Shoppers Drug Mart (SDM) is Canada's only nationwide drugstore chain, with locations in every province and two territories. With more than 1,200 drugstores, it's #2 north of the border, behind Katz Group. Most of the company's stores fly the Shoppers Drug Mart banner (Pharmaprix in Quebec). It also operates about 65 Shoppers Home Health Care stores. SDM ranks as a leading Canadian retailer of beauty products, with more than 225 in-store beauty boutiques that sell prestige cosmetics, fragrances, and skin care products. It is expanding in Quebec by opening new stores and acquiring independent pharmacies. The firm was founded in 1962 by Murray Koffler, a Toronto druggist.

The Athlete's Foot® is the world's first franchisor of athletic footwear stores and is recognized today as the world leader in athletic footwear franchising. Robert and David Lando opened the first The Athlete's Foot® store in 1971 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first athletic footwear specialty store of its kind in the United States. Soon thereafter, The Athlete's Foot® began franchising domestically, with the first franchise store opening in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The first international franchise store opened in 1978 in Adelaide, Australia, the beginning of The Athlete's Foot® expansion into over 40 countries.

Shop 'n Save began operating in 1979, with a commitment to provide St. Louis grocery customers TOTAL VALUE by offering a variety of quality products at lower prices. Over the years, our stores have been enhanced to include specialty departments including Deli, Seafood, Bakery, Pharmacy and more.Shop 'n Save is committed to the communities in which our customers and employees live and work. Each year, our associates participate in local programs, such as school reading programs and a winter coat drive for those in need. We support our troops through Operation Homefront. Shop 'n Save is a primary sponsor of the Special Olympics where our associates participate in fundraisers throughout the year. Please consider supporting Special Olympics by clicking on the link.

Kooperativa Förbundet (KF) is a smorgasbord of Swedish retailers. The organization (aka the Swedish Co-operative Union) is a federation of more than 45 consumer cooperative societies with more than 3 million members throughout Sweden. KF's core grocery retail group, with about 20% of the Swedish grocery market, is run by subsidiary Coop Sverige and includes Sweden's largest hypermarket chain, Coop Forum, as well as Coop Konsum, Daglivs, the Mataffären online store, and other chains. Other businesses include: Kooperativa Forbundet Fastigheter, which develops shopping centers; Kooperativa Forbundet Media, involved in book selling (Akademibokhandeln bookstores and bokus.com) and publishing (P.A. Norstedt & Söner); finance; and other activities.

Great Harvest Franchising acquired Montana Mills from doughnut-maker Krispy Kreme in 2005. The six-store bakery chain in upstate New York was converted to Great Harvest locations in early 2006. Founded by Pete and Laura Wakeman in 1978, Great Harvest was sold in 2001 to a group of North Carolina investors, including Mike Ferretti, who became CEO.Great Harvest Franchising (dba Great Harvest Bread Company) helps entrepreneurs not only bake bread but earn it. The company franchises its name and baking techniques to more than 210 bakeries in some 40 US states. In exchange for sending 7% of their sales to Great Harvest, owners receive bread recipes, baking techniques, and advice about accounting and store design.

Worsley Operating Corporation (formerly Worsley Companies) operates about 210 convenience stores in North and South Carolina under the Scotchman, Youngs, S&E Food Mart, and Li'l Cricket banners. The stores sell fuel under the BP, Exxon, Shell, Mobil, and Sunoco brands as well as Worsley's own Carolina Petro brand. To fuel the body, many of its convenience stores offer Subway, Quiznos, and Blimpie fast food as well as the firm's own brand of breakfast and lunch items. Worsley also operates two truck stops in North Carolina. The company was founded in 1923 by W. C. Worsley Sr. Worsley Companies was acquired by an affiliate of the private investment firm Sun Capital Partners in 2008.

The business was spun off by Limited Brands in 1999 and changed its name to Tween Brands from Too, Inc. in 2006. Dress Barn bought Tween Brands to extend its retail reach to young girls. Justice serves up apparel and accessories to girls ages 7 to 14 from some 890 stores throughout the US and Puerto Rico. A division of The Dress Barn, which bought the chain when it purchased Tween Brands in 2009, Justice stores sell value-priced apparel, shoes, accessories, cosmetics, toys, and even electronics and furnishings to trendy "tweens." Outside the US, the chain has about 35 franchised locations in the Middle East and Europe. It also sells via its website and through "catazines" (catalogs with editorial content).

Howden Joinery Group Plc makes its kitchen cabinets, doors, and complete kitchens at a pair of factories in the UK. At Howden Joinery, kitchens and joinery hold the keys to the castle. The company in September 2010 renamed itself to reflect its fast-growing Howden Joinery subsidiary (founded in 1995). The firm operates some 450 outlets in the UK and France that cater to the local building trade. Operating under the Howdens banner, the retailer debuted stores in France in 2008 and today operates about a dozen outlets there. Ultimately, Howden Joinery expects the two countries to support at least 600 Howdens locations.

Tuesday Morning offers big discounts every day of the week, but not every week of the year. The closeout retailer sells discontinued merchandise from name-brand manufacturers at steep discounts. Its merchandise typically includes linens, china, cookware, rugs, and collectibles that are not seconds, irregulars, or factory rejects. Tuesday Morning's 850 stores, located in more than 40 states, operate only during monthly "sale events" (with the exception of January and July). The retailer keeps costs down by selling from low-rent locations and using seasonal help -- only about 20% of its workers are full-time employees. Its customers are primarily women from middle- and upper-income households.

The Officers Club wants its customers to feel more like gentlemen, even if they aren't dressed that way. The company is a discount retailer of men's apparel, including such products as jeanswear, jackets, leatherwear, shoes and accessories, and office attire. Operating under the names The Officers Club, Petroleum Casualwear, and Blakes Menswear, the company has about 150 stores around the UK and sells merchandise through its Web site. The Officers Club recently faced allegations of misleading advertising by Britain's Office of Fair Trading. A pared-down version of the chain remains operational after CEO David Charlton purchased the majority of its assets from administrators in early 2009.

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.