We should get down on our knees to Sylvan N. Goldman.

[trof]

Sometimes known as a "buggy" or "trolley," the shopping cart was invented by an American named Sylvan N. Goldman, who was born in 1898. During the Great Depression, Goldman purchased the Humpty Dumpty retail chain. Back then, customers usually carried bags or baskets when they shopped -- containers which could be annoying to carry and which filled up quickly.

Goldman realized that customers would shop longer and buy more if they didn't have to carry their groceries, so he built the first shopping cart -- basically just a folding chair, with a basket on top and wheels on the bottom.



He introduced his invention at a Humpty Dumpty in Oklahoma City on June 4, 1937. It was not an instant hit.
Customers proved reluctant to start using the carts until Goldman hired fake shoppers to walk around using them.

P.S. We call them a "grocery cart" or "buggy". I've never heard them referred to as "shopping" carts.

[trof]

1. Oh yeah...this is National "Return a Shopping Cart" Day.

What are you getting me?

[Gormy Cuss]

3. A shopping cart with locked wheels?

Where I'm from this is a grocery cart and it's popular with people in the retired old fart demographic:


Want one?:silly:

[trof]

5. Appropriate: trof=the retired old fart

But I don't have one of those yet.
;-)

[Gormy Cuss]

7. Silly trof. I knew that.

;)

[trof]

2. Kick for ever-so-much-more appreciative evening crowd.

yes

[skygazer]

4. Well, as a grocery store employee

I'm in awe of Mr. Goldman and his invention (which we call "shopping carts" or the corporate term, "baskarts" which is just plain weird, if you ask me which of course, no one did).

I think I'll bring it up at the next employee meeting - perhaps we could put up a banner or something honoring him. Maybe on June 4th.....

[trof]

6. I think you should.