Bromberg and Co. is a jeweler and high-end retailer that sells china, crystal, jewelry, and sterling flatware through four Bromberg's stores in Alabama. Its fine offerings come from such makers as David Yurman, Mikimoto, Rolex, and Wedgwood. The company also operates an online bridal registry. In 2004 brothers Billy and John Bromberg, formerly part of the company's management, sold their stake in Bromberg and Co. to other family members (including chairman Frank Bromberg Jr.) and left to form their own jewelry store. Bromberg and Co. was originally founded by the Bromberg family in 1836.

CarMax, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of used vehicles in the United States. It also sells new vehicles under various franchise agreements. In addition, the company provides a range of related products and services, including the financing of vehicle purchases through its finance operation, CarMax Auto Finance, and third-party lenders; the sale of extended service plans and accessories; the appraisal and purchase of vehicles directly from consumers; and vehicle repair services. Further, it sells vehicles that do not meet its retail standards to licensed dealers through on-site wholesale auctions. As of February 28, 2010, the company operated 59 production superstores and 41 non-production superstores. CarMax, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Richmond, Virginia.

Like Ellis Island in the past, Cruise America welcomes thousands of Europeans each year. Cruise America is the US's largest recreational vehicle renter with about 20 company-owned stores, some 120 dealer locations, and a 3,000-vehicle rental fleet of RVs (cab-over motor homes). For those who choose to cruise north of the US-Canada border, Cruise America boasts locations in Canada. Up to a million dollars in liability insurance is included with each rental. The company allows its customers (nearly half of whom are foreign) to have the freedom of the open road while saving money on travel and lodging costs. It also sells its used trucks, along with new and used RVs, through RV Depot dealerships.

Christy Sports isn't some girly group of ponytailed cheerleaders. It's the largest specialty ski and snowboard retailer in the Rocky Mountains. With more than 40 retail stores in skiing hot spots like Snowmass, Crested Butte, Steamboat Springs, and Vail, the company sells skiing, snowboarding, snow-shoeing, mountain biking, and golf equipment along with shoes, shirts, gloves, and bags to carry it all. Stores also carry patio furniture, grills, hammocks, and other accessories for the outdoor life and rent skiing and snowboarding gear. Christy's staff are all serious skiers and snowboarders who use the equipment they sell. The company was founded in 1958 by avid skiers Ed and Gale Crist.

Blackwell UK (known as Blackwell's) operates about 50 bookshops throughout the UK under the Blackwell's and Heffers names, as well as Blackwell's Online Bookshop. Blackwell's Book Services (headquartered in the US, with offices in the UK) supplies books and bibliographic products to some 3,500 research, academic, and specialty libraries around the world. The original B.H. Blackwell's store was opened in Oxford on New Year's Day 1879, and today it is one of the company's flagship locations. The Blackwell family still owns and runs Blackwell's. The family also owns academic publisher Blackwell Publishing.

Academy is near the head of the class among sporting goods retailers. It is one of the leading full-line sporting goods chains in the US with about 120 Academy Sports + Outdoors stores in Texas and some 10 other states in the Southeast. Academy's low-frills stores carry clothing, shoes, and equipment for almost any sport and outdoor activity, including camping, golf, hunting, fishing, and boating. The company, which also operates a catalog and e-commerce site, dates back to a San Antonio tire shop opened by Max Gochman in 1938. The business moved into military surplus items and during the 1980s began focusing on sports and outdoor goods. The Gochman family still owns Academy and is run by CEO David Gochman.

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.

Founded in 1993 with about 60 stores, Calendar Club now operates more than 800 locations in the US and 250-plus outlets in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the UK. The company also sells merchandise year round on its Web sites, including Calendars.com and DogBreedStore.com. Bookseller Barnes & Noble sold its majority stake in Calendar Club to CEO Marc Winkelman and the firm's management in 2009 for $7 million. During the holiday season, Calendar Club transforms empty retail space in Canada and the US into shops under the banners Calendar Club, San Francisco Music Box Company, and Go! Games, and Go! Toys. The company's temporary stores range in size from kiosks to some 6,000 square feet.

Lei Shing Hong has a wandering eye. The firm manages operations across five diverse business lines: automobile and heavy machinery distribution, financial services, real estate, and trade goods. Lei Shing Hong's automobile division distributes Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and smart brand vehicles in China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The company also serves as the distributor for Caterpillar in eastern China and Taiwan. Financial services include share trading, foreign exchange investment, stockbrokerage, and insurance services in Hong Kong. The company dabbles in real estate development and management for properties in China, and offers import and export services for a variety of products.

Hobby Lobby began operation August 3, 1972 with 300 square feet of retail space, located in North Oklahoma City. This was a retail outgrowth of Greco Products, a miniature picture frame company, founded by David Green in 1970. In January 1973, the operation was moved to a house near N.W. 23rd and Western, and the amount of retail space was increased to approximately 1,000 square feet. Over the years this modest beginning has grown into 467 stores which operates in 39 states. The operation, now known as Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., can no longer be considered just an arts and crafts store. With departments ranging from crafts, hobbies, picture framing, jewelry making, fashion fabrics, floral, cards & party, baskets, wearable art, home accents, and holiday supplies, Hobby Lobby is the place to shop with Super Selection, Super Savings . . . Everyday!

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