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Learn from 24 Greats

By Amy S. Choi, Stacy Perman, Emily Schmitt, John Tozzi, and Kimberly Weisul

Learn from 24 Greats

What makes a retailer prosper through generations as its competitors are gobbled up by chains or fade away? Retail excellence is hard to capture, but George Whalin makes a formidable attempt in his new book, Retail Superstars: Inside the 25 Best Independent Stores in America. Whalin, a retail consultant and one-time manager of the first Guitar Center in Hollywood, traveled the nation to uncover some hidden gems and some giants of the industry—all independent, many family-owned, some with roots going back more than a century. Of course, longevity and distinction don't guarantee market success. One of Whalin's superstars, golf supplier In Celebration of Golf in Scottsdale, Ariz., recently closed its doors to focus exclusively on its golf course management business. But Whalin's stories of retail success nevertheless offer entrepreneurs hints on how to make a business stand out.

(Note: Staff writers supplemented the descriptions in Whalin's book with additional reporting. All revenues are self-reported, unless otherwise indicated.)