Sam Ash Music has been instrumental in many a musician's livelihood. The #2 musical instrument retailer in the US (behind Guitar Center), Sam Ash Music (SAM) operates about 45 stores in more than 15 states including California, New York, and Texas. Besides instruments, SAM sells sheet music, recording equipment, lighting, computers, and music software. It also sells online. SAM also sells vintage guitars, offers custom-built instruments and music clinics, and buys used musical instruments. It also runs a pro services and parts division, Sam Ash Professional, and an Educational Division serving schools. The company was founded in 1924 by Sam and Rose Ashkynase, whose descendants still own and run the company.

Amscan Holdings caters to the party animal in all of us. The company makes party goods (such as balloons, invitations, pinatas, stationery, and tableware) and supplies party superstores and other retailers worldwide. It operates production and distribution facilities in North America, Europe, and the Asia/Pacific region. Amscan also markets its products through about 850 company-owned and franchised stores in the US, Puerto Rico, and the United Arab Emirates. Shops operate under the banners of Party City, Party America, Factory Card & Party Outlet, Halloween USA, and Party Factory. Amscan is a subsidiary of AAH Holdings, which is controlled by Berkshire Partners, Advent International, and Weston Presidio.

Duval Motor company's Jacksonville, Florida, locations sell new Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, and minivans, along with used vehicles. Duval Ford also sells fleet units. Its Web site allows visitors to search new and used inventory, apply for financing, schedule service appointments, and purchase parts. The Internet hot shot has come a long way since it was founded in 1916. At that time Duval Ford sold black Model T Fords (and nothing else) for $360.Duval Ford likes online car buyers. The company is the region's #1 Internet Ford dealer and it ranks among the top 10 in the nation. Duval Ford is the flagship dealership of the Scott-McRae Group

Tourneau tells time with style. A leading wholesaler and retailer of luxury watches for more than a century, Tourneau has several stores (including the Tourneau TimeMachine, its flagship location which opened in 1997 and covers 16,000 sq. ft.) in New York City and more than 30 others in about a dozen states across the US, including California and Florida. The stores sell watches and vintage timepieces under more than 100 well known brand names, including its namesake brand (Tourneau). Tourneau also operates Watch Gear (launched in 1999), a chain targeted at younger (ages 18 to 35), less affluent consumers. Watch Gear offers more than 30 watch brands both in stores and online at Watchgear.com.

Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of fabrics and crafts in the United States. It operates retail stores under the names of Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts, and Jo-Ann, which offer a range of merchandise used in sewing, crafting, and home decorating projects, including fabrics, notions, crafts, frames, paper crafting material, artificial floral, home accents, finished seasonal, and home decor merchandise. Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. also sells its products through its Web site, Joann.com. As of January 30, 2010, it operated 746 retail stores in 48 states. Jo-Ann Stores, Inc. was founded in 1943 and is based in Hudson, Ohio.

Midas, Inc. provides retail automotive services through franchised or company-operated shops primarily in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It sells Midas, SpeeDee, and Midas-SpeeDee co-branded franchises. Midas company’s retail shops offer automotive repair and maintenance services, such as exhaust, brake, suspension, air conditioning, tires, batteries, and various other maintenance services. As of January 2, 2010, it operated the Midas network of 1,602 shops located in the United States and 9 Canadian provinces; the SpeeDee network of franchised and company-operated shops consisting of 112 shops located in 12 states in the United States; and 776 Midas shops licensed in 14 other countries, and 57 licensed SpeeDee shops in Mexico. Midas, Inc. also involves in the real estate activities, including the development, ownership, and lease of Midas and SpeeDee shops in the United States and Canada; and supply chain activities comprising the provision of value-added merchandising services to franchisees. In addition, it owns, develops, sells, and leases automotive shop management software to Midas franchisees and other third-party automotive service providers. Midas, Inc. was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Itasca, Illinois.

Follett is the #1 operator of college bookstores, with more than 850 campus bookshops (vs. about 635 for Barnes & Noble) across the US, as well as Canada. The company's business groups, which reach about 60 countries, also provide books and audiovisual materials to grade school and public libraries, library automation and management software, textbook reconditioning, and other services. Follett acquired its smaller online rival Varsity Group in 2008, complementing its own efollett.com website that sells college textbooks. The Follett family has owned and managed the company for four generations.

Adventure 16, Inc. operates a chain of retail outdoor outfitters in Southern California. It has about half a dozen locations, plus a wholesale division that distributes accessories for backpacking, camping, climbing, and adventure travel. The company offers lifetime guarantees on all its private-label products. Its Web site offers resources, guides, and classes for outdoor journeys, a backpacker's checklist, an interactive map and reviews of recommended hikes, a gallery of adventure photos, and an outdoor blog written by staff. Adventure 16 was incorporated by Mic Mead in 1970.

Fletcher Jones Management Group holds the title as the US's top Mercedes seller. It rolls out Benzes from a 225,000-sq.-ft. superstore in Las Vegas; a 186,000-sq-ft. store in Newport Beach, California; a dealership in Chicago; and another in Honolulu. Fletcher Jones also operates another dealership in Chicago, five more in Hawaii, an another two in California, two more in Las Vegas, and one in Reno, Nevada, selling cars from Audi, Ford, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover, Porsche, Toyota, and Volkswagen. The company is owned by president and CEO Fletcher Jones Jr., whose father started it in 1954 with one Los Angeles dealership.

Osborne Stationers was founded in 1832 as E. C. & W. Osborne. The Osborne family sold Osborne Stationers Ltd in 1914. This version of the Osbornes strives for success with its stationery, not success at this station, and it doesn't need to revisit any bat-oriented events in the process. Osborne Stationers (known as Osborne Office Stationers) operates about 20 stationery and office supply stores throughout the UK. Osborne Stationers Ltd also stocks a variety of arts and crafts supplies and provides printing and copying services, as well as arts and crafts instruction.

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