Lakeshore Equipment Company aims to make learning fun. Through about 50 Lakeshore Learning Stores in two dozen states, Lakeshore Equipment company sells educational toys and classroom tools, including art supplies, games, learning kits, textbooks, and teacher resource packets. It also offers products that address multicultural learning environments and special needs children, as well as in-store teacher workshops. In addition to its store network, Lakeshore Equipment markets learning materials via its two mail-order catalogs and website. Ethelyn Kaplan founded Lakeshore Equipment company in 1954. Today it is run by her son Michael (chairman) and grandsons Bo (president and CEO) and Josh (VP of Merchandising).

Founded in 1937 with a $35 investment, Stuckey's operated more than 350 stores at its zenith in the 1970s. The Stuckey family, including Bill Stuckey (chairman and son of the founder), is the company's majority owner. Once as integral to a road trip as the destination, Stuckey's owns or franchises about 175 stores located along interstates in some 20 US states, mostly in the Southeast. Its store concepts include the traditional blue-roofed stand-alone locations and Stuckey's Express, in which a Stuckey's outlet is located inside other convenience stores and travel centers. Stuckey's sells primarily candy (taffy, peanut brittle, and its famous pecan logs) and souvenirs (T-shirts, postcards, and trinkets).

Dreams, Inc. company owns and operates about 20 Field of Dreams and FansEdge stores across the US -- in addition to some 10 franchised stores -- that sell signed balls, jerseys, photos, plaques, and other collectibles, which it licenses from the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NCAA, and NASCAR. It also reaches shoppers via the FansEdge catalog and online (including FansEdge.com and ProSportsMemorabilia.com). Dreams' Mounted Memories division makes and distributes sports memorabilia, while its Greene Organization handles special appearances, endorsements, and other off-field activities for athletes.

Hutchison Whampoa Limited operates in the ports and related services; property and hotels; retail; energy, infrastructure, finance, investments, and others; and telecommunications businesses. The company’s Ports and Related Services segment engages in the investment, development, and operation of ports in Europe, the Mainland China, north and south Asia, Australia, the Americas, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa. This segment has interests in 50 ports comprising 306 berths. The company’s Property and Hotels segment invests in and develops office, commercial, industrial, and residential premises in the Mainland China, Hong Kong, and internationally. It also operates and manages hotels. The company’s Retail segment operates retail stores that sell personal care, health, beauty, luxury perfumery, cosmetic, and food and wine products, as well as consumer electronics and electrical appliances. This segment also manufactures and distributes bottled water and beverages. The company’s Energy, Infrastructure, Finance, Investments, and Others segment owns interests in energy and infrastructure projects principally in Hong Kong, the Mainland China, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Canada, and the United Kingdom. This segment also engages in other ventures and activities, including the manufacture, distribution, and retail of healthcare, traditional Chinese medicine, and pharmaceutical products; property investment; manufacture of consumer electronic products; retail product sourcing and licensing; and Internet, publishing, outdoor media, and television and entertainment businesses. The company’s Telecommunications segment provides telecommunications and data services, including 3G video mobile services, fixed-line services, fiber optic broadband networks, and radio broadcasting services in Australia, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Macau, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Hutchison Whampoa Limited is based in Central, Hong Kong.

Elegant Illusions, Inc. engages in the retail created gem jewelry business. As of February 7, 2007, it operated 17 specialty stores in the continental United States. Elegant Illusions, Inc. offers fine jewelry and replications of fine jewelry, known as copy jewelry items that are manufactured with synthetic stones set in gold, sterling silver vermeil, or plated brass. Its stores offer a range of jewelry, including rings, pendants, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, pearl enhancers, ear charms, sterling silver vermeil, and gold bonded brass or white metal products; and other precious metals set with precious and semi-precious stones and certain gift ware items. The company also sells original oil paintings, lithographs, reproductions, and other art through its art galleries in Sarasota, Florida; Vail, Colorado; and New Orleans, Louisiana. Elegant Illusions, Inc. was incorporated in 1988 and is based in Pacific Grove, California.

John Huarte, Founder and CEO, graduated from the University of Notre Dame and was awarded the Heisman Trophy in 1964 as quarterback of the Fighting Irish. After spending several years as a professional football player, John and his wife, Eileen, opened a small tile store in San Diego in 1977. Arizona Tile, L.L.C. has since grown to include more than twenty-five locations in seven western states, with products distributed to both residential and commercial customers. Since 1977, Arizona Tile has searched the globe in pursuit of truly extraordinary surfaces. Through relationships with select quarries and suppliers, Arizona Tile proudly offers a vast selection of granite, travertine, onyx, slate, marble and limestone, including stunning tile and stone you won't find anywhere else on Earth. Our treasure of surfaces also includes beautiful and unique medallions, porcelain, tile and other design creations and applications that bring drama and enchantment to any space. To experience, first-hand, surfaces that are truly extraordinary, you need only travel as far as one of our engaging showrooms. There you will personally discover stunning surfaces you won't find anywhere else on Earth, and make their unparalleled magic a part of your world.

AutoFair Automotive Corporation a leading New Hampshire car dealer, AutoFair sells new Ford, Honda, and Hyundai brand cars in Manchester. In early 2007 the firm sold its Toyota and Lexus dealerships there to Ira Motor Group, a subsidiary of Group 1 Automotive. AutoFair Automotive also provides parts, service, and collision repair. Visitors to the company Web site can check inventory, apply for financing, schedule a service appointment, or order parts. Founded in 1991, AutoFair Automotive has expanded beyond New Hampshire by purchasing dealerships, including a Hyundai dealership in Indiana and a Chevy dealership in Tennessee.Products sold by AutoFair Automotive often carry a venerable message: Live free or die.

Founded in 1891, Texas-based Samuels Jewelers was acquired by India's Gitanjali Gems Ltd., a jewelry maker and retailer, in late 2006. In addition to diamonds and gemstones, Samuels Jewelers knows something about millstones -- the bankruptcy kind (it has been thrice drawn into bankruptcy court since the early 1990s). Samuels sells fine jewelry items through about 85 jewelry stores in California, Texas, and about 15 other states; stores are primarily located in regional shopping malls, power centers, and strip centers. Samuels also operates some stand-alone stores and sells jewelry online at SamuelsJewelers.com. Its stores operate under the Samuels Diamonds and Samuels Jewelers banners.

Founded in 1986, Party City was acquired by principal owners of Amscan -- the private equity firms Berkshire Partners and Weston Presidio -- for $364 million in 2005. Party City believes you should party hearty and has everything you need to do so. Party City Corporation, the US's #1 discount party goods chain, has more than 600 company-owned and franchised stores in the US and Puerto Rico. It sells party supplies for birthdays, weddings and bridal showers, baby showers, and a slew of holiday events -- including Halloween, its biggest selling season, accounting for about 20% of annual revenues. Party City is a division of party decor wholesaler and retailer Amscan Holdings, which supplies much of its merchandise.

Backcountry.com is an online retailer of outdoor and backcountry gear. The company sells products for activities such as skiing, backpacking, camping, snowboarding, rock climbing, kayaking, and mountaineering. Its offerings include more than 400 brands, such as Burton, K2, The North Face, Oakley, and Rossignol. Backcountry.com was founded in 1996 by CEO Jim Holland and president John Bresee. Backcountry.com is a subsidiary of Liberty Media, which owns more than 80% of the online retailer's equity.

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