Founded by Banks Kerr in 1951, the chain was sold in 1995 to retailer J. C. Penney. A management group led by Kerr CEO Anthony Civello and CFO Richard Johnson later took Kerr Drug private. Oh, you can buy knick-knacks and doo-dads at a Kerr Drug store, but the company that bills itself as "North Carolina's Drugstore" puts its primary focus on pharmacy operations, which account for about two-thirds of sales. Kerr Drug operates about 90 stores in North Carolina in several formats, ranging from large health care centers to smaller clinical hubs and traditional drugstores. In addition to dispensing prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, its pharmacists dispense health care advice and patient information.

Balkamp was formed in 1936 by the NAPA board of directors. Its moniker blends the surnames of the company's first managers, John Baldwin and Bob Leercamp. A majority-owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts, Balkamp distributes parts and accessories for cars, trucks, motorcycles, and farm equipment to repair shops and retail members of the National Automotive Parts Association (NAPA). The company also provides diagnostics equipment, cleaning supplies, chemicals, and other service-related items. Balkamp offers some 45,000 items from about 600 domestic and foreign suppliers. It operates distribution centers in Indianapolis and Plainfield, Indiana and West Jordan, Utah.

Kohler Mira went from dreaming in the shower, to dreaming about the shower. Founded in the 1920s, Kohler Mira is a leading UK bathroom products company. The company's offerings, which include showers, faucets, enclosures, trays, and brassware, are sold through bath and housewares specialty retailers in more than 40 countries worldwide. Its names include Mira Platinum, Biocote, and Mira Eco. Mira developed the world's first thermostatic shower, which gained popularity in the 1960s. Then called Mira Showers Group (which included its Rada, Meynell, and Alstone brands), Kohler Mira Limited company was acquired by US-based Kohler Co. in 2001 and became Kohler Mira.

Migros Ticaret even goes beyond groceries with its e- commerce site, Kangurum, which sells electronics, appliances, jewelry, furniture, and other consumer goods in Turkey.The shelves are still stocked at one of Turkey's largest supermarket chains; there's just a new owner. Formerly called Migros Turk Ticaret under majority owner Koc Holding, private equity firm BC Partners bought 82% of the company in 2009 and renamed it Migros Ticaret. Migros Ticaret has about 1,700 stores in Turkey that operate under the brands Migros, Macrocenter, Sok, Tansas, and hypermarkets under the name 5M. The company also has 20 stores under the Ramstore brand in Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Macedonia

Reliable Wholesale Lumber has room for plenty of board. Rwl company distributes lumber and other forest products to residential contractors, industrial customers, and retail lumberyards, primarily in Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada, as well as panels throughout the US. Through about 10 distribution yards in California, the company is able to ship 600 million board feet of lumber, panels, and engineered wood products per year. Product specialties from Reliable Wholesale Lumber include Durawood Douglas fir decking and oriented strand board. Founded in 1971, Reliable Wholesale Lumber is owned by the Higman family, including president Jerry Higman.

Delhaize Group formed Delhaize America in 1999. The international food retailer bought the rest of Delhaize America in 2001.Belgian food retailer Delhaize "Le Lion" has one big cub -- Delhaize America. With some 1,600 supermarkets and discount grocery stores from Maine to Florida, the holding company is the third-largest supermarket operator on the East Coast. Banners include: Food Lion (some 1,330 stores located mainly in the Carolinas and Virginia, but also in eight other eastern seaboard states); the Hannaford Bros. supermarket chain (about 170 stores in New England and New York); and 70 Harveys supermarkets. In Florida, the firm has converted all of its grocery stores to the Sweetbay format.

Ritz Interactive was founded by Chairman David Ritz and CEO Fred Lerner in 1999. It's separate from Ritz Camera Centers, which filed for bankruptcy in 2009. Ritz Interactive is all over the Web. The company, a network of e-commerce Web sites, sells digital cameras and photographic products, as well as marine, boating, and fishing gear, through e-retailers, including RitzCamera.com, WolfCamera.com, and BoatersWorld.com. The company also owns and operates a handful of content-based community portals, such as Photography.com and BoatingOnly.com. Its Ritz Interactive Big Print Gallery allows users to upload digital images, view images posted by other community members, and rate photos or post commentary.

American Sale is a family-run casual furniture retailer. The company sells outdoor furniture, pool and spa products, hot tubs, home tanning systems, barbecue grills, tableware, gaming tables, and seasonal items. American Sale Corporation has about a half dozen stores throughout the Chicago suburbs and in Indiana, including an outlet store at the company's headquarters and distribution center. If customers cannot make it into a store, they can buy products on from the company's Web site. Owner and CEO Robert Jones selects many of the items the store adds to its inventory.

It was founded in 1963 by Ben Deacon and Les Vail. In the cold, dark night, who will be a beacon when the pipes burst? Deacon Industrial Supply will. Through four locations in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, the company distributes pipes, valves, fittings, and other products for plumbing, HVAC, and waterworks projects. It stocks more than 35,000 items from manufacturers such as Cornerstone Valves, NIBCO, Sure Seal, and Victaulic. Deacon company also offers pipe fabrication, specialized gasket cutting, and emergency services. Deacon serves commercial contractors and professionals in a range of industries, including automotive, food processing, petrochemical, steel, and pharmaceutical.

Savers depends on thrifty people to make its business a financial success. The resale giant is the largest for-profit thrift store chain in North America. It operates about 225 Savers, Value Village, and Village des Valeurs (in Quebec) stores in more than 20 US states, 10 Canadian provinces, and Australia. The company's retail outlets sell everything from designer and vintage clothing to unique home decor, electronics, hardcover and paperback books, and toys. Savers also partners with 120 charity offices. Founded in 1954 as Salvage Management Corp., Savers is owned by the private equity firm Freeman Spogli & Co.

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