Hammacher Schlemmer & Co., Inc.

Type: Private
On the web: http://www.hammacher.com
Employees: 200

Its name may not roll off the tongue, but Hammacher Schlemmer has been spoken for more than 160 years. Founded as a New York hardware store, it's one of the nation's most seasoned retailers, producing the longest continually published catalog in the US. Offering a pricey lineup it calls "the Best, the Only and the Unexpected," the retailer sells innovative, upscale gifts, gadgets, and housewares. It has been the first to sell a number of cutting-edge products, including the pop-up toaster (1930), steam iron (1948), microwave oven (1968), portable DVD player (1998), and robotic lawnmower (2000). It operates a flagship store in New York City and a Web site. Heirs of J. Roderick MacArthur own the company.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2008:
Sales: $34.1M

Officers:
CEO: Richard (Rich) Tinberg
VP Operations: Donald Q. (Don) Rogers
Senior Accounting Director: Barry Orr

Competitors:
Cornerstone Brands
Neiman Marcus
TSIC