Bon Ton’s February Comps Jump 14.6%

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.'s sales for the four weeks ended March 3 increased 229%, to $237.6 million, compared to $72.2 million for the prior year period. February sales include $153.4 million from Carson's and Parisian stores acquired in 2006. Bon-Ton comparable store sales for the four weeks increased 14.6% compared to the prior year period.

Carson's sales are not included in the Company's reported comparable store sales; therefore, the following is provided for informational purposes only. Carson's comparable store sales for the four weeks ended March 3, 2007 increased 7.2%. For Carson's and Bon-Ton combined, comparable store sales for the four weeks ended March 3, 2007 increased 9.8%.

“We are excited about our February sales performance,” said Anthony J. Buccina, Vice Chairman and President – Merchandising.”Bad weather conditions and snow storms in our markets and around some key promotions had an impact on traffic, but the cold weather also helped to drive women's, men's, and children's outerwear, and cold weather accessories.”

“The best performing businesses were cosmetics, intimate apparel, children's, shoes, missy better sportswear, men's and hard home,” Buccina added. “In addition, we had strong sales growth across the majority of categories of business and experienced good spring selling on some of our big key item programs in men's, children's, missy and home. We are now entering into the important part of the spring selling season with fresher inventories and less clearance than prior year. I also want to remind everyone that the total and comparable sales for this year will reflect sales events falling into different periods compared to the prior year as a result of fiscal 2006 being a 53-week year.”

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. operates 280 stores, which includes eight furniture galleries, in 23 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers nameplates and under the Parisian nameplate, two stores in the Detroit, Michigan area.