Schickedanz was running a small wholesale textile house in the Franconian city of Fürth when he first decided, in the 1920s, to send a list of goods directly to housewives. The idea worked so well that he expanded his line, was flooded by desperate bargain seekers when the Depression began.

Bombed out during World War II, Quelle (meaning Source) reopened in 1948, built back its business by selling simple, basic goods to refugees. But it was not until the early '50s, when a prosperous Europe created its own mass market, that Schickedanz borrowed proven U.S. mail-order techniques and began his vast expansion.

From a million customers in 1952, Quelle has won so many fans that last year it shipped 16,200,000 packages to 76 countries. It operates twelve garment and assembly plants, 75 order offices, its own credit bank, and branch offices in Austria, Sweden, Luxembourg, Canada and the U.S.

It al ... Read more »