Mark Spitz and Olga Korbut grabbed the headlines while the atmosphere around the Olympic village was so relaxed that off-duty athletes, returning from late nights in Bavarian beer halls, could often be found climbing into the complex over the low chain-link fence.

CNN: Olympic memories: Munich

Until recently, bonus rewards where limited to just one item per purchase, but the chain recently lifted the cap as gas prices started climbing.

FORBES: Save On Gas With Retail Loyalty Programs

Harvard Square, for instance, where chain stores like The Gap are thriving and rents climbing, may have lost much of its distinctiveness but remains as vibrant as ever.

ECONOMIST: Rent control

Ken Gutman spent 22 years at Sign-A-Rama, a West Palm Beach, Fla. franchisor of business-sign shops, climbing from store manager to chief operating officer of the 1, 300-unit chain.

FORBES: Magazine Article