The Rise and Fall of the Iconic Watkins Door-to-Door Salesman

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The Watkins Company, known for its door-to-door salespeople colloquially called the 'Watkins Man', was once the biggest door-to-door sales company in the world with over 10,000 salespeople in the 1940s. Founded by Joseph Ray Watkins in 1868, the company grew from humble beginnings of Watkins mixing natural pain relievers in his kitchen to a sprawling business with a wide product line. However, the company faced challenges like a spendthrift successor, shifting consumer preferences, and an unwillingness to hire women salespeople, leading to its decline by the mid-20th century. Though the Watkins brand is still alive today, the iconic door-to-door salesman is largely a thing of the past, with the company having to transform its sales tactics to adapt to the changing times.

Why it matters

The story of the Watkins Company and its iconic door-to-door salespeople, known as the 'Watkins Man', provides a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of American retail and consumer preferences over the past century. As one of the largest and most successful door-to-door sales operations in history, the company's rise and fall highlights how even the most entrenched business models must adapt to survive changing times and consumer behaviors.

The details

Founded in 1868 by Joseph Ray Watkins, the Watkins Company started out with Watkins mixing natural pain relievers in his kitchen before expanding to a larger operation with a horse and wagon. By the 1890s, the company was headquartered in Winona, Minnesota and had grown its product line and sales force significantly. At its peak in the 1940s, Watkins had over 10,000 door-to-door salespeople selling 200 products, making it the biggest door-to-door sales company in the world at the time. However, the company faced challenges like a spendthrift successor, shifting consumer preferences away from door-to-door sales, and an unwillingness to hire women salespeople, all of which contributed to the decline of the iconic 'Watkins Man' by the mid-20th century.

• In 1868, Joseph Ray Watkins began mixing natural pain relievers in his kitchen.
• By the 1890s, Watkins had established his company headquarters in Winona, Minnesota and expanded his product line and sales force.
• In the 1940s, Watkins had over 10,000 door-to-door salespeople, making it the biggest door-to-door sales company in the world at the time.
• Watkins died a wealthy man in 1911.
• By 1964, the Watkins family had stopped running the door-to-door business, and by 1978 the company had declared bankruptcy.

What’s next

While the iconic door-to-door 'Watkins Man' is largely a thing of the past, the Watkins brand continues to evolve, with the company now focused on personal and home care products as well as cooking seasonings and extracts. The company's ability to adapt and transform itself over the decades will be key to its continued survival in the modern retail landscape.