Founded in 1985 by chairman John Hargreaves, the retailer was taken private in 2006 by Missouri Bidco, a company controlled by the Hargreaves family, for about $1.5 billion. Clothes might make the man, but they also make Matalan one of Britain's largest value-fashion retailers. Based on the US warehouse club concept, the firm's 200-plus stores sell fashionable name-brand and private-label apparel for men, women, and children, as well as housewares, at bargain prices. Its brand-name merchandise includes Calvin Klein, Farah, Jeff Banks, Playtex, and Wrangler; its private labels include Wolsey, Be Beau, Et Vous, Influence, Jeff & Co., and Soon. Matalan also sells through its e-commerce site.

Vivarte (formerly Groupe Andre) is a giant in European shoes and clothes. One of Europe's leading manufacturers and sellers of footwear and apparel, it operates some 4,400 stores in France and about 10 other countries in Europe, including Germany, Italy, and Spain, under about 20 different banners. Its discount footwear and apparel stores operate under the La Halle aux Chaussures, Chaussland, and Besson Chaussures names. Other stores operate under the Caroll, Kookai, La Halle, Naf Naf, Super Sport, and Fosco names. Vivarte is owned by the UK-based private equity firm Charterhouse Capital Partners, which acquired the company from PAI Partners in 2007.

The North West Company operates more than 220 stores in remote areas of Canada, Alaska, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. Its stores, which include Northern (its flagship), NorthMart, Giant Tiger, AC Value Center, and Cost-U-Less, sell groceries and general merchandise, as well as clothing (at some stores) and other items suited to local community needs. The company also operates a small chain of convenience stores, as well as a financial services company that provides prepaid credit and debit cards.While most retailers grapple for commercial real estate in big cities, The North West Company is quietly building up store locations far from the fray. Serving rural and urban communities

Stylish eyewear is de rigueur for De Rigo. The firm is the #3 eyewear company worldwide, behind Luxottica and Safilo. It makes sunglasses and eyeglasses under its own brand names (Sting, Police, Lozza) and licensed labels that include Etro, Fendi, Fila, Givenchy, and Pirelli. It sells through about 200 General Optica outlets in Spain and Portugal. In 2009 De Rigo sold a controlling stake in its Dollond & Aitchison (D&A) chain in the UK to Alliance Boots, which runs the business under the Boots Opticians banner. (De Rigo made almost half of its revenues from retail sales in the UK through D&A stores.) De Rigo also markets glasses in dozens of other countries (mostly in Europe, Asia, and South America).

Charming Shoppes, Inc. operates as a specialty apparel retailer primarily for women in the United States. Charming Shoppes, Inc. operates retail stores and related e-commerce Web sites under the LANE BRYANT, LANE BRYANT OUTLET, FASHION BUG, and CATHERINES PLUS SIZES names. Its retail stores offer plus-size, misses, sportswear, dresses, coats, and intimate apparel, as well as accessories and casual footwear. Charming Shoppes, Inc. also sells food and specialty gifts through its FIGI’S catalog and related e-commerce Web site. As of January 30, 2010, it operated 2,121 retail stores. Charming Shoppes, Inc. was founded in 1940 and is headquartered in Bensalem, Pennsylvania.

The TJX Companies, Inc. operates as an off-price retailer of apparel and home fashions in the United States and internationally. Its stores offer apparel, including footwear and accessories; home fashions, including home basics, accent furniture, lamps, rugs, wall decor, decorative accessories, and giftware; jewelry and accessories; menas and juniors offerings; childrens furniture; seasonal merchandise; and other merchandise. The company operates its stores under the T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, A.J. Wright, Winners, HomeSense, and T.K. MAXX trademarks. As of February 24, 2010, it operated 890 T.J. Maxx, 813 Marshalls, 323 HomeGoods, and 150 A.J. Wright stores in the U.S.; 208 Winners, 79 HomeSense, and 3 STYLESENSE stores in Canada; and 263 T.K. Maxx and 14 HomeSense stores in Europe.

Robert Weed Plywood was founded in 1966 by Robert Weed. David Weed is the company's president and CEO. Robert Weed Plywood does business across the board. The company makes and distributes wood products, moldings, and laminated products for a variety of uses. Among the items distributed from the company's facilities in Indiana and Idaho are fir and pine plywood, fiberboard, hardboard, melamine and laminate panels, oriented strand board, particle board, and veneer and edge bandings. Customers include manufacturers of boats, furniture, kitchen and bath cabinets, recreational vehicles, and store fixtures.

Grupo Elektra is plugged into cities throughout Mexico and seven other countries in Central and South American, including Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. The stores (three-quarters are located in Mexico) sell a mix of consumer electronics, appliances, computers, and furniture under several banners. Elektra and MegaElektra sell value-priced products, Salinas y Rocha appeals to more upscale shoppers. Grupo Elektra also offers financial services in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Panama and Brazil through its Banco Azteca, Seguros Azteca, and Afore Azteca locations. The family of late founder Hugo Salinas Rocha controls both Grupo Elektra and broadcaster TV Azteca.

Stock Building Supply is a leading building materials and solutions company for professional homebuilders and contractors in the United States. We are committed to providing an exceptional customer experience for builders and contractors who are engaged in single- and multi-family residential, repair and remodel and light commercial construction.As a leading building materials and solutions company, we have learned a great deal about creating and sustaining customer relationships. We serve many markets throughout the United States and leverage our national presence to offer the products that homeowners demand, delivered with our “customer-focused, associate-driven” spirit. We appreciate your partnering with us.

SmartLabs brings high-tech comforts home with the push of a button. Its SmartLabs Technology unit creates electronic automation and remote control products for lighting, security systems, theater equipment, and other home management systems. The SmartLabs Design division designs and produces its INSTEON wireless technology line, as well as offers original equipment manufacturing services. Reaching consumers in some 130 countries, SmartLabs' Smarthome business markets more than 5,000 electronic home improvement products online, by phone, and through catalogs. President and CEO Joe Dada founded the company in 1992.

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.