Gerrity's Supermarkets is a member of the Shursave Supermarkets Co-op.Gerrity's Super Market is not yet part of a matriarchal society but does boast that it's where Mom is "always in charge!" The regional grocery chain operates about 10 supermarkets under the Gerrity's Supermarket banner in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties in northeastern Pennsylvania. The regional chain also operates an online grocery order and home delivery service. Founded in 1895 by William Gerrity, the family-owned company is run by mother and son team Joyce ("Mom") and Joseph Fasula.

Chairman Max Gondon founded AMS in 1969. The company was acquired in 2007 by CRH, an Ireland-based building materials maker. Acoustical Material Services (AMS) sells the materials builders need to put a roof over your head -- not to mention hold your whole house together. The company provides acoustical ceiling products, lath and plaster, drywall, doors, and frames, as well as other construction supplies. Customers include large and small contractors, subcontractors, building owners, and dealers. AMS distributes products from about 20 locations in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah, as well as Mexico (via AMS De Mexico). It also exports to markets in Guam, Hong Kong, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

Siam FamilyMart may be the second-largest convenience store chain in Thailand, but it still has a long way to go to catch up with #1: Seven-Eleven Japan. The fast-growing company operates more than 550 convenience stores throughout Thailand, about a tenth the number of its larger rival. The stores offer hot and cold snacks and beverages, sandwiches, rice balls, cigarettes, and other convenience items. Established in 1993, FamilyMart is a subsidiary of Japan's FamilyMart chain of convenience stores. The company franchises its individual stores and provides support in the form of managerial advice, training, advertising, promotions, store equipment, and the preparation of annual tax documents.

The leading online retailer CSN Stores, operates more than 200 online stores in a variety of niche market segments. Between its numerous websites, the company hawks more than 1 million products, including home and office furnishings, housewares, tools and hardware, luggage, shoes, and fitness items. In addition to CSNStores.com, the company operates sites such as AllModern.com, Cookware.com, Luggage.com, SimplyDesks.com, and Strollers.com. CEO Niraj Shah and chairman Steve Conine started the company in 2002 with one shopping destination, RacksandStands.com, and have continued their online expansion.

The Pampered Chef, a direct seller of more than 300 gourmet kitchen gadgets, cookware, cookbooks, and foodstuffs. It boasts about 60,000 independent sales reps who hawk their wares at in-home kitchen parties (à la Tupperware) throughout North America, Germany, and the UK. It's the largest of its kind in the US. Reps demonstrate product use and care and share recipes. As incentive (à la Mary Kay), reps can ultimately "earn" jewelry and trips. Founded in 1980 by home economist and educator Doris Christopher, The Pampered Chef was acquired by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway in 2002.

Dan's Super Market got its start in 1949 when Roy Rockstad (father of present day CEO Terry Rockstad) and Eugene Leary pooled their resources and bought out a Piggly Wiggly store in Bismarck, North Dakota. As for Dan himself, he's a fictional character used in the company's ads.Dan's Super Market operates a regional chain of about a half-dozen grocery stores in North Dakota. (The firm sold its two grocery stores in Wyoming in 2004 and its South Dakota location soon after.) Each Dan's store stocks about 30,000 items and is supplied by grocery wholesaler and retailer SUPERVALU. The regional supermarket chain also sells groceries online. Four of the six stores have pharmacy departments.

Founded in 1922 as a single Phil's Shoes store, Rack Room Shoes is owned by Europe's largest shoe retailer -- Deichmann Schuhe of Germany -- which acquired Rack Room Shoes in 1984. As part of its expansion strategy, the off-price retailer plans to continue opening new stores in the southeastern US; it's focusing specifically on Texas and Arizona. Shoe-a-holics on the hunt for budget-brand names frequent the Rack Room for a fix. Rack Room Shoes sells private-label and brand-name footwear, handbags, and accessories to thrifty customers from some 390 stores in more than 25 states. Rack Room Shoes company also operates some 60 stores under the Off Broadway banner in about 10 states.

SNAX 24 operates about 75 combination fuel stations/convenience stores (distributing major oil brands, such as BP and Shell) throughout the UK. SNAX 24 is owned by its chairman, Gerald Rosnon, founder of the Heron International property group and SNAX 24's predecessor, Heron Service Stations, which was started when Rosnon was only 17 years old. Its first service station was opened at St. Albans, England in 1966, and the SNAX 24 concept was introduced in 1992.

Citarella caters to an urban clientele that possesses discerning taste buds. The company operates about half a dozen gourmet supermarkets in New York City and its satellite, the Hamptons. The upscale chain also offers catering and online ordering and home delivery to select ZIP codes. The company's highly-esteemed Manhattan restaurant (renamed Josephs in 2004 -- formerly Citarella -- after the company's owner Joseph "Joe" Gurrera) has shut down. Citarella got its start as a seafood market in 1912 and was bought by Gurrera in 1983.

Kowalski's Markets is struggling to expand while it straps on its leather boxing mitts. The company, which operates about 10 supermarkets in the St. Paul and Minneapolis area of Minnesota, wants to be a heavyweight contender among high-end grocery stores there. However, stiff competition from other grocery chains and discounters have limited Kowalski's share of the Twin Cities market to just under 2%: an eighth-place ranking in the market. Indeed competition led the grocer to close a one-year-old store several years ago. Founded by husband and wife team James and Mary Anne Kowalski as a single supermarket in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1983, the regional grocery chain is still owned and run by the Kowalski family.

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