Poundland wants its customers to care as much as it does about the value of British Sterling. Founded in 1990, Poundland is the UK's leading single-price retailer with 260-plus storefronts throughout Britain and plans to add 50 more in 2010/2011. Its typical 3,000 products offered range from drinks to household goods, with more large-size manufacturers coming on board each year. In 2002 then chief executive David Dodd led a management buy-out backed by venture capitalist Advent International.

Great Harvest Franchising acquired Montana Mills from doughnut-maker Krispy Kreme in 2005. The six-store bakery chain in upstate New York was converted to Great Harvest locations in early 2006. Founded by Pete and Laura Wakeman in 1978, Great Harvest was sold in 2001 to a group of North Carolina investors, including Mike Ferretti, who became CEO.Great Harvest Franchising (dba Great Harvest Bread Company) helps entrepreneurs not only bake bread but earn it. The company franchises its name and baking techniques to more than 210 bakeries in some 40 US states. In exchange for sending 7% of their sales to Great Harvest, owners receive bread recipes, baking techniques, and advice about accounting and store design.

Butera acquired three stores in Illinois from bankrupt Eagle Food Centers. Family-owned and -operated from its inception, Butera became an employee-owned company in the early 1990s. Butera Finer Foods, Inc. If you're in the Windy City and you're in the market for foodstuffs, find your way to Butera's. Butera Finer Foods runs about 10 full-service supermarkets under the Butera Market banner in northern Illinois. The stores specialize in produce, deli items, and international foods at low prices. Since its founding in 1968 by Paul Butera Sr. and his brother Joe, some 25 Butera Finer Foods supermarkets have been opened. Butera's twin sons Joseph and Paul Jr. currently run 10 of them.

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.

Cinder Block wants to help you expand your beloved concert T-shirt collection. The merchandising and licensing company got its start in 1989 on a Berkeley sidewalk where co-founder and president Jeffery Bischoff set up a card table and hawked manually printed T-shirts to students and tourists. Today Cinder Block's client roster numbers more than 300 artists, including musical acts Radiohead, Green Day, the Pixies, and Weezer. In addition to traditional apparel offerings, the company provides merchandising services for concert tours. Cinder Block's venture, Cinder Block Ticketing, was created in partnership with Baseline Ticketing to offer online ticket presales. It was acquired by Transom Capital Group in 2009.

SmartBargains is looking smarter and smarter as it develops into a full-blown electronic clearing house. Started in 2000 as an offshoot of liquidator Gordon Brothers Group, SmartBargains is a giant electronic bargain bin, offering such items as apparel, bedding, home decor, and luggage, at grossly reduced rates, often at costs up to 75% lower than retail. One of the few survivors of the dot-com bubble burst and operating only through its website, the company is a clearing house for closeouts and odd lots. SmartBargains is a division of Retail Convergence, which was acquired by e-commerce powerhouse GSI Commerce in late 2009.

Sam Levitz Furniture Company Incorporated sells a variety of furniture through three showrooms and a clearance center in Tucson, Arizona. It stocks brand names such as Bassett, Broyhill, Lane, and Natuzzi. The company has been family-owned and -operated since it was founded by newspaper photographer Sam Levitz in 1953. Today the company is run by Sam's son, Sam R. Levitz. Sam Levitz Furniture in Arizona is not connected to the defunct national Levitz Furniture chain.

Founded in 1940 by Einer and Marie Jensen in Blue Jay, California, Jensen's was bought by longtime employee Gene Fulton in 1981 when the Jensens retired. The small grocery chain is owned and operated by the Fulton family.When in Palm Springs, customers check out the fine foods at Jensen's. Supermarket retailer Jensen's operates about 10 upscale grocery stores located in the mountains and deserts of Southern California. Each store specializes in offering gourmet items, as well as traditional supermarket fare including extensive selections of fresh produce, meats, and wines.

Founded in 1990 in Southern California, Genica Corporation provides customers a better way to buy computer products and consumer electronics. At that time, the company's founders saw a significant business opportunity in the excess personal computer and electronics industry. The two entrepreneurs launched their direct computer supply business based on the philosophy that buying low and selling low would be a fruitful business model. A strong commitment to service was included in their philosophy. Today, the company has continued to flourish through reinvestment in its own technology, company resources and ever-expanding product offerings which include items untapped by competitors. Genica Corporation, from its inception, was designed to foster a business culture providing exemplary service through dedicated team members and long-term customer relationships. This strategy has proven to be very successful and remains a key component of Genica Corporation's current mission. Genica Corporation has adopted several industry programs to keep pace with change and stay ahead of its competition.

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.

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