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The first time Sears, Roebuck and Co. co-founder Alvah C.
Roebuck's name appeared on a product sold by Sears was in the
early 1900s when Sears sold the "Roebucks Dry Plate"
for use with photographic equipment. The Roebuck brand name then
disappeared for four decades.
In 1949, Sears reintroduced the Roebucks brand on denim
jeans. Roebuck jeans were advertised as "rider jeans born
'n' bread in Texas" that were as "friendly fittin' as a
western saddle." The Roebucks brand of denim jeans was
Sears' answer to popular private-label jeans not sold in Sears
stores or catalogs. Roebucks eventually became the Sears brand
for authentic western wear for men. This, despite the fact that
Alvah Roebuck was actually born in Lafayette, Ind., hardly the
epitome of the Old West.
Sears sponsored the U.S. Olympic team during the 1976 Winter
Games (Innsbruck, Austria). To commemorate the historic
sponsorship, Sears introduced Roebucks-brand denim skiwear.
The Roebucks name lives on today as Sears' brand of work
clothes, including boots, pants, shirts and coveralls.
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