The chain was co-founded in 1988 by Joe Barreiro and CEO Leonard Flax (and named after Flax's wife). Kate's Paperie believes the medium is the message. The luxury paper products retailer stocks some 4,000 papers from more than 40 countries, plus other items, including desk accessories, gift wrap, journals, organizers, photo albums and frames, stationery, and more than 1,500 ribbons from around the world. With five locations (one in Connecticut and four in New York City) and an e-commerce site, the upscale stationer carries designer brands such as Anna Griffin, Molly West, and Cavallini. Kate's also offers custom printing services, corporate purchase programs, and, of course, gift wrapping.

Adleta Corporation is a leading wholesale distributor of hard surface flooring, including ceramic, hardwood, and laminate products, to retailers and professional builders in the southwestern US. Adleta company supplies commercial and residential flooring (brands include Armstrong, Endura, and Kahrs, among others) and installation services to customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Texas. Adleta company operates a flooring installation training facility in Carrollton, Texas, and warehouses in Texas and Little Rock, Arkansas. Family-owned-and-operated Adleta was founded in 1920 as a cabinet and fixture manufacturer and entered the floor covering business in 1974.

Union Diamond Corporation continues to add twinkle to its sparkling reputation. Union Diamond Corporation sells wholesale and retail loose diamonds, pre-made and custom-made jewelry, and watches through its Web site and through a flagship showroom in Atlanta, Georgia. All products are distributed from one location. Prices range from $300 to $500,000, with some items topping $1 million. Customer service includes education by live diamond experts offering telephone consultations-- including advice from diamond industry veterans president and CEO Scott Anderson and COO Tony Rixom. The same pair owns Union Diamond Corporation company.

Charles & Colvard, Ltd. manufactures, markets, and distributes Moissanite jewels for use in fine jewelry in the United States and internationally. It offers near-colorless moissanite jewels cut in various shapes, including round, square brilliant, cushion, radiant, pear, marquise, and oval in sizes ranging from approximately 2 to 12 millimeters, as well as green moissanite jewels. The company primarily sells its loose moissanite jewels to jewel distributors and jewelry manufacturers. It also distributes finished moissanite jewelry to various retailers, including television shopping channels. Charles and Colvard, Ltd. company was founded in 1995 and is based in Morrisville, North Carolina.

Altrec Inc. online retailer, which does business as Altrec.com, offers equipment, apparel, and accessories for camping, backpacking, hiking, running, winter sports, and other outdoor activities. Its website, which aims to inspire, offers live online shopping assistance and product suggestions to promote life in the wild. Altrec.com fulfills customer orders from warehouse supplies and through manufacturer-direct shipments. It is the retail arm of sister company Greatoutdoors.com, a provider of adventure articles and outdoor news.

Stark Carpet Corp. company is owned and operated by brothers John and Steven Stark. Their parents, the late Arthur and Nadia Stark, founded Stark Carpet company. Stark Carpet offers carpets, rugs, furniture, and textiles to design professionals for both commercial and residential use. The company sells its products under the Stark Carpet, Stark Fabric, Stark Fine Furniture, Stark Wallcovering, and Darius Antique & Decorative Rugs brand names from its own showrooms in the US and the UK as well as in design centers operated by others. Through its partnership with manufacturer GG Bailey, it also produces a line of Oriental and animal print car mats.

Mikimoto opened its first freestanding store on New York City's famous Fifth Avenue in 1975. In addition to its Fifth Avenue location, Mikimoto operates retail stores in Beverly Hills and Costa Mesa, California, as well as in Las Vegas. The jeweler also operates an online store. Mikimoto company also distributes non-Mikimoto brand pearls to jewelry chains including Fred Meyer Jewelers, Kay Jewelers, and Zales. Kokichi Mikimoto was among the pioneers of the cultured-pearl industry. While a diamond may be "forever," a Mikimoto pearl is nothing to sneeze at. Mikimoto (America) is the US arm of Japanese pearl manufacturer, K. Mikimoto & Co., a leading creator of cultured pearl jewelry that is sold worldwide.

Sensational Beginnings (SB) helps kids start having fun early. The catalog and online merchant sells educational toys, furniture, and safety and child care items for infants and toddlers. (SB also operates a single store in Michigan.) Toy categories include science and nature, ride-ons, musical instruments, indoor active play, travel kits, and seasonal items. SB also offers gift-giving and parenting advice, a gift registry, and an online photo gallery of children using company products. Customers can shop by brand, category, or age group or get advice on age-appropriate toys and games. President Debra Shah, a former nurse specializing in mother and child medical care, founded Sensational Beginnings, Inc. in the early 1990s.

Star Struck was founded in 1981. Jewelers can set their watches by Star Struck. Star Struck LLC distributes batteries, repair tools, testing machines, cleaning agents, and other supplies for jewelry and watchmaking. Besides its batteries for timepieces, Star Struck carries batteries for calculators, cameras, and hearing aids from major brands (Energizer, Rayovac) as well as its own private label. Star Struck LLC serves more than 17,000 customers, including jewelers, watch repairmen, electronics professionals, and hobbyists. Its products are sold via phone or online.

Hobbico, which began in 1971 as Tower Hobbies, has grown to become one of the world's largest model hobby companies. For pilots who would rather fly their planes from the ground, Hobbico (dba Great Planes) makes and sells radio-controlled model aircraft -- as well as boats, cars, gliders, and related accessories. The company is the world's largest retail and wholesale distributor of radio-controlled hobby products. Hobbico makes some of its products and buys the rest from other manufacturers. It sells its fully-assembled models and kits in hobby stores throughout North America and some 45 countries worldwide. It also sells directly to hobbyists through its Web site and catalog.

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.