The chain was co-founded in 1988 by Joe Barreiro and CEO Leonard Flax (and named after Flax's wife). Kate's Paperie believes the medium is the message. The luxury paper products retailer stocks some 4,000 papers from more than 40 countries, plus other items, including desk accessories, gift wrap, journals, organizers, photo albums and frames, stationery, and more than 1,500 ribbons from around the world. With five locations (one in Connecticut and four in New York City) and an e-commerce site, the upscale stationer carries designer brands such as Anna Griffin, Molly West, and Cavallini. Kate's also offers custom printing services, corporate purchase programs, and, of course, gift wrapping.

The Stanley Gibbons Group was founded in 1865 with the publication of its first stamp catalog. If you're seeking a stamp of approval (or any other kind of stamp), best to consult with the Stanley Gibbons Group. The Stanley Gibbons Group Limited sells stamps, autographs, and other collectibles from its London retail store and its retail website. It also makes stamp-collecting accessories and publishes Gibbons Stamp Monthly magazine, which has been in continuous circulation since 1890. Stamps and autographs are considered by The Stanley Gibbons Group Limited to be solid financial investments; therefore, it hopes to spin off a separate investment arm. In late 2010, The Stanley Gibbons Group Limited acquired Benham Collectibles from Flying Brands to diversify its business.

The year was 1899. Jardine Cycle & Carriage began its life in Kuala Lumpur as Federal Stores, a trader in nutmegs and other sundries, and it became Cycle & Carriage within the same year, selling everything from soap to writing paper and simple machine parts. We soon began to sell bicycles, motorcycles and cars, moving our headquarters to Singapore in 1926.The history of Jardine Cycle & Carriage is inextricably linked to the evolution of the motor car and the emergence of Singapore and Malaysia as independent modern states. Our story reveals fluctuating fortunes as the transportation industry was subject to economic cycles, two world wars and changing government policies.What has stood out through the years despite a rapidly changing environment is the resilience to adapt and grow though our unwavering commitment to achieve excellence in our products and services, and efficiency in our operations, which are still hallmarks of Jardine Cycle & Carriage till this day.

Harry & David Holdings (HDH) wants customers to enjoy the fruits -- and flowers -- of its labors. Its Harry and David Direct Marketing catalogs and e-commerce unit offers gift baskets filled with gourmet foods, most notably its Royal Riviera pears, Moose Munch popcorn snacks, and Tower of Treats gifts. It also runs the Fruit-of-the-Month Club. Harry and David Stores sell fruit and flowers, gourmet specialties and wine at 125 factory outlet and specialty shops in more than 35 US states. The specialty food and gift retailer expanded its menu with the acquisition of the Wolferman's and Cushman brands in 2008. HDH is controlled by the New York investment firm Wasserstein Partners.

Findlay Automotive also sells RVs at its Las Vegas location. In addition, the company provides auto parts, services, and financing. Established in 1959 by the late Pete Findlay, today Findlay Automotive is owned by his son president Cliff Findlay.High rollers can find their wheels at Findlay Automotive. Findlay Automotive Group sells a variety of new and used cars at about a dozen dealerships in the Las Vegas area, but also in Arizona, Idaho, and Utah. Findlay's auto brands include Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Honda, Hyundai, GMC, Saab, Scion, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen.

The Forzani Group in 1974. Forzani has since become Canada's largest sporting goods retailer. The company operates more than 330 company-owned stores under such banners as Athletes World, Coast Mountain Sports, Sport Chek, S3, Sport Mart, and National Sports. The company also franchises about 230 stores under names that include Atmosphere, Econosports, Hockey Experts, Intersport, and Sports Experts. It has about a 20% share of the sporting goods retail market in Canada.

CEO Sharon DiMinico founded Learning Express, Inc. in 1987. For kids (and parents) who want to get on board the educational entertainment train, Learning Express is the first stop. The specialty toy store franchiser has more than 100 locations in about 25 states. It sell toys for every age group with a focus on educational items. Major brands include Alex Toys (craft kits), Calico Critters (animal figures), Groovy Girls (dolls and accessories), Rokenbok (remote controlled vehicles and construction sets), and Thomas the Tank (wooden train sets and construction toys). It offerings are designed to spark creativity, teach diversity, and encourage development.

For Douglas Holding, there is no scent sweeter than perfume. The retail conglomerate operates about 2,000 stores in some two dozen European countries and the US. It is a leading perfume retailer in Europe with more than 1,100 perfumeries (445 in its home market Germany). In addition to perfume, Douglas Holding sells skin care and cosmetic products. The company's other retail divisions include jewelry and watches (Christ, Rene Kern), fashion (AppelrathCupper and Pohland), books (Thalia and Internet book seller buch.de), and confectionery (Hussel). While about two-thirds of the group's sales originate in Germany, its non-German operations are driving growth.

Alvarez Lincoln-Mercury began when president Ramon Alvarez, the son of a family from Tijuana that founded Baja California's first airline, purchased floundering Riverside Lincoln-Mercury in 1996 and renamed it. Within months the dealership was at the top in sales for the region after tapping into the Hispanic market.As its name implies, Alvarez Lincoln-Mercury sells new Lincolns and Mercurys, but also high-end car make Jaguar through its dealership in Riverside, California. The dealership also sells many models of used cars. Its Web site lets visitors search inventory, price cars, arrange for a service appointment, order parts, and apply for financing.

Internet Brands was founded in 1998 as CarsDirect.com. CarsDirect quickly gained popularity with consumers and advertisers, winning numerous industry awards, such as one of the "50 Best" websites in the world by Time Magazine, a "Top 100 Classic Website" by PC Magazine, and a "Top Site for Buying or Selling Anything" by PC World. But that success was only a seedling. In 2005, the company began an enormous transition - from a single vertical to a diversified, platform company that would scale much larger. In 2006, the company changed its name to Internet Brands and started to accelerate its diversification and growth. On November 16, 2007, Internet Brands became a public company, listing on the NASDAQ exchange with ticker symbol INET.In 2008 and 2009, the company continued to grow its EBITDA profitability and its "same store" revenue at double digits, despite the recession.

Inviting Real Estate Agents, Job Placements Agents, Educational Institutes, Software Service Providers, Real Estate Builders, Marriage Bureaus, Travel Agents, Restaurant Owners, Health & Fitness Centers and other Local Businesses to Post a FREE Classified Advertisement on Cootera.com Classifieds Website.