American Signature operates about 130 stores in 20 states under the American Signature Furniture and Value City Furniture banners. Stores feature wood and upholstered home furnishing collections, as well as bedding. In addition to its retail operations, American Signature designs and manufactures its own pieces and operates its own warehouses and distribution centers. The American Signature Furniture concept was introduced by parent Schottenstein Stores in 2002, in an effort to expand the company's higher-end offerings.

Established in 1986 by John Beale, Past Times is a retailer of historical and vintage giftware. The chain has about 80 shops throughout the UK, which hawk items such as books, jewelry, and knick-knacks. In addition to its regular stores, Past Times operates several outlets and sells through catalogs and its Web site. Products on offer are often organized by era, but each store represents several eras such as Bauhaus, Art Deco, or Art Nouveau. In 2001 a consortium of investors, headed by Robin Klein's Accesserator Group and calling itself Retail Variations, bought the chain out of administration. It came under new ownership in 2005.

Casual Living is a mid- to high-end outdoor and patio furniture retailer that boasts a handful of locations throughout the Dallas Metroplex and beyond. In addition to selling home furnishings, Casual Living sells fireplaces and complementary accessories. It specializes in selling top brands, such as Stoll, Hanamint, Mallin, Meadowcraft, Prestige, Tropitone, Treasure Garden, Hargrove, and Lloyd Flanders. The company got its start in Carrollton, Texas, in 1993.

Ultimate Acquisition Partners has the ultimate gift: an electronics store. Ultimate Acquisition Partners, L.P. company owns and runs Ultimate Electronics, a retailer of home theater, TV, audio and video products with more than 40 locations in 15 states. Ultimate Electronics stocks some 130 major brands and offers such in-store services as computer repair and TV and Internet service provider sign-up. The retailer also peddles products online. The Ultimate Electronics chain was operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection when CEO Mark Wattles formed Ultimate Acquisition Partners to buy the business in 2005. His Wattles Capital Management investment firm controls Ultimate Acquisition Partners, L.P. company.

While navigating the world of online storefronts, Hayneedle hopes to help its customers find a needle in all those virtual haystacks. Among the company's more than 220 Internet shopping domains are AdirondackChairs.com, Barstools.com, Hammocks.com, and PatioFurnitureUSA.com. Although an individual specialty store's scope of merchandise may be narrow, Hayneedle's ownership of multiple domains allows it to offer a vast range goods. Its products include home and patio furniture, kitchen appliances, outdoor decor, sporting goods, and toys and games. Hayneedle (formerly named NetShops) was formed in 2002 after its founders saw success with Hammocks.com. It is held by Sequioa Capital and Insight Venture Partners.

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.

Tory Burch is an attainable, luxury, lifestyle brand defined by classic American sportswear with an eclectic sensibility, which embodies the personal style and spirit of its co-founder and creative director, Tory Burch. Perceiving a void in the market for a sophisticated American aesthetic at an accessible price point, Tory wanted to create stylish yet wearable clothing and accessories for women of all ages. Tory Burch was launched in February 2004 as a lifestyle concept with multiple product categories, including ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes and jewelry. Going against the minimalist trend that was popular at the time, Tory designed her flagship boutique, in downtown New York, to feel more like a room in her own home than a traditional retail store. Key design elements featured in all boutiques include orange lacquer doors, mirrored walls, and Lucite fixtures.Tory’s childhood on a farm outside of Philadelphia, as well as her mother and father’s unique sense of personal style, influence the aesthetic of the collection. Her sensibility is also inspired by art, photography, films travel, and the work of interior designer David Hicks. Graphic prints, bold colors and ethnic detailing are all signatures of the brand. Celebrity fans include Cameron Diaz, Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Lopez, Uma Thurman and Hilary Swank. Tory Burch is available at free-standing Tory Burch boutiques across the US, www.toryburch.com and over 450 select department and specialty stores worldwide.

Co-op is Britain's largest funeral service provider. Established in 1863, Co-operative Group boasts 5.5 million members.Co-operative Group cares for its customers from the cradle to the grave. The hodgepodge of businesses run by the world's largest cooperative society includes farming, food and drug stores, travel agencies, banking, insurance, financial and legal services, and funerals. It's the UK's largest commercial farming operation and its fifth-largest grocery retailer with some 3,000 food stores. Overall, it operates about 4,800 outlets on high streets throughout the UK. Financial services include insurance, investment and retirement planning, as well as traditional and online banking.

William Sinclair Holdings took hold in UK gardens more than 120 years ago when it was founded by William Sinclair. The company makes gardening products for commercial and home use, exfoliated vermiculite, and expanded perlite (products that are used in different forms of insulation). Brands include J Arthur Bower's, Silvaperl, and New Horizon. The firm exports horticultural products to more than 50 countries. Over the last few years, the company has pared down its operations and is focusing on innovating recycled green products for both industrial and horticultural clients. Its products are sold through wholesalers, catalogs, and the company's Web site.

Ocado investors include the company's directors. The average Ocado order tops about £100, a rich price, but the firm's ability to turn a profit is still erratic. The Internet grocer went public in 2010.Upscale Internet grocer Ocado serves more than 13.5 million tech-savvy, time-pressed households in Greater London, Hertfordshire, Kent, the Midlands, Surrey, North West, and now the South Coast. Launched by three former Goldman Sachs bankers in 2002, Ocado delivers groceries in Mercedes vans from its supermarket partner John Lewis Partnership-owned Waitrose Limited, which owns a stake in the company, to the customer's doorstep

Inviting Real Estate Agents, Job Placements Agents, Educational Institutes, Software Service Providers, Real Estate Builders, Marriage Bureaus, Travel Agents, Restaurant Owners, Health & Fitness Centers and other Local Businesses to Post a FREE Classified Advertisement on Cootera.com Classifieds Website.