George Whalin, founder of Retail Management Consultants, has advised retailers and manufacturers for more than twenty years. Prior to his consulting career, he spent twenty-five years as a store manager, owner, and retail executive. He lectures widely and appears frequently in the media. His Web site ranks among the top five retail consultant Web sites, and he writes a popular e-newsletter.

Megachains like Walmart, Starbucks, Home Depot, and The Gap attract Americans to thousands of outlets by offering a large selection of goods and services. But this doesn’t mean that independent stores can’t compete with the big guys—and win. Retail expert George Whalin identifies and explores twenty-five highly popular and profitable independent stores from around the country. Unlike the mom-and-pops of yesteryear, these businesses embrace technology and innovation, generate word of mouth, and turn their size into an advantage. They include:

• ABC Carpet and Home in New York City

• Powell’s City of Books in Portland, Oregon

• The Junkman’s Daughter in Atlanta

• Jungle Jim’s International Market in Fairfield, Ohio

Readers will be inspired by how these independent stores are thriving and take away lessons they can apply to their own businesses.