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.

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.

Founded in 1973, A & E Stores also owns Rugby Realty, a real estate investment firm. Working women who have never heard of A & E Stores are more likely to be familiar with its Strawberry and Bolton's retail apparel chains. The company operates about 30 Bolton's and 25 Strawberry stores that sell junior and women's career and casual apparel, shoes, and accessories. The stores are concentrated in prime office districts in Manhattan and elsewhere in New York City. A & E's third chain, Pay/Half, operates some 45 discount family clothing stores in about a half dozen northeastern states and the Chicago area.

Multiyork Furniture manufactures and markets custom-made contemporary home furnishings, including sofas (leather, upholstered, and sleepers), chairs, cabinets, and other living and dining room furniture pieces. Its mid- to upper-level products are sold through more than 60 stores across Great Britain. Multiyork Furniture has moved to the front of the UK home furnishings industry since its founding in 1978. Initially operating one store and workshop, the company was acquired by Wade Furniture Group in 1995, and CEO Peter Mallinson, former merchandise manager at Selfridges, was tapped to turn around the struggling firm.

Saks Fifth Avenue, Inc was began as Proffitt’s, Inc. with just five Proffitt’s stores in metropolitan Knoxville, Tennessee. Proffitt's, Inc. became a public company in June 1987. From 1994 to 1998, we added McRae’s, Parisian, Younkers, Herberger's, and Carson Pirie Scott & Co. (which included Bergner's and Boston Store) as well as 32 additional stores from Lovemans, Hess, Parks-Belk, and Brody’s, which were converted into existing store nameplates.

Raymours Furniture Company operates more than 90 retail stores, including about 10 clearance centers, in half a dozen states. It sells furniture for just about every room in the house (bedroom, dining room, home office, living room), offering such pieces as bookcases, entertainment centers, headboards, mattresses, nightstands, recliners, sofas, and tables. Brands such as Broyhill, Hooker, Klaussner, La-Z-Boy, Natuzzi, and Tempur-Pedic are represented. Founded in 1947 by brothers Arnold and Bernard Goldberg, Raymour & Flanigan is run by next-generation Goldbergs, president and CEO Neil and EVPs Michael and Steven.

Wolseley plc engages in the distribution of heating and plumbing products, and building materials to the professional contractors primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Nordic region, and Central and Eastern Europe. Wolseley plc supplies plumbing, heating, and air conditioning products comprising baths, showers and accessories, sanitaryware, brassware, bathroom furniture, boilers and burners, radiators and valves, hot water cylinders and flues, control equipment, ventilation/air conditioning equipment, heat pumps and solar equipment, plastic pipes and fittings, and copper tubing and fittings. It also distributes building materials, such as insulation, plaster and plasterboard, roofing materials, bricks, blocks and aggregates, tiles and flooring, timber products, doors and frames, glass, beams, trusses and frames, hardware and tools, and cement. In addition, Wolseley plc supplies electrical products, including cables and cabling accessories, controls and switchgears, wiring accessories, lighting, data networking supplies, and cable management products; and civils/waterworks, industrial, and commercial products, such as drainage pipes, associated supplies and covers, underground pressure pipes, small bore pressure pipes and fittings, carbon and stainless steel pipes, and valves and fittings. Further, the company involves in the management of customer inventory and the installation of cabinets and fireplaces, as well as offers pipe fabrication and valve actuation, bathroom layout and design, and maintenance contract services. Wolseley plc operates approximately 4,118 branches in 25 countries. Wolseley was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in Reading, the United Kingdom.

Reliable Wholesale Lumber has room for plenty of board. Rwl company distributes lumber and other forest products to residential contractors, industrial customers, and retail lumberyards, primarily in Southern California, Arizona, and Nevada, as well as panels throughout the US. Through about 10 distribution yards in California, the company is able to ship 600 million board feet of lumber, panels, and engineered wood products per year. Product specialties from Reliable Wholesale Lumber include Durawood Douglas fir decking and oriented strand board. Founded in 1971, Reliable Wholesale Lumber is owned by the Higman family, including president Jerry Higman.

Here's a company that's traveled a fur piece from its 17th- century roots. Founded in 1670 as a fur trading enterprise, Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) is Canada's largest department store chain and oldest corporation. Its Zellers chain is the country's #2 discount department store (behind Wal-Mart Canada), with some 280 stores. HBC also runs about 90 the Bay department stores that focus on more upscale merchandise, 190-plus Fields general merchandise and apparel stores in Western Canada, more than 65 Home Outfitters superstores, and Hbc.com. The company also has its own credit card and financial services companies. HBC is owned by NRDC Equity Partners, which is looking to take the company public as early as 2011.

Schnuck Markets founded in 1939, the company is owned by the Schnuck family and run by CEO Scott Schnuck and president and COO Todd Schnuck.If you'll meet me in St. Louis, then chances are there'll be a Schnucks in sight. The region's largest food chain, Schnuck Markets operates about 105 stores, mostly in the St. Louis area, but also in other parts of Missouri and in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. All stores offer a full line of groceries, and most have pharmacies, video rental outlets, in-store banking, and florist shops. Although most stores operate under the Schnucks banner, the company also runs about a half a dozen Logli supermarkets in Illinois and Wisconsin, and a specialty pharmacy.

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