A native of Indiana and co-founder of Sears, Roebuck & Co. (Sears Collection)

Built in 1920 and occupied by Sears from 1925-1975, this structure still stands at Fourth and Sycamore streets and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places (Knecht 205)

Originally built as a hardware store in 1920, this building at Fourth and Sycamore Sts. was occupied by Sears, Roebuck & Co. in 1925, the first Sears retail department store in the United States (Knecht 3295)

Catalog Department; c. 1950s (Sears Collection)

Shoe Department (before remodeling); c. 1950s (Sears Collection)

Shoe Department (after remodeling); c. 1950s (Sears Collection)

Night view of store; c. 1950s (Sears Department)

Menswear Department; c. 1950s (Sears Collection)

A salesman demonstrates the features of a Coldspot refrigerator to a customer; c. 1940 (Sears Collection)

Women’s hosiery department; c. 1940 (Sears Collection)

Women’s clothing department; c. 1940 (Sears Collection)

Bathroom ensembles display; c. 1940 (Sears Collection)

Perfume display; c. 1940 (Sears Collection)

Garden center; photo dated March 14, 1938 (Sears Collection)

Yard goods department; c. 1938 (Sears Collection)

Paint department; c. 1960s (Sears Collection)

Men’s clothing department; c. 1960s (Sears Collection)

Appliance department; c. 1960s (Sears Collection)

Paint department; c. 1960s (Sears Collection)

Santa’s Headquarters window display; c. 1950s (Sears Collection)

Two employees arrange display in Toy Town during Christmas season; c. late 1950s (Sears Collection)

View of Sycamore St. facade; c. 1950s (Sears Collection)

View of Fourth St. facade; c. 1950s (Sears Collection)

Sign commemorates the 75th anniversary of the company’s founding; dated 1961 (Sears Collection)

Night view of store; photo dated December 1, 1960 (Sears Collection)

Sign on corner of building (in form of large candle projecting from cake with smaller candles) celebrates the store’s 38th year in Evansville in 1964 (Sears Collection)

New Sears store in Eastgate Shopping Center; c. 1963 (Sears Collection)

Sears staff (unidentified) at the store’s grand opening; photo dated October 14, 1963 (Sears Collection)

Customers inspecting the new store; photo dated October 14, 1963 (Sears Collection)

Frank Starkey (left), manager of Sears operations in Evansville, poses with an unidentified employee of the Henderson store during its grand opening in 1963 (Sears Collection)

View from Green River Rd.; photo dated October 1972 (Sears Collection)

New store prepares to open in October 1963 (Sears Collection)

Shoppers line up to enter new Sears store in October 1963 (Sears Collection)

Grand opening festivities; Sears manager Frank starkey stands second from the left, and Mayor Frank McDonald stands in center of picture (left arm raised); 1963 (Sears Collection)

Group stands near entrance to mall during grand opening festivities; 1963 (Sears Collection)

Evansville Mayor Frank McDonald (right), Sears manager Frank Starkey (second from right), and others inspect the offices of the new store during the grand opening; 1963 (Sears Collection)

Men’s clothing department; 1963 (Sears Collection)

Two models (employees?) stand at bottom of escalator during grand opening festivities; 1963 (Sears Collection)

Sears manager Frank Starkey poses with unidentified women, probably employees, during grand opening festivities (Sears Collection)

Grand opening guests stand near the lingerie department; 1963 (Sears Collection)

Guests inspect the men’s clothing department during the store’s grand opening; 1963 (Sears Collection)

Guests inspect the giftware department during grand opening festivities; 1963 (Sears Collection)

Guests examine appliances near the Smoke Shop and candy department during the store’s grand opening; 1963 (Sears Collection)

The “Wishing Well” in the children’s department; photo dated August 24, 1967 (Sears Collection)

Hank Meyer (left) and Frank Starkey (right), store manager, look at advertisements for Sears appliances; c. early 1960s (Sears Collection)

Store manager Frank Starkey presides over sales campaign meeting (other employees unidentified); c. early 1960s (Sears Collection)

A group of unidentified Sears employees poses on December 21, 1959 (Sears Collection)

Store manager Frank Starkey (left) hands a check from the Sears-Roebuck Foundation to Dr. Wallace Graves, president of the University of Evansville; c. early 1960s (Sears Collection)

Employees recognized for thirty years of service: Alvin Hassee, Gilbert Buzzingham, Charles Schwartz, and Henry Meyer (back row, left to right) and Marie Rogers and Carolyn Martin (front row, left to right). Store manager Frank Starkey (front row, center) was recognized for forty years of service; c. early 1960s (Sears Collection)

Sears employees participating in the 4H Girls’ Canning Exhibit pose for the camera; the only identified employee is Frank Starkey at far left; c. 1940s (Sears Collection)