Kesko also operates about 870 other retail outlets from department stores and home and specialty shops (shoes and sporting goods), to stores selling hardware, builders' supplies, agriculture goods, and machinery. Kesko also is a wholesaler and imports vehicles made by Volkswagen and Audi through its VV-Auto division. You name it, Kesko sells it. The Finnish firm is big in importing, distributing, and wholesaling in its homeland and in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and now Russia and Belarus. Its largest division, Kesko Food (about 45% of sales) includes more than 1,000 of its own "K" food stores (operating in a variety of formats mostly in Finland and in the Baltic countries).

7-Eleven operates about 6,800 company-owned or franchised stores in the US and Canada under the 7-Eleven name. The retailer also has an interest in more than 1,000 stores in Mexico. Globally, 7-Eleven operates, franchises, or licenses more than 37,500 stores worldwide. The US's leading convenience store chain was taken private in late 2005 by its largest shareholder, the Japanese retail conglomerate Seven & i Holdings, the holding company for Seven-Eleven Japan, Ito-Yokado, Denny's restaurants, and other businesses.

Steinhoff UK Retail wants it customers to fill their homes with furniture with its help. Formerly named Homestyle Group until 2007, the company is one of Britain's largest furniture retailers. Its furniture division, Harveys Furnishing Group, operates about 170 Harveys: The Furniture Store shops throughout the UK. Its beds division operates Bensons Beds (the UK's largest bed retailer with 220 stores and 15,000 branded beds), Bed Shed (more than 50 stores primarily in Scotland), and Sleepmasters (with nearly 120 retail sites in the UK). Steinhoff Europe AG, a subsidiary of Steinhoff International Holdings (SIH), took the company private in 2007.

Laura Ashley Holdings, once famous for its fancy floral print fashions, Laura Ashley Holdings has turned to furniture, home accessories, and decor (about 78% of sales) to fill the till. Of the company's some 230 UK shops, less than half carry its traditional product line of women's and children's clothing. The company has repositioned itself as a lifestyle brand that is largely home furnishings, as it has shuttered apparel and accessories stores. Also, to efficiently sell off excess inventory, the company opened a few outlet stores and has implemented a selling strategy at its stores to maximize sales per square footage.

HeadRoom LLC was founded by road warrior (and headphone junkie) Tyll Hertsens in 1992 with one product, the headphone amplifier. HeadRoom lays claim to the space between your ears. The company sells high-end audio headphones, headphone amplifiers, and related accessories such as adapters and cables. Its offers layman level information and advice about selecting headphones for a variety of applications, from use with iPods and other MP3 players to home stereos to televisions. It also offers headphone and amp packages and used equipment as well as system bags made in the company's factory. HeadRoom sells headphones under brands such as AKG, Koss, and Sennheiser.

In 1936 F.A. Bailey signed a franchise agreement with Carrier Corporation, forming F.A. Bailey and Sons which lasted more than five decades as a successful Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning contracting company, headquartered in Charleston, SC. The Climatic Corporation emerged from that contracting business in 1956 to become the independent distributor of air conditioning equipment and parts in South Carolina. For the next 45 years that business exploded and the corporation began to add other distribution lines, such as electronics, appliances, real estate development and consulting services to their portfolio. With the success of each venture, The Climatic Corporation added locations, warehouses, customer service teams, sales teams, operations positions, etc. but continued to run a lean, efficient organization that allowed for personal relationships and a team effort. We grew with our customers, not beyond them. Today, The Climatic Corporation enjoys a solid business model with programs, plans and alliances that support and leverage the success of our partners even in an uncertain environment. We look forward to a future of continued growth and many new successes for our corporation and for our business partners.

Delhaize Group formed Delhaize America in 1999. The international food retailer bought the rest of Delhaize America in 2001.Belgian food retailer Delhaize "Le Lion" has one big cub -- Delhaize America. With some 1,600 supermarkets and discount grocery stores from Maine to Florida, the holding company is the third-largest supermarket operator on the East Coast. Banners include: Food Lion (some 1,330 stores located mainly in the Carolinas and Virginia, but also in eight other eastern seaboard states); the Hannaford Bros. supermarket chain (about 170 stores in New England and New York); and 70 Harveys supermarkets. In Florida, the firm has converted all of its grocery stores to the Sweetbay format.

Debenhams has 153 stores across the UK and Ireland and a fully transactional website, reflecting Debenhams' commitment to offering our customers greater value, a wider choice and excellent service across every area in which we trade.Debenhams has sat front-row to fashion for nearly two centuries. The stalwart retailer runs about 155 mid-market department stores in the UK and Ireland that sell women's, men's, and children's apparel; cosmetics; and housewares under the Debenhams and Desire by Debenhams banners.

Advance Auto Parts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items to do-it-yourself (DIY) and do-it-for-me customers. The company operates in two segments, Advance Auto Parts (AAP) and Autopart International (AI). The AAP segment operates stores, which primarily offer auto parts, including alternators, batteries, chassis parts, clutches, engines and engine parts, radiators, starters, transmissions, and water pumps; accessories comprising floor mats, mirrors, vent shades, MP3 and cell phone accessories, and seat and steering wheel covers; chemicals consisting of antifreeze, freon, fuel additives, and car washes and waxes; and oil and other automotive petroleum products. It also provides battery and wiper installation, battery charging, check engine light reading, electrical system testing, and oil and battery recycling services. In addition, this segment sells its products through online. As of January 2, 2010, it operated 3,264 AAP stores, including 3,238 stores located in the northeastern, southeastern, and Midwestern regions of the United States under the Advance Auto Parts and Advance Discount Auto Parts trade names, as well as 26 stores situated in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands under the Western Auto and Advance Auto Parts trade names. The AI segment operates stores that provide replacement parts for domestic and imported cars, and light trucks to DIY, do-it-for-me, or commercial customers in northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, as well as to warehouse distributors and jobbers in North America. It operated 156 stores under the Autopart International trade name in the United States. Advance Auto Parts, Inc. was founded in 1929 and is based in Roanoke, Virginia.

Kole Imports keeps America's dollar stores well stocked with trinkets and treasures. The firm wholesales everything from automobile accessories to zippers, which is attractively packaged by in-house artists to ensure a similar look for all of the merchandise. Products are sold primarily to other wholesalers and dollar and discount stores. Kole Imports' warehouse includes a 6,000-sq.-ft. showroom designed to look like a dollar store, allowing potential customers to browse the merchandise. The company was founded by brothers (and co-presidents) Rob and Danny Kole in 1982.

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