ShopKo Reports April Retail Sales

ShopKo Reports April Retail Sales

(First Quarter Conference Call Arrangements Provided)

GREEN BAY, Wis., May 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ShopKo Stores, Inc. (NYSE:SKO), today reported consolidated sales for the four weeks ended April 30, 2005 decreased 10.6 percent to $209.0 million from $233.7 million during the same period last year. Consolidated comparable store sales decreased 11.1 percent.

Although overall sales in April were below expectations, the company experienced improved gross margin rates.

Sales Summary by Business Segment (dollars in millions)

Retail Segments Period Ended % Change
4 Weeks: 4/30/05 Total** Comp*
ShopKo $150.9 (12.6)% (12.8)%
Pamida 58.1 (4.8) (6.3)
Total Retail $209.0 (10.6)% (11.1)%

13 Weeks:
ShopKo $517.9 (6.3)% (6.5)%
Pamida 185.4 1.7 0.4
Total Retail $703.3 (4.3)% (4.8)%

* Comparable store sales represent sales of those stores open during both
fiscal years and do not include sales from the ShopKo wholesale optical
lab.

**ShopKo division total sales variance reflects sales from one closed
ShopKo location in fiscal 2004 and three new ShopKo Express Rx
locations. Pamida division total sales variance reflects sales from
five closed Pamida locations and seven new locations in fiscal 2004,
and three new locations in fiscal 2005.

The company expects consolidated comparable store sales for the month of May to be in the negative low single digit range.

First Quarter Earnings Conference Call Arrangements

ShopKo Stores, Inc. will host a conference call and real-time webcast May 19, 2005, at 10:30 a.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT) to discuss first quarter results and fiscal 2005 business outlook. Participants may access the conference by dialing (800) 860-2442 and asking for the ShopKo Stores, Inc. conference call. The webcast will be archived for two weeks at http://www.shopko.com/ .

The call will be rebroadcast immediately following the call through May 27, 2005. The replay can be accessed by dialing (877) 344-7529 or (412) 317-0088. When prompted for an account number dial 370634#, then press 1 for the recorded conference.

ShopKo Stores, Inc. provides weekly updates on consolidated comparable store sales. A real time audio recording of the previous week's results will be available after 10:00 a.m. CDT Monday by calling (920) 429-4646. These recorded messages will not be available on the Monday preceding monthly sales releases.

ShopKo Stores, Inc. is a retailer of quality goods and services headquartered in Green Bay, Wis., with stores located throughout the Midwest, Mountain and Pacific Northwest regions. Retail formats include 140 ShopKo stores, providing quality name-brand merchandise, great values, pharmacy and optical services in mid-sized to larger cities; 223 Pamida stores, 118 of which contain pharmacies, bringing value and convenience close to home in small, rural communities; and three ShopKo Express Rx stores, a new and convenient neighborhood drugstore concept. With more than $3.0 billion in annual sales, ShopKo Stores, Inc. is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol SKO. For more information about ShopKo, Pamida or ShopKo Express Rx, visit our Web site at http://www.shopko.com/ .

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding expected sales and other financial results. Such statements are subject to important factors that could cause ShopKo's actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by the forward-looking statements including those referenced in ShopKo's current annual report on Form 10-K or as may be described from time to time in ShopKo's subsequent SEC filings; and such factors are incorporated by reference.

Source: ShopKo Stores, Inc.

CONTACT: Media, John Vigeland of ShopKo Stores, Inc., +1-920-429-4132 or
Investor Relations, +1-920-429-7039

Web site: http://www.shopko.com/

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