One man with a vision and an extraordinary
understanding of customers can
alter the way Americans shop. Pioneering
the Superstore: A Retail Revolution traces
the remarkable journey of Clyde B.
Smith on the road to retail success as he
developed a prototype foreshadowing
Kmart, Walmart, and Target. Along the
way, "Smitty" shares his wit and wisdom
about thriving in business: listening to
customers, caring for employees and
vendors, and taking risks in marketing to
make a vision a reality.
An American story of "rags to riches,"
Smitty's memoir shows how good business
practices and consideration for others
can still form the foundation for
innovation. For anyone starting a business
or struggling with the challenges of
growth and competition, Smitty argues
that, although today's retail environment
seems complicated, the fundamentals
remain the keys to success.
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Smitty's Iowa Palm Tree ad. Exterior of 35,000-sq.-ft. store in
1975. Note: there are corn leaves on the palm tree trunk.
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Pioneering the Superstore celebrates
"Smitty's Basics for Business," and his
"Something to Think About" in each
chapter provokes current business owners
to take advantage of his farsighted
ideas. Smitty's strongest message is that,
with proper application, "anyone can be
a success".
Clyde B. Smith was raised during the
Great Depression in a family that made
"dirt poor" sound luxurious. He dropped
out of high school to help support his
family by working in the coal mines. His
life changed when he first stepped onto
a sales floor and was hooked by "the
thrill of the money changing hands, the
way the merchandise was placed neatly
on the shelves, and the way one hustled
to please the customers." By the 1970s,
his company of superstores was the largest
private employer in Arizona.
In his lifetime, he has witnessed the
retail world change from using cranked
cash registers to integrated point-of-sale
systems tied to supercomputers.
He has watched American business navigate
such economic "diversities" as the
Great Depression, the boom of the post-
World War II years, the rise of corporate
America in the 1950s, the hyperinflation
of the 1970s, and the globalization of
the world economy. His confidence in
the innovation of American business has
never wavered.
The father of three daughters, Smitty
attributes his remarkable life to his family
and his faith. He now lives in Boerne,
Texas, with his wife, Peggy, cofounder
of Smith and Smith Ministries. Together
they share what she calls "Clyde's passion
for bringing America back to righteousness,
an outreach which he does
with a great deal of enthusiasm." |
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Red Rooster Coffee "Something to Crow About" promotion,
at Marshalltown store in 1949. The store was 40ft x 80ft.
Notice the prices. |
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John Trice is a professional banker who spent most
of his career with Texas's premier banking franchise –Frost National Bank. Read more. |
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Helen K. Hosier is well known in the field of Christian
communications both as a writer and a speaker. Her forte is
writing biographies. Read more. |
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