Sears, Roebuck & Company of Chicago, Illinois, the most famous mail order company in the United States, made two attempts to sell automobiles using their catalog.
The first venture into the car business came in 1908. Sears sold a variety of motorized, high-wheeled carriages and buggies, but by 1911, few motorists were happy with a top speed of 25 mph and a horseless-carriage appearance and Sears ended the effort in 1912.
Their next try, in 1952 was also somewhat ill-timed. Sears contracted with the Kaiser-Frazer Corportion of Willow Run, Michigan, to build a version of Kaiser’s Henry J sedan. The cars carried the Allstate brand and appeared in the 1952 and 1953 Sears Catalog. The compact 2-door sedan was not what the post-war big-car-hungry Americans wanted and the contract with Kaiser was cancelled in July, 1953 after only 2,363 cars had been sold.
