Bidz.com combines the markdowns of a dollar store, the format of an auction house, and the convenience of the Internet to bring sparkling deals to shoppers. The company buys closeout merchandise and sells it using a live-auction format, with $1 opening bids. It mostly sells jewelry, including gold, platinum, and silver items set with diamonds, as well as precious and semi-precious stones. Visitors can also find deals on electronics, apparel, and a range of collectibles (such as fine art, antiques, coins, and sports cards). In addition, the company operates Buyz.com, a fixed-price e-commerce site that offers similar items being listed for auction.

Le Chateau has repositioned itself to appeal to trend seekers of no particular age and has begun expanding into secondary markets. Le Chateau, which had hired Genuity Capital Markets in 2006 to explore a possible sale, took itself off the block in 2007. Le Chateau wants its customers to bring down the house with their fashion flair. The firm sells its own brand of clothing in more than 220 contemporary clothing stores in Canada, a handful of shops in the New York City area, and about 10 locations in the Middle East. The retailer sells apparel, footwear, and accessories to fashion-conscious men and women. About 40% of its apparel is made in Canada, allowing Le Chateau Inc. to respond quickly to changing trends.

The Buckle, Inc. operates as a retailer of casual apparel, footwear, and accessories for young men and women in the continental United States. Its casual apparel products include denims, casual bottoms, tops, sportswear, and outerwear. The Buckle also sells its products online. As of March 23, 2010, it operated 408 retail stores in 41 states under the ‘Buckle’ and ‘The Buckle’ brand names. The Buckle was formerly known as Mills Clothing, Inc. and changed its name to The Buckle, Inc. in April 1991. The Buckle, Inc. was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Kearney, Nebraska.

Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings is a marriage made in retail heaven. Isetan brings advanced information technology while Mitsukoshi knows how to attract moneyed customers from Japan's elite. The merged company, one of Japan's leading department store operators, boasts a dozen Mitsukoshi stores and about a half a dozen Isetan locations throughout Japan with Mitsukoshi focusing on the older crowd while Isetan's Tokyo-area shops offer apparel alongside food, housewares, and sundries to appeal to younger generations. Overseas, Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings has stores in Asia, Europe, and the US. Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings was formed in 2008 when Isetan bought out its older rival.

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.

Founded by Rowland Schaefer and later run by his daughters, Bonnie and Marla Schaefer, Claire's Stores was sold to an affiliate of the New York-based private equity firm Apollo Management for about $3 billion in 2007. If the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys, for young women and girls, it may be the price of their accessories. For thrifty, fashion-conscious females ages 3 to 27, Claire's Stores is the queen of costume jewelry, handbags, and hair bows. The company operates nearly 3,000 boutiques, primarily in malls, under the Claire's and Icing banners. The chain is present in all 50 US states, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Canada, as well as about 10 European countries.

Wallis Companies is a leading gasoline distributor in Missouri and the Midwest. The company's convenience store division operates about 40 locations in the Show Me State and services more than 140 other stores, including Exxon Mobil 's On The Run shops and BP Pump Handle stores. Other businesses include the Hen House restaurant in Bourbon, Missouri, as well as Wallis Lubricants (automotive and industrial lubricants) and the Great River Wash Company (distributes car wash equipment). Wallis Companies was founded in 1968 by Bill Wallis and today is run by his wife, Lynn Wallis, who took control of the company when he died.

Business at Roofing Wholesale doesn't have to be complicated, but it should be over your head. Roofing Wholesale Company (RWC) distributes residential and commercial roofing, stone flooring, and stucco to contractors, builders, and do-it-yourself home owners through ten locations in Arizona, California, Nevada, and New Mexico. It also operates an online store. Products include asphalt shingles, cedar shakes and shingles, clay tiles, fasteners, marble floors, and slate roofs. John Lisherness, father of current president Harley Lisherness, founded the family-owned company in 1958.

The Crawford Group of Companies keeps things warm and flowing in the Great Lakes region. Through about 15 locations in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, the Crawford Group distributes heating and plumbing supplies to retailers and contractors. The company operates as Builders Heating Supply, Builders Plumbing Supply, Crawford Supply, Inland Supply, KDA of Wisconsin, and Plumbers Equipment Company. The Crawford Group's Web site allows customers to place orders, sign up for training, register for conferences, and access tools to help small businesses.

The Men’s Wearhouse, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of men’s suits in the United States and Canada. The company operates its retail apparel stores under Men’s Wearhouse, Men’s Wearhouse and Tux, and K&G brand names in 47 states in the U.S. and the District of Columbia. It operates its stores in Canada under the brand name Moores Clothing for Men. The company’s Men’s Wearhouse, Men’s Wearhouse and Tux, and Moores Clothing for Men apparel stores offer designer, brand name, and private label merchandise, including suits, sport coats, slacks, formal wear, business casual, sportswear, outerwear, dress shirts, shoes, accessories, and tuxedo rentals. The company’s K&G stores offer men's and ladies’ apparel, including tailored clothing, casual sportswear, dress furnishings, children’s clothing, footwear, and accessories. As of January 30, 2010, the company operated 1259 retail stores, which include 1142 stores in the United States and 117 stores in Canada. In addition, it operates a corporate apparel and uniform program in the Houston, Texas; and a retail dry cleaning and laundry business. The Men’s Wearhouse was founded in 1974 and is based in Houston, Texas.

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