Other competitors include the Luigi Lavazza run Barista Lavazza chain and Whitbread operated Costa Coffee stores.

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His grandfather, Phillip Smith, was the founder of General Cinema, a movie theater chain which once operated 620 screens across the nation.

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Most utilities operated as monopolies controlling the entire chain of production through distribution.

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So good, in fact, that Royce remains committed to keeping the Ocean House and its about-to-be-opened sister property a few miles down the road, the Weekapaug Inn, independently operated, a rarity in this era of hospitality-chain management.

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