I'd still say that visiting the stores and listening to our folks was one of the most valuable uses of my time as an executive. But really, our best ideas usually do come from the folks in the stores. Period.

Some families sell their stocks off a little bit at a time to live high, and then - boom - somebody takes them over, and it all goes down the drain.

I loved retail from the beginning, and I still love it today.

I had to pick myself up and get on with it, do it all over again, only even better this time.

The way management treats their associates is exactly how the associates will then treat the customers.

If one of our customers comes into the store without a smile, I'll give them one of mine.

There is only one boss. The customer.