Owner of the John Wanamaker & Co chain of department stores starting in 1861 in Philadelphia, on the site of George Washington’s Presidential home. Wanamaker is said to have built the first department store in Philadelphia. Starting the new revolutionary principle of selling items “at one price –and goods returnable.” In 1889 he was appointed Postmaster General by President Benjamin Harrison but only kept that position for four years.
Known as “The Father of Advertising” he is known to have quipped on several occasions “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted; the trouble is, I don’t know which half.” When John Wanamaker died in 1922 his estate was valued at $100 million.
