Consumer

The state's retail community got smaller in 2006 as specialty retailer Talbots Inc. and sneaker maker Stride Rite Corp. swallowed local rivals J. Jill and Saucony, respectively. The acquisitions helped fuel double-digit revenue growth at the two companies. Meanwhile, office-products behemoth Staples Inc. just kept on growing, as did discounter TJX Cos. -- despite replacing its chief executive and suffering a major loss of customer financial data. Tweeter Home Entertainment Corp. struggled to compete against the Best Buy juggernaut, as did most other electronics retailers across the country.
Ranked by revenue in 2006