Variety is not only the spice of life -- it's also a major purveyor of deeply discounted merchandise. With some 425 stores in about 15 Southeastern states, Variety Wholesalers has survived even Wal-Mart's march through rural America. The company, which has aggressively bought other chains while closing poorly performing stores, tends to set up shop in small towns where the retail giants fear to tread. Its retail outlets sell beauty products, housewares, snacks, toys and more, under banners including Bargain Town, Maxway, Roses, and Super 10. Variety Wholesalers was founded in 1949 by James Pope; the Pope family, including chairman and CEO Art Pope, still runs the company.

rawshaw Group was formed in April 2008 by the reverse takeover of Felix Group, a former UK business that specialized in sales programs and promotions. In May 2009 company finance director Andrew Richardson resigned and Lynda Sherratt, from Felix Group, replaced him.Crawshaw Group (formerly Felix Group) operates almost 15 retail outlets in the UK that mainly focus on selling meat. Doing business as Crawshaw Butchers, the company also owns two processing and distribution centers in Grimsby and Rotherham. Its retail outlets are spread throughout Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Humberside

Waitrose Limited operates about 230 Waitrose supermarkets in London, southern England, the Midlands, East Anglia, Wales, and Scotland. Founded in 1904 by Wallace Wait and Arthur Rose, it was acquired in 1937 by John Lewis Partnership, one of the UK's largest retailers. The grocer plans to dramatically increase its retail presence in the UK, and beyond, through a move into the convenience store market and the development of new store formats and partnerships with other retailers. Outside the food aisle, Waitrose plans to strengthen its non-food offering of clothing and housewares in its Food & Home store. A partnership with Internet grocer Ocado delivers Waitrose groceries to homes in London and Hertfordshire.

From 1946 to 1974, the Skogen family acquired a number of small IGA stores and eventually, in 1979, a Red Owl store in Holmen, Wisconsin. Paul Skogen passed away in 1976 at which point his son Dave, along Dave’s wife Barb, oversaw company operations.In 1990, the Skogen family realized a shifting trend in consumer buying habits and decided a change of store format was best for future growth of the company. On June 28, 1990, they opened their first Festival Foods store in Onalaska. In 1992 Dave’s son Mark joined the company full-time. Together, Dave and Mark lead Festival Foods to experience unprecedented growth by opening additional stores across Wisconsin in Marshfield, Green Bay, Bellevue, De Pere, Suamico, Oshkosh, Eau Claire, and Holmen.Dave transitioned to Chairman of the Board in 2006 and continues to be active in the company. With that change, Mark became CEO and President and has carried on the tradition of success built by his father and grandfather. Since 2006, Festival has opened stores in La Crosse, Appleton Darboy, Appleton Northland, Fond du Lac, Manitowoc and Suamico.

Scotmid Co-op was formed in 1981 following the merger of St Cuthbert's and Dalziel Societies. However, our roots go further back than that as St Cuthbert's was originally formed in 1859 and Dalziel in 1863. In 2009 we are celebrating our 150th anniversary.Today the Society has over 260 retail outlets in the shape of our community based food stores and our toiletry chain Semi Chem. And as one of the major funeral directors in the country, we're always there in times of need bringing real peace of mind.Completing the Scotmid picture is our Property Department, which has an extensive portfolio of both commercial and residential properties throughout Scotland. Scotmid is proud to be part of our country's history and will continue to develop to meet the needs of our customers and members.

Kelly's Pipe & Supply Co. was founded in 1960 by James "Kelly" Callahan and G.H. "Herb" Turnbull. It is owned by Pennsylvania-based Hajoca. Why stop at fixing simple bathrooms when you can also make a sea battle come to life? Kelly's Pipe and Supply does both and counts casinos Caesar's Palace, the Mirage, and Treasure Island amongst its clients. The company sells and distributes plumbing products from its million-dollar European Bath, Kitchen, Tile, & Stone showrooms in Las Vegas and Solana Beach, California. Stores also offer fixtures and pipes from such brands as Aqua Glass, Delta Faucet, Kohler, and Price Pfister. Besides plumbing products, Kelly's offers quotation services and procurement project management.

Outlet mall capital Reading, Pennsylvania, has conceived more than bargain shopping. It's given us Boscov's Department Store, which operates about 40 stores (down from 50 in 2007) that anchor malls mainly in Pennsylvania and four other mid-Atlantic states. The stores sell men's, women's, and children's apparel, shoes, and accessories, as well as jewelry, cosmetics, housewares, appliances, and sporting goods. It also operates an online store. After expanding too rapidly amid a worsening outlook for department stores, Boscov's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2008 and was later purchased by a group led by its chairman and CEO Albert Boscov. Boscov's was founded by Solomon Boscov in 1911.

Baker Distributing Co. is engaged in the marketing and distribution of air conditioning, refrigeration and heating equipment, parts and supplies. With over 200 Service Centers across the United States, we are everywhere our customers need us to be. We bring over 65 years of business experience and knowledge of the HVAC and Commercial Refrigeration industries to our customers. Contact us now to begin receiving the world-class services your company deserves! Each Baker Distributing Service Center is staffed by the most knowledgeable and customer service oriented people in our industry. With a complete inventory of HVAC/R products and technical assistance, our Service Centers can provide you with the products and information you need to make your job and you more efficient.

It was founded in 1963 by Ben Deacon and Les Vail. In the cold, dark night, who will be a beacon when the pipes burst? Deacon Industrial Supply will. Through four locations in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, the company distributes pipes, valves, fittings, and other products for plumbing, HVAC, and waterworks projects. It stocks more than 35,000 items from manufacturers such as Cornerstone Valves, NIBCO, Sure Seal, and Victaulic. Deacon company also offers pipe fabrication, specialized gasket cutting, and emergency services. Deacon serves commercial contractors and professionals in a range of industries, including automotive, food processing, petrochemical, steel, and pharmaceutical.

Sid Harvey Industries was founded in 1931 as an oil industry parts supplier by the grandfather of president and CEO Sid Harvey. Whether you're too chilly in Colorado or roasting in Rhode Island, Sid Harvey Industries might have the answer. Sid Harvey Industries, Inc. makes and wholesales heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, and refrigeration parts and equipment through some 75 locations in about a dozen states. Sid Harvey's also exports worldwide. Sid Harvey Industries, Inc. reconditions more than 1,700 used parts and manufactures more than 750 new products at its plants in South Carolina. Its Web site offers a database connecting HVAC professionals and companies looking for qualified job candidates.

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