Garden Ridge Corporation owns and operates more than 40 stores, each covering nearly 3 acres and mostly located off major highways in about 20 states from Florida to Michigan. Its home state of Texas boasts some 15 stores. Considered the "home décor depot," Garden Ridge stores sell about 500,000 decorating items, such as seasonal décor, framed art, baskets, silk and dried flowers, furniture, home textiles, and pottery, as well as crafts and party supplies. Garden Ridge, which began as a single store outside of San Antonio in 1979, is owned by an investment group led by the New York-based private equity firm Three Cities Research.

MPS Builders and Merchants Ltd. company was founded in 1995 by officers Iain Melvin, Dale Potts, and Martyn and Erica Smith. MPS is really into hitting the bricks-- and other heavy building construction supplies. Through three depots in England, MPS is a merchant distributor of bricks, concrete products, ducting, grates and manhole covers, pipes and plumbing supplies, septic tanks, walls, and other building materials. Customers include civil-engineering firms, groundwork contractors, and residential and commercial builders. Deals include nationwide (UK) delivery of goods.

Abercrombie & Fitch Co., through its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty retailer of casual apparel for men, women, and kids. The company sells casual sportswear apparel, including knit and woven shirts, graphic t-shirts, fleece, jeans and woven pants, shorts, sweaters, outerwear, personal care products, and accessories under the Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids, and Hollister brands. It also offers bras, underwear, sleepwear, and at-home products for women under the Gilly Hicks brand. The company sells products through its stores; direct-to-consumer operations; and Websites, which include abercrombie.com, abercrombiekids.com, hollisterco.com, and gillyhicks.com. As of January 30, 2010, it operated 1,096 stores in North America, Europe, and Asia. Abercrombie & Fitch Co. was founded in 1892 and is headquartered in New Albany, Ohio.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. hasn't outgrown the mall scene, but it's spending more time in other places. Beyond its 850 US mall-based stores, Sears has more than 1,300 other locations nationwide. The company operates more than 900 independently owned Sears Hometown Stores (formerly known as dealer stores) in small towns and about 105 Sears hardware stores and some 85 Orchard Supply Hardware shops. Sears' stores sell apparel, tools, and appliances, and provide home services (remodeling, appliance repairs) under the Sears Parts & Repair Services and A&E Factory brands. It also sells appliances and tools online. Sears was acquired by Kmart Holding Corp. in 2005. The deal formed Sears Holdings, which owns both chains.

Pilot offers a salve to those suffering from white-line fever. Its Pilot Travel Centers LLC, a joint venture between Pilot and CVC Capital Partners, runs more than 300 truck stops in some 40 states. Each features restaurant chains such as Subway, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. Pilot has fuel islands large enough to service several 18-wheelers at a time and private showers. Pilot Truck Care Centers provide TLC for big rigs. The firm also owns and operates about 45 convenience stores under the Pilot Food Mart banner in Tennessee. James Haslam II got Pilot off the ground in 1958 as a gas station that sold cigarettes and soft drinks; now his son, CEO James Haslam III, pilots the firm. The Haslam family owns the company.

US Airconditioning was founded in July 1990 when former Carrier employees John Staples and John Scarsi, now CEO and CFO respectively of US Airconditioning, bought Carrier Los Angeles. US Airconditioning Distributors ended its relationship with Carrier in 2007. US Airconditioning Distributors cools down (and heats up) the West. US Airconditioning Distributors distributes heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning products from such manufacturers as York, Coleman, MagicAire, and Siemens through about 70 locations in California, Utah, Nevada, Idaho, Arizona, and Florida. HVAC products available from US Airconditioning Distributors run from single window units to heating and cooling systems for retailers and offices. It also sells parts and components.

Mallett PLC maintains a stock of about 2,000 pieces of antique (primarily 18th century) furniture, paintings, clocks, glass, textiles, and lighting, selling them to private collectors, museums, and designers. Founded in 1865, Mallett is itself an antique. Today the company operates two showrooms, one in New York, the other in London. Prospective buyers can also view the collection online. The Weinstock Trust Additional Fund holds nearly a one-third interest in the company. Mallet owns a majority stake in the London-based antique furniture restoration company H J Hatfield & Sons Ltd.

Plaid Pantries operates more than 100 convenience stores under the Plaid Pantry banner in Oregon and Washington. Many of the shops offer in-store Subway and Taco Bell outlets, as well as gas and automatic check-cashing machines. After years of selling its own brand of gas (Plaid-Plus), the regional convenience store chain has switched to offering branded gas (ConocoPhillips and Shell) at its stores that sell fuel. Plaid Pantries got its start in 1960 and got its name, courtesy of founder John Piacentini, from the red-and-white checkered design then featured in all of its locations.

Liberty Plc aims to deliver a liberal dose of luxury to London's shoppers. The firm operates a high-end department store on London's Regent Street under the Liberty banner. The landmark Tudor revival style emporium offers fashion-forward men's and women's apparel, shoes and accessories, beauty products, home goods, and other sundries and services. About a third of its revenue is generated by Liberty Art Fabrics, which designs, makes, and distributes high-quality, avant-garde textiles. Founded in 1875 by Arthur Lasenby Liberty, the firm has had a historic relationship with Japan and objects from that area.

WILCOHESS owns and operates more than 360 convenience stores and travel plazas, as well as about 50 restaurants mostly in North Carolina and Virginia, but also in Alabama, Georgia, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Tennessee. Many locations house quick-serve restaurants (Arby's, Dairy Queen, Wendy's). The company's travel plazas cater to truckers with fuel programs and rewards programs. The joint venture company was formed in 2001 by partners A.T. Williams Oil Company and Hess Corporation (formerly Amerada Hess), a leading independent oil company along the East Coast. President Steve Williams is the son of the founder of A.T. Williams Oil Co., A. Tab Williams. Jr.

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