Comparable store sales for The Elder-Beerman Stores Corp. decreased 14.5% for the four weeks ending March 1, 2003 compared to the four weeks ending March 2, 2002. Total store sales decreased by 14.5% to $35.9 million versus the same period last year.

“The February sales shortfall was due to severe weather and does not reflect a business trend,” said Bud Bergren, Elder-Beerman’s president and CEO. “We had to close many of our stores at unscheduled times in February due to snow emergencies.”