The Big Store

Inside the Crisis and Revolution at Sears

By: Donald Katz

Narrated by: Brian Sutherland, Donald Katz - introduction

Length: 30 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

In 1972, Sears, Roebuck, and Co. was America's greatest store, accounting for over 1 percent of the gross national product. Suddenly, profits plummeted and the stock price collapsed. Sears was at civil war and in need of a new leader. In 1978, Edward R. Telling became the Sears chairman, and by 1984 Sears was back on top, bigger than ever. Telling turned things around so dramatically it seemed like a miracle. But the resurrection of Sears as a great American merchant was no miracle, but the result of the power, vision, and will of strong leadership. 

Award-winning author Donald Katz, who received unprecedented and unrestricted access to Sears's records, meetings, and executives, delivers a spellbinding account that gives you a front-row seat to a corporate revolution. Katz is the founder and CEO of Audible, the leading provider of spoken audio information and entertainment.  

This edition includes an updated introduction written and narrated by the author.  

©1987 Donald R. Katz (P)2018 Audible, Inc.

Fascinating!!!

My dad worked at Sears and that was always our go to store, and when Audible gave us this book I thought i might like it. I finally got to it and I found it fascinating. I didn't really get into all the executives but the story of how the store came about, and how they built it up and all its growing pains, it was a very very good listen and I learned alot about the giant Sears!!

Too long and convoluted

Although I like reading/listening to long books, I didn’t quite enjoyed this one. Too many details, characters and changed of direction in the story, that I’ve lost the track many times.

Great read

Good narration. Good to see how Sears shaped the world we know of today.

it was a fine book, but not super interesting 🤷🏻

most likely could have been said in about half the time. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the history of retail.

very insightful story

is a very insightful Story,I knew Sears pretty much for Craftsman tools and brick-and-mortar store that it is, had no idea how Sears came about and the leadership that it's been thru and the the family environment of its employees to its corporate dealings and merges with other companies, I think it would be a great idea since it's been 20 years since the story to add everything that's happened to Sears since then if possible. Like a second part of the story. especially with the recent turn of events that Sears has gone through and is currently going on.

Who knew I would love this book?

I never knew I wanted to read a book about Sears and corporate America, but I sure loved the hell out of this book.
Brilliant voice actor.

Incredibly Interesting

A fascinating look into a critical time of transition at Sears. For those interested in the rise and fall of big corporation, this book provides an in depth narrative of rebirth before an ultimate demise more than 30 years later. Aside from the the information, the book is very well written and a compelling story.

I still have working Sears products in my home.

I remember getting the Sears catalog in the mail, and The Sears Wish Book, which I still own the last copy of. I have Sears touch lamps in my bedroom that have astonished guests for years. I own Kenmore washer and dryers that lasted longer than my friends Maytags by at least 10 years or more. The toy department was where my children roamed an made out their Christmas lists. I have a fully functioning Sears Craftsman riding lawn mower in my garage that out lasted a John Deere.

I think the author of this documentary failed to mention the quality of the Sears product line and focused more on the management. Still,it was an interesting story of how the mighty Sears could implode from 1977 to 1984. Just 7 years to destroy a legend that the younger generation will never appreciate, and the older generation will never forget.

A tale of corporate history

A detailed yet complicated account of the history of Sears and the stories of the families involved.

Terrible narrator

The narrator was mind-numbingly boring. I dreaded listening to this book, as much as I may or may not have enjoyed the content. In all honesty, the narrator destroyed this book for me. Within 5 minutes of listening, I started fading off, not able to hold attention to his monotonous, emotionless voice. His cadence was like a metronome, with no expression. I think the book was well written and excessively well researched, but I will never forget how bad it was to listen to. I'm so glad it's over.