Acres of Diamonds

Born in Philadelphia on July 11, 1838, John Wanamaker created the first department store and later became famous as a merchant for his upscale clothing stores and department stores located in Philadelphia and New York. By 1872, Wanamaker was the largest clothing retailer in the nation. Wanamaker was innovative in terms of achieving tremendous growth by introducing unique marketing strategies that consisted of aggressive advertising, white sales, money-back guarantees, newspaper ads, the world’s largest organ, and a restaurant inside the store. Recognized for his upstanding principles, Wanamaker stood for truth in advertising as well as Accuracy in Word and Print.” Wanamaker retail policies have been credited as key factors in the rise of department store ethics and procedures. A devout Christian, Wanamaker was a recognized pillar of the community, supporting religious and patriotic causes, and President Benjamin Harrison appointed him Postmaster General (1889-93), where Wanamaker was credited with having introduced several efficiencies. He passed away on December 12, 1922.Conwell, Russell H. is the author of 'Acres of Diamonds' with ISBN 9780937539781 and ISBN 0937539783.