When I was a boy, one of my favorite things to do in the weeks leading up to Christmas was get a hold of the Sears Wish Book, go through it with a marker, and circle all the toys I wanted. You need to be of a certain age to know what the Sears Wish Book was, I suppose. It was a catalog of similar thickness to a phone book… or, well, I suppose you also need to be of a certain age to know what a phone book was… The internet suggests that in its heyday, the Wish Book ran in excess of 300 pages, each one packed with pictures of things a person might want to give friends or loved ones for Christmas.
I am not of so certain an age, however, that I ever saw scooters in the Wish Book. I feel like I missed out. I would have circled every one.
From the 1951 to 1982, Sears sold a number of rebranded scooters and motorcycles made by a wide range of companies, from Piaggio to Cushman. This particular model was made by Puch, the Austrian vehicle manufacturer that was headquartered in Graz, which ─ unrelated but interesting to me ─ is where Arnold Schwarzenegger grew up (Well, technically he’s from Thal, a village that borders Graz).
The exact date of this scooter is unclear but the Compact was manufactured from 1961-1966, so it’s safe to say that young Arnie was still kicking around town when this scoot rolled off the assembly line. The site Sears Allstate Riders is, as you might suspect, a good source of information on these scooters. It suggests the Compact “embodies the spirit of an era when vibrant design merged with mechanical ingenuity… a piece of history that reflects the artistry, innovation, and collaborative synergy that defined the partnership between Sears and Puch.”
A great period ad as shown on Sears Allstate Riders
When the 60cc three-geared vehicle appeared in the Sears catalog it was sold as “a leader on campus or anywhere around town.” Do advertisers still pitch things based on how cool you’ll look on campus? I suppose that, too, is something from a certain age.
In addition to offering few photos, the seller of this particular example offers little in the way of description. Simply: “Great condition.” Admittedly, it does look good. Find this Allstate Compact for sale in Dracut, Massachusetts for $2,500 here on Facebook Marketplace.