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.

Hobbico, which began in 1971 as Tower Hobbies, has grown to become one of the world's largest model hobby companies. For pilots who would rather fly their planes from the ground, Hobbico (dba Great Planes) makes and sells radio-controlled model aircraft -- as well as boats, cars, gliders, and related accessories. The company is the world's largest retail and wholesale distributor of radio-controlled hobby products. Hobbico makes some of its products and buys the rest from other manufacturers. It sells its fully-assembled models and kits in hobby stores throughout North America and some 45 countries worldwide. It also sells directly to hobbyists through its Web site and catalog.

Contract Associates, Inc. was founded in 1988 by president and CEO Maria Griego-Raby. If you need furniture for your office, you can contact Contract. Contract Associates sells commercial and office furniture at two retail outlets located in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico. The company also manages a store in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Contract Associates sells office furniture, desks, filing systems, and flooring from Haworth, Intellaspace, Workrite, La-Z-Boy, and other major suppliers. It also offers space planning, installation, furniture brokerage, and project management services.

Follett Higher Education Group, in existence for well over a century, is the leading operator of campus bookstores in the US, supplying students and faculty with textbooks and other course materials through more than 800 stores. FHEG also provides about 1,600 individually managed stores with wholesale books and related services such as point of sale management systems, buyback services, and store design and consulting services. It offers apparel, software, textbooks, and more through its websites, including efollett.com, follettbooks.com, and cafescribe.com. The company is a subsidiary of educational materials wholesaler Follett Corporation.

Adventure 16, Inc. operates a chain of retail outdoor outfitters in Southern California. It has about half a dozen locations, plus a wholesale division that distributes accessories for backpacking, camping, climbing, and adventure travel. The company offers lifetime guarantees on all its private-label products. Its Web site offers resources, guides, and classes for outdoor journeys, a backpacker's checklist, an interactive map and reviews of recommended hikes, a gallery of adventure photos, and an outdoor blog written by staff. Adventure 16 was incorporated by Mic Mead in 1970.

Cole's was founded in 1986. Cole Office Products challenges the idea that big-box stores have the lowest prices. The independent retailer distributes about 3,000 workplace essentials, including business cards, forms, filler paper, writing implements, computer peripherals, office furniture, and maintenance and break room supplies. It features products from such makers as Avery, Safco, and Xerox. Orders can be placed by phone, fax, or through Cole's e-commerce site. As a veteran-owned small business, Cole Office Products, Inc. is an authorized supplier for the government.

The Paradies Shops operates more than 500 shops in airports, hotels, and aquariums throughout the US and Canada. It serves more than a half billion passengers annually, with retail sites that include bookstores, gift shops, jewelry stores, ladies accessory shops, newsstands, sunglass stores, and western stores, among others. Paradies Shops is also the exclusive licensee of Brooks Brothers, CNBC, PGA Tour, and the New York Times. The firm operates several hotel properties and the retail program for the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The company was founded by the Paradies family in 1960. In mid-2010 it sold a majority stake to Freeman Spogli & Co.

Midas, Inc. provides retail automotive services through franchised or company-operated shops primarily in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It sells Midas, SpeeDee, and Midas-SpeeDee co-branded franchises. Midas company’s retail shops offer automotive repair and maintenance services, such as exhaust, brake, suspension, air conditioning, tires, batteries, and various other maintenance services. As of January 2, 2010, it operated the Midas network of 1,602 shops located in the United States and 9 Canadian provinces; the SpeeDee network of franchised and company-operated shops consisting of 112 shops located in 12 states in the United States; and 776 Midas shops licensed in 14 other countries, and 57 licensed SpeeDee shops in Mexico. Midas, Inc. also involves in the real estate activities, including the development, ownership, and lease of Midas and SpeeDee shops in the United States and Canada; and supply chain activities comprising the provision of value-added merchandising services to franchisees. In addition, it owns, develops, sells, and leases automotive shop management software to Midas franchisees and other third-party automotive service providers. Midas, Inc. was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in Itasca, Illinois.

Larry H. Miller Group for your late-night bebop, but the firm does know a little something about all that jazz. The company operates about 40 auto dealerships in six western states. It also owns the NBA's Utah Jazz, its home (EnergySolutions Arena), and Salt Lake City's KJZZ (the Jazz's TV home). The Larry H. Miller Group's other sports interests include the Salt Lake City Bees (AAA affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), Miller Motorsports Park, and Fanzz retail stores. Besides these athletic assets, the firm owns commercial real estate and five movie theaters across Utah. The company was founded by Larry H. Miller in 1979. His son, Greg Miller, was appointed CEO in mid-2008.

Chairman Bernard Arenson founded the company in 1975. The Arenson family, including president Perry and VP Susan, own Bernard Arenson. Bernard Arenson, which does business as Arenson Office Furniture, sells office furniture to its customers in the San Diego area. Its products include desks, executive seating, tables, filing cabinets, shelving, modular systems, and related products. Bernard Arenson also offers space planning, installation, and product delivery services. Arenson Office Furniture distributes products manufactured under such brand names as Holga, HON, Maxon, and OFS. It also sells executive and guest seating made by La-Z-Boy.

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