Sylvan Goldman

Born in Ardmore, Sylvan Goldman (1898-1984) was the son of immigrants. His father Michael came to the US from Latvia in 1880, and made the land run in 1889. His mother Hortense came to the US later from Alsace-Lorraine, then a part of the German Empire. The two married in 1894 and had children, one of whom was Sylvan “Syl” Goldman. He went to Ardmore public schools for 8 years. The Goldman family moved to Tulsa in 1913, where Sylvan began working in the family grocery business. In 1917 Goldman lied about his age and enlisted to serve in WWI. Due to his experience in the grocery business, during the war he served as a mess sergeant. Upon returning from the war he formed a partnership with his brother Alfred in the wholesale produce business working in Texas. They later worked in California to learn more about the grocery business, and eventually opened Sun Grocery stores in Tulsa.

After selling Sun Grocery to Safeway, Goldman lost most of his fortune in the stock market crash of 1929. He and brother Alfred decided to open a new grocery chain, but since the contract with Safeway included a clause preventing them from competing with Safeway in the Tulsa area, the brothers went to Oklahoma City where they would run many successful grocery stores.

In spite of all of his success in the grocery business, Sylvan Goldman is primarily known for inventing the shopping cart. Inspired by folding chairs in 1936, Goldman, along with maintenance man and carpenter Fred Young, designed the first shopping cart. In June of 1937 he began advertising the new invention, marketed to shoppers tired of carrying baskets. Although met with reluctance by shoppers initially, the shopping cart would revolutionize self service shopping around the world. While the shopping cart was his most famous invention, it was just one of many things Goldman invented that improved grocery shopping. Other Goldman inventions, like the luggage cart, were also used in many other industries.

Also known for his philanthropic work, Sylvan Goldman was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1971. He died on November 25, 1984 at the age of 86. Syl Goldman Park in southwest Oklahoma City is named for him.