Founded in 1952 as Holmes Door & Lumber Co., the business was acquired by family-owned Carter Lumber of Kent, Ohio in 2004, adding Holmes' operations to its 200-plus stores in 10 states. Try building a home -- or any other structure -- without the products that Holmes Lumber supplies. The building materials retailer sells lumber, blocks, bricks, cabinets, doors, paneling, ceiling tiles, hardware, and other building materials to professional contractors and consumers at three Holmes Lumber and Building Centers in Hartville, Millersburg, and Sugarcreek Ohio.

Dealers Supply Company (DSC) strives to keep cool during those long Southern summers. Through about 15 locations in Georgia and North Carolina, the company distributes air conditioning and heating products to residential customers, contractors, and small businesses. Products include air conditioners, heaters, motors, insulation, lifts, sealants, and other items from such brands as Airgas, Honeywell, RUUD, Trion, and WeatherKing. DSC sells the tools needed to install and maintain all the heating and cooling equipment it sells, and it offers classes and reference guides. The company's Web site includes an online catalog and searchable database of licensed conditioned air contractors.

Super Center Concepts sell name brand and private label merchandise in the traditional grocery departments (produce, meat, bakery), and offer services such as check cashing and money orders. The first Superior Super Warehouse opened in Los Angeles in 1981.Super Center Concepts is big on superlatives as well as groceries. One of the largest independently-owned grocery supercenter chains in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the company operates more than 30 outlets under the Superior Grocers banner. The regional grocery chain has continued to expand, in spite of operating in the super competitive supercenter market where it competes with national chains including Wal-Mart and Costco Wholesale.

Nordstrom, Inc., a fashion specialty retailer, offers apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories for women, men, and children in the United States. Nordstrom company offers a selection of brand name and private label merchandise. It sells its products through various channels, including ‘Nordstrom’ full-line stores, ‘Nordstrom Rack’ off-price stores, ‘Last Chance’ clearance stores, and ‘Jeffrey’ boutiques; and through catalog and the Internet. Nordstrom, Inc. also provides a private label card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards, and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. Its credit and debit cards feature a shopping-based loyalty program. Nordstrom company also designs and contracts to manufacture private label merchandise sold in its retail stores. As of March 19, 2010, it had 187 retail stores located in 28 states. Nordstrom, Inc. was founded in 1901 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

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 legendary single-location Nebraska Furniture Mart got its start in 1937 when Russian immigrant Rose Blumkin ("Mrs. B") began selling furniture at a slight markup out of a shop basement. Her motto: "Sell cheap and tell the truth!" The famed Omaha location (called the Mart) was built in 1968 and rebuilt by Mrs. B and her son in 1975 after a tornado hit. Two decades later, an electronics and appliance store was added in Omaha; the 77-acre location now boasts some 500,000 sq. ft. of retail space. The firm also operates stores in Des Moines, Iowa, and Kansas City, Missouri. Omaha investor Warren Buffett (owner of Berkshire Hathaway) bought a majority stake in Nebraska Furniture Mart in 1983.

Allied Building Products Corp. was founded in 1950 as a family-operated roofing and custom sheet metal fabrication business. Allied Building Products counts home builders and contractors as part of its circle of friends. Serving the commercial and residential construction markets, the company distributes exterior and interior building materials, including roofing, siding, drywall, and acoustical tile, from major manufacturers. Allied also markets products under its own Cutting Edge and Tri-Bilt brands. The firm operates about 180 branches in 30 states, and it maintains a fleet of more than 2,700 vehicles, including cranes and delivery trucks. Allied is a subsidiary of Oldcastle (itself a subsidiary of CRH).

Refrigeration Sales Corporation (RSC) was founded by Warren Wightman Farr Sr. in 1945, shortly after World War II. Business operations included service and repair of refrigeration equipment, as well as the retail sales of various refrigeration appliances. In 1949, Warren Sr. was approached by Willis Carrier (the recognized founder of air conditioning) to convert the business to pure wholesale of heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration products. At that time, annual sales revenues were $2MM. While wholesale was a relatively new endeavor, and it would mean getting out of the familiar contracting business, Warren Sr. decided to take the risk and make the change to his business operations. To reduce this risk, he negotiated exclusive representation of the Carrier product line for 23 northeastern Ohio counties including Cleveland, Akron, Canton and Youngstown areas.In 1975, when Warren Sr. retired, annual sales were $7M. Warren Farr Jr. (Hap) assumed leadership of the company , and branch stores were added to diversify RSC sales away from HVAC equipment alone. Today, the parts and supplies division accounts for 33% of RSC's overall sales. Several more counties in the Columbus and southern Ohio areas were also added to RSC's Carrier franchise-- resulting in 1978 annual sales of $31MM. RSC continues to add other major HVAC/R products and brands to its sales offerings. In 2000, Warren Farr III was named President. Today, RSC continues to be a pure wholesaler with a wide variety of HVAC/R products including: ice machines, coolers, air conditioners, gas furnaces, chillers, digital control systems, replacement parts, tools, and chemicals. RSC has 12 locations, 11 in Ohio and 1 in Pennsylvania, servicing thousands of contractor customers. RSC is known for representing the best brands in the industry, as well as supporting these brands with excellent training and support services for the trade.

Boston Green Goods, Inc. was founded in 1998 by president and CEO Mercia Tapping. Hey, you -- want to buy some allergies? OK, so Boston Green Goods (dba AllergyBuyersClub.com) doesn't sell allergies, but it does sell relief to allergy sufferers. The company operates a website marketing eco-friendly products that help to rid the home of airborne and surface allergens. Offerings include air and water purifiers, dehumidifiers, furnace filters, and vacuum and steam cleaners, as well as mold- and dust mite-resistant mattresses, hypoallergenic bedding, home decor, and household cleaners. The site also provides news and information on a range of health topics, from allergies to water quality.

Shoppers in Western Canada in search of everything from cough syrup to computers shop London Drugs. London Drugs Limited company is one of Canada's leading pharmacy chains with 70-plus shops in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan. London Drugs sells a mix of traditional drugstore products, as well as general merchandise, and computer and home entertainment equipment from large stores (average size 34,000 sq. ft.). Bucking the trend among Canadian pharmacy operators to grow by acquisition, London Drugs is expanding by building new stores and adding new services, such as in-store postal outlets. Chairman Brandt Louie owns London Drugs through family-owned H.Y. Louie Co.

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