If anyone wants a detailed 'study' of how one business grew from a single store to a huge series of stores nationwide plus, you might like to take a look at http://wholefoods.com

Read their history page (under Company listing)...it's quite revealing without getting into a bunch of numerical nonsense that is irrelevant to the topic. It tells you what they looked for in a new store, how they located the store(s), even some of the special terms in the acquisition in a few cases (most were purchased outright, apparently). It's their growth step by step and really fascinating. Enjoy!

Sandi Bowman