COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/-- Value City Department Stores, Inc. (NYSE: VCD - news) today announced that total sales for the five weeks ended December 30, 2000 increased 19.9% to $303.8 million from $253.4 million reported in the comparable year earlier period. Same store sales decreased 8.8%.

Sales for the 48 weeks ended December 30, 2000 increased 30.3% to $2,039.0 million from $1,564.7 million in the comparable year-earlier period. Same store sales decreased 1.0%.

The above figures include sales of the Filene's Basement Stores acquired effective March 17, 2000. Retail sales statistics are as follows:

	5 weeks ended
	December 30, 2000		January 1, 2000
Sales
Value City Department Stores	$222,613	73.3%	$224,788	88.7%
DSW	40,119	13.2%	28,643	11.3%
Filene's Basement	41,049	13.5%	-	-
Total	$303,781	100.0%	$253,431	100.0%
Comparable Sales
Value City Department Stores	-	(10.4)%	-	6.2%
DSW	-	7.0%	-	22.9%
Filene's Basement	-	-	-	-
Total	-	(8.8)%	-	7.5%
	48 weeks ended
	December 30, 2000		January 1, 2000
Sales
Value City Department Stores	$1,440,007	70.6%	$1,336,545	85.4%
DSW	377,722	18.5%	228,117	14.6%
Filene's Basement	221,305	10.9%	-	-
Total	$2,039,034	100.0%	$1,564,662	100.0%
Comparable Sales
Value City Department Stores	-	(4.4)%	-	5.0%
DSW	-	20.2%	-	19.2%
Filene's Basement	-	-	-	-
Total	-	(1.0)%	-	6.6%

Value City Department Stores, Inc. is a leading off-price retailer currently operating 120 full-line department stores in the Midwest, mid- Atlantic and southeastern U.S., 19 Filene's Basement Stores and 77 better- branded DSW Shoe Warehouse Stores in major metropolitan areas throughout the country.

The Company cautions that members of management may make certain forward- looking statements based upon the Company's current expectations or beliefs. We caution investors that our actual results may differ materially from our current expectations and beliefs based on the risk factors described in the reports we file with the SEC.

For More Information Contact:

James McGrady
Phone: (614) 478-2300
Value City Department Stores, Inc.
3241 Westerville Road, Columbus, OH 43224