H&M opened its first women's clothing store in 1947 as Hennes (Swedish for "hers"); it later bought the hunting and men's clothing store Mauritz Widforss. H&M is controlled by the family of chairman Stefan Persson (the billionaire son of founder Erling Persson). H&M Hennes & Mauritz targets the Hip & Modish. The firm designs cheap yet chic clothing, mainly for men and women ages 18 to 45, children's apparel, and its own brands of cosmetics. Fast-growing H&M operates about 2,000 stores in some 35 countries and has direct sales operations in selected areas. Germany is H&M's #1 market, accounting for about 25% of sales. About 60% of its clothing is made in Asia, the rest is manufactured primarily in Europe.

Founded in 1988 by two fanatical skiers (Tim Slade and Jules Leaver) who sold clothing from their backpacks to support their skiing habits, Fat Face opened its first shop in London's Fulham Road in 1993. Its name is derived from an Olympic ski trail in the Alps. Fat Face was acquired by the London-based private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital in 2007 for about $707 million. Fat Face draws more than just name from a ski theme. Fat Face Limited company sells ski-and-surf-style activewear and outdoor clothing from more than 140 shops in the UK, Ireland, and France, as well as by catalog and online. Products include extreme sports apparel, footwear, jewelry, and accessories.

Quality Food Centers stores offer more than just groceries: Seattle's Best Coffee and Cinnabon serve up goodies at some locations, and many stores offer services such as catering, video rental, in-store banking, pharmacies, floral departments, and film developing. With Kroger's acquisition of QFC's one-time parent, Fred Meyer, in 1999, QFC became a division of one of the nation's largest grocers.If you're sleepless -- and hungry -- in Seattle, consider Quality Food Centers (QFC). The grocery chain operates about 75 stores (most open 24 hours), primarily in the Puget Sound region of Washington (including Seattle), but also including about a half a dozen supermarkets in Portland, Oregon.

Netto has all of the ingredients for you to create your favorite omeletto or bruschetto, or to feed your hungry housepetto. The UK arm of Denmark's Dansk Supermarked, Netto Foodstores operates some 195 hard-discount grocery stores throughout England, all easily recognized by their trademark black Scottie. Netto's no-frills stores sell a limited range of food and non-food products (only 1,100 items) at deeply reduced prices. Its parent company has agreed to sell its UK subsidiary to grocery giant ASDA to better concentrate on its supermarket business in Scandinavia and Northern Europe. The $1.2 billion deal is expected to close in late 2010. Dansk Supermarked is 68% owned by Marsk Group.

The HomeForm Group (formerly Limelight Group) is a designer and installer of fully-fitted home kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms. Brands include Möben, Kitchens Direct, Sharps Bedrooms, and Dolphin Bathrooms; each division sells home improvement products and furnishings specifically for particular rooms of the home. The company is gradually converting its stores to a multi-branded format; it currently operates about 160 showrooms around the UK. In 2000 the company was taken private following a management buyout. US private equity firm Sun Capital Partners acquired the business in 2007.

Family-owned-and-operated Davila Pharmacy operates a single drugstore in San Antonio, Texas. Prescription medications account for about 40% of sales. Davila Pharmacy also offers durable medical equipment, ostomy, diabetic, nutritional and incontinent supplies. In addition to standard pharmacy services, Davila Pharmacy boasts that all of its pharmacists are bilingual and certified to administer immunizations. It also offers home delivery in the San Antonio area and online prescription refills. Founded by Rudy Davila Sr., today the company is run by his son Rudy Jr. Davila Pharmacy made the Hispanic Business 500 list, most recently in 2008.

George Weston Limited is a Canadian public company, founded in 1882, engaged in food processing and distribution. The Company has two reportable operating segments: Loblaw Companies Limited and Weston Foods, and holds cash and short term investments. The Loblaw operating segment, which is operated by Loblaw Companies Limited and its subsidiaries, is Canada’s largest food distributor and a leading provider of general merchandise, drugstore, and financial products and services. The Weston Foods operating segment is a leading fresh and frozen baking company in Canada and is engaged in frozen baking and biscuit manufacturing in the United States. Weston seeks long term, stable growth in its operating segments through continuous capital investment supported by a strong balance sheet, thereby providing sustainable returns to its shareholders through a combination of common share price appreciation and dividends. In order to be successful in delivering long term value to shareholders and to fulfill its long term objectives of security and growth, Weston employs various operating strategies. Weston Foods concentrates on brand development, low operating costs and maintaining a broad customer base, with the objective of being the best provider of bakery solutions and fresh dairy products to its customers. Loblaw concentrates on food retailing, with the objective of providing Canadian consumers with the best in one-stop shopping for everyday household needs.

Schnuck Markets founded in 1939, the company is owned by the Schnuck family and run by CEO Scott Schnuck and president and COO Todd Schnuck.If you'll meet me in St. Louis, then chances are there'll be a Schnucks in sight. The region's largest food chain, Schnuck Markets operates about 105 stores, mostly in the St. Louis area, but also in other parts of Missouri and in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. All stores offer a full line of groceries, and most have pharmacies, video rental outlets, in-store banking, and florist shops. Although most stores operate under the Schnucks banner, the company also runs about a half a dozen Logli supermarkets in Illinois and Wisconsin, and a specialty pharmacy.

Founded in 1952 as Holmes Door & Lumber Co., the business was acquired by family-owned Carter Lumber of Kent, Ohio in 2004, adding Holmes' operations to its 200-plus stores in 10 states. Try building a home -- or any other structure -- without the products that Holmes Lumber supplies. The building materials retailer sells lumber, blocks, bricks, cabinets, doors, paneling, ceiling tiles, hardware, and other building materials to professional contractors and consumers at three Holmes Lumber and Building Centers in Hartville, Millersburg, and Sugarcreek Ohio.

GLENTEL (TSX: GLN) is a leading provider of innovative and reliable telecommunications services and solutions in Canada and the United States. Founded in 1963 and headquartered in Burnaby, BC, GLENTEL comprises three operating divisions – Retail Canada, Retail US and Business – that service thousands of consumers and commercial communications customers. The company operates more than 280 stores across Canada as well as 138 mall stores in the United States. GLENTEL's Retail Division consists of three consumer brands in Canada: WIRELESSWAVE/WAVE SANS FIL, Tbooth wireless/la cabine T sans fil, and WIRELESS etc./SANS-FIL etc. providing wireless and wired communications products and services as well as a choice of cellular brands to consumers through retail malls and Costco Wholesale stores. With locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, GLENTEL is now one of the largest multi-carrier retailers in Canada. Through its Diamond Wireless locations, it offers Verizon Premium Retailer service in the US. GLENTEL’s Business Division, with branches across Canada, provides integrated wireless solutions for public safety, government and business customers. These solutions include designing and commissioning wireless networks for commercial applications in three core areas: terrestrial radio systems, satellite network services, and advanced mobile solutions. With more than four decades of experience in wireless communications, GLENTEL has the largest technical staff of its kind in Canada to develop, install and support a broad range of end-to-end solutions. GLENTEL has been publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange since June 1, 1983, and is headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia.

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