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S
t
ORES
ASPECIALREPORT SPONSORED BYALLIANCE DATASYSTEMS
THE DEFINITIVE RANKING
2OO5
®
 
Specialty retailers, once dismissed as “satellites” meant to fill up mall spacebetween department store anchors, are now a major force in retailing, whetherin the context of shopping centers or as freestanding entities.One factor boost-ing specialty retail is the growth of so-called lifestyle shopping centers. Thoughthe configurations differ, these centers generally are mixed-use facilities in-corporating some combination of residential and recreational/entertainmentusage with retail stores. The tenor, or lifestyle aspect, is created by the retailtenants, which typically do not include a department store or large generalmerchandise retailer.Specialty store operators are themselves playing the “lifestyle” card. Bigbox retailers, such as Best Buy andBed Bath & Beyond, are usingsmaller, more intimate locationswith narrowly focused offeringsto penetrate niche markets.Best Buy, which once againtops the STORES Top 100 Spe-cialty Retailers chart, is usingboth concept stores and serviceoutlets to address consumers’lifestyles, while Bed Bath & Be-yond is using recent acquisi-tions to edge beyond its home-store envelope toward otheraspects of shoppers’ lifestyles.Best Buy is testing neigh-
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hakeouts and consolidations in other retailer segments — department, drugand grocery stores, in particular — areexpanding the possibilities for specialty storesas both suppliers and consumers seek newoutlets for merchandise.
THE NATION’S BIGGEST
SPECIALTYCHAINSSPECIALTYCHAINS
BYDAVID P. SCHULZ
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WWW.STORES.ORG
A
lliance Data Systems is proud once again to sponsor the
STORES 
magazine special report on the nation’s Top 100Specialty Retailers. These companies represent the biggestand best in specialty retail. It’s a pleasure for us to be able towork in this diverse and dynamic industry, and to provideintegrated credit and database marketing services to morethan a few members of this year’s list.Information is power. That’s why informative resources likethe
STORES 
report are so valuable. It’s a thorough resourceon the prime movers in the industry, with plenty of insightand analysis from the
STORES 
editorial staff. It’s informationyou’ll use again and again.And while all information is valuable, the right informationcan be invaluable. It can make yousmarter, more aware and better pre-pared. Whether you’re selling toysor tires, knowing the customer anddelivering a product, service or experience that is responsive to hisor her needs and expectations isthe only way to compete in a mar-ketplace with more choice thanever before.At Alliance, our programs are centered on delivering the“right” information to retailers. We gather and analyze criticaldata and use that information to help our clients drive sales.We deliver the customer insights and customized solutionsthat create a deeper relationship between a retailer’s cus-tomer and their brand, and turn casual shoppers into dedicat-ed customers. It’s all about learning and adapting to a movingmarketplace — a skill these Top 100 companies likely learnedlong before they earned a coveted spot on this enviable list.So congratulations to this year’s Top 100. And when you’relooking for definitive information about America’s premier specialty stores and sales, refer to this report. When you’relooking to know more and sell more, call Alliance Data Sys-tems.Sincerely,Ivan SzeftelPresident of Retail ServicesAlliance Data Systems
STORES AUGUST2005
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topazxoxox

I was recently at the Hamburg Pa Cabelas with a friend from out of state and your employee Sharon Heck went well overboard to make sure we found several shirts to purchase that werent in the regular area of menswear department. She was soo helpful and we will definetley return to your store if all your employees are soo helpful and considerate.. Thank you

reply04 / 22 / 2009
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