Groupe Naf Naf, comic book slang for "woof woof," is always sniffing around for what's new and hot in the world of fashion. Its namesake chain offers young urban women's apparel in about 370 boutiques in Europe, including about 140 stores in France. It also sells urban men's and children's clothes under the Chevignon brand at some 190 location in Europe and another 120 shops worldwide. French clothing and shoe retailer Vivarte bought the company in January 2007 from the founding Pariente brothers, who opened their first store in Paris in 1973 and continue to run Groupe Naf Naf.

Specsavers was founded in 1984 as the first company to offer half ownership to resident opticians. Specsavers Optical Group is focused on serving squinters on a budget. The company, famous for its ongoing two-for-one offering, specializes in affordable eyecare. Through its 1,300 Specsavers stores in Europe and Australia, consumers can receive eye exams, as well as buy glasses and contact lenses. The company makes more than 2,000 styles of glasses at its three UK factories. Specsavers also sells contact lenses online; it is Europe's largest contact lens home-deliverer. Through its hearing care business, Specsavers Hearcare Group, the company offers hearing tests and sells hearing aids at Specsavers locations.

Doc's Drugs was founded by Dave Sartoris, who runs the company with his son Tony. After visiting the doc, customers in northeastern Illinois can fill their prescriptions at Doc's Drugs. The regional drugstore chain operates more than15 pharmacies under the Doc's Discount Drugs banner. In addition to dispensing prescription medications, Doc's Drugs sells medical equipment, collectibles, electronics, and toys, as well as offering in-store photo processing. Doc's Drugs also sells more than 100 products online. Doc's Drugs, Ltd. company is remodeling many of its stores to focus on its pharmacy operation, which accounts for 80% of sales. To that end, it is eliminating hardware, liquor, and groceries from its shelves.

Vivarte (formerly Groupe Andre) is a giant in European shoes and clothes. One of Europe's leading manufacturers and sellers of footwear and apparel, it operates some 4,400 stores in France and about 10 other countries in Europe, including Germany, Italy, and Spain, under about 20 different banners. Its discount footwear and apparel stores operate under the La Halle aux Chaussures, Chaussland, and Besson Chaussures names. Other stores operate under the Caroll, Kookai, La Halle, Naf Naf, Super Sport, and Fosco names. Vivarte is owned by the UK-based private equity firm Charterhouse Capital Partners, which acquired the company from PAI Partners in 2007.

Grupo Elektra is plugged into cities throughout Mexico and seven other countries in Central and South American, including Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The stores (three-quarters are located in Mexico) sell a mix of consumer electronics, appliances, computers, and furniture under several banners. Elektra and MegaElektra sell value-priced products, Salinas y Rocha appeals to more upscale shoppers. Grupo Elektra also offers financial services in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Panama and Brazil through its Banco Azteca, Seguros Azteca, and Afore Azteca locations. The family of late founder Hugo Salinas Rocha controls both Grupo Elektra and broadcaster TV Azteca.

Plaid Pantries operates more than 100 convenience stores under the Plaid Pantry banner in Oregon and Washington. Many of the shops offer in-store Subway and Taco Bell outlets, as well as gas and automatic check-cashing machines. After years of selling its own brand of gas (Plaid-Plus), the regional convenience store chain has switched to offering branded gas (ConocoPhillips and Shell) at its stores that sell fuel. Plaid Pantries got its start in 1960 and got its name, courtesy of founder John Piacentini, from the red-and-white checkered design then featured in all of its locations.

FJ Benjamin additionally controls an expanding roster of upscale pubs and sports bars in Singapore and Indonesia. Guess? what? FJ Benjamin brings 20-plus upscale western brands to Southeast Asia and Australia. The company operates about 185 retail outlets and distributes fashion apparel in eight Asia Pacific cities. (The company began opening Gap stores in Singapore and Malaysia in 2006.) With brands like Guess?, Valentino, Gap, La Senza, and house label RAOUL, FJ Benjamin derives two-thirds its turnover from the retailing and distribution of fashion products. The balance of its business lies in the distribution of timepieces, with Guess?, Girard-Perregaux, Nautica, and Marc Ecko boosting sales.

EmbroidMe is on the fast track. As a franchise operation, EmbroidMe.com Inc. offers custom embroidery, screen printing, and promotional products through about 350 shops in nearly 10 countries (including Australia, Canada, the UK, and the US). Stores specialize in emblazoning custom designs on items such as golf shirts, ball caps, towels, uniforms, jackets, and bags, as well as promotional fare (pens, mouse pads, and mugs). EmbroidMe outlets feature brand-name apparel (such as adidas, Liz Claiborne, and Nike Golf) and its own private-label products. EmbroidMe.com Inc. is part of United Franchise Group. It was founded in 2000 by Ray Titus, the group's CEO.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. hasn't outgrown the mall scene, but it's spending more time in other places. Beyond its 850 US mall-based stores, Sears has more than 1,300 other locations nationwide. The company operates more than 900 independently owned Sears Hometown Stores (formerly known as dealer stores) in small towns and about 105 Sears hardware stores and some 85 Orchard Supply Hardware shops. Sears' stores sell apparel, tools, and appliances, and provide home services (remodeling, appliance repairs) under the Sears Parts & Repair Services and A&E Factory brands. It also sells appliances and tools online. Sears was acquired by Kmart Holding Corp. in 2005. The deal formed Sears Holdings, which owns both chains.

Bison, a Stock Building Supply company, based in Houston, Texas, began modestly in 1962 as Roy W. Bierschwale's small retail store and lumber shed. Over the past four decades, Bison has grown into Texas' single largest independent supplier of lumber, full service millwork and other added value products. The city of Houston grew rapidly during the sixties, and much of this growth occurred to the north of town. Bison saw this as an opportunity to grow, also, and in 1967 the company opened its first facility seven miles south of Conroe, Texas. Bison broadened its offerings with the acquisition of Custom Craft Millwork Company in 1973.Today, Bison operates fourteen divisions in Texas, Colorado, New Mexico and Florida providing construction packages ranging from form lumber to roof decking, as well as a wide range of commodity and custom doors, columns, cabinet doors, molding, plywood and stair parts, all delivered directly to our clients' jobsites. Proud of our past. Committed to our present. Excited about our future. Our innovation and vision enable us to remain the preeminent resource within the residential construction field, and the model that every competitor strives to emulate.

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