Sears Sears Sears, Roebuck and Company, colloquially known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck in 1893, reincorporated (a formality for a history-making consumer sector initial public offering) by Richard Sears and new partner Julius Rosenwald in 1906. Formerly based at the Sears Tower in Chicago and currently headquartered in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, the operation began as a mail ordering catalog company and began opening retail locations in 1925. The first location was in Evansville, Indiana. In 2005, the company was bought by the management of the American big box
Chase Tower (Chicago) and Monroe streets. Before the building was constructed, the Morrison Hotel, on its former site, was demolished in 1965. The building first opened in 1969 as First National Plaza. When constructed, it was the headquarters of First Chicago Corporation. In 1998, it became the headquarters for Bank One Corporation, and accordingly it was renamed Bank One Tower, The current name dates from October 24, 2005, after Bank One merged with Chase. Chase's retail bank division is based in the tower. Since May 2005 the National Public Radio show "Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!" is taped on Thursday nights before a