1.   A national discount chain had opened several warehouse outlets in a geographic region the retailer had long dominated.

2.   And they took in discount chains and mom-and-pop operations.

3.   As Bradlees and Ames underperform, the question again arises about the long-term future of regional discount chains.

4.   At Seer Cooperative, a large discount grocery chain, purchases are rationed and managers said there had been no looting.

5.   Based in Milan, VeGe operates under four different names, Pantamarket, Sidis, Scudo, and Sosty, its discount chain.

6.   Big department stores and discount chains had the biggest sales gains, as consumers continued to be cautious spenders.

7.   Big department stores and discount chains registered the biggest sales gains, as consumers continued to spend cautiously, gravitating to stores that offered markdowns on summer merchandise.

8.   Book stores, electronic stores and the big discount chains have all gotten into music.

9.   A decade ago, department stores, off-price retailers and discount chains tended to compete for different customers at different price levels.

10.   A result is that some records that normally carry a sticker are making their way into the discount chains with stickers removed but not all the obscenities.