North West Company's stores sell general merchandise, clothing, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. The company also operates a small fur trading business, a financial services division (prepaid credit and debit cards), a chain of convenience stores, and is a wholesale distributor of produce and meats to independent grocery stores in Canada.Established in 1997, North West Company Fund is the holding company for The North West Company, an operator of grocery and discount store chains located in remote areas of Canada, Alaska, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific. Its more than 220 stores include its flagship Northern, as well as Giant Tiger, NorthMart, and Cost-U-Less

Founded in 1945, the company is owned by the family of president Steve Cook. Northeastern Supply keeps its little corner of the world cozy. Through about 30 locations in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, the company distributes air conditioning, heating, plumbing, ventilation, and water system equipment along with fixtures and hardware to contractors and other building professionals. Major suppliers include American Standard, Bradford White, Delta, Elkay, Jacuzzi, and Moen. Northeastern also offers online credit applications, electronic funds transfers, and e-mail invoicing to its customers.

Kooperativa Förbundet (KF) is a smorgasbord of Swedish retailers. The organization (aka the Swedish Co-operative Union) is a federation of more than 45 consumer cooperative societies with more than 3 million members throughout Sweden. KF's core grocery retail group, with about 20% of the Swedish grocery market, is run by subsidiary Coop Sverige and includes Sweden's largest hypermarket chain, Coop Forum, as well as Coop Konsum, Daglivs, the Mataffären online store, and other chains. Other businesses include: Kooperativa Forbundet Fastigheter, which develops shopping centers; Kooperativa Forbundet Media, involved in book selling (Akademibokhandeln bookstores and bokus.com) and publishing (P.A. Norstedt & Söner); finance; and other activities.

Nepstar Chain Drugstore is China's largest retail drugstore chain based on the number of directly operated stores. The green Nepstar store signage is a familiar sight in many urban neighborhoods across mainland China, which signifies our commitment to bringing health, convenience and a better quality of life to Chinese. Established in 1995, Nepstar has grown from a single shop into a chain of 3,020 directly operated outlets (including 443 stores operated by JZJ) covering 74 cities in China by September 30, 2010.We are proud of our accomplishments. In our early days, we pioneered the concept of chain retailing in pharmacies in China. In 2004, Goldman Sachs joined us as an investor. On November 9, 2007, China Nepstar Chain Drugstore Ltd (NYSE: NPD) was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. High quality product offerings, professional service and convenience are among our promises to our customers and the foundation of our drive to be the leader in China's pharmaceutical retailing business.

Wal-Mart Stores is an irresistible (or at least unavoidable) retail force that has yet to meet any immovable objects. Bigger than Europe's Carrefour, Tesco, and Metro AG combined, it's the world's #1 retailer with 2.1 million employees in more than 8,400 stores, including about 800 discount stores, 3,100 combination discount and grocery stores (Wal-Mart Supercenters in the US and ASDA in the UK), and 595 Sam's Club warehouses. Wal-Mart's international division (25% of sales) is growing at a fast pace; it's the #1 retailer in Canada and Mexico and it has operations in Asia (where it owns a 95% stake in Japanese retailer SEIYU), Europe, and South America. Founder Sam Walton's heirs own about 45% of Wal-Mart.

Founded in 1892 as a local hardware store, the retailer was acquired by The Boots Company (now Alliance Boots) in 1989 and sold off in 2002; in 2004 it floated as a publicly traded company for the first time. Halfords Group is more than just mechanically inclined: It serves others who are also DIY mechanics. The retailer sells vehicle maintenance necessities (parts, tools), luxury automobile items (stereos, navigation systems), and travel-related products (car seats, camping equipment), as well as bicycles and related components. Halfords operates about 470 stores across the UK and Ireland, as well as about a half a dozen locations in the Czech Republic and Poland.

Founded in 1977, Speedy has grown to become the UK's largest operator of tool rental locations. If work slows down because tools are lacking, construction workers can go to Speedy Hire. The company rents tools and building equipment to companies, contractors, DIY consumers, the government, and utilities through some 400 outlets in the UK and Ireland. The company hires out access towers, drills, generators, heaters, pumps, and woodworking tools, among other items. Its some 60 lifting depots rent joists, jacks, and below-the-hook material-handling equipment. In 2007 Speedy Hire acquired the tool rental business of Hewden Stuart Plc, adding more than 180 locations to its network of depots across the UK.

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.

The Wet Seal, Inc., a specialty retailer, operates stores that sell fashionable and contemporary apparel and accessory items designed for female customers. The company operates two primarily mall-based chains of retail stores under the Wet Seal and Arden B names. Its Wet Seal stores provide fashionable and basic apparel, and accessories for teenage girls; and Arden B stores offer contemporary collections of fashion, basic separates, and accessories for the feminine contemporary woman. In addition, the company operates Web-based stores, including wetseal.com that provides Wet Seal merchandise; and ardenb.com, which offers Arden B apparel and accessories. As of May 1, 2010, it had 501 stores, including 422 Wet Seal stores and 79 Arden B stores in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The Wet Seal, Inc. was founded in 1962 and is based in Foothill Ranch, California.

Mailing more than 180 million catalogs a year, Hanover Direct sells home fashions (The Company Store, Domestications), as well as men's and women's apparel (International Male, Silhouettes, and Undergear). Each catalog has a corresponding e-commerce site. In addition to its own websites, Hanover Direct also sells its products through affiliated third-party websites, such as Amazon.com. The company makes Scandia Down brand comforters and pillows for sale in its catalogs, on its websites, and several retail outlet stores. Hanover Direct is owned by the New York-based hedge fund Chelsey Capital.

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