Kmart To Acquire Sears

| Margery Weinstein

Two years after retailer Sears, Roebuck, & Co. made business headlines by acquiring apparel cataloger Lands

Financial Reports: Broder Bros., Systemax, Aramark, Bluefly.com

| MCM staff

Philadelphia-based Broder Bros., a wholesaler of imprintable sportswear, more than doubled its third-quarter revenue, thanks to two significant acquisitions. Net sales for the three months ended Sept. 25 were $231.3 million

Chef’s Catalog Sold

| Mark Del Franco

San Francisco-based private equity firm JH Partners acquired $75 million Chef’s Catalog from Dallas-based Neiman Marcus Group.

Big Shot

| D. Douglas Graham

MIDWAYUSA INC. of Columbia, MO, is a mega-player in the shooting business. The company serves a worldwide customer base, offering a menu of more than

Celebrate Express Goes Public

| MCM staff

On Oct. 20, Kirkland, WA-based party gifts and accessories marketer Celebrate Express joins catalogers such as Williams-Sonoma, Sharper Image, and Cabela

UPS to Acquire Air Freight Forwarder

| MCM staff

United Parcel Service agreed on Oct. 5 to buy the Menlo Worldwide freight forwarding division of CNF for $260 million.

Broder Bros. Adds NES Clothing to Its Closet

| Mark Del Franco

When Boston-based private equity firm Bain Capital acquired Broder Bros. in May 2000, it viewed the wholesaler of imprintable sportswear as a platform

New Catalog Targets Owners of Diminutive Dogs

| MCM staff

Judging by the number of pint-size purebreds teetering along city sidewalks and poking their heads out of designer handbags, small dogs are big business.