Columbus, Ohio --/ Mar. 8/PR Newswire/-- Value City Department Stores, Inc. (NYSE:VCD - news) today announced that total sales for the four weeks ended March 3, 2001, increased 22.9% to $139.9 million from $113.9 million for the four weeks ending March 4, 2000. The company's same store sales decreased 6.5% for the four week period ended March 3, 2001. Total 2001 sales include Filene's Basement Stores acquired effective March 17, 2000.

Retail sales statistics are as follows:

Month Ended ($ in thousands)
	March 3, 2001			March 4, 2000
	$	%	$	%
Sales
Value City Department Stores	$92,985	66.5	$91,118	80.0
DSW	29,461	21.0	22,745	20.0
Filene's Basement	17,444	12.5	-	-
	$139,890	100.0	$113,863	100.0
Comparable Sales
Value City Department Stores		(8.0)%		5.7%
DSW		(0.6)%		15.0%
Filene's Basement		-		-
		(6.5)%		7.2%

Value City Department Stores, Inc. is a leading off-price retailer currently operating 119 full-line department stores in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S., 19 Filene's Basement Stores and 79 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.

SOURCE: Value City Department Stores, Inc.

For More Information Contact:

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