Founded in 1898 as a rubber stamp company, W.B. Mason is one of the largest private office products dealers in the US. It operates about 20 showrooms, including five Whatta Bargain locations that carry furniture and business equipment, in some 10 northeastern states. The company also sells via its online catalog to its base of small and midsized businesses. A well-known entity on the East Coast, the firm stokes its "company next-door" image with old-fashioned ads on TV and in prominent places, such as Fenway Park's manual scoreboard. W.B. Mason is owned by members of senior management, including chairman Steve Greene and CEO Leo Meehan.

Holt's Cigar Company gets stoked about stogies. The company sells more than 170 brands of premium cigars, including its Ashton and Holt's brands, and related smoking accessories (cases, humidors, lighters, ashtrays). Almost half of its sales are from wholesale distribution through a direct sales force. It also sells cigars through a catalog, its Web site, a pair of stores in Philadelphia, and a club in Philly's Wachovia Complex arena. Dominican Republic-based Fuente Cigar supplies two-thirds of the company's smokes. HCH Acquisition, controlled by Holt's Cigar CEO Robert Levin and the Fuente family, took the company private in December 2000.

Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS) can prepare you for a life of climb. EMS sells a wide range of outdoor gear, apparel, footwear, and accessories from about 65 stores in a dozen East Coast states from Maine to Virginia and on its website. Outdoor enthusiasts can purchase or rent tents, sleeping bags, and other equipment -- choosing from brands such as Patagonia, Columbia, The North Face, and Teva. The retailer's own EMS branded products account for more than a third of sales. EMS offers outdoor skills clinics, provides guides for hire, and arranges day and overnight trips. It also operates climbing and kayaking schools. EMS was founded in 1967 by two New England rock climbers.

Arnold Clark Automobiles Scotland's biggest auto dealer and one of its largest private companies, operates more than 145 retail new- and used-car franchises that sell more than 200,000 cars a year. The company also runs auto parts and accessories stores throughout the UK. Arnold Clark Automobiles additionally offers maintenance and repair services, car and van rental, and auto insurance. Founded in 1954 as a single dealership, Arnold Clark began in Glasgow shortly after Sir Arnold Clark (he was knighted in 2004) the man retired from his position as a motor mechanics instructor in the Royal Air Force.

Connolly Music Company, Inc. imports and distributes strings for basses, cellos, guitars, mandolins, violas, and violins. It is the only US importer of Austria-made Thomastik-Infeld strings and rosin. Products include specialty strings for electric, acoustic, classical, and jazz guitars; acoustic and jazz basses; and custom sets as well as various cored strings for orchestral instruments. The company supports the American String Teachers Association, the Suzuki Association of America, and the Perlman Music Program. Connolly Music was founded in 1970 by John Connolly. His son Jake is president and owner.

Seaman and sail maker Thomas Black founded Blacks in 1861, when he offered his sails for sale. From there, the company moved on to tents, eventually offering camping gear and sporting goods. Now Blacks Leisure Group (BLG) sells outdoor gear and apparel through more than 300 stores throughout the UK and Ireland under the Blacks, Freespirit, and Millets banners. With 200-plus stores, Millets is the UK's largest outdoor retailer. The smaller Blacks chain sells North Face, Merrell, and Coleman brand merchandise and its owns brands from about 90 shops. BLG has been closing stores in its boardwear chain Freespirit, which now operates only about a dozen locations. Rival Sports Direct owns about 28% of BLG.

Hunter's Truck Sales & Service provides collision repair and other body work for commercial trucks at a facility that includes a DeVilbiss downdraft paint-baking booth able to accommodate 60-foot trucks. As its name implies, Hunter's Truck Sales & Service has some 150 service bays and offers 24-hour towing and emergency service.

Bookazine Company, Inc. is an independent wholesale distributor of books and magazines, working with more than 25,000 publishers across the globe. In addition to its range of best sellers and new releases, Bookazine specializes in children's books, small press titles, regional publications, graphic novels and manga, gay and lesbian books, and periodicals. Clients have included major retailers (F.Y.E., Sam Goody), airport newsstands, and independent bookstores in the US and abroad. Bookazine was founded in 1929 by Ruwin and Jacob Kallman and has been family run for three generations. Today Robert and Richard Kallman lead the company as CEO and EVP, respectively.

EZCORP, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, lends or provides credit services to individuals to meet their short-term cash needs. It offers pawn loans, which are non recourse loans collateralized by tangible personal property, including jewelry, consumer electronics, tools, sporting goods, and musical instruments. The company also provides signature loans consisting of payday loans, installment loans, auto title loans, or fee-based credit services to customers seeking loans. In addition, EZCORP provides credit services, including advice and assistance to customers in obtaining loans from unaffiliated lenders. As of September 30, 2009, it operated a total of 910 locations consisting of 369 the U.S. pawnshops, 62 pawnshops in Mexico, 477 the U.S. short-term loan stores, and 2 short-term loan stores in Canada. EZCORP, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Founded in 1988, Carpetright is led by its chairman and chief executive Lord Harris of Peckham, who owns about 25% of the group. Carpetright hasn't been wrong about flooring. Founded in 1988, Carpetright is the leading European flooring retailer with 500-plus stores operating under the Carpetright banner throughout the UK and Ireland. Carpetright company also boasts more than 120 stores located in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Poland. In addition to carpets, it sells area rugs and vinyl and wood-like laminate flooring. Carpetright also operates some 60 concessions in department stores.

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