Sport Supply Group (SSG) knows how to play the game. Primarily through its catalogs, the company makes and markets about 20,000 sports-equipment products, including balls of all types, tennis court nets, soccer goals, weight-lifting equipment, and other sporting and recreational equipment and uniforms. It also sells through telemarketing programs and about 90 e-commerce sites. SSG peddles products mostly to institutional customers, such as youth sports programs, YMCAs, schools, and municipal recreation departments. The company has grown through acquisitions of sports equipment manufacturers and distributors over the years. The company was acquired by investment firm Onex in August 2010.

Founded as Noah's Ark in 1760 by William Hamley, the store is known for its vast selection of high quality toys, which it also sells worldwide online and by catalog. In addition to its Regent Street flagship store, Hamleys operates about 15 other toy shops, including about a half dozen inside House of Fraser department stores, several at Heathrow and Gatwick airports, and three shops in Denmark. The UK investment arm of Iceland's Baugur Group owns a 64% stake in Hamleys. What is seven stories tall and full of toys? That would be Hamleys toy store, one of London's most enduring and playful attractions. Hamleys has been located on Regent Street since 1881.

Famed toy store FAO Schwarz is a kid pleaser, but as a business it's had its ups and downs. The oldest toy store in the US charms the young (and young at heart) at its landmark store on New York's Fifth Avenue where it sells unique, hard-to-find toys, such as life-size stuffed bears and $50,000 kid-size Ferraris. A major tourist attraction, it hosts more than 3 million visitors each year. Being a kid itself, FAO Schwarz has a sweet tooth, with its sweets shop called FAO Schweetz. After years of unprofitable expansion in an age where mass merchants, such as Wal-Mart, rule toy retailing, it's down to a single location, a catalog, and a website. Toy titan Toys "R" Us added FAO Schwarz to its toy chest in 2009.

Titan Machinery Inc. owns and operates networks of full service agricultural and construction equipment stores. It engages in new and used equipment sales; parts sales; repair and maintenance services; and equipment rental and other activities. Titan Machinery Inc. sells and services agricultural equipment, including application equipment and sprayers, combines and attachments, hay and forage equipment, planting and seeding equipment, precision farming technology, tillage equipment, and tractors for uses ranging from large-scale farming to home and garden uses. It also sells and services construction equipment, which include articulated trucks, compact track loaders, compaction equipment, cranes, crawler dozers, excavators, forklifts, loader/backhoes, loader/tool carriers, motor graders, skid steer loaders, telehandlers, and wheel loaders for commercial and residential construction, road and highway construction, and mining applications, as well as new and used equipment. In addition, the company provides repair and maintenance services, including warranty repairs, on-site repairs, scheduled off-season maintenance, and training programs. Further, it retails Case IH Agriculture equipment, New Holland Agriculture, Case Construction, and New Holland Construction equipment through its stores. Titan Machinery Inc. serves farmers, construction contractors, public utilities, municipalities, and maintenance contractors, as well as single machine owners and large farming/contracting firms. As of January 31, 2010, it operated a network of 72 agricultural and construction equipment stores, including 3 outlet stores in North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Minnesota. Titan Machinery Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota.

It's a good thing Marshall of Cambridge is headquartered at that city's airport, because it needs a hangar-sized container to hold all of its businesses. Among the largest privately held entities in the UK, the Marshall Group comprises several operating subsidiaries. Marshall Aerospace designs, develops, and converts military, civil, and general aircraft, while Marshall Motor Group includes auto dealerships. Marshall Specialist Vehicles designs and supplies specialized commercial vehicles for the military and medical markets. The Marshall Group was founded by David Gregory Marshal in 1909 as a chauffeur drive company; his grandson Michael is now Chairman and CEO.

The Forzani Group in 1974. Forzani has since become Canada's largest sporting goods retailer. The company operates more than 330 company-owned stores under such banners as Athletes World, Coast Mountain Sports, Sport Chek, S3, Sport Mart, and National Sports. The company also franchises about 230 stores under names that include Atmosphere, Econosports, Hockey Experts, Intersport, and Sports Experts. It has about a 20% share of the sporting goods retail market in Canada.

Blackwell UK (known as Blackwell's) operates about 50 bookshops throughout the UK under the Blackwell's and Heffers names, as well as Blackwell's Online Bookshop. Blackwell's Book Services (headquartered in the US, with offices in the UK) supplies books and bibliographic products to some 3,500 research, academic, and specialty libraries around the world. The original B.H. Blackwell's store was opened in Oxford on New Year's Day 1879, and today it is one of the company's flagship locations. The Blackwell family still owns and runs Blackwell's. The family also owns academic publisher Blackwell Publishing.

The Hudiburg Auto Group sells new Chevrolets, GMCs, Pontiacs, Buicks, and Toyotas in Midwest City, Oklahoma. It also sells used cars, trucks, and SUVs as well as fleet vehicles for government agencies and business. The company's various Web sites allow customers to search new and used vehicle inventory, order parts, schedule service appointments, and apply for financing. In addition to regular maintenance work, Hudiburg Auto also performs body work and appointments can be scheduled online as well. Paul Hudiburg founded the company, which is owned by his children, in 1957. His son David (president) has been running it since 1987.

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.

Arnold Clark Automobiles Scotland's biggest auto dealer and one of its largest private companies, operates more than 145 retail new- and used-car franchises that sell more than 200,000 cars a year. The company also runs auto parts and accessories stores throughout the UK. Arnold Clark Automobiles additionally offers maintenance and repair services, car and van rental, and auto insurance. Founded in 1954 as a single dealership, Arnold Clark began in Glasgow shortly after Sir Arnold Clark (he was knighted in 2004) the man retired from his position as a motor mechanics instructor in the Royal Air Force.

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