Merchandise Building during Construction, ca. 1905

In 1904, Julius Rosenwald started making plans to expand Sears Roebuck’s business through the construction of a massive, forty-acre mail order plant on Chicago’s West Side. Rosenwald needed capital and turned to Goldman for help. On July 17, 1906, Goldman took Sears public. It was a massive success. The IPO allowed Sears to finish its new plant, which is pictured here during construction. Upon completion, the plant became the largest building in the world.