From Tiffany’s to Donkeys: Catalogues Rise Again

About this episode

This episode explores the historical significance and enduring relevance of catalogues in retail.

This week, we look at the staying power of Catalogues. They’ve been around since the mid 1800s, and they helped build the country. We’ll talk about how catalogues let retailers reach people in far-flung towns and villages. How catalogues finally allowed rural folks to have access to the same goods as city dwellers. And how Seinfeld’s J. Peterman became an owner of the actual J. Peterman catalogue. We know you want to listen to all the ads in this show. On the off-chance you  don’t ,  subscribe ad-free here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People in this episode

Host: Terry O'Reilly

Topics covered

• catalogues
• retail
• access to goods
• rural communities
• history of catalogues

Keywords

• catalogues
• retail history
• J. Peterman
• rural access
• Tiffany's

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Tiffany’s, J. Peterman

Books & works: Seinfeld

More episodes of Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly

• Joe Sedelmaier Tribute · June 6, 2026 · 28 min
• Newsjacking · May 30, 2026 · 27 min
• Bookmarks 2026 · May 23, 2026 · 28 min
• Terry Guests on "White Coat, Black Art" with Dr. Brian Goldman · May 19, 2026 · 27 min
• Debut Commercials - Part Two · May 16, 2026 · 27 min
• Debut Commercials · May 9, 2026 · 28 min