Consumer Goods

Winmark Corporate Office

In 1983, Martha Morris was operating a small used sporting goods store in Minneapolis, Minnesota, called Play It Again Sports. She was a client of a consulting firm run by Ron Olson and Jeffrey Dahlberg. When Morris told the pair that she wanted to make her company a franchise, they had their doubts, however, after a surprise visit to the store, Olson and Dahlberg found more than 10 people waiting in line before the store had even opened.

In 1988, Olson and Dahlberg acquired the store from Morris. Play It Again Sports was the first franchise operation for what would become the Winmark Corporation.

The company went public on the NASDAQ in 1993 and is now listed under the ticker symbol WINA. Winmark owns 5 franchised based companies, all of which sell used goods including Music Go Round, Play It Again Sports, Once Upon a Child, Style Encore, and Plato’s Closet. The company also owns Wirth Business Credit, a small business supply leasing company.

In February 2018, the company listed their year-end sales results for 2017 as $24.565 million and $5.66 per share.

Headquarters for the company are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company maintains a $1 billion market share in a $17 billion industry through its 1,170 franchised operations.

Winmark

In 1988, Olson and Dahlberg acquired the store from Morris. Play It Again Sports was the first franchise operation for what would become the Winmark Corporation.

History

In February 2018, the company listed their year-end sales results for 2017 as $24.565 million and $5.66 per share.

Headquarters for the company are located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The company maintains a $1 billion market share in a $17 billion industry through its 1,170 franchised operations.

American Freight Furniture & Mattress Corporate Office

American Freight Furniture & Mattress, frequently called American Freight, was founded in Lima, Ohio, by current CEO Steve Belford.

The company operates a chain of 95 discount furniture and mattress stores in 18 states. There are no fancy showrooms, just warehouses full of new furniture at discount prices.

Customers have a wide variety of name brands to choose from without having to pay for a fancy showroom, which makes for lower prices.

In late 2014, the company was acquired by Resolute Fund III, a private equity company managed by Jordan Company III. The terms of the sale were not disclosed. Belford and most of the staff will remain in their positions. Jordan Company states that they hope to expand the company into all 50 states within 10 years.

In 2022, American Freight opened multiple locations in several states, including Minnesota, New York, Missouri, and Virginia.

At present time, company headquarters remain in Delaware, Ohio.

American Freight Furniture & Mattress

American Freight Furniture & Mattress, frequently called American Freight, was founded in Lima, Ohio, by current CEO Steve Belford.

The company operates a chain of 95 discount furniture and mattress stores in 18 states. There are no fancy showrooms, just warehouses full of new furniture at discount prices.

History

Customers have a wide variety of name brands to choose from without having to pay for a fancy showroom, which makes for lower prices.

In 2022, American Freight opened multiple locations in several states, including Minnesota, New York, Missouri, and Virginia.

At present time, company headquarters remain in Delaware, Ohio.

The Spice and Tea Exchange Corporate Office

The Spice and Tea Exchange was founded in 2006 by Amy Freeman. Finding herself homeless at 16, Freeman learned to not only take care of herself, but she discovered that she could do anything if she put her mind to the task. While on vacation in St. Augustine, Florida, Freeman found a small tea and spice store and immediately fell in love with it.

Starting the business in 2008, at the height of the financial recession, many people told Freeman that the business would not work, but she had faith that, in this digital world, others would view the company as she did; a place to relax and enjoy the scents and tastes of teas, herbs, and spices from around the world.

Freeman immediately began franchising her business. Soon, the idea took off. Even if people could no longer afford to eat out, they could afford a box of tea and enjoy the scents of other spices inside the locations.

Today, the company has more than 50 franchised locations, with plans in 2018 to open 15 locations in Arizona alone. Freeman believes the reason for her success is not only about her vision of the company, but because it is different from other coffee houses or even tea houses. They offer herbs and herb blends for cooking, in addition to coffee and tea, as well as spices not typically found in American grocery stores, including sugar and salt.

At this time, company headquarters remain in Palm Harbor, Florida.

The Spice and Tea Exchange

History

At this time, company headquarters remain in Palm Harbor, Florida.

Zenni Optical Corporate Office

Originally founded as 19dollareyeglasses.com in 2003 by Julia Zhen and Tibor Laczay in a San Francisco, California, garage. When the company started, it seemed impossible to sell prescription eyewear and sunglasses online. Today, with annual revenue of approximately $3 million and more than 4 million pairs sold in 2017 alone. the idea seems to be a profitable one.

The company offers frames for eyeglasses and sunglasses, starting as low as $6.95. Company software allows clients to upload a picture of their face and choose a pair of glasses that suits the shape of their face.

Zenni Optical offers more than 2,500 frames and styles available to choose from, offering a unique look for every customer. Zenni also offers single vision, bifocal, progressive and workplace progressive lens options, and is a leading-edge developer of Beyond UV Blue Light Blocking lenses, which provide all-day protection, both indoors and out, from the harmful effects of high-energy visible (HEV) blue light and UV rays.

Zenni has sold more than 20 million pairs of glasses to clients in the past 15 years. The frames themselves are made in Danyang, China, but in late 2022, the company began manufacturing in central Ohio.

Company headquarters are located in Novato, California.

Zenni Optical

History

Company headquarters are located in Novato, California.

Le-Vel Brands Corporate Office

Founded in 2012 by Jason Camper and Paul Gravette, the company formulates and sells nutritional and health and wellness products. The company’s flagship product is called Thrive, is an 8-week program designed to help clients lose weight, support the immune system, and improve lean muscle mass.

Le-Vel offers a direct selling program and clearly labels their ingredients. A few of the ingredients in Thrive include green coffee bean extract hydrolyzed collagen protein, white willow extract, glucosamine, Cosmoperine and CoQ10.

Le-Vel is the only health and wellness company that uses cloud-based technology for its day-to-day operations and claims to have broken $1 billion in sales as of 2017 and have more than 7 million regular customers.

Company headquarters are located in Frisco, Texas.

Le-Vel Brands

History

Company headquarters are located in Frisco, Texas.