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.

Maxor National Pharmacy Services provides healthcare and pharmacy services including retail and mail order prescriptions (Maxor Pharmacies), pharmacy benefits management (MaxorPlus), pharmacy consulting (Maxor Pharmacy Consulting Services), and infusion and injection services (IVSolutions). The company operates more than a dozen Maxor Pharmacy stores, mostly in Texas and Washington, but also in Colorado and New York. It also provides services to more than 260,000 offenders in more than 190 correctional facilities in 27 states through direct management contracts or via its pharmacy services division. The first Maxor pharmacy opened in 1926, founded by Howard Guy Maxfield and Samuel Orr.

Horizon doesn't worry about the rain clouds. The company, operating through about 60 locations in 11 mostly western US states, offers products for landscapers and other professionals in the landscaping industry. The company markets fertilizer, landscape lighting, turf and irrigation equipment, and other related products including mowers, pruners, blowers, and chainsaws. It specializes in helping golf course groundskeepers keep the greens green and the roughs soft with products like Rain Bird Golf nozzles and rotors, Seed Research forage and grass seeds, and Lasco Fittings swing joints. Pool supply company Pool Corporation (formerly SCP Pool) owns Horizon.

Etablissements Delhaize Freres Et Cie “Le Lion” S.A. (Delhaize Group), together with its subsidiaries, operates food supermarkets in North America, Europe, and southeast Asia. It also engages in food wholesaling to affiliated stores and independent wholesale customers; and in retailing of non- food products, such as pet products. Delhaize Group’s sales network also includes other store formats, such as proximity stores and specialty stores. As of September 30, 2010, its sales network consisted of 2,760 stores. Delhaize Group was founded in 1867 and is based in Brussels, Belgium.

Axfood gives the chilly Nordic region the Willys. Axfood AB is one of the largest food retailers in Sweden (behind ICA and Coop),operating about 110 wholly owned Willys (discount grocery stores),30-plus Willys hemma (neighborhood grocers),and some 165 Hemkp (upscale grocery stores for food enthusiasts) stores. Axfood also operates shops under the Handlar'n and Tempo banners. Its Axfood Narlivs unit is a nationwide wholesaler serving convenience store retailers, restaurants, and foodservice companies through about 20 cash and carry outlets and several distribution centers. Subsidiary Dagab serves as Axfood AB company's logistics arm. Swedish food importer and retailer Axel Johnson owns about 46% of Axfood.

TBC Corporation is the nation's largest vertically integrated marketer of tires for the automotive replacement market. The Company's retail operations include Company-operated tire and automotive service centers under the " Tire Kingdom", "Merchant's Tire & Auto Centers", and "National Tire & Battery" brands, and franchised stores under the "Big O Tires" brand. TBC markets on a wholesale basis to regional tire chains and distributors serving independent tire dealers throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Through its Carroll Tire wholesale distribution centers, the Company also markets directly to independent tire dealers across the United States. Carroll Tire Company sells a wide variety of proprietary and national brands from 38 distribution centers.TBC markets and sells nine proprietary brands of tires through North America. The Multi-Mile, Cordovan, Sigma, Vanderbilt, Sumitomo, Eldorado, Laramie, Telstar, and Jetzon brands are produced by nationally recognized manufacturers and have a reputation for quality, safety, and value. These brands are distributed through TBC Private Brands and Treadways to independent retailers and wholesalers throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In 2005, TBC Corporation was purchased by Sumitomo Corporation of America (SCOA). SCOA is the largest subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation (SC), one of Japan's major integrated trading and investment business enterprises. TBC Corporation still functions as an independent company of SCOA providing the same services and products it has for many years, but has ended its 22-year stint as a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ.

Tuesday Morning offers big discounts every day of the week, but not every week of the year. The closeout retailer sells discontinued merchandise from name-brand manufacturers at steep discounts. Its merchandise typically includes linens, china, cookware, rugs, and collectibles that are not seconds, irregulars, or factory rejects. Tuesday Morning's 850 stores, located in more than 40 states, operate only during monthly "sale events" (with the exception of January and July). The retailer keeps costs down by selling from low-rent locations and using seasonal help -- only about 20% of its workers are full-time employees. Its customers are primarily women from middle- and upper-income households.

Specsavers was founded in 1984 as the first company to offer half ownership to resident opticians. Specsavers Optical Group is focused on serving squinters on a budget. The company, famous for its ongoing two-for-one offering, specializes in affordable eyecare. Through its 1,300 Specsavers stores in Europe and Australia, consumers can receive eye exams, as well as buy glasses and contact lenses. The company makes more than 2,000 styles of glasses at its three UK factories. Specsavers also sells contact lenses online; it is Europe's largest contact lens home-deliverer. Through its hearing care business, Specsavers Hearcare Group, the company offers hearing tests and sells hearing aids at Specsavers locations.

The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. operates as a children's specialty apparel retailer in North America. The company provides apparel and related accessories for children from newborn to 10 years of age. It designs, contracts to manufacture, and sells apparel and accessories and other children's-oriented merchandise under The Children's Place brand name. The company has differentiated departments to serve the needs of girls and boys, baby girls and boys, and new born. As of January 30, 2010, it owned and operated 947 The Children's Place stores and an online store at childrensplace.com. The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. was founded in 1969 and is based in Secaucus, New Jersey.

Retailing giant Daimaru Matsuzakaya opened for business Monday, bringing to fruition the 2007 mega-merger between department store chains Daimaru Inc. and Matsuzakaya Bargain hunt: Shoppers flock for bargains at the Matsuzakaya department store in Tokyo's Ueno district Monday as the merged Daimaru Matsuzakaya Department Stores Co. began operations. KYODO PHOTOThe new chain, which combined under holding firm J. Front Retailing Co., will take over strategic planning and product procurement duties from J. Front to save costs amid the current deflation.

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