Praktiker Bau- und Heimwerkermarkte serves do-it-yourselfers and other practical types. Praktiker (practitioner or enthusiast in English) is Germany's #2 do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement retailer with about 340 Praktiker, Max Bahr, and extra BAU + HOBBY stores in Germany and another 90 Praktiker shops in eight mostly Eastern European countries (it goes by batiself in Luxembourg). Germany accounts for two-thirds of Praktiker's sales but growth comes from international locations. The discount stores sell name brand and private label items and host DIY classes. Praktiker offers bathroom fixtures, building materials, electrical and gardening items, hardware, paint, tools, wallpaper, and wood products.

Waldbaum operates about 65 supermarkets in New York City, on Long Island, and in Westchester County, New York. To serve the city that never sleeps, many Waldbaum stores are open around the clock and most have in-store bakeries; about half have pharmacies. The 100-year-old chain is owned by ailing A&P, which filed for bankruptcy in 2010 capping years of struggle following the purchase of its regional rival Pathmark Stores in 2007. As a result of the Pathmark purchase, four Waldbaum supermarkets on Long Island and Staten Island were sold to rivals King Kullen and Stop & Shop in 2008 to satisfy Federal Trade Commission competition requirements.

IAC/InterActiveCorp (IAC) satisfies inquisitive minds who want to use the Web to explore local hot spots, meet the right partner, find a contractor, and maybe even host a party or two. The Internet conglomerate owns more than 50 brands, including search engine Ask.com, local guide Citysearch (part of advertising network CityGrid Media), dating site Match.com, and home service provider network ServiceMagic. Other IAC holdings include shoe site Shoebuy.com and a majority stake in Connected Ventures, the parent company of racy college entertainment site CollegeHumor.com. Its current affairs Web magazine Daily Beast is merging with Newsweek.

Brantano keeps the whole family on its feet. Brantano NV provides a wide variety of women's, men's, children's, and sports shoes. Brentano also offers accessories such as handbags, wallets, insoles, and shoe care items. Its shoes range in price from 25-125 Euros. Brantano NV provides shoes under its own brands and international brands, including NIKE, Clarks, and Reebok. Brantano sells its footwear in about 285 stores in Belgium, including Luxembourg, and the UK, as well as about a dozen franchises the Middle East. Brantano NV plans to expand its operations in other European countries. Netherlands-based Macintosh Retail Group acquired the Belgian shoe retailer in early 2008.

Meijer (pronounced "Meyer") is a giant of retailing in the Midwest. The company's huge grocery and general merchandise stores average 200,000 to 250,000 sq. ft. each (or about the size of four regular grocery stores) and stock about 120,000 items, including Meijer private-label products. Meijer operates about 195 locations; about half are in Michigan, while the rest are in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. Customers can choose from 40-plus departments, including apparel, electronics, hardware, and toys. Most stores also sell gasoline, offer banking services, and have multiple in-store restaurants. Founder Hendrik Meijer opened his first store in 1934; the business is still family owned and run.

The Kitchen Collection, Inc. sells discounted cookware, bakeware, small appliances, cooking tools and gadgets, kitchen products seen on TV, and decorative items through more than 295 Kitchen Collection and Le Gourmet Chef stores in 40-plus states, as well as on its website. It stocks both private-label and brand-name merchandise (including the Hamilton Beach line owned by The Kitchen Collection's parent, NACCO Industries). The company's stores are primarily located in factory outlet malls nationwide.

B&G was founded in 1944 by Charlie Bartle and Cecil Gibson. Bartle & Gibson (B&G) sounds like a classical guitar duet; though it's not, it does bring a certain harmony to the lives of its customers. Catering primarily to residential contractors, B&G is a leading independent wholesaler of plumbing, heating, electrical, and irrigation supplies in Canada. Bartle & Gibson Co. Ltd. operates about 30 branches in British Columbia, Alberta, and the Northwest Territories, offering such major brands as 3M, Bemis, Honeywell, Klein Tools, and OSRAM SYLVANIA. It is served by two distribution centers.

Scotmid Co-op was formed in 1981 following the merger of St Cuthbert's and Dalziel Societies. However, our roots go further back than that as St Cuthbert's was originally formed in 1859 and Dalziel in 1863. In 2009 we are celebrating our 150th anniversary.Today the Society has over 260 retail outlets in the shape of our community based food stores and our toiletry chain Semi Chem. And as one of the major funeral directors in the country, we're always there in times of need bringing real peace of mind.Completing the Scotmid picture is our Property Department, which has an extensive portfolio of both commercial and residential properties throughout Scotland. Scotmid is proud to be part of our country's history and will continue to develop to meet the needs of our customers and members.

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.

UP&S was founded in 1953 by Taylor Ramsey and is now owned by vice-chair Patti Ramsey, his daughter-in-law. United Pipe & Supply (UP&S) is trying to unite plumbing and HVAC specialists all over the Pacific Northwest. Operating through about 35 locations in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, the company distributes equipment and supplies for irrigation, pumping and drilling, and heating and air conditioning. UP&S also provides specification and design consulting for architects, contractors, and designers.

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