The Life Story of Mr Timothy Eaton.
"GOODS SATISFACTORY OR MONEY REFUNDED" On December 8, 1869, Timothy Eaton revolutionized retail. On opening day of his first Yonge Street store he advertised the unheard of... "We propose to sell our goods for CASH ONLY. In selling goods to have only one price." His competitors scoffed. Consumers were skeptical, but curious. There had to be a catch. But there was no catch. His retail strategy was straightforward, honest and ingenious. No gimmicks. No fine print. No tricks. Timothy Eaton replaced caution with trust and laid the foundation for modern retail as we know it today. Timothy was, by all accounts, a visionary. But his vision wasn't realised overnight. He made a career of learning, developing and re-defining his strategy to achieve his goal of building a great department store. This is the story of one of Canada's greatest merchants and his legacy. HOW IT ALL BEGAN Timothy Eaton was born the youngest of nine children in County Antrim at Clogher, Ireland, in 1834. His father died just two months before he was born, so as soon as he was able Timothy was quiet and private but he was also strong in character and willing to defend his beliefs.From very early on, he was instilled with a strong work ethic, firm religious beliefs and unyielding confidence in his ability to decide between right and wrong.When his mother died in 1848, Timothy was left orphaned. At the time most of his brothers and sisters had already emigrated to Canada. So at a very early age he had to be resourceful and self-reliant and his later successes prove these qualities. STARTING OUT At thirteen, Timothy left school to apprentice at a fairly prosperous general store in a neighbouring town. Even though, the days were long, the work was grinding and his employer severe, Timothy turned it into a learning experience. Perhaps the most important thing he learned was the type of employer he wanted to be-fair, honest, and generous. LAND OF OPPORTUNITY In 1854, Timothy sailed to Canada on the Dominion armed with a little savings, some work experience and a lot of drive and ambition. He followed in his family's footsteps, who had fled Ireland's devastating potato famine. Two brothers, three sisters, an aunt, an uncle and cousins helped him make Canada his new home. For the first while he stayed with his sister Margaret in Georgetown,Ontario and he earned his keep by helping out on the farm. Some time later he moved to Glen Williams and embarked on his first Canadian career as a bookkeeper in a small general store The extension of the Grand Trunk Railway into Georgetown Guelph and Stratford in 1856 brought promises of prosperity to the three Eaton brothers. Robert moved to the growing community of St. Mary's, to establish a dry goods busness and Timothy and James set up shop, literally, in the small rural town of Kirkton. The small Ontario farming community was the perfect spot for the J.& T.Eaton General store and Post Office that ran out of a log cabin on the banks of Fish Creek. After four years they decided to join forces with their brother Robert. St. Mary's, a bigger and busier centre, ten miles east of Kirkton, was the perfect stepping stone for Timothy and James. With his brothers assistance, he set up the T.Eaton Bakery. It provided him with enough challenge, competition and incentive to hone his retailing skills. In fact, it has been said that a competitive market was one of Timothy's surest ingredients for success. It was also in St.Mary's where Timothy met his wife, Margaret Beattie. MOVING ON-178 YONGE STREET By 1868, Timothy had Maximized his opportunities and, again, he delt the need for greater challenges. On Margaret's advice, he and his family pressed on to the big city of Toronto which had a population of 70,000. SETTING A PRECEDENT When Timothy Eaton bought the stock and goodwill of William Jennings' little 24'x 60' dry goods store for $6,500.00, in 1869, it was the start of a retail revolution in Canada, embracing principles in the T.Eaton company that still remain today. Timothy's marketing strategy rejected the "Caveat Emptor", or "buyer beware" mentality. He gauranteed "one fair price for all" and "goods satisfatory or money refunded," eliminating the time consuming and often unfair buisness of haggling. Whether you were a naive child or a shrewd buisnessman, you could rely on the same price, service and outstanding guarantee. Timothy won the confidence and the support of his customersand before long, he had firmly planted himself among Toronto's entrepreneurial giants. MOVING UP-190 YONGE STREET "Eaton preparing to move","Going North"... It didn't take long for the T.Eaton Co.Ltd. to outgrow its location, so in January, 1883, Timothy began constrution at 190 Yonge Street. He involved all of Toronto with daily advertisements, giving residents a play-by-play of the new buildings progress. On August 21st, at 4.00p.m.,he closed the doors at 178 Yonge Street and at 9.00a.m.,the following morning he opened the doors of Toronto's first department store. The new store boasted 25,544 square feet of selling space spread over four floors. Two hydraulic elevators a massive boiler room generating heat and electricity (using Edison's incandescent lamps) created quite a spectacle for residents and visitors alike. Timothy employed the latest technological and architectural designs to enchant and attract his customers. He later provided concerts and established a Ladies Waiting Area, for women to relax and refresh themselves after their long train ride into the city. Timothy's goal was to provide modern and comfortable surroundings for his customers-he wanted shopping to be a pleasure. 190 Yonge Street was comparable to the sophisticated department stores in England, France and the United States, and it proved, once and for all, that Timothy Eaton was on the cutting edge of modern retail. CATALOGUING CANADIAN DEVELOPMENT In 1884, a small, 32 page booklet that listed prices was circulated at the Industrial Exhibition (later to become known as the Canadian National Exhibition). This was Timothy's first catalogue. When he introduced it, he wanted to attract three types of customers to his store. Firstly he targeted Toronto residents. He wanted to increase competitiveness by offering more detailed information on his merchantise, not nomally found in regular inserts and handbills. Clearly he wanted to distinguish his selection from other retailers in Toronto. Secondly Timothy seen women as important customers. A ladies Waiting Room and fashion shows are just two examples of what Timothy did to make shopping a real "trip" for Toronto's fashionable women. Thirdly and most significantly for the people tha lived beyond the reaches of the city, the homesteaders-the catologue brought the T.Eaton Company to them. From Klondike gear for prospectors to wedding rings to prefabricated houses, Timothy managed to extend his store into the homes of 100's of 1000's of families across the country. The catologue became indispensably linked to Canadians and their development. The catologue operation grew and became more sophisticated over the years. By 1901, Timothy had acquired a typographical plant and printing company. A year later, the catologue featured colour. The simple 32page booklet was contrasted with a high quality, colourful, 400page volume published twice yearly to highlight spring and fall merchandise. In 1903, the Mail Order department moved to 14 Albert Street and by 1909 had expanded to two more buildings on Louisa Street. The Eaton's Catologue chronicled the history of Canadians and identifies their tastes, interests and social attitudes. It remains an excellent historical reference for Canada's formitive years. WESTERN EXPANSION The success of the Mail Order operation in Winnipeg prompted Eaton's Western expansion. John Craig Eaton, Timothy's youngest son, soon recognised that Winnipeg had developed into a self-supporting city no longer dependent on eastern suppliers. On July27th, 1904 the first sod was turned and the following, the doors opened to the five-storey department store located at the intersection of Portage and Main streets. The store was so successful that by 1910 an additional 3 storeys were added. The Winnipeg store cemented Timothy's relationship with Canada. The T.E.Eaton Co. Ltd. was no longer just a store, but an institution. FACTORIES AND BUYING OFFICES In the year following 1883, the Eaton Co. was a growing concern. Timothy expanded the department store to Queen Street in 1886 and continued to buy property on Yonge Street and in the neighbouring side streets in the centre of the city. In 1889, he installed 12 sewing machines on the top floor of 198 Yonge Street and commenced manufacturing for his store. By the turn of the century, Timothy employed more than 700 employees operating more than 500 sewing machines and producing over 4500 complete garments everyday! During the same time he introduced his own clothing labels-ACME, in 1905 and TECO in 1907. This gave him the quality control he expected in his products, and reduced costs were enjoyed by his customers. And when Timothy couldn't satisfy his complete selection at home, he looked to Europe for sophisticated fashions and fabrics. In 1892, Timothy established a buying office in London, and in 1898, he turned to Paris for modern designs. He constantly set new trends in fashion industry and merchandising. From the start of his career to the end, Timothy never relaxed his ambition to expand and perfect. EATON'S AND CANADA-ALL IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS Only two years younger than Canada itself, the Eaton Co. has helped to inspire growth in all areas: manufacturing, construction, transportation, immigration, and of course retail. Timothy's vision helped to bring Canada, a fledgling new nation, into the 20th century. His bold ideas and innovations were unheard of and often came under attack. However, his strong character and conviction prevailed and the legacy he left was impressive. Timothy continued to uphold his incredible work ethic right up until his death on January 31st,1907. Many years after his death, he still remains, one of Canada's greatest entrepreneurs. DATELINE: EATON FIRSTS IN CANADA Timothy Eaton, always the innovative thinker, established some unprecedented firsts in Toronto and Canada. He saw change as progress and progress as a necessity. Here are some of Timothy's firsts... Timothy Eaton was the first merchant to sell his goods for one fixed price. Timothy Eaton was the first merchant to back his merchandise with a Gaurantee - "Goods Satisfactory or Money Refunded". Timothy Eaton established shorter working hours in Canada. He ordered the stores to close at 6:00p.m. every night except Saturdays in 1880. In 1881, Eatons became one of the first businesses in Canada to be lit by electricity. Timothy Eaton opened his first department store at 190 Yonge Street, encompassing 35 departments, in 1883. In 1884, Eaton's first Mail Order Catalogue was distributed at the Industrial Exibition (Canadian National Exibition). One of the first passenger elevators installed in Canada was in The T. Eaton & Co. store at 190 Yonge Street, in 1886. In 1886, Eaton's became the first retail store to operate its own factories. MORE FIRSTS... Eatons was the first company to introduce employee holidays. Eaton's was the first company to continue paying wages to its employees fighting in World War I and World War II.Close