Brookstone is a nationwide specialty retailer offering an assortment of consumer products that are functional in purpose, distinctive in quality and design and not widely available from other retailers. Brookstone first introduced itself to the world in a small classified ad selling "hard-to-find tools" in Popular Mechanics Magazine. The year was 1965. From the beginning, quality of product, quality of service, and quality of people have been a hallmark of Brookstone. The first catalog consisted of 24 black-and-white pages, with detailed, no-nonsense information on features, capabilities, measurements, materials and anything that would help the customer with his or her buying decision. As Brookstone's catalog success grew, its operations expanded. In 1973, Brookstone opened its first retail store in Peterborough, New Hampshire, where an unsolicited walk-in trade quickly developed. Today, Brookstone manages operations through its headquarters in Merrimack, New Hampshire, and in its Distribution Center and Customer Service Department (web, mail and telephone orders) in Mexico, Missouri. Meanwhile, the Company currently operates more than 300 retail stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, primarily in premium shopping malls, lifestyle centers and the nation's busiest airports, and opens 10 to 15 new stores each year. Originally a catalog company, Brookstone today operates a multifaceted Direct-Marketing business that includes catalogs, e-mail and affiliate marketing, and an online site offering hundreds more products than are available in our retail and airport stores. From the start Brookstone created a fun, interactive shopping experience. At our stores customers are encouraged to try products out for true, hands-on shopping. Every visit to Brookstone is an opportunity to discover new and ingenious items of superior quality—all in a friendly environment of customer service and integrity that simply can't be found anywhere else.

Bhs was founded in 1928, and at the time the highest price for any item found inside was a mere shilling. Over the years it has expanded its merchandise line, and has opened more than a dozen stores specializing in exclusively homewares. Bhs Limited company is owned by billionaire UK retail investor, managing director Philip Green. Bhs wants to prevent its customers from throwing open their closet doors and letting out big heavy sighs. Formerly British Home Stores, Bhs operates more than 100 stores throughout the UK. One of the high street's best-known names, it sells clothing, shoes, and accessories for men, women, and children, as well as a variety of furnishings, appliances, gifts, and accessories for the home.

Conn’s, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of home appliances, consumer electronics, home office equipment, lawn and garden products, mattresses, and furniture in the United States. It also sells repair service agreements and customer credit programs, including installment and revolving credit account programs, and various credit insurance products. In addition, the company sells its products online. As of March 25, 2010, it operated 76 retail and clearance stores in southern Louisiana, southeast Texas, Houston, South Texas, San Antonio/Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, and Oklahoma. Conn's, Inc. was founded in 1890 and is headquartered in Beaumont, Texas.

Ryan Automotive was founded in 1998 by owners Greg Ryan and John Kokladas. Ryan Automotive brings steel belted radials to the home of the Steelers. The Goodyear tire dealership has four locations in the Pittsburgh area: Moon Township, Kennedy Township, Crafton, and Pleasant Hills. The company offers a wide range of automobile services including air conditioning work, batteries, belt replacement, brake jobs, oil changes, shocks and struts, and transmission maintenance. It also performs vehicle inspections and service to insure compliance with Pennsylvania's auto emissions laws.

The CARQUEST group includes a network of about 40 distribution centers serving more than 3,400 distributor-owned and independent jobbers in the US, Canada, and Mexico. The company sells its own line of auto parts (made by Moog Automotive, Dana, Gates, and others) to the jobbers, as well as wholesalers, for eventual resale to professional repair centers, service stations, dealerships, and, to a lesser degree, do-it-yourself (DIY) customers. Searching for a sensor, solenoid, or switches? CARQUEST can steer you in the right direction. The replacement auto parts distribution group is owned by its member warehouse distributors (the largest is North Carolina-based General Parts).

The Jones Group Inc. engages in the design, marketing, and wholesale of apparel, footwear, and accessories in the United States and Canada. Its products include skirts, blouses, pants, jackets, sweaters, jeanswear, suits, dresses, casual tops, outerwear, shorts, and vests for women’s, juniors, and girls market. The company also sells footwear, handbags, and small leather goods, as well as costume, semiprecious, sterling silver, and marcasite jewelry. It markets its products under various brands, including Jones New York, Nine West, Anne Klein, Gloria Vanderbilt, Kasper, Bandolino, Easy Spirit, Evan-Picone, l.e.i., Energie, Enzo Angiolini, Joan & David, Mootsies Tootsies, Sam & Libby, Napier, Judith Jack, Albert Nipon, and Le Suit. The Jones Group also markets costume jewelry under the ‘Givenchy’ brand licensed from Givenchy Corporation, and footwear under the Dockers and Dockers brand licensed from Levi Strauss & Co. In addition, Jones Group licenses its brand names to manufacturers and distributors of women’s and men’s apparel and accessories products. The Jones Group sells its products through specialty and department stores, and mass merchandisers, as well as through company-owned network of retail and factory outlet stores, and e-commerce Websites. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 321 specialty retail and 617 outlet stores. The Jones Group was formerly known as Jones Apparel Group, Inc. and changed its name to The Jones Group Inc. on October 18, 2010. The Jones Group Inc. was founded in 1975 and is based in New York, New York.

Here's a company that's traveled a fur piece from its 17th- century roots. Founded in 1670 as a fur trading enterprise, Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) is Canada's largest department store chain and oldest corporation. Its Zellers chain is the country's #2 discount department store (behind Wal-Mart Canada), with some 280 stores. HBC also runs about 90 the Bay department stores that focus on more upscale merchandise, 190-plus Fields general merchandise and apparel stores in Western Canada, more than 65 Home Outfitters superstores, and Hbc.com. The company also has its own credit card and financial services companies. HBC is owned by NRDC Equity Partners, which is looking to take the company public as early as 2011.

SNAX 24 operates about 75 combination fuel stations/convenience stores (distributing major oil brands, such as BP and Shell) throughout the UK. SNAX 24 is owned by its chairman, Gerald Rosnon, founder of the Heron International property group and SNAX 24's predecessor, Heron Service Stations, which was started when Rosnon was only 17 years old. Its first service station was opened at St. Albans, England in 1966, and the SNAX 24 concept was introduced in 1992.

Brookshire's stores average about 40,000 sq. ft., while its warehouse-style Super 1 Foods stores average 80,000 sq. ft. More than 110 of Brookshire Grocery's stores have pharmacy departments. Originally part of the Brookshire Brothers grocery chain (dating back to 1921), the company split from it in 1939. By selling staples, specialties, and Southern hospitality, Brookshire Grocery Co. has grown into a chain of about 155 Brookshire's, Super 1 Food, Olé Foods, and ALPS supermarkets in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The company also owns three distribution centers, a dairy, and BGC Manufacturing, its private label manufacturing unit.

In 1757 James Latham went deep into the woods and never came out. James Latham PLC imports and distributes hardwoods, softwoods, plywood, and related timber products. Its operating companies include Lathams Limited (timber and panel importing), ATP Limited (specialist panels), Bausen Hardwood (hardwood and engineered flooring) and James Latham Gateshead (sheet material and specialist fabrication). James Latham plc has offices scattered across England. James Latham plc also has a distribution center in Scotland. James Latham's founding Latham family still owns 54% of James Latham plc company.

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