Snow & Rock are two key words constantly rolling in the back of the minds of adrenaline junkies, as well as the name of one of the suppliers of the equipment to satisfy the urge to plunge, climb, or swoop. The company, founded in 1982 by former managing director Mike Browne, operates more than 15 retail stores in the Central and Southern areas of the UK. Snow & Rock's stores specialize in apparel and equipment for skiing, snowboarding, climbing, and alpine hiking. The company peddles several top brands, including Salomon and The North Face. Snow & Rock also sells its products through a pair of catalogs and the Internet. Andrew Browsword, an entrepreneur, bought the company from Mike Browne in 2004.

Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of plush animals and related products. The company’s merchandise includes various styles of animals to be stuffed; and clothing, shoes, and accessories for the stuffed animals. It also licenses its Build-A-Bear Workshop brand to third parties to manufacture and sell merchandise to other retailers. As of January 2, 2010, the company operated 345 company-owned Build-A-Bear Workshop retail stores, including 291 stores in the United States and Canada, 51 stores in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and 3 stores in France. In addition, its franchisees operated 65 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores in other international locations. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. also sells its products through a Web store. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

ABS was founded in 1997 by president Craig Knouf. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Ricoh Americas. When you think of business, what systems do you associate with it? Associated Business Systems (ABS) thinks of big gadgets. ABS sells and services high-tech office machines (such as printers, copiers, fax machines, and scanners) made by companies such as Ricoh, HP, and Kyocera Mita. Other products include archival and retrieval devices, network imaging systems, and supplies for all the machines on the sales floor. Associated Business Systems operates more than a dozen locations in Oregon and Washington, and it services about 35,000 copiers and printers in both states.

In 1959, William Jacobs started Columbus Fair Auto Auction based on excellent customer service and fairness. He recognized that auctions offered a solution to automobile dealers' needs for a source and marketplace for used motor vehicles.Obviously, the financial risk of leasing space at the Ohio State Fairgrounds to run a one-lane auction in 1959 was small, but significant for this startup entrepreneurial endeavor. It, however, pales in comparison to the present multi-million dollar investment in today's 85-acre facility in Obetz. However, the original strategy of offering a marketplace for used vehicles where buyers and sellers would congregate for the benefit of both continues today.

Recreation is serious business for Affinity Group. The direct marketing firm sells goods and services through its membership and discount buyers clubs, such as Good Sam, Coast to Coast Resorts, Camp Club USA, and President's Club. It offers RV products (including air conditioners, sanitation systems, furnishings) not usually found in general merchandise stores at about 80 Camping World specialty shops across the US, as well as via catalog and online. Affinity also publishes magazines and travel guides, from which it derives subscription fees and ad sales revenue. Chairman Steve Adams is the majority owner of both Affinity and, through another entity, RV retailer FreedomRoads.

Aaron Brothers has its hand in custom-framing and crafting. Aaron Brothers, Inc. opened its first shop in Los Angeles in 1946; today it operates some 150 stores in about 10 states. Its stores are located mostly in Texas and in the western US, but also reach to Georgia and Virginia. Aaron Brothers stores offer ready-made frames and mattes, art supplies, and custom framing services. A subsidiary of big brother hobby-retailer Michaels Stores, Aaron Brothers stores average about 5,600 sq. ft. and offer its customers some 7,100 products. Parent company Michaels Stores was taken private in 2006 by a pair of private equity firms (Bain Capital Partners and The Blackstone Group).

Founded in 1978, Aloette is part of Astral Health & Beauty, which also makes and markets the Pur Minerals and CosMedix skin care brands. Since hiring a new CEO in 2009, Astral and its investors are looking to expand Aloette and its sister brands. Aloette Cosmetics loves a good party. Best known for selling aloe vera-based skin care products, Aloette also markets cosmetics, fragrances, and other personal care items. The company's products are sold mainly through home parties held by Aloette's direct-sales network of more than 10,000 consultants in some 40 franchises across the US and Canada. Aloette also markets its goods through a website, catalog, and on television shopping channels.

DSGE Companies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, buys and sells jewelry, bullion products, and rare coins in the United States. The company offers finished jewelry, gem stones, and gold jewelry components, and makes custom jewelry to order; and provides jewelry repair services. It also provides precious metals products, including the United States and other government coins, medallions, art bars, and trade unit bars; and makes pawn loans on the pledge of tangible personal property, primarily jewelry, as well as conducts regular online auctions. In addition, the company makes collateralized loans to individuals in the state of Texas. Further, DSGE Companies, Inc. operates a retail store under the name Dallas Gold & Silver Exchange. The company markets its products and services through its facilities in Dallas and Euless, Texas; Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina; and Woodland Hills, California, as well as through its Internet Web sites DGSE.com, CGDEinc.com, SGBH.com, SuperiorPreciousMetals.com, SuperiorEstateBuyers.com, USBullionExchange.com, Americangoldandsilverexchange.com, and FairchildWatches.com. It operates 8 primary Internet sites and approximately 900 related landing sites. The company serves individual consumers, dealers, and institutions. DSGE Companies, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

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.

1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a gift retailer in the United States. 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. provides a range of products, including fresh-cut flowers, floral arrangements and plants, gifts, popcorn, gourmet foods, cookies, chocolates, and wines. It offers its products through the Internet, company-owned and operated retail floral stores, and franchised stores. As of June 28, 2009, the company operated 2 floral retail stores located in New York, 1 fulfillment center, and 104 franchised stores primarily located in California, Colorado, Florida, New Jersey, New York, and Texas. It has online relationships with AOL, Yahoo!, Microsoft, and Google. 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Carle Place, New York.

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