The Jean Coutu Group (PJC) is one of Canada's leading drugstore chains with more than 375 franchised outlets in New Brunswick, Ontario, and Quebec under the PJC Jean Coutu, PJC Clinique, PJC Sante, and PJC Sante Beaute banners. The company dominates the Quebec market but trails rivals Shoppers Drug Mart and Katz Group in overall store count. Its Pro-Doc subsidiary (acquired in 2007) makes generic drugs. In mid-2007 the company sold its troubled US arm, the Brooks Eckerd chain of more than 1,850 drugstores, to Rite Aid in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $4 billion. The sale made PJC Rite Aid's largest shareholder with about 28% of the firm's shares.

Southern Co-operatives originally dipped its toe into the co-operative market in 1873. The regional consumer co- operative society operates about 120 convenience stores under The Co-op banner in mid-southern England. The co-op added the David's chain of convenience stores on the Isle of Wight during the past few years. Its other lines of business include funeral services and property investment. The co-op exited the milk delivery business -- Southern Co-operative Dairies by selling it to the Co-operative Group (CWS). Established as the Portsea Island Mutual Co-operative Society by dockyard workers in Portsmouth, the group changed its name to Southern Co-operatives Limited in 1998.

Founded by Rowland Schaefer and later run by his daughters, Bonnie and Marla Schaefer, Claire's Stores was sold to an affiliate of the New York-based private equity firm Apollo Management for about $3 billion in 2007. If the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys, for young women and girls, it may be the price of their accessories. For thrifty, fashion-conscious females ages 3 to 27, Claire's Stores is the queen of costume jewelry, handbags, and hair bows. The company operates nearly 3,000 boutiques, primarily in malls, under the Claire's and Icing banners. The chain is present in all 50 US states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Canada, as well as about 10 European countries.

Furniture.com sells furniture online through its partnership with major furniture retailers in North America, including RoomStore, The RoomPlace, and Leon's Furniture. Product lines include bedroom, dining room, and living room furniture, as well as entertainment centers, lighting, and bedding. Furniture.com also offers branded sites and other e-commerce services to retail partners. It is operated by Blueport Commerce, an e-commerce firm formed by Furniture.com's management. Furniture.com has been in business since 2002, when CEO Carl Prindle acquired the assets of the failed e-tailer by the same name.

CompUSA has been rebooted after a major crash in 2008. The company operates about 35 stores, mostly in Florida, but also in several other states and Puerto Rico, as well as an e-commerce site. It sells computers and peripherals, TVs, gaming consoles, cameras, and other electronics and accessories. CompUSA is a division of Systemax, a multi-channel marketer of consumer electronics and digital media technology. In 2008 Systemax acquired CompUSA's brand, website, and retail outlets. Originally a pioneer in big-box computer sales, CompUSA is reformatting itself as a next-generation retailer.

Nordstrom, Inc., a fashion specialty retailer, offers apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories for women, men, and children in the United States. Nordstrom company offers a selection of brand name and private label merchandise. It sells its products through various channels, including ‘Nordstrom’ full-line stores, ‘Nordstrom Rack’ off-price stores, ‘Last Chance’ clearance stores, and ‘Jeffrey’ boutiques; and through catalog and the Internet. Nordstrom, Inc. also provides a private label card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards, and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. Its credit and debit cards feature a shopping-based loyalty program. Nordstrom company also designs and contracts to manufacture private label merchandise sold in its retail stores. As of March 19, 2010, it had 187 retail stores located in 28 states. Nordstrom, Inc. was founded in 1901 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Named for the English port that once supplied its imported goods, Mexico's El Puerto de Liverpool offers clothing for men, women, and children, as well as appliances, consumer electronics, home furnishings, and more. With some 65 department stores (divided between the Liverpool and Fabrica de Francia names) in Mexico's largest cities, the company's upper-income customer base remains essentially unchanged from 1847, when young Juan Bautista Ebrard began selling clothes from a Mexico City market stall. Liverpool also owns and manages shopping malls in its home country and is one of the largest issuers of credit cards in Mexico. The company has expanded by buying malls and opening new stores throughout Mexico.

Bosselman, Inc. operates some 40 Pump & Pantry convenience stores and 25 Boss Truck Shops, which sell tires and offer truck repair services, in Nebraska and more than 15 other states. Family-operated Bosselman also runs about half a dozen eating establishments (mostly Grandma Max's) and five motels. Other operations include Bosselman Energy (wholesale oil, fuel, and propane delivery) and Bosselman Tank & Trailer (truck, tank and trailer sales, repairs, and inspections). A handful of Bosselman travel centers fly the Pilot banner. Founder Frederick H. Bosselman -- a farmer and part-time truck driver -- opened his first truck stop in 1948.

T.K. Maxx takes bargain-hunting to the max. A subsidiary of US-based TJX Companies, T.K. Maxx is a leading off-price retailer in Europe. Launched in 1994, T.J. Maxx operates about 225 stores in the UK and Ireland and another 10 in Germany. The stores, which measure about 32,000 square feet, sell steeply discounted designer and brand-name apparel, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and children; toys; sporting goods; furniture and assorted housewares, among other things. The deep-discount retailer has been expanding its footwear and accessories departments, which now number about 25. Ultimately, T.K. Maxx plans to grow to about 275 stores the UK and Ireland and as many as 300 stores in Germany.

Mattress Giant Corporation sells mattresses, bed frames, headboards, futons, daybeds, pillows, and other sleep-related products through its website and some 360 stores in about more than a dozen states. Most Mattress Giant locations are in or around big cities, including Boston, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Philadelphia. The firm offers more than 40 mattress brands, including Simmons, Serta, Sealy, Tempur-Pedic, and AirSprung. Founded in 1992, Mattress Giant is owned by private equity firm Freeman Spogli & Co., which acquired the business in 2006.

Inviting Real Estate Agents, Job Placements Agents, Educational Institutes, Software Service Providers, Real Estate Builders, Marriage Bureaus, Travel Agents, Restaurant Owners, Health & Fitness Centers and other Local Businesses to Post a FREE Classified Advertisement on Cootera.com Classifieds Website.