Eaton's mail order houses
A fascinating topic!
Eaton's Mail Order Houses were a series of pre-fabricated, pre-assembled houses sold through mail-order catalogs by the Canadian department store chain Eaton's from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. The company, founded by Timothy Eaton in 1869, was a leading retailer in Canada, and its mail-order business was a significant part of its operations.
The Eaton's Mail Order Houses were designed to be affordable, easy to assemble, and suitable for a wide range of customers, from working-class families to middle-class individuals. The houses were typically made of wood, with a simple, rectangular design, and were shipped in kit form to customers across Canada.
Here are some interesting facts about Eaton's Mail Order Houses:
- First introduced in 1884: Eaton's launched its mail-order house business in 1884, with a catalog featuring a range of pre-fabricated houses, including bungalows, cottages, and larger homes.
- Over 100 designs: By the early 20th century, Eaton's offered over 100 different house designs, ranging from simple one-room cabins to larger, more elaborate homes with multiple bedrooms and bathrooms.
- Kit form: The houses were shipped in kit form, with customers assembling the structures themselves or hiring local contractors to do so.
- Affordable: Eaton's Mail Order Houses were designed to be affordable, with prices ranging from around $500 to $5,000 (approximately $13,000 to $130,000 in today's currency).
- Popular among settlers: The houses were popular among settlers moving to rural areas, as they provided a quick and affordable way to establish a home.
- Marketing innovations: Eaton's was a pioneer in mail-order marketing, using innovative techniques such as catalog shopping, door-to-door sales, and in-store displays to promote its houses.
- Decline and legacy: The mail-order house business declined in popularity in the mid-20th century, as more people opted for custom-built homes and the rise of suburbanization. However, Eaton's legacy as a pioneering retailer and innovator in the field of mail-order sales remains.
Today, many of the original Eaton's Mail Order Houses can still be found in Canada, often restored and preserved as historic landmarks or converted into unique homes.