Sears

From WE Computers Museum
Sears logo.png
Sears
Type Subsidiary of Transformco
Founded 1892 (A.C. Roebuck Watch Company)
1893 (Sears, Roebuck, and Co.)
2004 (Sears Holdings Corporation)
2019 (Sears, brand of Transformco)
Headquarters Midwest City, Oklahoma, U.S.
Key people Richard Warren Sears, founder
Alvah Curtis Roebuck, founder
Industry consumer goods
Products consumer goods
Number of people not disclosed
Website https://www.sears.com/

Sears, Roebuck and Co., better known as Sears, is a retail chain.

A.C. Roebuck Watch Company

Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck formed the A.C. Roebuck Watch Company in 1892.

Sears, Roebuck and Co.

The company was renamed Sears, Roebuck, and Co. in 1893.

Tele-Games

Under the Tele-Games label, Sears sold their own models of Atari, Coleco, and Mattel Electronics consoles, beginning with Pong in 1975.

Acquisition of Dean Reynolds Organization

In 1981, Sears, Roebuck and Co. acquired Dean Reynolds Organization. The Discover credit card was introduced in 1985 and Dean Reynolds was spun off from Sears as Dean Witter, Discover & Co. in 1993.

Prodigy

In 1984, Sears, Roebuck and Co. launched the Prodigy online service as a joint venture with IBM.

Sears rebranding

In 1993, the Roebuck name was dropped from Sears stores.

Merger with Kmart

On November 17, 2004, Kmart Holdings Corporation purchased Sears after emerging from bankruptcy. Kmart and Sears were merged into Sears Holdings Corporation.

Bankruptcy and forming of Transformco

On October 15, 2018, Sears announced it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. On February 11, 2019, Transformco was formed to acquire the assets of Sears Holdings Corporation.

Sears Tele-Games video game consoles

Name Released Notes
Pong 1975 Sears Tele-Games Pong.
Pong IV 1976 Sears Tele-Games Pong Doubles.
Super Pong 1976 Sears Tele-Games Super Pong.
Motocross Sports Center IV 1977 Sears Tele-Games Stunt Cycle.
Pinball Breakaway 1977 Sears Tele-Games Video Pinball.
Video Arcade 1977 Sears Tele-Games Atari 2600.
Gunslinger II 1978 Designed by Coleco.
Super Video Arcade 1979 Sears Tele-Games Intellivision.