Hammacher Schlemmer

Hammacher Schlemmer /ˈhæməkər ˈʃlɛmər/ is an American catalog company founded in 1848. The company provides unique products that solve problems or represent the only one of their kind. Headquarters are in Niles, Illinois, and they have an annual catalog circulation exceeding 50 million. The company is employee owned and considered to be a renowned purveyor of gadgetry and elegant gifts. Every item that is sold comes with the Hammacher Schlemmer Lifetime Guarantee ("We make an unconditional and unwavering promise: Our merchandise is guaranteed for life").

Hammacher Schlemmer began as a hardware store specializing in hard-to-find tools in the Bowery district of New York City in 1848. Owned by proprietors Charles Tollner and Mr. R Stern, it became one of the first national hardware stores. A few months later, Stern withdrew and Toller continued the business until 1859, moving in 1857 to 209 Bowery. In 1859, family friend Albert Hammacher invested $5,000 into the company and the name was changed to C. Tollner and A. Hammacher.

As the Civil War spread across the country, a severe coin shortage in New York City made it nearly impossible for retailers to make change for their customers. In response to this shortage, the United States government allowed merchants to mint their own coins, known as "rebellion tokens" or "copperheads". The store, at that point called Hammacher & Tollner, began distributing their own copper coins until the government put a stop to it.

Throughout the 1860s, William Schlemmer gradually bought out Charles Tollner's stake in the company. When Tollner died in 1867, 26-year-old Schlemmer entered into a partnership with Hammacher and Peter F. Taaks. As a result, the company changed its name to Hammacher & Co. William Schlemmer had been actively involved with the business since 1853 when he moved to New York City from Germany at age twelve and worked at the storefront. After a few years Taaks resigned and since Schlemmer owned a greater portion of the company, the name was changed in 1883 to the present style of Hammacher Schlemmer & Co.