Daniel Pardway builds his Chicago department store, the Bazaar, from nothing into a major success, making him wealthy. After the birth of his fourth child, he is left widowed. He raises his three sons and one daughter the best he can, denying them nothing, dreaming of one day leaving his store in their hands. When they are all adults, he turns to each of his sons in turn (he dismisses his daughter because she is a girl), but all of them prove unwilling or unable to manage the store.