Retail Ventures, Inc. announced total sales for May 2004 increased 8.6% to $220.5 million from $202.9 million for the four weeks ended May 31, 2003. The company's same store sales increased 1.9% for the four week period.

Total sales for the seventeen weeks ended May 29, 2004, increased 9.5% to $866.8 million from $791.5 million for the seventeen weeks ended May 31, 2003. The company's same store sales increased 3.6% for the seventeen week period.

                                        Four weeks ended ($ in thousands)
                                     May 29, 2004             May 31, 2003
                                   $              %          $            %
    Total Sales
     Value City
      Department Stores        $104,641         47.4     $108,715       53.6
     DSW Shoe Warehouse          85,683         38.9       69,147       34.1
     Filene's Basement           30,148         13.7       25,059       12.3
                               $220,472        100.0     $202,921      100.0

    Comparable Sales Percentage
     Value City
      Department Stores                         (3.7)%                   3.7 %
     DSW Shoe Warehouse                          7.8 %                   4.5 %
     Filene's Basement                          11.6 %                  (1.8)%
                                                 1.9 %                   3.2 %


                                Seventeen weeks ended ($ in thousands)
                                  May 29, 2004                May 31, 2003
                                   $              %          $            %
    Total Sales
     Value City
      Department Stores        $443,737         51.2     $451,610       57.0
     DSW Shoe Warehouse         312,960         36.1      252,201       31.9
     Filene's Basement          110,075         12.7       87,646       11.1
                               $866,772        100.0     $791,457      100.0

    Comparable Sales Percentage
     Value City
      Department Stores                         (1.7)%                  (2.3)%
     DSW Shoe Warehouse                          9.8 %                  (1.5)%
     Filene's Basement                          14.6 %                  (6.5)%
                                                 3.6 %                  (2.6)%