Forward Corp.

Since it was founded in 1925, Forward Corp. has owned and operated many brands and businesses across Michigan. Today, it is a fifth-generation company that employs more than 1,000 people across four divisions spanning 24 counties. It prides itself on taking care of employees. "At Forward, you're not just an employee, a customer, or a vendor: you're part of the Forward Family. And our mission is to help everyone in that family enjoy today, be proud of yesterday and look forward to tomorrow," it said.

For benchmarking purposes, store counts are as of Jan. 1, 2024.