Sylvan Goldman

Sylvan Goldman[edit | edit source]

Sylvan Goldman was an American businessman and inventor, best known for his invention of the shopping cart. Born in 1898 in Ardmore, Oklahoma, Goldman started his career in the grocery business, eventually becoming a prominent figure in the industry.

Early Life and Career[edit | edit source]

Sylvan Goldman was born to a Jewish family in Oklahoma. He started his career in the wholesale grocery business, working for his uncle's company, Sun Mercantile. After serving in World War I, Goldman took over the business and expanded it significantly.

Invention of the Shopping Cart[edit | edit source]

In 1936, Sylvan Goldman introduced the shopping cart to his Humpty Dumpty supermarket chain in Oklahoma City. The idea came to him after observing that customers often stopped shopping when their baskets became too heavy. Goldman's initial design was a folding chair with wheels and two wire baskets, which later evolved into the shopping cart we know today.

Later Life and Legacy[edit | edit source]

Sylvan Goldman continued to innovate in the grocery industry, introducing "nesting" carts for easier storage and the conveyor belt checkout system. He sold his shopping cart patent to a company that later became Unarco, and his innovations are still used in supermarkets worldwide. Goldman passed away in 1984, but his legacy lives on in the everyday convenience of grocery shopping.