I Bought It at Polk Bros: The Story of an American Retailing Phenomenon [Hardcover]

Ann Paden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1996

For millions, the very name 'Polk Bros' evokes the excitement that surrounded the purchase of the family's first television set, first automatic washing machine, first dishwasher. It stirs memories of Polk's colourful army of 'let's make a deal' salesmen; of promotions that included carloads of Georgia watermelons; of live television, midnight movies and Santa Clauses. Polk Bros has been imitated many times over, but the extraordinary confluence of events, technologies, personalities, and places that created the Polk Bros phenomenon is unlikely to occur ever again. Here for the first time is the story of how the Polk family developed the first modern retail appliance superstore.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Paden, a journalist, writer, and editor (with Miles C. Berger, They Built Chicago: Entrepreneurs Who Shaped a Great City's Architecture, Bonus Bks., 1992) tells the story, drawn from interviews with the people involved, of a Chicago-based retailer who was once perhaps the nation's biggest retailer of name-brand appliances and furniture. No MBAs here, just a hard-working immigrant family from Eastern Europe with innate merchandising and marketing talent. Sol Polk, one of six siblings, started the family business in the 1930s; considered a retailing maverick, business-minded Sol was a pioneer of many of the retailing and advertising strategies used today. The business greatly diminished in the early 1990s with the advent of increased competition, a retail recession, and the demise of the principals. Paden presents a well-written portrait of this likable family, who came to America with strong moral values and work ethics, a family who appreciated the opportunities that America afforded them and who, in turn, gave back to their community. Highly recommended for general collections.?Bellinda Wise, Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, N.Y.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Bonus Books (December 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566250730
• ISBN-13: 978-1566250733
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.3 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,482,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good history of a successful business., June 13, 1998

By 

David Polk ([e-mail]) (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Bought It at Polk Bros: The Story of an American Retailing Phenomenon (Hardcover)

This story tells the story of the Polks (which was not the original name), who were a family that came to the USA from Europe with big dreams and hopes. These dreams were fulfilled when Polk Bros., the first retailer of its kind became successfull. Polk Bros. set the tone for all future retailers with its new ideas. My favorite part of the book, was reading about the many big and weird promotions Polk Bros. had, including renting out the Chicago Stadium for a humungous b-day celebration. Read this book (of course) to find out more.