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.

Chuck Levin's Washington Music Center sells musical instruments (guitars, keyboards, drums, and band and orchestra instruments), as well as professional audio, disc jockey, and lighting equipment from a single store in Wheaton, Maryland. Its sister company, Washington Professional Systems, sells and installs high-end audio and video equipment for stadiums, boardrooms, schools, and religious institutions, as well as home theaters. The family-owned and -operated company was founded in 1968 by Marge and Chuck Levin. Chuck's son Robert took over the business in 2002 following the death of his father.

West Coast Paper was founded in 1930. West Coast Paper coasts along on a paper trail out West. West Coast Paper distributes an array of paper, including varieties of bond, uncoated book, carbonless, and cardboard, to commercial printers primarily in the Pacific Northwest. It also markets packaging (boxes, shrink films), janitorial supplies (soaps, dispensers), and food service products (disposable cups, plates). In addition to the graphic arts market, West Coast Paper serves customers in the health care, hospitality, freight, and manufacturing industries. The firm operates more than 10 locations in Alaska, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Its international sales group serves Pacific Rim countries.

Altrec Inc. online retailer, which does business as Altrec.com, offers equipment, apparel, and accessories for camping, backpacking, hiking, running, winter sports, and other outdoor activities. Its website, which aims to inspire, offers live online shopping assistance and product suggestions to promote life in the wild. Altrec.com fulfills customer orders from warehouse supplies and through manufacturer-direct shipments. It is the retail arm of sister company Greatoutdoors.com, a provider of adventure articles and outdoor news.

Lyreco UK makes the products that help people write down inspired words. A subsidiary of the France-based international Lyreco Group of companies, Lyreco UK is a wholesale marketer and distributor of office supplies and stationery to businesses in the UK. Lyreco UK Ltd. provides clients with an extensive catalog of products which includes top brand electronics, office supplies, office furnishings, and stationery products. As a "generic" alternative to name branded products, Lyreco also markets its own competitively priced Impega brand stationery products in the UK. Lyreco UK Ltd. offers its products online, in print catalogs, and through various regional suppliers.

The firm was founded in 1991 by Graham and Ursula Hodson and is jointly owned by the Hodsons and managing director Colin Hills, who has run the business since 1997. Fresh Bouquets knows how to grow its business. The floral firm grows, sources, and distributes 100,000 bunches of flowers a week to service stations and convenience stores across the UK under the Flowerfete label. Fresh Bouquets grows its own flowers in company-owned nurseries and supplements those with selected imported flowers from Israel, South Africa, Spain, and Turkey. Through its FDL e-commerce division, Fresh Bouquets has diversified beyond flowers to offer higher-margin items such as sunglasses, umbrellas, corkscrews, and other gadgets.

Mikimoto opened its first freestanding store on New York City's famous Fifth Avenue in 1975. In addition to its Fifth Avenue location, Mikimoto operates retail stores in Beverly Hills and Costa Mesa, California, as well as in Las Vegas. The jeweler also operates an online store. Mikimoto company also distributes non-Mikimoto brand pearls to jewelry chains including Fred Meyer Jewelers, Kay Jewelers, and Zales. Kokichi Mikimoto was among the pioneers of the cultured-pearl industry. While a diamond may be "forever," a Mikimoto pearl is nothing to sneeze at. Mikimoto (America) is the US arm of Japanese pearl manufacturer, K. Mikimoto & Co., a leading creator of cultured pearl jewelry that is sold worldwide.

Before Old Navy, there was the Navy Exchange Service Command (NEXCOM). Active-duty military personnel, reservists, retirees, and their family members can shop and gas up at more than 100 NEXCOM retail stores (brand-name and private-label merchandise ranging from apparel to home electronics), more than 155 NEXCOM Ships Stores (basic necessities), and its 100-plus Uniform Support Centers (the sole source of authorized uniforms). NEXCOM also runs about 40 Navy Lodges (motels) in the US and about half a dozen foreign countries. NEXCOM receives tax dollars for its shipboard stores, but it is otherwise self-supporting. Most of the profits fund morale, welfare, and recreational programs (MWR) for sailors.

Gameplay GB Ltd. sells new video games at discounted prices for popular platforms, such as the PC, Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii. Games from a variety of studios are distributed through Gameplay's Web site to European and other countries around the world, including Australia, Japan, and the US. In 2004 the company was acquired by THE GAME GROUP, which has become a leading software and game retailer in Europe.

Founded in 1946 by Bill and Roberta Zimmer, the family-owned chain is run by CEO Alan Zimmer. Lovers wishing to express the sparkle in their relationships might consider consulting Reeds Jewelers. Operating about 90 jewelry stores mainly in malls in 18 states from Texas to Delaware, Reeds offers diamond rings and jewelry, gold jewelry and chains, gemstone rings, watches, and other baubles. Though most operate under the Reeds Jewelers name, in malls where Reeds has already staked a claim, stores are called Mills Jewelers; Reeds also sells products via its Web site and catalog. Diamonds (mostly up to one carat in weight) and gems account for almost 60% of the firm's sales.

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