A Brief Look at Our Retail History

Abstract

This paper is a brief insight of our retail industry. It will cover where it started from earlier settlers purchasing their needs from peddlers off the back of wagons to today's retail stores. The retail industry is always evolving to meet the needs of the consumer. Retail is a very intense and exciting industry that requires new innovation daily to stay ahead of the competitors.

Keywords: History, Corporate Stakeholders, Ethics, Ecology and natural resources, Social issues

A Brief Look at our Retail Industry

Retail is in a since a way that society expresses themselves. Shopping is our fulfillment of things we purchase out of pride and sometimes quilt, it can be rewarding but also burdensome when high debt is created. People shop to explore their wants and needs and reward themselves with self-indulgence and the gratification of wanting something that they do not have, but with this comes the prospect of buying things that we really do not need. This paper will explore the history, corporate stakeholders and response to their issues, the role of industry in its social, economic and political setting, domestic and international ethics, Ecology and natural resources and social issues.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Abstract 2

A Brief Look at our Retail Industry 3

Table of Contents 4

History 7

Corporate Stakeholders. 9

Social, Economic and Political settings. 10

Domestic and International 10

Ecological and natural resources. 12

Social issues. 12

References 15

Retail is in a since a way that society expresses themselves. Shopping is our fulfillment of things we purchase out of pride and sometimes quilt, it can be rewarding but also burdensome when high debt is created. People shop to explore their wants and needs and reward themselves with self-indulgence and the gratification for owning something, but with this comes the prospect of buying things that we really do not need. This paper will explore the history, corporate stakeholders and response to their issues, the role of industry in its social, economic and political setting, domestic and international ethics, ecology and natural resources and social issues.

History1

The first principles of business and exchange started with the mom and pop stores. In 1816, Peltries' Market known as today, opened its doors in Dorset, Vermont as the general store to the rural settlement of Dorset. The owners Norman D. Lackmer and Harvey Holley bought dry goods and bulk foods from Boston's wholesale and had these items shipped by wagon to meet the needs of local farmers and village residents in a very rural area of Vermont. (Jones, 1991). The earliest of country stores sold bulk foods and supplies and simple manufactured goods like shoes, textile, stoves and many handmade items such as brooms and wooden tools. The first country stores or retailers where along the harbors like Boston harbor to meet the needs of consumers in a growing new world. With settlers moving west away from the harbors and business of a city life, entrepreneur's began to sell and barder goods from horse back and wagons to west bound pioneers. They brought with them necessities like fur pelts, needles, pins, knives, buttons, spices, tea, whalebone combs, spoons and otter and beaver pelts. Settler's welcomed these earlier retailers to purchase items such as these. They eventually with the travel conditions of back wood trails turning into roads, and the ability to utilize wagons more, they were able to offer kettles, saws, hammers, nails, firearms, black powder and the luxury items the ladies wanted like china, textile goods, pots and pans, utensils and of course tobacco products. These were America's first true retail stores. Many of these retailers are still in business today in there original buildings and general stores in remote towns across the United States. Here are just a few that are owned and operated as country stores still today:

1. Alabama, Harrison Brothers Store Established 1879

2. Arizona, Hubbell Trading Post Established 1876

3. Arkansas, Gilbert General Store Established 1901

4. California, Sheridan Country Sore Established 1869

5. Connecticut, North Woodstock Country Store Established turn of the century

6. Florida, McIntosh General Hardware established turn of the century

7. Georgia, Old Sautee Store Established 1870

8. Idaho, Orville Jackson's Eagle Drug Established 1906

9. Illinois, Pomona General Store Established 1917

10. Indiana, Barkla Store Established 100 years ago

11. Kentucky, Carris's Grocery

12. Established 1915

13. Maine, Fribees Store Established 1828

14. Massachusetts, Petersham Country Store Established 1840

15. Mississippi, Old Country Store Established 1875

16. New Hampshire, Mohawk General Store Established 1938

17. North Carolina, Mast General Store Established 1892

18. Ohio, Birt Store Established 1920

19. Pennsylvania, Kauffman's Hardware Established 1779

20. South Carolina, Cuzzins General Store Established early 20th century

21. Tennessee, Cumberland General Store Established 1973

22. Texas Bergheim General Store Established 1903

23. Vermont, Pelletier's Market Established 1816

24. Virginia, Havener Store Established 1920

25. West Virginia, Cass Country Store Established 1902 (Hine, 2002)

These retail stores provided medicine and merchandise