Joe and Mike Zeiden founded Z Gallerie in 1979, using their parents' garage for a warehouse and production facility. Initially Z Gallerie (later joined by sister Carole Malfatti) sold poster art, but in the 1980s the trio added home furnishings and accessories to the merchandising mix. Today Z Gallerie stores, which span some 10,000 sq. ft. on average, feature bedding and pillows, dinnerware, glassware, rugs, lamps, candleholders, clocks, frames and albums, games, and gifts. The firm's eclectic pieces are sold through its website and some 55 US retail locations in nearly 20 states. Z Gallerie exited Chapter 11 in fall 2009 after a six-month stint in bankruptcy.

Waitrose Limited operates about 230 Waitrose supermarkets in London, southern England, the Midlands, East Anglia, Wales, and Scotland. Founded in 1904 by Wallace Wait and Arthur Rose, it was acquired in 1937 by John Lewis Partnership, one of the UK's largest retailers. The grocer plans to dramatically increase its retail presence in the UK, and beyond, through a move into the convenience store market and the development of new store formats and partnerships with other retailers. Outside the food aisle, Waitrose plans to strengthen its non-food offering of clothing and housewares in its Food & Home store. A partnership with Internet grocer Ocado delivers Waitrose groceries to homes in London and Hertfordshire.

One man's corvette summer in 1974 turned into a lifelong business. Mid America Motorworks (MMA) is a large supplier of parts and accessories for Corvette, Volkswagen, and Porsche automobiles. Offering parts for every year the Corvette has been in production, Mid America Motorworks sells its products through catalogs, the Web, and, for those in the neighborhood, at its headquarters. It also installs custom interior and performance parts. MMA's annual Corvette Funfest lays claim to being one of the largest Corvette gatherings in the world. Mid America Motorworks also hosts biannual swap meets for Corvette and VW enthusiasts. MMA is owned and operated by Mike Yager, who started the business by selling Corvette parts and accessories.

Roth's Food Center caterine and floral departments as well. It also sells its groceries online through a partnership with MyWebGrocer.com. In addition the company operates one gasoline station at its store in Silverton, Oregon. The company was founded in 1962 by chairman Orville Roth, father of president Michael Roth.Roth's Food Center helps you bring home the bacon; frying it up in a pan is your responsibility. The regional grocery store chain operates about 10 Roth's Fresh Market stores in Oregon's mid-Willamette Valley. The stores sell traditional grocery fare, beer and wine, organic produce, and more.

Interstate Companies, Inc., provides a broad range of automotive products and services through its group of businesses. Its Interstate PowerSystems unit distributes engines, transmissions, heater systems, mobile refrigeration products, generators, and other products manufactured by Detroit Diesel, Deutz, Dresser Waukesha, Espar, Allison, Carrier, and others. Its AssemblySystems division offers parts, kits, and assemblies to bus and coach OEMs throughout North America. The BearingsSytems unit provides bearing, power transmission, and conveyor services. Founded in 1957, Interstate Companies has more than 15 locations throughout Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and the Dakotas.

Dean & DeLuca also offers its goods through consumer and corporate gift catalogs, as well as online. It has operated in Japan since 2003 through a distribution agreement with ITOCHU there. Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca opened their first market in SoHo in 1977.You could go to Manhattan's tony SoHo neighborhood for a taste of Dean & DeLuca, but increasingly, you don't have to. The purveyor of pricey gourmet foods, fine wines, cheeses, baked goods, coffees and teas, and high-end kitchenware operates about 15 specialty markets and cafes in select US cities and is growing rapidly in Japan. The company opened its first cafe in the Middle East, located in Dubai, in 2008 and now has a store in Kuwait.

Mothercare plc sells maternity, baby, and children's clothes; nursery equipment; and toys from more than 1,000 company-owned and franchised stores, more than 600 of which are outside the UK. Mothercare operates in about 50 countries, primarily in other parts of Europe, the Middle and Far East, and in Africa and Southeast Asia. It also offers its merchandise, including the in-house MODA maternity clothing line, through catalogs and its website. Mothercare boosted its presence in the retail toy market with its purchase of the Early Learning Centre (ELC) in 2007. While the firm has struggled at home, it has been successful overseas, particularly in Russia and India.

Bosselman, Inc. operates some 40 Pump & Pantry convenience stores and 25 Boss Truck Shops, which sell tires and offer truck repair services, in Nebraska and more than 15 other states. Family-operated Bosselman also runs about half a dozen eating establishments (mostly Grandma Max's) and five motels. Other operations include Bosselman Energy (wholesale oil, fuel, and propane delivery) and Bosselman Tank & Trailer (truck, tank and trailer sales, repairs, and inspections). A handful of Bosselman travel centers fly the Pilot banner. Founder Frederick H. Bosselman -- a farmer and part-time truck driver -- opened his first truck stop in 1948.

Mattress Giant Corporation sells mattresses, bed frames, headboards, futons, daybeds, pillows, and other sleep-related products through its website and some 360 stores in about more than a dozen states. Most Mattress Giant locations are in or around big cities, including Boston, Dallas, Houston, Miami, and Philadelphia. The firm offers more than 40 mattress brands, including Simmons, Serta, Sealy, Tempur-Pedic, and AirSprung. Founded in 1992, Mattress Giant is owned by private equity firm Freeman Spogli & Co., which acquired the business in 2006.

George Bence & Sons has provided builders with the tools of their trade for more than a century. Established in 1899, the firm sells construction products including concrete blocks, insulation, hardboard, and paints to national builders and do-it-yourself buyers. Its delivery program utilizes a 20-vehicle fleet that operates within a 40-mile radius. Other services include plot scheduling, in which housebuilding items are delivered on a pre-arranged schedule, and landscape planning. George Bence & Sons operates from offices in Cheltenham and Bristol.

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