"Our very unusual willingness to share most of the numbers of our business with all the associates … It's the only way they can possibly do their jobs to the best of their abilities—to know what's goin…"

"He would rather be out with the folks doing the real work of retail than sit around in meeting in the home office."

"There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else."

"I'm not a big fan of bureaucracy."

"He always said hello to strangers and friends alike. Your status or popularity did not matter; Sam knew all the janitors by name."