Retail Holdings N.V., through its subsidiary, Singer Asia Limited, engages in the retail distribution of various consumer durable products primarily for homes in Asia. Its products include home appliances, such as air conditioners, dishwashers, kitchen ranges, microwaves, refrigerators, freezers and bottle coolers, washing machines, and dryers, as well as small kitchen appliances and sewing machines; electronic equipment, including color televisions, such as plasma, LCD, and LED products, as well as home theatres, DVD players, personal computers, portable audio products, and telephone and satellite television equipment; and other consumer durables comprising generators, home furnishings, motorcycles, and water heaters. The company also assembles motorcycles, microwaves, washing machines, sewing machines, and televisions; and manufactures freezers, gas appliances, refrigerators, sewing machines, domestic and agricultural water pumps, furniture, and paddy threshers, as well as consumer and industrial electric wire and cable. It distributes products through various channels, such as retail, direct selling, wholesale, licensing, and third party distribution channels. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 231 Singer Plus retail stores and 43 satellite shops in Bangladesh; 169 Singer Plus retail stores in Pakistan; and 162 Singer Plus retail stores, 12 Singer Mega stores, 42 Sisil World retail stores, 12 Singer Homes furniture showrooms, and 128 Singer satellite shops in Sri Lanka. In addition, it provides consumer credit and other financial services. The company was formerly known as Singer N.V. and changed its name to Retail Holdings N.V. in September 2004. Retail Holdings N.V. was founded in 1851 and is headquartered in Willemstad, the Netherlands Antilles.

Leader's Holding Company (better known as Leader's Casual Furniture) is a small furniture chain that that operates some 20 retail showrooms throughout the state of Florida. The furniture retailer sells such brand names as Capris, Jonathan Taylor, Carlton, Tropitone, Palm Springs Rattan, and Garden Classics. As part of its products portfolio, the company peddles indoor (including wicker and rattan) and outdoor home furnishings and related accessories. The family-owned company got its start as a single retail location in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1971.

Founded by William Pike in 1958, Pike Nurseries, Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late 2007, blaming the worst drought in Georgia in a century, and put itself up for sale. After closing some of its nurseries, Pike's retail operation was sold to California-based Armstrong Garden Centers (AGC) for $5.2 million in a bankruptcy auction in March 2008. Pike's wholesale businesses were also sold off. Pike Nurseries helps keep thumbs green across Atlanta. Pike Nurseries, Inc. runs about 15 Pike Family Nurseries in the Atlanta area and a single nursery in North Carolina (down from about 20 locations in 2007). Stores sell plants, chemicals, tools, shrubs, trees, and garden furniture.

Boston Green Goods, Inc. was founded in 1998 by president and CEO Mercia Tapping. Hey, you -- want to buy some allergies? OK, so Boston Green Goods (dba AllergyBuyersClub.com) doesn't sell allergies, but it does sell relief to allergy sufferers. The company operates a website marketing eco-friendly products that help to rid the home of airborne and surface allergens. Offerings include air and water purifiers, dehumidifiers, furnace filters, and vacuum and steam cleaners, as well as mold- and dust mite-resistant mattresses, hypoallergenic bedding, home decor, and household cleaners. The site also provides news and information on a range of health topics, from allergies to water quality.

Specialty Merchandise Corporation (SMC) wants to be the first company you call. SMC warehouses thousands of gifts and home decor accessories, and its members sell them at a markup. Its inventory includes everything from bird feeders to cutlery sets to billiards tables. The company offers its members merchandise catalogs, a business coach, a personalized e-commerce site, and selling manuals and videos for either $300 upfront (gold plan) or about $480 paid in monthly installments (silver plan). Marketing information covers running a business via home parties, flea markets, mail order, and fundraising, among others.

Saks Incorporated began as Proffitt’s, Inc. with just five Proffitt’s stores in metropolitan Knoxville, Tennessee. Proffitt's, Inc. became a public company in June 1987. From 1994 to 1998, we added McRae’s, Parisian, Younkers, Herberger's, and Carson Pirie Scott & Co. (which included Bergner's and Boston Store) as well as 32 additional stores from Lovemans, Hess, Parks-Belk, and Brody’s, which were converted into existing store nameplates.

Laura Ashley Holdings, once famous for its fancy floral print fashions, Laura Ashley Holdings has turned to furniture, home accessories, and decor (about 78% of sales) to fill the till. Of the company's some 230 UK shops, less than half carry its traditional product line of women's and children's clothing. The company has repositioned itself as a lifestyle brand that is largely home furnishings, as it has shuttered apparel and accessories stores. Also, to efficiently sell off excess inventory, the company opened a few outlet stores and has implemented a selling strategy at its stores to maximize sales per square footage.

Max Mara Fashion Group is taking leading-edge apparel design to the max. Max Mara Fashion Group S.r.l. clothes some of the finest women in the world (including ESPN Monday Night Football's female reporters). It touts more than 20 labels, including the flagship Max Mara (high-end contemporary career, bridal, and sportswear); Marina Rinaldi (plus-sized fashions); and iBlues, Marella, and Penny Black (lower-priced lines). One of Italy's largest fashion firms, Max Mara Fashion Group S.r.l. company operates more than 2,300 boutiques in 90 countries worldwide, and it sells through such retailers as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Barneys. Started in the 1950s, Max Mara is owned and run by the family of founder Achille Maramotti, who died in 2005.

Founded in 1952 by namesake -- the late Jack Fruth -- the company is family owned and operated. Fruth Pharmacy operates about 25 drugstores in southern Ohio and West Virginia. While prescriptions account for the majority of sales, Fruth pharmacies also sell gift items and computer supplies, and have floral departments and digital printing. The regional drugstore chain competes by constantly trying new things, such as participating in the Face2Face diabetes program and testing in-store dollar departments. It is countering Wal-Mart Stores's $4 generic offering with a discount generic drug program created by Cardinal Health.

Tuesday Morning offers big discounts every day of the week, but not every week of the year. The closeout retailer sells discontinued merchandise from name-brand manufacturers at steep discounts. Its merchandise typically includes linens, china, cookware, rugs, and collectibles that are not seconds, irregulars, or factory rejects. Tuesday Morning's 850 stores, located in more than 40 states, operate only during monthly "sale events" (with the exception of January and July). The retailer keeps costs down by selling from low-rent locations and using seasonal help -- only about 20% of its workers are full-time employees. Its customers are primarily women from middle- and upper-income households.

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