Sears Merchandise Building Tower

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


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Merchandise Building — Southeast side of the Merchandise Building The Merchandise Building is a classic example of the renowned early 20th century industrial Chicago School architectural style. It is a loft conversion of a historic warehouse located in downtown Toronto …   Wikipedia

  • Sears, Roebuck, and Company Complex — Sears, Roebuck and Company Complex U.S. National Register of Historic Places U.S. National Historic Landmark …   Wikipedia

  • Sears, Roebuck and Company — Infobox Company company name=Sears, Roebuck and Co. company logo= company type=Subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation foundation=1886 in Chicago, Illinois location=Hoffman Estates, Illinois slogan=Where it Begins. revenue=$23.6 Billion industry …   Wikipedia

  • Sears Tower — Infobox Skyscraper building name=Sears Tower previous building=World Trade Center year built=1974 surpassed by building = Petronas Twin Towers year highest=1974 year end= 1998 location=Chicago, Illinois, USA use= Office, observation,… …   Wikipedia

  • Sears, Roebuck and Company Administration Building — Infobox nrhp2 | name =Sears, Roebuck and Company Complex nhl=yes designated other1 name= Chicago Landmark designated other1 date= September 4 2002 designated other1 abbr= CL designated other1 link= Chicago Landmark designated other1 color=… …   Wikipedia

  • Building implosion — is a term in use in the controlled demolition industry. It refers to strategically placing explosive material and timing its detonation so that a structure collapses on itself in a matter of seconds minimizing the physical damage to its immediate …   Wikipedia

  • Merchandise Mart — This article is about the building in Chicago, Illinois. For other subjects, see Merchandise Mart (disambiguation). The Chicago Merchandise Mart General information Ty …   Wikipedia

  • Sears, Roebuck and Co. —    Richard Sears, a railroad station agent, sold (for a profit) a local jeweler s unwanted shipment of watches in North Redwood, a rural area of Minnesota, and thus began a small watch business. After moving to Chicago, Sears met Alvah C. Roebuck …   Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry

  • Architecture of Chicago — Willis Tower The architecture of Chicago has influenced and reflected the history of American architecture. The city of Chicago, Illinois features prominent buildings in a variety of styles by many important architects. Since most buildings… …   Wikipedia

  • Willis Tower — Registro de altura Predecesor World Trade Center Edificio …   Wikipedia Español

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”