Luckily, Ace has John Madden up its sleeve. Despite the growth of warehouse-style competitors, Ace Hardware has remained a household name, thanks to ads featuring Madden, a former Oakland Raiders football coach and retired TV commentator. By sales the company is the #1 hardware cooperative in the US, ahead of Do It Best. Ace dealer-owners operate about 4,500 Ace Hardware stores, home centers, and lumber and building materials locations in all 50 US states and more than 60 other countries. From about 15 warehouses Ace distributes such products as electrical and plumbing supplies, garden equipment, hand tools, housewares, and power tools. Its paint division is also a major paint manufacturer in the US.

J. C. Penney Company, Inc., through its subsidiary, J. C. Penney Corporation, Inc., operates a network of department stores in the United States and Puerto Rico. It sells family apparel and footwear, accessories, fine and fashion jewelry, beauty products, and home furnishings. The company also provides various services, such as styling salon, optical, portrait photography, and custom decorating. It sells its products through department stores and catalogs, as well as through the Internet at jcp.com. As of January 30, 2010, the companys distribution network included 13 merchandise distribution centers, 5 regional warehouses, and 4 direct fulfillment centers. As of March 29, 2010, it operated 1,100 department stores. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in Plano, Texas.

E-Z Mart Stores founder Jim Yates kept his first convenience store in Ashdown, Arkansas, open until 11. The company now boasts 300 outlets across five southern states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas). Rather than build its own stores, the company usually expands through acquisitions. In addition to the standard hot dogs, chips, sodas, and cigarettes, most E-Z Mart locations also offer Shell, Conoco, Phillips 66, or CITGO gasoline. Yates died in late 1998 when the plane he was piloting crashed, leaving his daughter Sonja Hubbard at the company's helm as CEO.

Southern Foods' other products include seafood, cheeses, pasta, condiments, and more. For busy families, the company offers Crazy Plates Meal Kits fast, easy, and nutritious meals in a box. Southern Foods also sells professional cookware, freezers, and grills to its home-delivery customers. Southern Foods is being acquired by Pate Dawson Food Co.For those hungry in Hickory or time-pressed in Tarboro, Southern Foods delivers frozen food products directly to individual home customers, foodservice operators, and restaurants in the Carolinas, Georgia, and southern Virginia. The company produces much of its own meat, but also distributes cuts from Tyson Fresh Meats, Cargill Meat Solutions, and other companies.

Guess?, Inc. designs, markets, distributes, and licenses lifestyle collections of apparel and accessories for men, women, and children. It offers collections of denim and cotton clothing, including jeans, pants, overalls, skirts, dresses, shorts, blouses, shirts, jackets, and knitwear. The company also grants licenses to manufacture and distribute a range of products that include eyewear, watches, handbags, footwear, kids' and infants' apparel, leather apparel, swimwear, fragrance, jewelry, intimate apparel, and other fashion accessories. Guess?, Inc. markets its apparel under various trademarks, including GUESS, GUESS?, GUESS U.S.A., GUESS Jeans, GUESS? and Triangle Design, MARCIANO, Question Mark and Triangle Design, a stylized G and a stylized M, GUESS Kids, Baby GUESS, YES, G by GUESS, GUESS by MARCIANO, and Gc. The company sells its products through retail, wholesale, e-commerce, and licensing distribution channels. As of January 30, 2010, it operated 432 stores in the United States and Canada comprising 191 GUESS? retail stores, 107 GUESS? factory outlet stores, 52 GUESS by MARCIANO stores, 44 G by GUESS stores, and 38 GUESS? Accessories stores. Guess?, Inc. also operated 84 stores in Europe and 13 stores in Mexico. Guess?, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Martin McColl is among the leading operators of newsstands and convenience stores in Great Britain. The company has more than 900 newsstands, 300 convenience stores, and 100 high street shops in England, Scotland and Wales. Its newsstands operate under the Martin's banner while its convenience stores operate under the McColl's banner. About 400 stores have post offices, making it the UK's leading owner of regional substations. Martin McColl, originally named TM Retail, was formed in 1998. Following a management-led buyout in 2005, the company changed its name and its business strategy. Its executive team owns about 80% of the company.

Founded in 1983, Road Runner sells dozens of brands including adidas, Asics, New Balance, Nike, Saucony, and others. Road Runner Sports is for the running -- or walking -- man or woman. The retailer, known for its huge selection, sells a wide range of athletic shoes and gear for those who go for the aerobic burn by pounding out the miles on their feet. Products are sold online and through specialty catalogs. The company also caters to those who would rather run in than log on with about 20 retail outlets, mostly in California but also in about 10 other states. The stores, which average about 8,500 square feet, feature gait analysis machines, running coaches, customized orthotics fitting, and a test run area.

In the UK and Ireland, some of the best known and respected companies are part of Saint-Gobain. Together these businesses offer an unrivalled range of products and innovative material solutions that give architects and designers the ability to respond to the latest trends, whilst meeting the most exacting performance and legislative standards. Saint-Gobain’s businesses form a robust, integrated supply chain partner that has the strength and flexibility to support the most diverse range of customer requirements. This adds up to a unique capability that can support everything from the biggest landmark projects, such as the Emirates Stadium and Fort Dunlop, to ongoing repair and maintenance programmes. As well as fast, efficient access to a comprehensive range of products, we can provide specialist technical expertise and resources. From product specification and design, to fabrication and delivery to site or production line, we are committed to working closely with our customers to help them get the most out of our products and services.

Founded in 1989, K&G is owned by The Men's Wearhouse and accounts for nearly 20% of its parent company's sales. After purchasing K&G, Men's Wearhouse converted most of its outlets to the K&G Fashion Superstores banner, and began adding women's and children's apparel to the racks. The feminization of K&G Men's Company is well underway. The retailer operates about 105 deep-discount career apparel superstores in more than 25 states. Its stores feature brand-name and private-label tailored and casual clothing, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and children. The bargain warehouse-type stores average about 23,000 sq. ft. and offer first-run merchandise at prices 30%-60% lower than department stores.

The North West Company operates more than 220 stores in remote areas of Canada, Alaska, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. Its stores, which include Northern (its flagship), NorthMart, Giant Tiger, AC Value Center, and Cost-U-Less, sell groceries and general merchandise, as well as clothing (at some stores) and other items suited to local community needs. The company also operates a small chain of convenience stores, as well as a financial services company that provides prepaid credit and debit cards.While most retailers grapple for commercial real estate in big cities, The North West Company is quietly building up store locations far from the fray. Serving rural and urban communities

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