The Foschini Group (TFG) is an investment holding company operating in the retail and financial services segments within southern Africa. The Group trades primarily in South Africa with retail turnover emanating from Botswana, Swaziland and Namibia accounting for 3,8% of the Group turnover. Comprising 14 trading brands in over 1 500 stores, the Group brings a lifestyle range of brands that are prominent household fashion brands into the retail market. TFG Apparel Supply Company manages the supply of locally made apparel and co-ordinates the merchandise sourcing, shipping and quality assurance activities. A further two trading divisions offer financial services. All the trading divisions are supported by numerous service divisions which provide centralised support services. Foschini Limited, which commenced trading in 1924, has been listed on the JSE Limited since 1 January 1941 and is regarded as one of the foremost independent chain store groups in the country. It is listed on the main board in the Consumer Services – Retail sector.

C. N. Brown company operates about 90 convenience stores under the Big Apple Food Stores banner, mostly in Maine but also in New Hampshire. The company provides heating oil, K-1, propane, and diesel gasoline through subsidiary Red Shield Heating Oil's more than 30 locations in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. C. N. Brown also operates a handful of car washes in Maine. The family-owned and -operated company was founded in 1948 by Carlton Brown.

Founded in 1908 by William Aubuchon, a French-Canadian immigrant, the company is still owned by the Aubuchon family, including CEO William Aubuchon III and president M. Marcus Moran, Jr. Old houses in New England get refurbished with assistance from W.E. Aubuchon. W.E. Aubuchon operates about 130 hardware stores throughout New England and New York, as well as a Web site. More than just nuts and bolts, the store stocks about 50,000 products, including appliances, camping gear, hardware, housewares, paint, and tools. It carries such name brands as Delta Faucet, Honeywell, Stanley, and Weber. The store also offers rug cleaner rentals, propane tank filling, and key cutting, among other services.

The story of Wilkinson Hardware defines DIY, and not just because the do-it-yourself trend has made the business a success and has allowed it to ride out a couple recessions. Founded in Leicester in 1930, Wilkinson Hardware Stores operates more than 330 home and garden shops throughout England and Wales. Each of its locations peddles some 25,000 products. Wilko, as the company is known, is one of the largest privately-held companies in the UK. The business is led by the founding Wilkinson family. J.K. Wilkinson founded the original store after gathering the seed money by saving £1 a week from his wages for nearly six years. Chairwoman Karin Swann is the founder's granddaughter.

LAWSON aims to be the "hot station" in the neighborhood for on-the-go Japanese. Japan's #2 convenience store chain (behind Seven-Eleven Japan), LAWSON operates more than 9,800 outlets throughout Japan and in Shanghai, China. Its stores offer original products including main dishes, prepared noodles, bakery and deli items, and rice balls. (Food and groceries account for about 85% of sales.) Subsidiary Lawson Ticket sells concert, sports, and other events tickets in LAWSON and Daiei stores. Lawson ATM dispenses cash to shoppers in about 6,000 LAWSON shops. Subsidiary Ninety-nine Plus sells perishable foods. Founded in 1975 as Daiei Lawson Co., the chain was spun off by financially troubled Daiei in 2000.

DOTS has plans for continued national expansion, including California eventually. Ultimately, DOTS hopes to reach 1,000 stores nationwide. DOTS operates more than 400 value-priced women's clothing and accessory stores in some 25 states, mostly along the East Coast and in the Midwest. The stores, which target female shoppers between the ages of 18 and 45, sell low-priced fashion apparel and accessories for the junior, misses, and plus-size markets. The fast-growing company has been opening new stores in some big markets, including Texas and Georgia.

Roots is owned by Michael Budman and Don Green, who co-founded Roots Canada Ltd. company as a footwear store in 1973. From its original shoot, Roots Canada has branched out into many areas. The apparel chain, known among some as the Canadian Gap, sells clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. Firmly planted in the land of maple leaves and beavers, the company has more than 120 stores in Canada and the US, and over 40 locations in Asia (China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan). Besides apparel, Roots Canada Ltd. company offers leather goods, eyewear, watches, and fragrances, even lending its name to a line of furniture. It was the official outfitter of the 2002 Winter Olympics and also outfitted Canada and three other nations in 2004.

Groupe Bikini Village inc. was founded in 1978. Groupe Bikini Village (formerly Groupe Les Ailes de la Mode) sells itsy bitsy, teeny weeny bikinis, as well as all types of swimwear, travel clothing, and beach and swimming accessories for men and women through more than 60 Bikini Village and Ocean Bikini Village boutiques in Quebec and Ontario. Groupe Bikini Village sold its unprofitable Les Ailes department store subsidiary in 2005 and adopted the name of its remaining Bikini Village business. In 2004 Groupe Bikini Village emerged from bankruptcy court protection as Groupe Les Ailes de la Mode. It was known as Les Boutiques San Francisco prior to its bankruptcy filing in late 2003.

Since its founding in 1953, Best Denki has expanded its international network to include about 45 locations across Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. The Japanese electronics retailer is looking to partner with another firm to expand outside Asia as it retrenches at home. In recent years, Best Denki's sales have suffered from competition from rival electronics retailers and online shopping sites. Shopping for electronics in Japan? Best Denki might just have what you are looking for. The company operates more than 200 mass discount stores that sell consumer electronics throughout the country, primarily targeting customers in the Kyushu and Chugoku regions.

A leading home furnishings retailer, Value City Furniture (VCF) is operated by American Signature and is part of its network of some 130 superstores in 20 US states in the East, Midwest, and Southeast. It offers furniture for the bedroom, dining room, and living room, as well as mattresses, bedding, and other accessories. VCF stores feature furnishings from more than 30 manufacturers and even carry American Signature's private-label furniture and bedding. The retailer also peddles its wares online. Founded in 1948, VCF is owned by holding company Schottenstein Stores.

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