Early Years
Selfridge was born in Ripon, Wisconsin, USA on January 11, 1864, but within months of his birth moved to Jackson, Michigan. His father did not return home after the Civil War, although he had been honourably discharged, so his mother supported the family by teaching school.
In 1879, Selfridge joined the retail firm of Field, Leiter and Company (which became Marshall Field and Company, later bought by Macy's.) in Chicago. Over the following 25 years, Selfridge worked his way up the commercial ladder. He was appointed a junior partner, married Rosalie Buckingham (of the prominent Chicago Buckinghams) and amassed a considerable personal fortune.
While at Marshall Field, he was the first to promote Christmas sales with the phrase "Only _____ Shopping Days Until Christmas", a catchphrase that quickly was picked up by retailers in other markets. Either he or Marshall Field is also credited with originating the phrase "The customer is always right." Later Hotelier César Ritz advertised in 1908, 'Le client n'a jamais tort' ('The customer is never wrong'). John Wanamaker also took note of the advertising, and was soon using that phrase in promoting his Philadelphia-based department store chain.
Read more about this topic: Harry Gordon Selfridge
Famous quotes related to early years:
“If there is a price to pay for the privilege of spending the early years of child rearing in the driver’s seat, it is our reluctance, our inability, to tolerate being demoted to the backseat. Spurred by our success in programming our children during the preschool years, we may find it difficult to forgo in later states the level of control that once afforded us so much satisfaction.”
—Melinda M. Marshall (20th century)
“Parents ... are sometimes a bit of a disappointment to their children. They don’t fulfil the promise of their early years.”
—Anthony Powell (b. 1905)