An image of the building was used on the Sears catalogue during the early part of the 20th century.

Auto Parking Created Change

By 1926 the first ground level parking lots replaced the athletic fields. This happened at the same time that a strategic shift from catalog sales to retail stores had started with easy auto travel making travel to a store more practical.

A City in a City

By 1943 the complex had become a city within itself. Sears created their own services for effective use, much advanced beyond what was required at the time.
* Company fire department, with volunteer firemen, and early use of fire sprinklers.
* Power station - generated power for all facilities.
* 200,000 gallon water tank, water use and fire prevention purposes.
* Newspaper publicity office.
* Testing laboratory - new products.
* Cafeteria - originally men and women were separated, and multiple levels of service for all employee lunch and breakfast.
* Sears Bank - services for employees on site.

Early brands used local names

* Homart - Homan Avenue building location. 1934
* Tower - Original Sears Tower. 1950

Movies that used the site as a location

* "Ocean's Twelve" (2004) - George Clooney and Matt Damon along with many other celebrities filmed a scene in the Power House.
* "Stranger than Fiction" (2006) - For this movie, Emma Thompson filmed a night scene in front of the tower. [ Historic Sears, Roebuck and Co. Catalog Plant, ISBN 0-7385-3977-5, Movies that used this site as a location]

References

ee also

*Sears Tower
*Sears, Roebuck and Company

External links

* [http://www.originaltower.com Original Sears Tower Official Web Site]
* [http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=searsmerchandisebuildingtower-chicago-il-usa Sears Merchandise Building Tower] at Emporis