Sixty-some years ago, there were locations of Sears, Roebuck & Co. that carried beekeeping supplies.

I live eight tenths of a mile from where Sears was on Wisconsin Avenue in Tenleytown, Northwest Washington, DC. Wouldn’t it be nice to nip up there, park on the roof, and grab a few more supers or a new smoker? And you can’t beat the 1960 prices (see below).

You could also, via the Sears catalog, order package bees and queens through the mail.

Evening Star (Washington, DC), April 13, 1960

Sears ran similar ads during the mid 1950s. I did not search out how many years they offered gear. They likely still carried it when I went to get jeans and t shirts there as a kid, with my Mom. But I wasn’t even aware of beekeeping then.