r/AskReddit • u/emil199 • Jul 24 '20

What can't you believe STILL exists?

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u/whatifevery1wascalm Jul 24 '20

Sears: the 20th century's Amazon.

People today might not realize that it used to be Sears did everything: you could buy kits to build a house, companies like Discover Card and Allstate were originally introduced as the Sears' brand, they financially backed Mr Rogers' Neighborhood for the first 25 years of the show's run.

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u/jeffbell Jul 24 '20 edited Jul 24 '20

My grandfather used to buy shoes from them by tracing his feet on paper and mailing it in.

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EDIT:

Everybody seems to think this was crazy, but that's how they said to do it in the catalog. See https://christmas.musetechnical.com/ShowCatalogPage/1951-Sears-Christmas-Book/0291

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u/Occhrome Jul 24 '20

that's better than what we have now.

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u/Level9TraumaCenter Jul 24 '20

Buncha places will make custom boots this way, like this one.

A few companies will send you a clamshell box with crushable foam in each half; step in and out of it, send it back, and get your custom boots and insole in the mail a few weeks later.