The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates department stores in the mid-size and metropolitan markets of the United States. Its stores offer brand-name apparel and accessories for women, men, and children, as well as provide cosmetics, home furnishings, footwear, intimate apparel, and juniors' apparel. As of January 30, 2010, the company operated 278 stores under various nameplates, including the Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's, and Younkers in 23 northeastern, midwestern, and upper Great Plains states; and under the Parisian nameplate in Detroit, Michigan.

Howden Joinery Group Plc makes its kitchen cabinets, doors, and complete kitchens at a pair of factories in the UK. At Howden Joinery, kitchens and joinery hold the keys to the castle. The company in September 2010 renamed itself to reflect its fast-growing Howden Joinery subsidiary (founded in 1995). The firm operates some 450 outlets in the UK and France that cater to the local building trade. Operating under the Howdens banner, the retailer debuted stores in France in 2008 and today operates about a dozen outlets there. Ultimately, Howden Joinery expects the two countries to support at least 600 Howdens locations.

Shoppers in Western Canada in search of everything from cough syrup to computers shop London Drugs. London Drugs Limited company is one of Canada's leading pharmacy chains with 70-plus shops in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. London Drugs sells a mix of traditional drugstore products, as well as general merchandise, and computer and home entertainment equipment from large stores (average size 34,000 sq. ft.). Bucking the trend among Canadian pharmacy operators to grow by acquisition, London Drugs is expanding by building new stores and adding new services, such as in-store postal outlets. Chairman Brandt Louie owns London Drugs through family-owned H.Y. Louie Co.

Farm Stores Corporation is exploring plans to expand its concept nationally. Founded in 1935, the Bared family, fronted by company president and CEO Carlos Bared, bought Farm Stores out of bankruptcy in 1992.Farm Stores Corporation's drive-thru markets, you never leave the car. With more than 100 Express Markets throughout Florida, Farm Stores is the nation's largest drive-thru grocery retailer. The chain's pre-paid Farm Stores Quick Card (think of it as a debit card for milk) allows customers to buy gallons more cheaply by paying in advance. The grocery chain's stores are supplied by Associated Grocers of Florida.

The Gap, Inc. operates as a specialty retailing company. The company offers clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, children, and babies under the Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime, and Athleta brand names. Its products include wardrobe basics, such as denim, khakis, and T-shirts; fashion apparel; casual apparel and accessories; maternity apparel; women’s underwear, sleepwear, loungewear, and sports and active apparel; and shoes and accessories. The company also franchises agreements with unaffiliated franchisees to operate Gap and Banana Republic stores worldwide. As of March 24, 2010, it operated approximately 3,100 stores in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Japan, and Ireland. The Gap also offers its products through catalogs, as well as gap.com, bananarepublic.com, oldnavy.com, piperlime.com, and athleta.com Web sites. The Gap, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Gale knows how to get your garden to grow. Through four locations in Ohio, Gale's Garden Centers sells flowering trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, and houseplants. In addition to the usual garden items, Gale's locations offer wildlife feeders, pet supplies, seasonal yard decor, and outdoor furniture. Design centers at some locations carry exclusive gift collections, books on gardening and home decor, personal care items, and 300 lines of collectibles, as well as provide professional decorating and design assistance. The company's Willoughby location includes a glass conservatory to showcase plants year-round.

AUTOBACS SEVEN was founded in 1947. AUTOBACS SEVEN is driven to provide one-stop shopping to Japanese motorists. The company sells automotive items at about 520 stores throughout Japan, under the names AUTOBACS, Super AUTOBACS, AUTO Helloes, and AUTOBACS Hashiriya Tengoku, among others. AUTOBACS are small, automotive convenience-type stores, while the larger-sized Super AUTOBACS carry a broad range of auto products. The Hashiriya Tengoku locations boast used parts. AUTOBACS also provides safety inspections and maintenance services, and it sells cars and gas. In 2009 the company sold its US arm, AUTOBACS STRAUSS (acquired in 2007), and exited the US market.

Kwik Trip operates about 350 Kwik Trip and Kwik Star convenience stores throughout Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The company also runs several Hearty Platter restaurants, about 40 Tobacco Outlet Plus (TOP) cigar stores, and car washes at some Kwik Trip store locations. All Kwik Trip stores built since 1990 are owned by Convenience Store Investments, a separate company, which leases the land and stores to Kwik Trip. Kwik Trip, which opened its first store in 1965 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is owned by the family of CEO Don Zietlow.

Residents of the Sun Belt have been known to leave their homes with Beall's on. The retail holding company operates through subsidiaries Beall's Department Stores, Beall's Outlet, and Burke's Outlet Stores in a dozen states. It has more than 560 department and outlet stores (about 200 are in Florida) located throughout states in the southern and western US, including Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. Products range from off-price clothing and footwear for men and women to cosmetics, gifts, and housewares. Each chain has its own online shopping destination. The family-owned company was founded in 1915 by the grandfather of Chairman Bob Beall (pronounced "bell").

SmartLabs brings high-tech comforts home with the push of a button. Its SmartLabs Technology unit creates electronic automation and remote control products for lighting, security systems, theater equipment, and other home management systems. The SmartLabs Design division designs and produces its INSTEON wireless technology line, as well as offers original equipment manufacturing services. Reaching consumers in some 130 countries, SmartLabs' Smarthome business markets more than 5,000 electronic home improvement products online, by phone, and through catalogs. President and CEO Joe Dada founded the company in 1992.

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