The Athlete's Foot® is the world's first franchisor of athletic footwear stores and is recognized today as the world leader in athletic footwear franchising. Robert and David Lando opened the first The Athlete's Foot® store in 1971 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the first athletic footwear specialty store of its kind in the United States. Soon thereafter, The Athlete's Foot® began franchising domestically, with the first franchise store opening in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The first international franchise store opened in 1978 in Adelaide, Australia, the beginning of The Athlete's Foot® expansion into over 40 countries.

Koch Air is in the business of keeping others cool. As one of Carrier's oldest distributors, Koch supplies and services the company's air-conditioning units and furnaces to dealers and contractors in the commercial, industrial, and retail markets. It has about five locations across Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri, totaling some 260,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space, and maintains a fleet of more than 20 delivery trucks. Koch also offers replacement part delivery services, as well as on- and off-site service training. George Koch founded the family-owned company as an HVAC installation and repair business in 1936. It is a subsidiary of Koch Enterprises.

Builders FirstSource, Inc. engages in the manufacture and supply of structural and related building products for residential new construction in the United States. It offers prefabricated components, including floor trusses, roof trusses, wall panels, stairs, and engineered wood; aluminum and vinyl windows; and pre-hung interior and exterior doors, as well as assembles and distributes interior and exterior door units. The company also provides lumber and lumber sheet goods comprising dimensional lumber, plywood, and oriented strand board products used in on-site house framing; millwork products, which consist of interior trim, exterior trim, columns, and posts, as well as custom exterior featured products; and other building products that include cabinets, gypsum, roofing, and insulation. In addition, the company offers turn-key framing, shell construction, design assistance, and professional installation services for products spanning its product categories. It serves production homebuilders and small custom homebuilders. Builders FirstSource, Inc. was formerly known as BSL Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Builders FirstSource, Inc. in October 1999. Builders FirstSource, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is based in Dallas, Texas.

Carls Furniture is a home furnishings retailer with about 20 stores, including more than 10 Carls Patio showrooms, in Florida. Carls offerings include indoor furniture for the living room, bedroom, and dining room (sofas, chairs, dining table sets, occasional tables, entertainment centers, curios), as well as outdoor patio furniture collections (aluminum, wicker, teak). It also sells mattresses under the Sealy and Stearns & Foster brands. Carls' owners Mike Baker, Bob Dragin, and Fred Friedman purchased Carls Furniture in 1974. The company's Carls Patio division plans to continue growing in California through its Berk's and Saddleback of San Diego furniture operations.

Infotech Associates, Inc. was established in 1991 to provide customers with Personalized Solutions to their computer needs. Our Product and Service offerings have grown since then to include total Information Technology Automation for both growing and fortune 500 companies. We take pride in our technical sales knowledge and our ability to provide customers with solutions to their various needs. Infotech values its Customers and the relationships we develop together over time.

Showerlux UK became a subsidiary of Swiss-based Duscholux Group in 1973. Showerlux wants its customers to luxuriate in the shower as often as they possibly can. The company manufactures and installs its own high-design, high-end bathroom fixtures. In addition to its primary product offering, which features shower enclosures, doors, and trays, its selection also includes shower seats, baths, cabinets, furniture, mirrors, and a hydrotherapy collection, all ready to fit into bathrooms of a variety of sizes. Customers are even able to design their own custom bathrooms on the company's Web site.

Wolseley UK distributes building and plumbing equipment to construction customers from some 1,700 outlets throughout Great Britain. A subsidiary of global distributor Wolseley, the company operates through such trading companies and brands as Build Center, Drain Center, Pipe Center, and Plumb Center. Brandon Hire offers small and large tools and equipment for rent; Build Center Bulk provides supply chain management for construction firms in England and Wales. Wolseley UK also sells heating, shower, and repair and maintenance products. Wolseley UK was established in 2004 to house its parent company's assets in the UK and Ireland. (The Irish business was split off in 2007 to form Wolseley Ireland.)

The story of Wilkinson Hardware defines DIY, and not just because the do-it-yourself trend has made the business a success and has allowed it to ride out a couple recessions. Founded in Leicester in 1930, Wilkinson Hardware Stores operates more than 330 home and garden shops throughout England and Wales. Each of its locations peddles some 25,000 products. Wilko, as the company is known, is one of the largest privately-held companies in the UK. The business is led by the founding Wilkinson family. J.K. Wilkinson founded the original store after gathering the seed money by saving £1 a week from his wages for nearly six years. Chairwoman Karin Swann is the founder's granddaughter.

Today, more than 87 years after opening its first off-price apparel store in Brooklyn, NY, Loehmann’s continues to distinguish itself as a preeminent, upscale, off-price specialty retailer for name brand designer fashions. Couture and designer fashions plus current, in-season merchandise and frequent new arrivals, all at prices 30% to 65% less than department store prices, still serve as hallmark features of Loehmann’s, attracting generations of fashion-savvy women and men to a shopping experience unlike any other. Loehmann’s carries a wide spectrum of looks favored by customers with classic to contemporary lifestyles. Store departments include ladies sportswear, dresses, career and casual collections; shoes, accessories including handbags and jewelry plus men’s, juniors and children’s. Loehmann’s continues to feature its famous “Back Room” where shoppers are privy to a select yet ever changing and surprising array of high end designer and couture clothing at lower prices. With an exclusive selection of colors and sizes represented, the thrill of “getting a deal” on something special and unique is as exciting today as it was when Frieda Loehmann started the Company in 1921.Now, more than 45 stores strong in 12 states and Washington, DC, the stores are filled with collections from today’s top designer names such as Calvin Klein, Diane Von Furstenberg, Kenneth Cole, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino, Nicole Miller, Anne Klein, Donna Karan, Michael Kors and more! Loehmann’s has grown to include a large flagship store in Manhattan and one in Beverly Hills, as well as a “Size Search” in-store service that helps find and ship appropriate sized items to customers; plus, in select large stores, free personal shopping service. Loehmann’s also has an Insider Club for their customers, which gives members extra savings opportunities, advance notice of sales and new designer arrival updates. Plus, Insider Club Gold members enjoy additional exclusive benefits, including 10% off purchases every day for a low annual fee of $25.

Walter Alexander, the company's president, is a grandson of the founder, John Alexander, who ran Alexander Lumber until his death in 1944. Gabriel Garcia Marquez wrote One Hundred Years of Solitude, and Alexander Lumber can tell you about 100 years of selling wood. More than a century, in fact. The family-owned company was established in 1891. Alexander Lumber conducts wholesale and retail sales of tree products from about 25 retail lumberyards in Illinois and Wisconsin. Alexander Lumber's manufacturing division, Cortland Components, designs and builds wooden trusses and joists for construction at a plant in Cortland, Illinois.

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