PEAPOD INC
8-K/A, EX-2.1, 2000-11-21
BUSINESS SERVICES, NEC
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                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT
                          DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 7, 2000
                                      AMONG
                              STREAMLINE.COM, INC.,
                            BEACON HOME DIRECT, INC.,
                          STREAMLINE MID-ATLANTIC, INC.
                                       AND
                                  PEAPOD, INC.

<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                            PAGE
                                                                            ----
ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS................................................1

        1.1.   Definitions.....................................................1

        1.2.   Interpretation..................................................7

ARTICLE II

PURCHASE AND SALE..............................................................7

        2.1.   Purchased Assets................................................7

        2.2.   Excluded Assets.................................................8

        2.3.   Assumed Liabilities.............................................9

        2.4.   Excluded Liabilities............................................9

ARTICLE III

PURCHASE PRICE................................................................11

        3.1.   Purchase Price.................................................11

        3.2.   Indemnity Escrow...............................................11

        3.3.   Creditor Escrow................................................11

        3.4.   Allocation of Purchase Price...................................13

ARTICLE IV

CLOSING.......................................................................13

        4.1.   Closing Date...................................................13

        4.2.   Payment on the Closing Date....................................13

        4.3.   Buyer's Additional Deliveries..................................13

        4.4.   Sellers' Deliveries............................................14

ARTICLE V

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER......................................15

        5.1.   Organization of Sellers........................................15

        5.2.   Subsidiaries and Investments...................................15

        5.3.   Authority of Sellers...........................................16

        5.4.   Financial Statements...........................................16

                                       i
<PAGE>

        5.5.   Operations Since Balance Sheet Date............................17

        5.6.   No Undisclosed Liabilities.....................................18

        5.7.   Taxes..........................................................18

        5.8.   Availability of Assets.........................................19

        5.9.   Governmental Permits...........................................19

        5.10.  Real Property..................................................19

        5.11.  Real Property Leases...........................................20

        5.12.  Condemnation...................................................20

        5.13.  Personal Property..............................................20

        5.14.  Personal Property Leases.......................................20

        5.15.  Intellectual Property; Software................................20

        5.16.  Accounts Receivable; Inventories...............................22

        5.17.  Title to Property..............................................22

        5.18.  Employees and Related Agreements; ERISA........................22

        5.19.  Employee Relations.............................................24

        5.20.  Contracts......................................................24

        5.21.  Status of Contracts............................................25

        5.22.  No Violation or Litigation.....................................25

        5.23.  Environmental Matters..........................................26

        5.24.  Insurance......................................................27

        5.25.  Suppliers......................................................27

        5.26.  Budgets........................................................27

        5.27.  No Finder......................................................28

        5.28.  Disclosure.....................................................28

        5.29.  Financial Projections..........................................28

        5.30.  Termination of Liens...........................................28

        5.31.  Creditor List..................................................28

        5.32.  Fairness Opinion...............................................28

ARTICLE VI

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER.......................................28

        6.1.   Organization of Buyer..........................................28

                                       ii
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                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                  (continued)

                                                                            PAGE
                                                                            ----

        6.2.   Authority of Buyer.............................................28

        6.3.   No Finder......................................................29

ARTICLE VII

ACTION PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE..............................................29

        7.1.   Investigation of the Division by Buyer.........................29

        7.2.   Preserve Accuracy of Representations and Warranties............30

        7.3.   Consents of Third Parties; Governmental Approvals..............30

        7.4.   Operations Prior to the Closing Date...........................30

        7.5.   Notification by Sellers of Certain Matters.....................32

ARTICLE VIII

ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS.........................................................32

        8.1.   Covenant Not to Compete or Solicit Business....................32

        8.2.   Sellers' Grant of Limited Right to Use Name....................33

        8.3.   Taxes..........................................................34

        8.4.   Discharge of Divisions' Liabilities............................35

        8.5.   Employees and Employee Benefit Plans...........................35

        8.6.   Change in Corporate Name.......................................37

        8.7.   Covenant Not To Sue; General Release...........................37

        8.8.   Use of Proceeds................................................38

        8.9.   Transition Services............................................38

        8.10.  Use of Customer Data...........................................39

        8.11.  Release of Sellers' Obligations................................40

        8.12.  Substitution of Certificate of Deposit.........................40

ARTICLE IX

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF BUYER..................................40

        9.1.   No Misrepresentation or Breach of Covenants and Warranties.....40

        9.2.   No Changes or Destruction of Property..........................40

        9.3.   No Restraint or Litigation.....................................40

        9.4.   Necessary Governmental Approvals...............................41

                                      iii
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                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                  (continued)

                                                                            PAGE
                                                                            ----

        9.5.   Necessary Consents.............................................41

        9.6.   Title Insurance................................................41

        9.7.   Major Stockholders Releases....................................41

        9.8.   List of Creditors..............................................41

        9.9.   Fairness Opinion...............................................41

ARTICLE X

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF SELLERS................................41

        10.1.  No Misrepresentation or Breach of Covenants and Warranties.....41

        10.2.  No Restraint or Litigation.....................................42

        10.3.  Necessary Governmental Approvals...............................42

ARTICLE XI

INDEMNIFICATION...............................................................42

        11.1.  Indemnification by Sellers.....................................42

        11.2.  Indemnification by Buyer.......................................43

        11.3.  Notice of Claims...............................................44

        11.4.  Third Person Claims............................................44

        11.5.  Limitations of Indemnification.................................45

        11.6.  Adjustment to Purchase Price...................................45

ARTICLE XII

TERMINATION...................................................................45

        12.1.  Termination....................................................45

        12.2.  Notice of Termination..........................................45

        12.3.  Effect of Termination..........................................45

ARTICLE XIII

GENERAL PROVISIONS............................................................45

        13.1.  Survival of Obligations........................................45

        13.2.  Confidential Nature of Information.............................45

        13.3.  No Public Announcement.........................................46

                                       iv
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                               TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                  (continued)

                                                                            PAGE
                                                                            ----

        13.4.  Notices........................................................46

        13.5.  Successors and Assigns.........................................47

        13.6.  Access to Records after Closing................................47

        13.7.  Entire Agreement; Amendments...................................48

        13.8.  Partial Invalidity.............................................48

        13.9.  Waivers........................................................48

        13.10. Expenses.......................................................48

        13.11. Execution in Counterparts......................................48

        13.12. Enforcement of Agreement.......................................48

        13.13. Further Assurances.............................................48

        13.14. Governing Law..................................................49

        13.15. Time is of the Essence.........................................49

        13.16. Submission to Jurisdiction.....................................49

                                       v
<PAGE>

                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

          ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of September 7, 2000, among Peapod,
Inc.,  a  Delaware  corporation  ("Buyer"),  Streamline.com,  Inc.,  a  Delaware
corporation  ("Parent"),  Beacon Home Direct, Inc. (d/b/a Scotty's Home Market),
an Illinois  corporation and wholly-owned  subsidiary of Parent ("Beacon"),  and
Streamline   Mid-Atlantic,   Inc.,  a  Delaware   corporation  and  wholly-owned
subsidiary  of  Parent   ("Mid-Atlantic"   and,   together   with  Beacon,   the
"Subsidiaries" and the Subsidiaries together with Parent, the "Sellers," each, a
"Seller").

          WHEREAS,  Parent is, among other things,  engaged  through Beacon (the
"Chicago  Division") in the business of Internet-based  ordering and delivery of
groceries and other  consumer  goods in the Chicago,  Illinois-area  market (the
"Chicago  Business")  and through  Mid-Atlantic  (the  "Maryland  Division" and,
together with the Chicago  Division,  the  "Divisions")  in such business in the
Washington,  D.C.-area  market (the "Maryland  Business" and,  together with the
Chicago Business, the "Business"); and

          WHEREAS,  Sellers  desire  to sell to  Buyer,  and  Buyer  desires  to
purchase from Sellers the Purchased Assets, as hereinafter  defined,  all on the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein;

          NOW,  THEREFORE,   in  considerations  of  the  mutual  covenants  and
agreements hereinafter set forth, it is hereby agreed among Sellers and Buyer as
follows:

                                   ARTICLE I

                         DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATIONS
                         -------------------------------

          1.1.  DEFINITIONS.  In this  Agreement,  the following  terms have the
meanings  specified  or  referred  to in this  SECTION  1.1 and shall be equally
applicable to both the singular and plural forms.

          "ADDITIONAL  ACCOUNTING  FIRM" has the  meaning  specified  in SECTION
3.3(D).

          "AFFIDAVIT OF CREDITORS" has the meaning specified in SECTION 9.8.

          "AFFILIATE"  means, with respect to any Person, any other Person which
directly or indirectly  controls,  is  controlled by or is under common  control
with such Person.

          "AFTER-TAX  BASIS"  means,  with  respect to any amount which is to be
paid hereunder on an "After-Tax  Basis," an amount which,  after  subtraction of
the amount of all  federal,  state and foreign  Taxes  payable by the  recipient
thereof as a result of the receipt or accrual of such payment,  and after taking
into account (i) the  increase in federal,  state and foreign  Taxes  (including
estimated  Taxes) payable by such recipient for all affected  taxable years as a
result of the event or occurrence  giving rise to such payment (the "Indemnified
Event"),  and (ii) the reduction in federal,  state and foreign Taxes (including
estimated  Taxes)  payable by the  recipient  for all taxable years ending on or
before  the end of the  taxable  year in which such  payment  is made,  shall be
sufficient  as of the date of  payment  to  compensate  the  recipient  for such
Indemnified Event.

          "AGREED  ACCOUNTING  PRINCIPLES" means generally  accepted  accounting
principles consistently applied, PROVIDED that, with respect to any matter as to
which there is more than one generally  accepted  accounting  principle,  Agreed
Accounting Principles means the generally accepted

<PAGE>

accounting  principles applied in the preparation of the balance sheet of Parent
as of July 1, 2000 included in SCHEDULE 5.4.

          "AGREED ADJUSTMENTS" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.3(D).

          "ALLOCATION SCHEDULE" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.4.

          "ASSUMED LIABILITIES" has the meaning specified in SECTION 2.3.

          "AUDITORS" means PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, auditors to Mid-Atlantic.

          "BALANCE SHEET" has the meaning specified in SECTION 5.4.

          "BALANCE SHEET DATE" means July 29, 2000.

          "BUSINESS"  has the  meaning  specified  in the first  recital to this
Agreement.

          "BUSINESS  PROPERTY"  means  any  real or  personal  property,  plant,
building, facility,  structure,  underground storage tank, equipment or unit, or
other asset  owned,  leased or operated by any Seller and used  primarily in the
Business.

          "BUYER"  has the  meaning  specified  in the first  paragraph  of this
Agreement.

          "BUYER  ANCILLARY  AGREEMENTS"  means all agreements,  instruments and
documents being or to be executed and delivered by Buyer under this Agreement or
in connection herewith.

          "BUYER  GROUP  MEMBER"  means  Buyer  and  its  Affiliates  and  their
respective successors and assigns.

          "CERCLA" means the Comprehensive Environmental Response,  Compensation
and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C.ss.ss.9601 et seq.

          "CHICAGO  BUSINESS" has the meaning  specified in the first recital to
this Agreement.

          "CHICAGO  DIVISION" has the meaning  specified in the first recital to
this Agreement.

          "CLAIM NOTICE" has the meaning specified in SECTION 11.3(A).

          "CLOSING"  means the closing of the transfer of the  Purchased  Assets
from Sellers to Buyer.

          "CLOSING DATE" has the meaning specified in SECTION 4.1.

          "CLOSING  DATE  BALANCE  SHEET" has the meaning  specified  in SECTION
3.3(E).

          "CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

          "CONTAMINANT" means any waste, pollutant, hazardous or toxic substance
or waste, petroleum,  petroleum-based  substance or waste, special waste, or any
constituent of any such substance or waste.

          "CONTINUING EMPLOYEES" has the meaning specified in SECTION 8.5(B).

                                      -2-
<PAGE>

          "COPYRIGHTS"  means  United  States and  foreign  copyrights  and mask
works,  whether  registered or unregistered,  along with the  registrations  and
pending applications to register the same.

          "COURT  ORDER"  means  any  judgment,  order,  award or  decree of any
foreign,  federal,  state, local or other court or tribunal and any award in any
arbitration proceeding.

          "CREDITOR ESCROW ACCOUNT" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.3.

          "CREDITOR ESCROW AGREEMENT" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.3.

          "CREDITOR ESCROW AMOUNT" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.3.

          "CUSTOMER DATA" has the meaning specified in SECTION 2.1(P).

          "DIVISIONS"  has the meaning  specified  in the first  recital to this
Agreement.

          "EMPLOYMENT DATE" has the meaning specified in SECTION 8.5(A).

          "ENCUMBRANCE"  means any lien  (statutory  or other),  claim,  charge,
security interest, mortgage, deed of trust, pledge,  hypothecation,  assignment,
conditional  sale or other title retention  agreement,  preference,  priority or
other security agreement or preferential  arrangement of any kind or nature, and
any easement, encroachment, covenant, restriction, right of way, defect in title
or other encumbrance of any kind.

          "ENVIRONMENTAL  ENCUMBRANCE"  means  an  Encumbrance  in  favor of any
Governmental  Body for (i) any liability  under any  Environmental  Law, or (ii)
damages  arising from, or costs incurred by such  Governmental  Body in response
to, a Release or threatened Release of a Contaminant into the environment.

          "ENVIRONMENTAL  LAW" means all  Requirements  of Laws  derived from or
relating  to all  federal,  state and local laws or  regulations  relating to or
addressing the environment,  health or safety,  including CERCLA,  OSHA and RCRA
and any state equivalent thereof.

          "ERISA" means the Employee  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended.

          "EXCLUDED ASSETS" has the meaning specified in SECTION 2.2.

          "EXPENSES"  means any and all  expenses  incurred in  connection  with
investigating,  defending or asserting  any claim,  action,  suit or  proceeding
incident to any matter  indemnified  against  hereunder  (including court filing
fees, court costs,  arbitration fees or costs, witness fees, and reasonable fees
and   disbursements   of  legal  counsel,   investigators,   expert   witnesses,
consultants, accountants and other professionals).

          "FINAL  CLOSING  DATE  BALANCE  SHEET" has the  meaning  specified  in
SECTION 3.3(D).

          "GOVERNMENTAL BODY" means any foreign,  federal, state, local or other
governmental authority or regulatory body.

          "GOVERNMENTAL PERMITS" has the meaning specified in SECTION 5.9.

          "INDEMNITY ESCROW ACCOUNT" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.2.

          "INDEMNITY ESCROW AGREEMENT" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.2.

          "INDEMNITY ESCROW AGENT" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.2.

          "INDEMNITY ESCROW AMOUNT" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.2.

                                      -3-
<PAGE>

          "INITIAL  CREDITOR ESCROW AMOUNT" has the meaning specified in SECTION
3.3(A).

          "INSTRUMENT OF  ASSIGNMENT"  means the Instrument of Assignment in the
form of Exhibit A.

          "INSTRUMENT OF  ASSUMPTION"  means the Instrument of Assumption in the
form of Exhibit B.

          "INTELLECTUAL  PROPERTY" means Copyrights,  Patent Rights,  Trademarks
and Trade Secrets.

          "IRS" means the Internal Revenue Service.

          "KPMG" means KPMG LLP, independent accountants of Buyer.

          "LIABILITIES" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.3(B).

          "LEASED EMPLOYEES" has the meaning specified in SECTION 8.5(A).

          "LEASED REAL PROPERTY" has the meaning specified in SECTION 5.11.

          "LETTER OF UNDERSTANDING"  means the letter agreement dated August 28,
2000 between Buyer, Parent and the Major Stockholders.

          "LOSSES" means any and all losses,  costs,  obligations,  liabilities,
settlement payments, awards, judgments, fines, penalties,  damages, deficiencies
or other charges.

          "MAJOR   STOCKHOLDERS"  means  Nordstrom,   Inc.,  Reliance  Insurance
Company, Timothy A. DeMello and each of the Sellers.

          "MAJOR STOCKHOLDERS RELEASES" means a release, dated the Closing Date,
in the form of Exhibits  C-1,  C-2,  C-3 and C-4,  executed by each of the Major
Stockholders that is a signatory thereto.

          "MARYLAND  BUSINESS" has the meaning specified in the first recital to
this Agreement.

          "MARYLAND  DIVISION" has the meaning specified in the first recital to
this Agreement.

          "OSHA"   means  the   Occupational   Safety   and   Health   Act,   29
U.S.C.ss.ss.651 et seq.

          "OWNED REAL PROPERTY" has the meaning specified in SECTION 5.10.

          "OWNED SOFTWARE" has the meaning specified in SECTION 5.15.

          "PATENT RIGHTS" means United States and foreign  patents,  provisional
patent applications, patent applications, continuations,  continuations-in-part,
re-examinations,  patents by  addition,  Supplemental  Protection  Certificates,
patent term extensions, divisions, renewals, reissues,

                                      -4-
<PAGE>

patent disclosures, industrial designs, inventions (whether or not patentable or
reduced to practice) and improvements thereto and extensions thereof.

          "PERMITTED ENCUMBRANCES" means (i) liens for Taxes, other governmental
charges  and  assessments  which  are not yet due and  payable;  (ii)  liens  of
landlords and liens of carriers,  warehousemen,  mechanics and  materialmen  and
other similar  liens  imposed by law arising in the ordinary  course of business
for sums not yet due and payable; (iii) Encumbrances set forth in SCHEDULE 5.17;
and (iv) other liens or  imperfections on property which do not adversely affect
title to, detract from the value of, or impair the existing use of, the property
affected by such lien or imperfection.

          "PERSON"  means  any  individual,   corporation,   partnership,  joint
venture,  limited liability company,  association,  joint-stock company,  trust,
unincorporated organization or Governmental Body.

          "PRELIMINARY  CLOSING DATE BALANCE SHEET" has the meaning specified in
SECTION 3.3(B).

          "PURCHASE PRICE" has the meaning specified in SECTION 3.1.

          "PURCHASED ASSETS" has the meaning specified in SECTION 2.1.

          "RCRA"  means  the  Resource   Conservation   and  Recovery   Act,  42
U.S.C.ss.ss.6901 et seq.

          "RELEASE"  means  any  release,  spill,  emission,  leaking,  pumping,
injection, deposit, disposal,  discharge,  dispersal, leaching or migration of a
Contaminant  into  the  indoor  or  outdoor  environment  or  into or out of any
Business Property, including the movement of Contaminants through or in the air,
soil, surface water, groundwater or Business Property.

          "REMEDIAL  ACTION"  means  actions  required to (i) clean up,  remove,
treat  or in any  other  way  address  Contaminants  in the  indoor  or  outdoor
environment;  (ii)  prevent the Release or  threatened  Release or minimize  the
further Release of Contaminants or (iii) investigate and determine if a remedial
response   is  needed  and  to  design   such  a  response   and   post-remedial
investigation, monitoring, operation and maintenance and care.

          "REQUIREMENTS  OF LAWS" means any  foreign,  federal,  state and local
laws, statutes, regulations, rules, codes or ordinances enacted, adopted, issued
or  promulgated  by  any  Governmental   Body  (including  those  pertaining  to
electrical,  building, zoning,  environmental and occupational safety and health
requirements) or common law.

          "SELLER"  and  "SELLERS"  have the  meanings  specified  in the  first
paragraph of this Agreement.

          "SELLER AGREEMENTS" has the meaning specified in SECTION 5.21.

          "SELLER ANCILLARY  AGREEMENTS"  means all agreements,  instruments and
documents  being or to be  executed  and  delivered  by any  Seller  under  this
Agreement or in connection herewith.

          "SELLER GROUP MEMBER"  means Sellers and their  respective  Affiliates
and their respective successors and assigns.

          "SELLER PLANS" has the meaning specified in SECTION 8.5(C).

                                      -5-
<PAGE>

          "SOFTWARE"  means,  whether  in  source  code,  object  code or  human
readable form, all computer  software  programs,  software  systems,  tool sets,
compilers,  and  high-level  or  proprietary  languages  along with all  related
technical manuals,  user manuals,  and other documentation and materials and all
databases and data compilations.

          "STRADDLE  PERIOD"  means any taxable  year or period  beginning on or
before and ending after the Closing Date.

          "STREAMLINE TRADEMARKS" has the meaning specified in SECTION 8.2(A).

          "SUBSIDIARIES"  has the meaning  specified  in the first  paragraph of
this Agreement.

          "TAX"  (and,  with  correlative  meaning,  "TAXABLE")  means:  (i) any
federal,  state,  local or foreign net income,  gross  income,  gross  receipts,
windfall profit, severance,  property,  production, sales, use, license, excise,
franchise,  employment, payroll, withholding,  alternative or add-on minimum, ad
valorem,  value-added,  transfer, stamp, or environmental (including taxes under
Code Section 59A) tax, or any other tax, custom, duty, governmental fee or other
like assessment or charge of any kind whatsoever,  together with any interest or
penalty,  addition to tax or additional amount imposed by any Governmental Body;
and (ii) any  liability for the payment of amounts with respect to payments of a
type  described  in clause  (i) as a result of being a member of an  affiliated,
consolidated,  combined or unitary group, or as a result of any obligation under
any Tax Sharing Arrangement or Tax indemnity agreement.

          "TAX RETURN" means any return, report or similar statement required to
be filed with respect to any Taxes (including any attached schedules), including
any  information  return,  claim for refund,  amended  return or  declaration of
estimated Tax.

          "TAX SHARING  ARRANGEMENT" means any written or unwritten agreement or
arrangement  for the allocation or payment of Tax liabilities or payment for Tax
benefits  with respect to a  consolidated,  combined or unitary Tax Return which
Tax Return includes any Seller.

          "TITLE  POLICY",  means,  with respect to any Owned Real Property,  an
ALTA owner's title insurance policy,  1990 form, and, with respect to any Leased
Real Property,  an ALTA's leasehold owner's title insurance policy, in each case
with (i) an endorsement deleting the "creditor's rights" exception or exclusion,
with extended coverage over general exceptions 1 (rights or claims of parties in
possession),  2 (survey matters),  3 (easements or claims of easements not shown
by the public records), 4 (mechanic's liens) and 5 (taxes or special assessments
not shown as  existing  liens);  (ii) a Form 3.1 zoning  endorsement  (including
parking);  (iii)  a  contiguity  endorsement,  if  applicable;  (iv)  an  access
endorsement;  (v)  a  comprehensive  endorsement;   (vi)  endorsements  insuring
compliance  with  any  covenants,   conditions  and  restrictions   constituting
Permitted Encumbrances;  (vii) a survey endorsement;  (viii) a tax parcel or tax
number  endorsement;  and (ix) such other endorsements as Buyer shall reasonably
request,  all such  endorsements  to be in form and  substance  satisfactory  to
Buyer,  written by a nationally  recognized  title insurance  company in amount,
form  and  substance   satisfactory  to  Buyer  and  providing  that,  upon  the
satisfaction  of the  conditions  specified  therein,  in the case of Owned Real
Property,  Buyer will have good and marketable title to the Owned Real Property,
free and clear of all Encumbrances, except for Permitted Encumbrances.

          "TRADEMARKS"  means  United  States,  state  and  foreign  trademarks,
service marks, trade names, Internet domain names, designs,  logotypes,  slogans
and general  intangibles  of like nature,  whether  registered or  unregistered,
including  all  common  law  rights  in and all  goodwill  associated  with  the
foregoing,  and all  registrations  and pending  applications  to  register  the
foregoing.

                                      -6-
<PAGE>

          "TRADE SECRETS" means  confidential  ideas,  trade secrets,  know-how,
concepts, methods, processes, formulae, technology, algorithms, models, reports,
data, customer lists,  supplier lists, mailing lists,  business plans, and other
proprietary information.

          "TRANSITION SERVICES" has the meaning specified in SECTION 8.9.

          1.2.  INTERPRETATION.  For purposes of this  Agreement,  (i) the words
"include,"  "includes"  and  "including"  shall be deemed to be  followed by the
words  "without  limitation,"  (ii) the word "or" is not exclusive and (iii) the
words  "herein",  "hereof",  "hereby",  "hereto" and  "hereunder"  refer to this
Agreement as a whole. Unless the context otherwise requires,  references herein:
(i) to Articles, Sections, Exhibits and Schedules mean the Articles and Sections
of, and the  Exhibits and  Schedules  attached  to, this  Agreement;  (ii) to an
agreement,  instrument or other  document  means such  agreement,  instrument or
other  document as amended,  supplemented  and modified from time to time to the
extent permitted by the provisions thereof and by this Agreement; and (iii) to a
statute  means  such  statute  as  amended  from time to time and  includes  any
successor legislation thereto and any regulations  promulgated  thereunder.  The
Schedules  and Exhibits  referred to herein  shall be  construed  with and as an
integral  part of this  Agreement  to the same  extent as if they were set forth
verbatim  herein.  Titles to Articles  and headings of Sections are inserted for
convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of or to affect the
meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

                                   ARTICLE II

                                PURCHASE AND SALE
                                -----------------

          2.1. PURCHASED ASSETS. Upon the terms and subject to the conditions of
this  Agreement  (including  the  exclusions  set forth in SECTION  2.2), on the
Closing Date, Sellers shall sell, transfer, assign, convey and deliver to Buyer,
and Buyer shall purchase from Sellers,  on a going concern basis, free and clear
of all Encumbrances  (except for Permitted  Encumbrances),  the Business and the
goodwill associated therewith and all of the assets and properties of any Seller
of every  kind and  description,  wherever  located,  real,  personal  or mixed,
tangible or intangible,  used  primarily in connection  with the Business as the
same shall exist on the Closing Date (herein  collectively called the "Purchased
Assets"),  including  all right,  title and  interest  of each Seller in, to and
under:

          (a) all of the assets  reflected  on the Balance  Sheet,  except those
assets  disposed  of or  converted  into cash after the  Balance  Sheet Date and
through the Closing Date in the ordinary course of business;

          (b) all  notes  and  accounts  receivable  generated  by the  Business
including Certified rebate receivables and coupon clearing receivables;

          (c) all inventory of the Divisions;

          (d) the Governmental Permits listed in SCHEDULE 5.9;

          (e)  all  prepaid  expenses,  including  coolers/totes,  miscellaneous
prepaids,  prepaid  catalog/rent,  technical  support reserve and  miscellaneous
Maryland Division items;

          (f) the  real  estate  leases  (and  leasehold  improvements  relating
thereto) listed in SCHEDULE 5.11 and all deposits related thereto;

                                      -7-
<PAGE>

          (g) the machinery,  equipment,  vehicles, furniture and other personal
property listed or referred to in SCHEDULE 5.13;

          (h) the  personal  property  leases  listed in  SCHEDULE  5.14 and all
deposits related thereto;

          (i) the  Copyrights,  Patent Rights and  Trademarks  (and all goodwill
associated therewith),  and the agreements,  contracts,  licenses,  sublicenses,
assignments and indemnities  listed in SCHEDULE 5.15,  except for items a, b, d,
e, i and j listed under (a) in SCHEDULE 5.15;

          (j) the contracts, agreements or understandings listed or described in
SCHEDULE 5.20;

          (k)  all  Trade  Secrets  and  other   proprietary   or   confidential
information used primarily in or relating primarily to the Business;

          (l) the Software listed in SCHEDULE 5.15 except to the extent Software
listed  under (b) (I) (1),  (2) or (3) of  SCHEDULE  5.15  resides on  computers
located at Parent;

          (m) all of any  Seller's  rights,  claims or causes of action  against
third  parties  relating to the Business (to the extent such claims or causes of
action relate to the Business),  or the assets or properties of the Business (to
the  extent  such  rights,  claims or causes  of action  relate to such  assets)
arising out of transactions occurring prior to the Closing Date;

          (n) all books and records  (including  all data and other  information
stored on discs,  tapes or other media) of any Seller relating  primarily to the
Business  or  the  assets  or  properties  of  the  Business,  including  sales,
advertising and marketing materials;

          (o) all  telephone,  telex and telephone  facsimile  numbers and other
directory  listings  utilized by any Seller  primarily  in  connection  with the
Business;

          (p) all customer lists, customer data and databases,  customer mailing
and subscription lists and customer records relating to the Business in whatever
form or medium such information is contained (the "Customer Data");

          (q) the names "Scotty's", "Scotty's Market" and "Scotty's Home Market"
and  the  domain  name   "www.scottysmarket.com,"   "www.scottyshomemarket.com,"
"www.scottysmkt.com" and "www.beaconhomedirect.com" and the associated web sites
(and all content of such web sites) or similar trade names, trademarks,  service
marks or logos to the extent the same incorporate the name "Scotty's," "Scotty's
Market," "Scotty's Home Market" or "Scottysmkt"; and

          (r) all sales tax rebates relating to the Business.

          2.2. EXCLUDED ASSETS.  Notwithstanding  the provisions of SECTION 2.1,
the Purchased Assets shall not include the following  (herein referred to as the
"Excluded Assets"):

          (a) any cash,  bank deposits and cash  equivalents and any receivables
represented by deposits-in-transit;

          (b)  except  to  the  extent   provided  in  SECTION  8.2,  the  names
"Streamline",   "Streamline.com"   or  any  related  or  similar   trade  names,
trademarks, service marks or logos to the extent

                                      -8-
<PAGE>

the same incorporate the name "Streamline" or  "Streamline.com" or any variation
thereof or any other such item listed on SCHEDULE 5.15(A) at items a, b, d, e, i
or j;

          (c) any  Seller's  rights,  claims or causes of action  against  third
parties  relating to the  Business or the assets or  properties  of the Business
which might arise in connection with the discharge by any Seller of the Excluded
Liabilities;

          (d) any Seller's  rights under the leases,  agreements,  contracts and
commitments listed in SCHEDULE 2.2(A);

          (e) the machinery,  equipment,  vehicles,  furniture or other personal
property or inventory listed in SCHEDULE 2.2(B);

          (f) any Seller's  employee benefit  agreements,  plans or arrangements
listed  in  SCHEDULE  5.18(A)  or  otherwise  maintained  by Seller on behalf of
persons employed by any Seller in the Business;

          (g) all shares of capital stock of the Subsidiaries; and

          (h) prepaid insurance expense.

          2.3. ASSUMED LIABILITIES.  On the Closing Date, Buyer shall deliver to
Sellers the  Instrument of  Assumption  pursuant to which Buyer shall assume and
agree to discharge  the  following  obligations  and  liabilities  of Sellers in
accordance with their respective terms and subject to the respective  conditions
thereof:

          (a) all  liabilities  in  respect  of Taxes for which  Buyer is liable
pursuant to SECTION 8.3;

          (b)  all  obligations  and  liabilities  of  each  Seller  under  each
contract, agreement and understanding included among the Purchased Assets (other
than  obligations  and liabilities  relating to or arising from actions,  or the
lack thereof, prior to the Closing);

          (c) all capital  and  operating  lease  obligations  reflected  on the
Balance  Sheet and  consisting  of the  following:  with  respect to the Chicago
Business,  the building,  warehouse  equipment  leases listed in SCHEDULE  5.14,
delivery  vehicles,  forklifts,  phone  system,  ISDN/DSI,  Internet  and copier
leases, and, with respect to the Maryland Division,  refrigerator leases, office
furniture,  equipment  leases  listed  in  SCHEDULE  5.14 and the real  property
leases, other than capitalized lease obligations reflected on SCHEDULE 2.2(A);

          (d) the payment obligations set forth on SCHEDULE 2.3(D); and

          (e) accruals for vacation and sick pay for Continuing Employees.

          All of the  foregoing  liabilities  and  obligations  to be assumed by
Buyer hereunder  (excluding any Excluded  Liabilities) are referred to herein as
the "Assumed Liabilities."

          2.4. EXCLUDED  LIABILITIES.  Buyer shall not assume or be obligated to
pay,  perform or otherwise  discharge any liability or obligation of any Seller,
direct or indirect,  known or unknown,  absolute or  contingent,  not  expressly
assumed by Buyer pursuant to the Instrument of Assumption (all such  liabilities
and   obligations   not  being   assumed   being  herein  called  the  "Excluded
Liabilities") and,

                                      -9-
<PAGE>

notwithstanding  anything to the contrary in SECTION 2.3,  none of the following
shall be Assumed Liabilities for purposes of this Agreement:

          (a) any liabilities in respect of Taxes for which any Seller is liable
pursuant to SECTION 8.3;

          (b) any payables and other liabilities or obligations of the Divisions
to any Seller or any of their respective Affiliates;

          (c) any costs and  expenses  incurred  by any Seller  incident  to its
negotiation and preparation of this Agreement and its performance and compliance
with the agreements and conditions contained herein;

          (d) any liabilities or obligations in respect of any Excluded Assets;

          (e)  any  liabilities  in  respect  of the  lawsuits,  claims,  suits,
proceedings or investigations set forth in SCHEDULE 5.22;

          (f)  accrued  liabilities  of any  kind,  including  accrued  payroll,
accrued expenses and accrued sales tax liabilities;

          (g) any liabilities  and  obligations  related to, or arising from (i)
the occupancy,  operation,  use or control of any of the Business Property prior
to the Closing Date or (ii) the  operation of the Business  prior to the Closing
Date,  in each case  incurred  or imposed by any  Environmental  Law,  including
liabilities  and  obligations  related to, or arising  from,  any Release of any
Contaminant on, at or from (A) the Business Property,  including all facilities,
improvements,  structures  and  equipment  thereon,  surface  water  thereon  or
adjacent  thereto  and  soil  or  groundwater  thereunder,   or  any  conditions
whatsoever  on,  under or in the  vicinity of such real  property,  in each case
prior to the Closing Date or (B) any real property or facility  owned by a third
Person to which  Contaminants  generated by the Business  were sent prior to the
Closing Date;

          (h) any product  liability or claims for injury to person or property,
regardless of when made or asserted, relating to products distributed or sold by
either Division or services performed by any Seller prior to the Closing Date;

          (i) obligations and liabilities relating to the Siemen's relationship;

          (j) the systems contracts, agreements or commitments (other than those
related exclusively or primarily to the Chicago Division);

          (k) fees or commissions of any broker,  finder,  financial  advisor or
intermediary, including Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette Securities Corporation;

          (l)  other  than as set  forth in  SECTION  2.3(D)  and (E),  employee
severance,  stay bonuses and other employee  obligations  and liabilities to any
current or former employees of the Business;

          (m) current payables of any kind;

          (n) obligations and liabilities  relating to the Ogilvy  relationship;
and

                                      -10-
<PAGE>

          (o)  obligations  and  liabilities  relating  to  trucks  used  in the
Maryland Division, including any equipment located therein or affixed thereto.

                                  ARTICLE III

                                 PURCHASE PRICE
                                 --------------

          3.1.  PURCHASE PRICE. The purchase price for the Purchased Assets (the
"Purchase  Price")  shall be Eleven  Million Six  Hundred  Twelve  Thousand  Two
Hundred Seventy Two Dollars ($11,612,272).

          3.2. INDEMNITY ESCROW. On or prior to the Closing Date, Buyer, Sellers
and  Bank  One  Trust  Company,   National   Association,   a  national  banking
association, as escrow agent (the "Indemnity Escrow Agent"), shall enter into an
escrow agreement  substantially in the form of Exhibit D (the "Indemnity  Escrow
Agreement") providing for the establishment of an escrow account (the "Indemnity
Escrow  Account") with the Indemnity  Escrow Agent. At the Closing,  Buyer shall
deposit in the Indemnity Escrow Account so established  $200,000,  to secure the
obligations of Sellers to Buyer pursuant to SECTION 11.1 (the "Indemnity  Escrow
Amount"), which shall be held, invested and subsequently disbursed in accordance
with the terms, conditions and provisions of the Indemnity Escrow Agreement. The
Indemnity  Escrow Agent's fees shall be paid 50% by Buyer,  on the one hand, and
50% by the Sellers, on the other.

          3.3. CREDITOR ESCROW.

          (a) On or prior to the Closing Date,  Buyer shall establish a separate
bank account (the "Creditor Escrow Account") to secure the obligations of Parent
and Mid-Atlantic to their creditors listed in the affidavit  provided by Sellers
pursuant to SECTION 9.8 and to secure the  obligations  of Sellers to obtain the
consents to assignment of the Hoskins  Chevrolet Lease set forth on SCHEDULE 5.3
(the "Hoskins Consent") and the Harleyville Lease set forth on SCHEDULE 5.3 (the
"Harleyville  Consent").  At the Closing,  Buyer shall deposit into the Creditor
Escrow  Account so  established,  One  Million  Four  Hundred  Thousand  Dollars
($1,400,000)  (the "Initial  Creditor  Escrow Amount," as adjusted in accordance
with this SECTION  3.3,  the  "Creditor  Escrow  Amount"),  which shall be held,
invested and subsequently disbursed in accordance with the terms, conditions and
provisions of this SECTION 3.3.

          (b) Promptly  following  the Closing  Date,  but in any event no later
than 15 days after the Closing  Date,  Parent or  Mid-Atlantic  shall  prepare a
balance  sheet of the  Maryland  Business  dated  as of the  Closing  Date  (the
"Preliminary  Closing Date Balance Sheet"). The Preliminary Closing Date Balance
Sheet shall be prepared in accordance  with GAAP applying the Agreed  Accounting
Principles  and shall  fairly  reflect the  accounts  payable and other  accrued
liabilities (the "Liabilities") as of the Closing Date.

          (c) Promptly following receipt of the Preliminary Closing Date Balance
Sheet,  Buyer may  review  the same and,  within 15 days  after the date of such
receipt, may deliver to Parent a certificate setting forth its objections to the
Liabilities  reflected in the Preliminary  Closing Date Balance Sheet,  together
with a summary of the reasons therefor and calculations  which, in its view, are
necessary to eliminate  such  objections.  In the event Buyer does not so object
within such 15-day period,  the Preliminary  Closing Date Balance Sheet shall be
final and  binding as the  "Closing  Date  Balance  Sheet" for  purposes of this
Agreement  and shall  provide  the basis for  determining  the  Creditor  Escrow
Amount.

                                      -11-
<PAGE>

          (d) In the event Buyer so objects  within such 15-day  period,  Parent
and Buyer  shall use their  reasonable  efforts to resolve by written  agreement
(the "Agreed  Adjustments")  any differences as to the Preliminary  Closing Date
Balance  Sheet  and,  in  the  event  Parent  and  Buyer  so  resolve  any  such
differences,  the  Preliminary  Closing  Date  Balance  Sheet as adjusted by the
Agreed  Adjustments shall be final and binding as the Closing Date Balance Sheet
for purposes of this Agreement and shall provide the basis for  determining  the
Creditor  Escrow Amount.  In the event any  objections  raised by Seller are not
resolved by Agreed  Adjustments  within the 15-day  period next  following  such
15-day period,  then Parent and Buyer shall jointly select a national accounting
firm  acceptable  to both the Parent and Buyer (or if they cannot  agree on such
selection,  a national (big-five)  accounting firm will be selected by lot after
eliminating  Auditors  and  KPMG)  and the  firm so  selected  (the  "Additional
Accounting  Firm")  shall be  directed by Parent and Buyer to review and resolve
the disputed items with respect to the Preliminary Closing Date Balance Sheet as
promptly as reasonably  practicable and, upon completion of such resolution,  to
deliver  written notice to each of the Parent and Buyer setting forth a detailed
explanation  of such  resolution.  The Closing Date  Balance  Sheet after giving
effect to the resolutions of the Additional Accounting Firm is herein called the
"Final Closing Date Balance  Sheet".  The Final Closing Date Balance Sheet shall
be final and  binding as the Closing  Date  Balance  Sheet for  purposes of this
Agreement  and shall  provide  the basis for  determining  the  Creditor  Escrow
Amount.

          (e) The parties hereto shall make available to Parent and Buyer,  and,
if applicable,  the Additional  Accounting  Firm, such books,  records and other
information  as they may reasonably  request to audit or review the  Preliminary
Closing Date Balance Sheet.

          (f) Each party shall bear its own fees and expenses in connection with
the  preparation  and review of the statements and  calculations  referred to in
this SECTION 3.3. All fees and  disbursements of any Additional  Accounting Firm
designated  in accordance  with SECTION  3.3(D) hereof shall be paid one-half by
Parent and one-half by Buyer.

          (g) Upon final determination of the Closing Date Balance Sheet and the
Liabilities  pursuant to this SECTION 3.3, the Creditor  Escrow  Amount shall be
either  (i) if the amount of the  Liabilities  is less than the  Initial  Credit
Escrow Amount,  decreased by an amount equal to the amount then remaining in the
Creditor  Escrow Account (taking into account  disbursements  made under SECTION
3.3(H))  minus the  Liabilities  (in which case such  excess  shall be  promptly
disbursed  from the Creditor  Escrow Account to Parent) or (ii) if the amount of
the  Liabilities is greater than the Initial Credit Escrow Amount,  increased by
an amount  equal to the  Liabilities  minus the  amount  then  remaining  in the
Creditor  Escrow Account (taking into account  disbursements  made under SECTION
3.3(H)) (in which case Parent or Mid-Atlantic  shall promptly  deposit an amount
equal to such excess in the Credit Escrow Account.)

          (h) Buyer agrees that, upon receipt of evidence  satisfactory to Buyer
that a creditor  named in the  Affidavit of Creditors  has been timely paid with
respect to an amount  reflected  in such  Affidavit  of  Creditors,  Buyer shall
promptly release to Parent or Mid-Atlantic,  if so directed by Parent,  from the
Creditor Escrow Account a sum equal to such amount.

          (i) Buyer agrees that, upon receipt by Buyer of the Hoskins Consent in
form and substance satisfactory to Buyer, Buyer shall promptly release to Parent
from the  Creditor  Escrow  Account  $166,667  and upon  receipt by Buyer of the
Harleyville  Consent in form and substance  satisfactory  to Buyer,  Buyer shall
promptly release to Parent from the Creditor Escrow Account $333,333.

          (j) At the written  direction of Sellers,  the Creditor  Escrow Amount
shall  be  invested  in any  money  market  mutual  fund  registered  under  the
Investment   Company  Act  of  1940,  as  amended  or  a  bank  savings  account
(collectively, "Permitted Investments"). From time to time, at the request of

                                      -12-
<PAGE>

Parent, Buyer shall pay to Parent (or Mid-Atlantic if so directed by Parent) any
interest  accrued on, and any profit  resulting from,  Permitted  Investments in
accordance with this SECTION 3.3(J).

          (k) Sellers shall include in income and otherwise report,  for all Tax
purposes,  and otherwise be liable for all Taxes with respect to the interest on
the Permitted Investments and any other income earned or accrued with respect to
the  Creditor  Escrow  Amount.  Sellers  shall be  responsible  for,  and  shall
reimburse  Buyer for,  any bank fees and  associated  fees  incurred by Buyer in
connection with the Creditor Escrow Account.

          3.4.  ALLOCATION OF PURCHASE PRICE.  Buyer and Sellers agree to confer
as to the allocation of the Purchase Price for tax and accounting  purposes (any
allocation   mutually  agreed  upon  by  Buyer  and  Sellers,   the  "ALLOCATION
SCHEDULE").  The Allocation  Schedule,  if any, shall be reasonable and shall be
prepared  in  accordance  with  Section  1060  of  the  Code  and  the  Treasury
Regulations  thereunder.  Each of Buyer  and  Sellers  agrees  to file  Internal
Revenue  Service  Form 8594,  and all  federal,  state,  local and  foreign  Tax
Returns, in accordance with the Allocation Schedule,  if any, and to provide the
other promptly with any other information required to complete Form 8594. In the
event that Buyer and Sellers do not reach an agreement as to the  allocation  of
the Purchase Price,  then Buyer and Sellers shall not be bound by any partial or
preceding  agreement with respect thereto and each may use such allocation as it
individually  determines.  Nothing in this  SECTION  3.4 shall be  construed  as
requiring   Buyer  or  any  Seller  to  hire   appraisers  or  otherwise   incur
out-of-pocket  expenses  in  order  to  reach  agreement  as to  the  allocation
described in this Section.

                                   ARTICLE IV

                                     CLOSING
                                     -------

          4.1.  CLOSING DATE.  The Closing shall be  consummated  at 10:00 A.M.,
local  time,  on  September  7, 2000 or such later date as may be agreed upon by
Buyer and Sellers after the  conditions set forth in ARTICLES IX and X have been
satisfied or waived, at the offices of Sidley & Austin, 10 S. Dearborn, Bank One
Plaza, Chicago,  Illinois, or at such other place or at such other time as shall
be agreed upon by Buyer and Sellers.  The Closing shall be deemed to have become
effective as of 11:59 P.M.,  Eastern  time,  on the date on which the Closing is
actually  held,  and such time and date are sometimes  referred to herein as the
"Closing Date."

          4.2. PAYMENT ON THE CLOSING DATE.  Subject to fulfillment or waiver of
the  conditions  set forth in ARTICLE IX, at Closing Buyer shall (i) pay Sellers
an aggregate  amount equal to the Purchase  Price,  MINUS the  Indemnity  Escrow
Amount,  MINUS the  Creditor  Escrow  Amount,  by wire  transfer of  immediately
available  funds to a bank account in the United  States  specified by Parent in
writing to Buyer at least two business  days prior to the Closing;  (ii) deposit
the Indemnity  Escrow Amount in the Indemnity  Escrow Account in accordance with
SECTION  3.2(A);  and (iii)  deposit the Creditor  Escrow Amount in the Creditor
Escrow Account in accordance with SECTION 3.3.

          4.3. BUYER'S ADDITIONAL  DELIVERIES.  Subject to fulfillment or waiver
of the  conditions  set forth in ARTICLE IX, at Closing  Buyer shall  deliver to
Parent all the following:

          (a) a copy of Buyer's  Certificate of Incorporation  certified as of a
recent date by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

          (b) a certificate of good standing of Buyer issued as of a recent date
by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

                                      -13-
<PAGE>

          (c) a certificate of the secretary or an assistant secretary of Buyer,
dated  the  Closing  Date,  in form and  substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to
Sellers,  as to (i) no amendments to the Certificate of  Incorporation  of Buyer
since a specified date; (ii) the by-laws of Buyer;  (iii) the resolutions of the
Board of Directors of Buyer authorizing the execution,  delivery and performance
of this  Agreement  and the  Buyer  Ancillary  Agreements  and the  transactions
contemplated  hereby and thereby;  and (iv)  incumbency  and  signatures  of the
officers of Buyer executing this Agreement and any Buyer Ancillary Agreement;

          (d) an opinion of counsel to Buyer substantially in the form contained
in Exhibit E

          (e) the Instrument of Assumption duly executed by Buyer;

          (f) the  certificate  of Buyer  contemplated  by  SECTION  10.1,  duly
executed by the President or any Vice President of Buyer; and

          (g) the Indemnity Escrow Agreement duly executed by Buyer.

          4.4.  SELLERS'  DELIVERIES.  Subject to  fulfillment  or waiver of the
conditions set forth in ARTICLE X, at Closing Sellers shall deliver to Buyer all
the following:

          (a)  a  copy  of  the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of  Parent  and
Mid-Atlantic each certified as of a recent date by the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware;

          (b) a copy of the Certificate of  Incorporation of Beacon certified as
of a recent date by the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois;

          (c) a certificate of good standing of each of Parent and  Mid-Atlantic
issued as of a recent date by the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware;

          (d) a  certificate  of good  standing of Beacon  issued as of a recent
date by the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois;

          (e) a certificate  of the secretary or an assistant  secretary of each
Seller, dated the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to
Buyer,  as to (i) no  amendments to the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of such
Seller  since a  specified  date;  (ii) the  by-laws of such  Seller;  (iii) the
resolutions of the Board of Directors of each Seller and of the sole stockholder
of each Subsidiary  authorizing the execution,  delivery and performance of this
Agreement and the Seller Ancillary Agreements and the transactions  contemplated
hereby and thereby;  and (iv)  incumbency and signatures of the officers of such
Seller executing this Agreement and any Seller Ancillary Agreement;

          (f) an  opinion  of  counsel  to  Sellers  substantially  in the  form
contained in Exhibit F;

          (g) the Instrument of Assignment duly executed by Sellers;

          (h)  certificates  of title or origin (or like documents) with respect
to any vehicles or other equipment  included in the Purchased Assets for which a
certificate of title or origin is required in order to transfer title;

          (i) all  consents,  waivers or  approvals  obtained  by  Sellers  with
respect  to the  Purchased  Assets  or  the  consummation  of  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement;

                                      -14-
<PAGE>

          (j) the Indemnity Escrow Agreement duly executed by Sellers;

          (k) the  certificates of each Seller  contemplated by SECTIONS 9.1 and
9.2, duly executed by the President or any Vice President of such Seller;

          (l) an  assignment,  in recordable  form,  with respect to each of the
leases of real estate  described in SCHEDULE 5.11,  duly executed by each Seller
and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Buyer;

          (m)  assignments,  in  recordable  form,  with  respect to each of the
registered Copyrights,  issued Patent Rights,  registered Trademarks and pending
applications for the  registration or issuance of any Copyrights,  Patent Rights
and Trademarks  included in the Purchased  Assets,  duly executed by each Seller
and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Buyer;

          (n) the Major  Stockholders  Releases,  duly  executed  by each of the
Major Stockholders that is a signatory thereto; and

          (o) such other bills of sale,  assignments  and other  instruments  of
transfer or  conveyance as Buyer may  reasonably  request or as may be otherwise
necessary to evidence and effect the sale, assignment,  transfer, conveyance and
delivery of the Purchased Assets to Buyer.

          In addition to the above deliveries,  each Seller shall take all steps
and actions as Buyer may reasonably  request or as may otherwise be necessary to
put Buyer in actual possession or control of the Purchased Assets.

                                   ARTICLE V

                    REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER
                    ----------------------------------------

          As an  inducement  to  Buyer  to  enter  into  this  Agreement  and to
consummate  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  each  Seller  jointly  and
severally represents and warrants to Buyer and agrees as follows:

          5.1. ORGANIZATION OF SELLERS.

          (a) Each Seller is a corporation duly organized,  validly existing and
in good standing under the laws of the state of its  incorporation.  Each Seller
is duly qualified to transact  business as a foreign  corporation and is in good
standing  in  each  of  the   jurisdictions   listed  in  SCHEDULE  5.1,   which
jurisdictions  are the only  ones in  which  the  ownership  or  leasing  of the
Purchased Assets or the conduct of the Business requires such qualification.  No
other  jurisdiction  has  demanded,  requested or otherwise  indicated  that any
Seller is required so to qualify on account of the  ownership  or leasing of the
Purchased  Assets or the conduct of the  Business.  Sellers  have full power and
authority  to own or lease and to operate  and use the  Purchased  Assets and to
carry on the Business as now conducted.

          (b) True  and  complete  copies  of the  Certificate  or  Articles  of
Incorporation and all amendments thereto and of the by-laws, as amended to date,
of each Seller have been delivered to Buyer.

          5.2.  SUBSIDIARIES AND INVESTMENTS.  Except for the Subsidiaries or as
set forth in SCHEDULE 5.2, none of the Sellers, directly or indirectly (i) owns,
of record or  beneficially,  any outstanding  voting  securities or other equity
interests in any corporation, partnership, joint venture or other entity

                                      -15-
<PAGE>

which  is  involved  in  or  relates  to  the  Business  or  (ii)  controls  any
corporation,  partnership, joint venture or other entity which is involved in or
relates to the Business.

          5.3. AUTHORITY OF SELLERS.

          (a) Each Seller has full power and  authority to execute,  deliver and
perform  this  Agreement  and  all  of  the  Seller  Ancillary  Agreements.  The
execution,  delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Seller  Ancillary
Agreements  by each  Seller  have  been duly  authorized  and  approved  by such
Seller's board of directors,  and, in the case of the  Subsidiaries,  by Parent,
the sole stockholder, and do not require any further authorization or consent of
any  Seller  or its  stockholders.  This  Agreement  has been  duly  authorized,
executed  and  delivered  by each  Seller  and is the legal,  valid and  binding
obligation of each Seller  enforceable in accordance  with its terms,  except as
such  legality,  validity,  binding  effect or  enforcement  may be  limited  by
bankruptcy,  insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally or
by equitable  principles  relating to the availability of remedies,  and each of
the Seller Ancillary Agreements has been duly authorized by each Seller and upon
execution  and delivery by each Seller that is a party to such Seller  Ancillary
Agreement,  will be a  legal,  valid  and  binding  obligation  of  each  Seller
enforceable in accordance  with its terms,  except as such  legality,  validity,
binding  effect or  enforcement  may be limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency  or
similar laws affecting  creditors'  rights generally or by equitable  principles
relating to the availability of remedies.

          (b) Except as set forth in SCHEDULE  5.3,  neither the  execution  and
delivery of this  Agreement  or any of the Seller  Ancillary  Agreements  or the
consummation  of any of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby or  thereby  nor
compliance with or fulfillment of the terms, conditions and provisions hereof or
thereof will:

          (i)  conflict  with,  result in a breach of the terms,  conditions  or
     provisions  of, or  constitute  a default,  an event of default or an event
     creating rights of  acceleration,  termination or cancellation or a loss of
     rights under,  or result in the creation or  imposition of any  Encumbrance
     upon any of the Purchased  Assets,  under (A) the charter or by-laws of any
     Seller, (B) any Seller Agreement,  (C) any other material note, instrument,
     agreement,   mortgage,   lease,   license,   franchise,   permit  or  other
     authorization,  right,  restriction  or obligation to which any Seller is a
     party or any of the  Purchased  Assets is subject or by which any Seller is
     bound,  (D) any Court  Order to which  any  Seller is a party or any of the
     Purchased  Assets is subject  or by which any  Seller is bound,  or (E) any
     Requirements of Laws affecting any Seller or the Purchased Assets; or

          (ii) require the approval,  consent,  authorization  or act of, or the
     making  by  Seller  or  either  Division  of  any  declaration,  filing  or
     registration with, any Person.

          5.4.  FINANCIAL  STATEMENTS.  SCHEDULE 5.4 contains (i) the  unaudited
consolidated  balance  sheet  of  Parent  as of July 1,  2000,  and the  related
consolidated  statements of operations and cash flows for the period then ended,
together  with the  appropriate  notes to such  financial  statements,  (ii) the
unaudited balance sheets of the Chicago Division and of the Maryland Division as
of this July 1, 2000 and the related  statements of operations for the Divisions
for the period then ended,  (iii) the unaudited  consolidating  balance sheet of
Parent as of July 1, 2000, (iv) the unaudited balance sheet of Parent as of July
29, 2000, of the Chicago Division as of July 29, 2000, of the Maryland  Division
as of July 29, 2000 and the unaudited  consolidating balance sheets of Parent as
of July 29,  2000 (v) the  unaudited  pro forma  combined  balance  sheet of the
Chicago  Division  and the Maryland  Division as of July 29, 2000 (the  "Balance
Sheet").  Except as set forth  therein  or in the notes  thereto,  such  balance
sheets and statements of income and cash flow and  consolidating  balance sheets
have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted  accounting  principles
consistently  applied,  and such balance sheets and related statements of income
and cash flow present fairly the financial  position,  results of operations and
cash

                                      -16-
<PAGE>

flows of Parent, the Chicago Division and the Maryland Division, as the case may
be, as of their respective dates and for the respective periods covered thereby.

          5.5. OPERATIONS SINCE BALANCE SHEET DATE.

          (a) Except as set forth in SCHEDULE  5.5(A),  since the Balance  Sheet
Date, there has been:

          (i) no material adverse change in the Purchased  Assets,  the Business
     or the operations,  liabilities, profits, prospects or condition (financial
     or otherwise)  of either  Division,  and no fact or condition  exists or is
     contemplated  or,  to  the  Sellers'  knowledge,   threatened  which  might
     reasonably be expected to cause such a change in the future; and

          (ii) no damage, destruction,  loss or claim, whether or not covered by
     insurance,  or condemnation or other taking adversely  affecting any of the
     Purchased Assets or the Business.

          (b) Except as set forth in SCHEDULE  5.5(B),  since the Balance  Sheet
Date,  Sellers have  conducted the Business  only in the ordinary  course and in
conformity with past practice. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
since the Balance Sheet Date, except as set forth in such Schedule,  none of the
Sellers has, in respect of the Business:

          (i) sold,  leased (as lessor),  transferred  or otherwise  disposed of
     (including  any  transfers  from  either  Division  to Seller or any of its
     Affiliates),  or mortgaged or pledged, or imposed or suffered to be imposed
     any Encumbrance on, any of the assets reflected on the Balance Sheet or any
     assets acquired by either Division after the Balance Sheet Date, except for
     inventory and minor amounts of personal property sold or otherwise disposed
     of for fair value in the ordinary  course of the Business  consistent  with
     past practice and except for Permitted Encumbrances;

          (ii)  cancelled  any debts owed to or claims  held by either  Division
     (including the  settlement of any claims or  litigation)  other than in the
     ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice;

          (iii)  created,  incurred  or assumed,  or agreed to create,  incur or
     assume,  any  indebtedness for borrowed money in respect of either Division
     (other  than  money  borrowed  or  advances  from any  Seller or any of its
     Affiliates  in the  ordinary  course of the Business  consistent  with past
     practice) or entered into, as lessee, any capitalized lease obligations (as
     defined in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 13);

          (iv) accelerated or delayed collection of notes or accounts receivable
     generated by the  Business in advance of or beyond their  regular due dates
     or the dates when the same would have been collected in the ordinary course
     of the Business consistent with past practice;

          (v) delayed or  accelerated  payment of any  account  payable or other
     liability of the Business  beyond or in advance of its due date or the date
     when such  liability  would  have been paid in the  ordinary  course of the
     Business consistent with past practice;

          (vi) allowed the levels of raw materials, supplies, work-in-process or
     other materials included in the inventory of either Division to vary in any
     material respect from the levels customarily  maintained in the Business or
     from the amounts reflected in the Balance Sheet;

                                      -17-
<PAGE>

          (vii) made, or agreed to make, any payment of cash or  distribution of
     assets to any Seller or any of its  Affiliates  (other  than cash  realized
     upon collection of receivables in the ordinary course of the Business);

          (viii)  instituted  any  increase in any  compensation  payable to any
     employee   of  any  Seller  with   respect  to  the   Business  or  in  any
     profit-sharing,   bonus,  incentive,   deferred  compensation,   insurance,
     pension,  retirement,  medical,  hospital,  disability,  welfare  or  other
     benefits  made  available  to  employees  of any Seller with respect to the
     Business;

          (ix) prepared or filed any Tax Return  inconsistent with past practice
     or, on any such Tax  Return,  taken any  position,  made any  election,  or
     adopted any method that is  inconsistent  with positions  taken,  elections
     made or methods used in  preparing  or filing  similar Tax Returns in prior
     periods  (including  positions,  elections or methods  which would have the
     effect of deferring income to periods for which Buyer is liable pursuant to
     SECTION 8.3(A) or  accelerating  deductions to periods for which any Seller
     is liable pursuant to SECTION 8.3(A)); or

          (x) made any change in the accounting principles and practices used by
     any Seller from those applied in the  preparation  of the Balance Sheet and
     the related statements of income and cash flow for the period then ended.

          5.6. NO UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES.  Except as set forth in SCHEDULE 5.6,
none of the Sellers is subject,  with respect to the Business,  to any liability
(including  unasserted  claims,  whether  known or unknown),  whether  absolute,
contingent,  accrued or  otherwise,  which is not shown or which is in excess of
amounts shown or reserved for in the Balance  Sheet,  other than  liabilities of
the same  nature as those set forth in the Balance  Sheet and the notes  thereto
and reasonably incurred in the ordinary course of the Business after the Balance
Sheet Date.

          5.7. TAXES.  Except as set forth in SCHEDULE 5.7, (i) Sellers have, in
respect of the Business and the  Purchased  Assets,  filed all Tax Returns which
are  required to be filed and have paid all Taxes which have become due pursuant
to such Tax Returns or pursuant to any assessment which has become payable; (ii)
all such Tax Returns are complete  and accurate and disclose all Taxes  required
to be paid in respect of the Business and the Purchased  Assets;  (iii) there is
no action, suit,  investigation,  audit, claim or assessment pending or proposed
or threatened  with respect to Taxes of the Business and the  Purchased  Assets,
and, to the knowledge of each Seller, no basis exists therefor; (iv) none of the
Sellers  has waived or been  requested  to waive any statute of  limitations  in
respect of Taxes associated with the Business or the Purchased  Assets;  (v) all
monies  required to be withheld by any Seller  (including  from employees of the
Business for income Taxes and social security and other payroll Taxes) have been
collected or withheld, and either paid to the respective taxing authorities, set
aside in accounts for such  purpose,  or accrued,  reserved  against and entered
upon  the  books  of the  Business;  (vi) no  transaction  contemplated  by this
Agreement is subject to withholding  under Section 1445 of the Code;  (vii) none
of the Purchased  Assets is properly  treated as owned by persons other than any
Seller for income Tax purposes  pursuant to Section 168(f)(8) of the Code (as in
effect  prior to its  amendment  by the Tax  Reform  Act of 1986) or  otherwise;
(viii) none of the Purchased  Assets is  "tax-exempt  use  property"  within the
meaning of Section  168(h) of the Code,  or subject to a so-called  "TRAC lease"
under  Section  7701(h)  of the Code (or any  predecessor  provision);  and (ix)
following the Closing Date,  pursuant to any  agreement or  arrangement  entered
into by any Seller or any  Affiliate  thereof on or prior to the  Closing  Date,
Buyer will not be obligated to make a payment to an  individual  that would be a
"parachute payment" to a "disqualified individual" as those terms are defined in
Section 280G of the Code,  without  regard to whether such payment is reasonable
compensation for personal services performed or to be performed in the future.

                                      -18-
<PAGE>

          5.8. AVAILABILITY OF ASSETS.

          (a) Except as set forth in  SCHEDULE  5.8 and except for the  Excluded
Assets,  the Purchased  Assets  constitute  all the assets used primarily in the
Business (including all books, records, computers and computer programs and data
processing  systems)  used  primarily in the Business and are in good  condition
(subject to normal wear and tear) and serviceable condition and are suitable for
the uses for which intended.

          (b) SCHEDULE  5.8 sets forth a  description  of all material  services
provided by any Seller or any  Affiliate  thereof  with  respect to the Business
utilizing  either  (i)  assets  not  included  in the  Purchased  Assets or (ii)
employees not listed in SCHEDULE  5.18(J) (other than those employees not listed
by reason of clause (i) of SECTION 5.18(J)) and the manner in which the costs of
providing such services have been allocated to the Business.

          5.9. GOVERNMENTAL PERMITS.

          (a) Sellers own,  hold or possess all licenses,  franchises,  permits,
privileges,  immunities,  approvals and other authorizations from a Governmental
Body which are  necessary to entitle  them to own or lease,  operate and use the
Purchased  Assets and to carry on and  conduct  the  Business  substantially  as
currently  conducted,   including  the  licenses  and  permits  to  sell  liquor
(collectively, the "Governmental Permits"), except for such Governmental Permits
as to which the  failure to so own,  hold or  possess  would not have a material
adverse  effect  on the  Purchased  Assets,  the  Business  or  the  operations,
liabilities,  profits, prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of either
Division.  SCHEDULE  5.9  sets  forth  a list  and  brief  description  of  each
Governmental  Permit,  except for such  incidental  licenses,  permits and other
authorizations  which would be readily  obtainable  by any  qualified  applicant
without  undue burden in the event of any lapse,  termination,  cancellation  or
forfeiture  thereof.  Complete  and  correct  copies of all of the  Governmental
Permits have heretofore been delivered to Buyer by Sellers.

          (b) Except as set forth in SCHEDULE 5.9, (I) each Seller has fulfilled
and performed its obligations  under each of the  Governmental  Permits,  and no
event has occurred or condition or state of facts exists which  constitutes  or,
after  notice or lapse of time or both,  would  constitute  a breach or  default
under any such Governmental Permit or which permits or, after notice or lapse of
time or both,  would permit  revocation or termination of any such  Governmental
Permit,  or which might adversely affect the rights of any Seller under any such
Governmental  Permit;  (ii) no  notice of  cancellation,  of  default  or of any
dispute concerning any Governmental Permit, or of any event,  condition or state
of facts  described in the preceding  clause,  has been received by, or is known
to, any Seller; and (iii) each of the Governmental Permits is valid,  subsisting
and in full force and effect and may be  assigned  and  transferred  to Buyer in
accordance  with this  Agreement  and will  continue  in full  force and  effect
thereafter,  in each case without (x) the  occurrence of any breach,  default or
forfeiture of rights thereunder, or (y) the consent, approval, or act of, or the
making of any filing with, any Governmental Body.

          5.10. REAL PROPERTY. SCHEDULE 5.10 contains a brief description of (i)
each parcel of real property  owned by any Seller and used in or relating to the
Business (the "Owned Real  Property")  (showing the record title  holder,  legal
description, permanent index number, location, improvements, the uses being made
thereof and any indebtedness secured by a mortgage or other Encumbrance thereon)
and (ii) each option held by any Seller to acquire any real  property for use by
either Division.  All public utilities,  including water,  sewer, gas, electric,
telephone  and  drainage  facilities,  give  adequate  service to the Owned Real
Property,  and the Owned Real Property has unlimited access to and from publicly
dedicated streets, the responsibility for maintenance of which has been accepted
by the appropriate  Governmental Body.  Complete and correct copies of any title
opinions, surveys and appraisals in any

                                      -19-
<PAGE>

Seller's possession or any policies of title insurance currently in force and in
the  possession of any Seller with respect to each parcel of Owned Real Property
have heretofore been delivered by Sellers to Buyer.

          5.11. REAL PROPERTY LEASES.  SCHEDULE 5.11 sets forth a list and brief
description  of each lease or similar  agreement  under  which (i) any Seller is
lessee of, or holds or operates, any real property owned by any third Person and
used in or relating to the Business  (the "Leased  Real  Property")  or (ii) any
Seller is lessor of any of the Owned Real Property.  Except as set forth in such
Schedule,  such Seller has the right to quiet  enjoyment  of all the Leased Real
Property  for the full term of the lease or similar  agreement  (and any renewal
option related thereto) relating thereto, and the leasehold or other interest of
such Seller in the Leased Real  Property  is not subject or  subordinate  to any
Encumbrance  except for Permitted  Encumbrances.  Complete and correct copies of
any title  opinions,  surveys and  appraisals in any Seller's  possession or any
policies of title  insurance  currently  in force and in the  possession  of any
Seller with respect to each parcel of Leased Real Property have  heretofore been
delivered by Sellers to Buyer.

          5.12.  CONDEMNATION.  Neither the whole nor any part of the Owned Real
Property  or the  Leased  Real  Property  is  subject  to any  pending  suit for
condemnation or other taking by any Governmental  Body, and, to the knowledge of
each Seller, no such condemnation or other taking is, to the Sellers' knowledge,
threatened or contemplated.

          5.13.  PERSONAL  PROPERTY.  SCHEDULE  5.13  contains  a  list  of  all
machinery,  equipment,  vehicles, furniture and other personal property owned by
any Seller used primarily in or relating primarily to the Business.

          5.14.  PERSONAL  PROPERTY  LEASES.  SCHEDULE  5.14 contains a list and
description of each lease or other agreement or right,  whether written or oral,
whether  capitalized or operating  (showing in each case the annual rental,  the
expiration date thereof and a brief description of the property covered),  under
which any Seller is lessee of, or holds or operates,  any machinery,  equipment,
vehicle or other  tangible  personal  property  owned by a third Person and used
primarily in or relating  primarily to the Business,  except for any such lease,
agreement or right that is terminable by such Seller without  penalty or payment
on notice of 30 days or less,  or which  involves  the payment by such Seller of
rentals of less than $5,000 per year.

          5.15. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY; SOFTWARE.

          (a) SCHEDULE  5.15  contains a list and  description  (showing in each
case the  registered  or  other  owner,  expiration  date  and  registration  or
application number, if any) of all Copyrights, Patents and Trademarks (including
all  assumed  or  fictitious  names  under  which any Seller is  conducting  the
Business or has within the previous five years conducted the Business) owned by,
licensed  to or used  by any  Seller  in  connection  with  the  conduct  of the
Business.

          (b) SCHEDULE  5.15  contains a list and  description  (showing in each
case any owner,  licensor or licensee) of all Software owned by,  licensed to or
used by any Seller  primarily  in the  conduct of the  Business,  provided  that
SCHEDULE 5.15 does not list mass market Software  licensed to any Seller that is
available  in  consumer  retail  stores  or  otherwise  generally   commercially
available and subject to "shrink-wrap" or "click-through" license agreements.

          (c) SCHEDULE 5.15 contains a list and  description of all  agreements,
contracts, licenses, sublicenses, assignments and indemnities that relate to (i)
any  Copyrights,  Patent Rights or Trademarks  listed in SCHEDULE 5.15, (ii) any
Trade Secrets owned by,  licensed to or used by any Seller used  primarily in or
relating  primarily  to the  Business or (iii) any  Software  listed in SCHEDULE
5.15.

                                      -20-
<PAGE>

          (d) Except as disclosed in SCHEDULE 5.15, each Seller either: (i) owns
the entire  right,  title and interest in and to the  Intellectual  Property and
Software included in the Purchased Assets, free and clear of any Encumbrance, or
(ii) has the perpetual,  royalty-free right to use the same. Except as set forth
in SCHEDULE 5.15, each Seller is listed in the records of the appropriate United
States,  state or foreign  registry as the sole current owner of record for each
application or  registration  identified in SCHEDULE 5.15 as being owned by such
Seller.

          (e) Except as disclosed in SCHEDULE  5.15: (i) all  registrations  for
Copyrights,  Patent Rights and  Trademarks  identified in SCHEDULE 5.15 as being
owned by any Seller are valid and in force, and all applications to register any
unregistered Copyrights,  Patent Rights and Trademarks so identified are pending
and in good standing,  all without  challenge of any kind; (ii) the Intellectual
Property  owned by any Seller has not been  cancelled or abandoned  and is valid
and enforceable; and (iii) such Seller has the sole and exclusive right to bring
actions for infringement,  misappropriation, dilution, violation or unauthorized
use of the Intellectual  Property and Software owned by such Seller,  and to the
knowledge  of each Seller,  there is no basis for any such  action.  Correct and
complete  copies of: (x)  registrations  for all registered  Copyrights,  Patent
Rights and Trademarks  identified in SCHEDULE 5.15 as being owned by any Seller;
and (y) all pending  applications to register  unregistered  Copyrights,  Patent
Rights and  Trademarks  identified in SCHEDULE 5.15 as being owned by any Seller
(together  with  any  subsequent  correspondence  or  filings  relating  to  the
foregoing) have heretofore been delivered by Sellers to Buyer.

          (f)  Except  as set  forth  in  SCHEDULE  5.15,  (i) no  infringement,
misappropriation,  violation or dilution of any  Intellectual  Property,  or any
rights of publicity or privacy relating to the use of names, likenesses, voices,
signatures  or  biographical  information,  of any other  Person has occurred or
results in any way from the  operations  of the  Business,  (ii) no claim of any
infringement,  misappropriation,  violation  or  dilution  of  any  Intellectual
Property  or any such  rights of any other  Person has been made or  asserted in
respect of the  operations of the Business and (iii) none of the Sellers has had
notice of, or  knowledge  of any basis for, a claim  against any Seller that the
operations, activities, products, software, equipment, machinery or processes of
the  Business  infringe,  misappropriate,  violate  or dilute  any  Intellectual
Property or any such rights of any other Person.

          (g) Except as disclosed in SCHEDULE 5.15: (i) the Software included in
the  Purchased  Assets is not  subject to any  transfer,  assignment,  change of
control, site, equipment, or other operational limitations; (ii) each Seller has
maintained and protected the Software  included in the Purchased  Assets that it
owns  (the   "Owned   Software")   (including   all   source   code  and  system
specifications)  with  appropriate  proprietary  notices,   confidentiality  and
non-disclosure  agreements  and such other  measures as are necessary to protect
the proprietary,  trade secret or confidential  information  contained  therein;
(iii) the Owned  Software has been  registered or is eligible for protection and
registration  under  applicable  copyright law and has not been forfeited to the
public domain;  (iv) each Seller has copies of all releases or separate versions
of its Owned  Software  so that the same may be subject to  registration  in the
United  States  Copyright  Office;  (v) each Seller has complete  and  exclusive
right,  title and  interest in and to its Owned  Software;  (vi) each Seller has
developed  its Owned  Software  through  its own efforts and for its own account
without the aid or use of any consultants,  agents,  independent  contractors or
Persons (other than Persons that are employees of such Seller);  (vii) the Owned
Software does not infringe,  misappropriate,  violate or dilute any Intellectual
Property of any other  Person;  (viii) any Owned  Software  includes  the source
code,   system   documentation,   statements  of  principles  of  operation  and
schematics, as well as any pertinent commentary, explanation, program (including
compilers),  workbenches, tools, and high-level or proprietary language used for
the development, maintenance,  implementation and use thereof, so that a trained
computer  programmer  could  develop,  maintain,  support,  compile  and use all
releases  or  separate  versions  of the same  that  are  currently  subject  to
maintenance  obligations  by  any  Seller;  (ix)  there  are  no  agreements  or
arrangements in effect with respect to the marketing, distribution, licensing or
promotion  of the Owned  Software by any other  Person;  (x) the Owned  Software
complies

                                      -21-
<PAGE>

with all applicable  Requirements of Laws relating to the export or re-export of
the same;  and (xi) the Owned  Software  may be  exported or  reexported  to all
countries  without the necessity of any license,  other than to those  countries
specified as prohibited  destinations pursuant to applicable  regulations of the
U.S. Department of Commerce and/or the United States State Department.

          (h) Except as  disclosed  in SCHEDULE  5.15,  all  employees,  agents,
consultants  or  contractors  who have  contributed  to or  participated  in the
creation or  development of any  Intellectual  Property or Software on behalf of
any  Seller  or any  predecessor  in  interest  thereto:  (i) has  created  such
materials in the scope of his or her employment;  (ii) is a party to a valid and
enforceable  "work-for-hire"  agreement  under which such Seller is deemed to be
the  author  of the  Copyrights;  or (iii)  has  executed  an  assignment  or an
agreement to assign in favor of such Seller (or such predecessor in interest, as
applicable) of all right, title and interest in such material.

          5.16. ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE; INVENTORIES.

          (a) All accounts  receivable  of each  Division  have arisen from bona
fide  transactions  in  the  ordinary  course  of  the  Business.  All  accounts
receivable reflected in the Balance Sheet are good and represent amounts validly
due for  goods  and or  services  rendered  at the  aggregate  recorded  amounts
thereof,  net of any applicable allowance for doubtful accounts reflected in the
Balance Sheet.

          (b)  The  inventories  of  each  Division  (including  raw  materials,
supplies, work-in-process,  finished goods and other materials) (i) are in good,
merchantable and useable  condition,  (ii) are reflected in the Balance Sheet at
the lower of cost or market in accordance  with  generally  accepted  accounting
principles  and (iii)  are,  in the case of  finished  goods,  of a quality  and
quantity  saleable in the  ordinary  course of business  and, in the case of all
other  inventories are of a quality and quantity  useable in the ordinary course
of  business.   The  inventory   obsolescence  policies  of  the  Divisions  are
appropriate  for the nature of the products sold and the marketing  methods used
by the Divisions,  and the reserve for inventory  obsolescence  contained in the
Balance Sheet fairly reflects the amount of obsolete inventory as of the Balance
Sheet Date.

          5.17. TITLE TO PROPERTY. Sellers have good and marketable title in fee
simple absolute to all Owned Real Property and to all buildings,  structures and
other  improvements  thereon,  in each case free and clear of all  Encumbrances,
except for Permitted Encumbrances. Sellers have good and marketable title to all
of the other Purchased Assets,  free and clear of all  Encumbrances,  except for
Permitted  Encumbrances  (including  those  Encumbrances  set forth in  SCHEDULE
5.17). Upon delivery to Buyer on the Closing Date of the instruments of transfer
contemplated  by SECTION 4.4,  Sellers  will thereby  transfer to Buyer good and
marketable title to the Purchased Assets, subject to no Encumbrances, except for
Permitted Encumbrances.

          5.18. EMPLOYEES AND RELATED AGREEMENTS; ERISA.

          (a) SCHEDULE  5.18(A)  sets forth a list of each  written  retirement,
savings,  thrift,  deferred  compensation,  severance,  stock  ownership,  stock
purchase, stock option, performance,  bonus, incentive, vacation or holiday pay,
hospitalization or other medical,  disability, life or other insurance, or other
welfare,  retiree  welfare or benefit  plan,  policy,  trust,  understanding  or
arrangement of any kind to which any Seller, with respect to the Business,  is a
party or by which it is bound or  pursuant  to which it may be  required to make
any  payment  at any time,  other than  plans of the type  described  in SECTION
5.18(D) ("Seller's Non-ERISA Plans").

          (b)  SCHEDULE  5.18(B)  sets forth a list of each written (i) employee
collective bargaining agreement, and (ii) agreement, commitment,  understanding,
plan, policy or arrangement of

                                      -22-
<PAGE>

any kind,  whether  written or oral,  with or for the  benefit of any current or
former officer,  director,  employee or consultant  (including each  employment,
compensation,  deferred  compensation,  severance,  supplemental  pension,  life
insurance, termination or consulting agreement or arrangement and any agreements
or arrangements  associated with a change in control), to which any Seller, with
respect to the Business, is a party or by which it is bound or pursuant to which
it may be  required  to make  any  payment  at any  time,  other  than  Seller's
Non-ERISA  Plans and other than plans of the type  described in SECTION  5.18(D)
("Seller's Compensation Commitments").

          (c)  Copies of all  written  Seller's  Non-ERISA  Plans  and  Seller's
Compensation  Commitments and of all related  insurance and annuity policies and
contracts and other  documents with respect to each Seller's  Non-ERISA Plan and
Seller's  Compensation  Commitment  have been delivered to Buyer.  Seller is not
bound by any oral Seller's Non-ERISA Plans or Seller's Compensation Commitments.

          (d)  SCHEDULE  5.18(D)  sets  forth a list of each  "employee  pension
benefit  plan" (as such  term is  defined  in  Section  3(2) of ERISA)  and each
"employee  welfare  benefit  plan" (as such term is defined  in Section  3(1) of
ERISA)  covering any  employee or former  employee of any Seller with respect to
the Business  (collectively,  "Seller's  ERISA  Plans").  Except as set forth in
SCHEDULE  5.18(D),  none of the Sellers has ever maintained any employee pension
benefit  plan with  respect to the  Business.  None of the Sellers has ever been
required to contribute to any  "multiemployer  plan" (as such term is defined in
Section 3(37) of ERISA) with respect to the Business.

          (e) Sellers  have  delivered to Buyer,  with respect to each  Seller's
ERISA Plan  correct  and  complete  copies,  where  applicable,  of (i) all plan
documents and amendments,  trust agreements and insurance and annuity  contracts
and policies,  (ii) the most recent IRS determination  letter, (iii) the summary
plan description  currently in use, and (iv) copies of  correspondence  from the
IRS,  the  Department  of  Labor or the  Pension  Benefit  Guaranty  Corporation
regarding any plan audit or investigation or any intent to conduct a plan audit.

          (f) Each  Seller's  ERISA Plan  which is  intended  to  qualify  under
Section  401(a) of the Code has received a favorable  determination  letter from
the IRS that such Plan is so  qualified  under the Code;  and,  to the  Seller's
knowledge,  no circumstance exists which might cause such Plan to cease being so
qualified.

          (g) Each Seller's  ERISA Plan complies in all material  respects,  and
has been  administered  to comply,  with all  Requirements of Law, and there has
been no notice issued by any  Governmental  Body questioning or challenging such
compliance, and there are no actions, suits or claims (other than routine claims
for benefits) pending or, to each Seller's knowledge,  threatened  involving any
such Plan or the assets of any such Plan.

          (h) None of the  Sellers  has any  obligations  under any of  Seller's
Non-ERISA Plans,  Seller's  Compensation  Commitments or Seller's ERISA Plans or
otherwise  to  provide  health  or death  benefits  to or in  respect  of former
employees of any Seller with  respect to the  Business,  except as  specifically
required  by the  continuation  requirements  of Part 6 of  Title I of  ERISA or
applicable state insurance laws.

          (i)  None  of the  Sellers,  with  respect  to the  Business,  has any
liability  pursuant to (i) any violation of the health care requirements of Part
6 of Title I of ERISA or Section 4980B of the Code, (ii) under Section 502(i) or
Section 502(l) of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code,  (iii) under Section 302 of
ERISA or Section 412 of the Code or (iv) under Title IV of ERISA.

                                      -23-
<PAGE>

          (j)  SCHEDULE  5.18(J)  contains:  (i) a list of all  employees of the
Divisions  as of July 1, 2000  whose then  current  annual  compensation  was in
excess  of  $50,000;  (ii)  the  then  current  annual  compensation  of,  and a
description  of the fringe  benefits  (other than those  generally  available to
employees of Sellers) provided by Sellers to any such employees; (iii) a list of
all present or former employees of the Divisions whose annual salary in calendar
year 2000 will exceed  $50,000 and who have  terminated or given notice of their
intention to terminate  their  relationship  with Sellers or the Divisions since
July 1, 2000;  (iv) a list of any increase,  effective after July 1, 2000 in the
rate  of  compensation  of any  employees  or  commission  salespersons  if such
increase exceeds 5% of the previous annual salary of such employee or commission
salesperson; and (v) a list of all substantial changes in job assignments of, or
arrangements with, or promotions or appointments of, any employees or commission
salespersons  whose  annual  compensation  for  calendar  year 2000 will  exceed
$50,000.

          (k) Except as set forth in SCHEDULE  5.18(K),  (i) to the knowledge of
each Seller,  neither Division is involved in any transaction or other situation
with any  employee,  officer,  director or  Affiliate of any Seller which may be
generally  characterized  as a  "conflict  of  interest",  including  direct  or
indirect  interests  in the business of  competitors,  suppliers or customers of
such Division, and (ii) to the knowledge of each Seller, there are no situations
with  respect to the  Business  which  involved or  involves  (A) the use of any
corporate  funds  for  unlawful  contributions,  gifts,  entertainment  or other
unlawful expenses related to political activity; (B) the making of any direct or
indirect  unlawful  payments to  government  officials or others from  corporate
funds or the  establishment or maintenance of any unlawful or unrecorded  funds;
(C) the violation of any of the provisions of The Foreign Corrupt  Practices Act
of 1977, or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder;  or (D) the receipt
of any illegal  discounts  or rebates or any other  violation  of the  antitrust
laws.

          5.19. EMPLOYEE  RELATIONS.  Except as set forth in SCHEDULE 5.19, each
Seller has complied in respect of the Business with all applicable  Requirements
of Laws relating to prices,  wages,  hours,  discrimination  in  employment  and
collective bargaining and to the operation of the Business and is not liable for
any arrears of wages or any Taxes or penalties for failure to comply with any of
the foregoing.  Sellers  believe that their  relations with the employees of the
Divisions  are  satisfactory.  None of the  Sellers is a party to,  and  neither
Division is affected by or, to the knowledge of any Seller, threatened with, any
dispute  or  controversy  with a  union  or  with  respect  to  unionization  or
collective  bargaining  involving  the employees of such  Division.  None of the
Sellers nor either Division is adversely  affected by any dispute or controversy
with a union or with respect to unionization or collective  bargaining involving
any  supplier  or  customer  of  such  Division.  SCHEDULE  5.19  sets  forth  a
description  of any  union  organizing  or  election  activities  involving  any
non-union  employees of either  Division  which have occurred since December 31,
1999 or, to the knowledge of each Seller, are threatened as of the date hereof.

          5.20.  CONTRACTS.  Except as set forth in  SCHEDULE  5.20 or any other
Schedule hereto,  none of the Sellers is, with respect to the Business,  a party
to or bound by:

          (i) any contract for the purchase or sale of real property;

          (ii) any contract for the purchase of services, materials, supplies or
     equipment,  which Sellers reasonably anticipate will involve the payment of
     more than $10,000 in 2000 or which extends beyond December 31, 2000;

          (iii) any contract for the sale of goods or  services,  which  Sellers
     reasonably anticipate will involve the payment of more than $10,000 in 2000
     or which extends beyond December 31, 2000;

                                      -24-
<PAGE>

          (iv) any  contract  for the  purchase,  licensing  or  development  of
     software to be used primarily by either Division;

          (v)    any    consignment,    distributor,    dealer,    manufacturers
     representative,  sales agency, advertising representative or advertising or
     public relations contract;

          (vi)  any  guarantee  of  the  obligations  of  customers,  suppliers,
     officers, directors, employees, Affiliates or others;

          (vii) any contract which limits or restricts where either Division may
     conduct  the  Business  or the type or line of  business  in  which  either
     Division may engage;

          (viii) any agreement which provides for, or relates to, the incurrence
     by either  Division of  indebtedness  for  borrowed  money  (including  any
     interest rate or foreign  currency swap,  cap,  collar,  hedge or insurance
     agreements,  or options or forwards on such  agreements,  or other  similar
     agreements  for the purpose of managing  the interest  rate and/or  foreign
     exchange risk associated with its financing);

          (ix) any contract not made in the ordinary course; or

          (x)  any  other  contract,  agreement,  commitment,  understanding  or
     instrument which is material to either Division or the Business.

          5.21. STATUS OF CONTRACTS.  Except as set forth in SCHEDULE 5.21, each
of the leases,  contracts and other  agreements  listed in SCHEDULES 5.11, 5.14,
5.15, 5.18 and 5.20 (collectively,  the "Seller Agreements") constitutes a valid
and  binding  obligation  of each  Seller  that is a party  thereto  and, to the
Sellers' knowledge, each other party thereto and is in full force and effect and
(except as set forth in  SCHEDULE  5.3 and except  for those  Seller  Agreements
which by their terms will  expire  prior to the  Closing  Date or are  otherwise
terminated  prior to the Closing Date in accordance with the provisions  hereof)
may be transferred to Buyer pursuant to this Agreement and will continue in full
force and effect thereafter, in each case without breaching the terms thereof or
resulting in the  forfeiture or impairment of any rights  thereunder and without
the  consent,  approval or act of, or the making of any filing  with,  any other
party. Each Seller has fulfilled and performed its respective  obligations under
each of the Seller  Agreements  to which it is a party,  and no Seller is in, or
alleged to be in, breach or default under any of the Seller  Agreements to which
such  Seller is a party,  nor is there or is there  alleged  to be any basis for
termination of, any of the Seller Agreements and, to the Sellers' knowledge,  no
other  party  to  any  of  the  Seller  Agreements  has  breached  or  defaulted
thereunder,  and,  to the  Sellers'  knowledge,  no event  has  occurred  and no
condition or state of facts exists which, with the passage of time or the giving
of notice or both,  would  constitute such a default or breach by such Seller or
by any such other party. No Seller is currently  renegotiating any of the Seller
Agreements  or paying  liquidated  damages  in lieu of  performance  thereunder.
Complete and correct  copies of each of the Seller  Agreements  have  heretofore
been delivered to Buyer by Sellers.

          5.22.  NO  VIOLATION  OR  LITIGATION.  Except as set forth in SCHEDULE
5.22:

          (i)  none  of the  Sellers,  with  respect  to the  Business,  nor the
     Purchased Assets are subject to any Court Order;

          (ii) the  Purchased  Assets  and their  uses  comply  in all  material
     respects with all applicable Requirements of Laws and Court Orders;

                                      -25-
<PAGE>

          (iii) Sellers have complied  with all  Requirements  of Laws and Court
     Orders which are applicable to the Purchased Assets or the Business;

          (iv)  there  are  no   lawsuits,   claims,   suits,   proceedings   or
     investigations  pending  or, to the  knowledge  of any  Seller,  threatened
     against or affecting any Seller in respect of the  Purchased  Assets or the
     Business nor, to the  knowledge of each Seller,  is there any basis for any
     of the same,  and there are no lawsuits,  suits or  proceedings  pending in
     which any  Seller is the  plaintiff  or  claimant  and which  relate to the
     Purchased Assets or the Business;

          (v)  there  is no  action,  suit  or  proceeding  pending  or,  to the
     knowledge  of each  Seller,  threatened  which  questions  the  legality or
     propriety of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; and

          (vi) to the  knowledge of each Seller,  no  legislative  or regulatory
     proposal has been adopted or is pending  which could  adversely  affect the
     Business.

          5.23. ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS. Except as set forth in SCHEDULE 5.23:

          (i) the  operations  of the Business  comply in all material  respects
     with all applicable Environmental Laws;

          (ii)  Sellers  have,   in  respect  of  the  Business,   obtained  all
     environmental,  health and safety  Governmental  Permits  necessary for its
     operation,  and all such  Governmental  Permits  are in good  standing  and
     Sellers are in compliance with all terms and conditions of such permits;

          (iii) none of the Sellers,  with respect to the  Business,  nor any of
     the present Business Property or operations,  or the past Business Property
     or operations,  is subject to any on-going  investigation by, order from or
     agreement  with any  Person  (including  any  prior  owner or  operator  of
     Business Property)  respecting (i) any Environmental Law, (ii) any Remedial
     Action or (iii) any claim of Losses and  Expenses  arising from the Release
     or threatened Release of a Contaminant into the environment;

          (iv) none of the Sellers is, with respect to the Business,  subject to
     any  judicial or  administrative  proceeding,  order,  judgment,  decree or
     settlement  alleging or  addressing a violation  of or liability  under any
     Environmental Law;

          (v) none of the Sellers has with respect to the Business:

          (A)  reported a Release of a hazardous  substance  pursuant to Section
               103(a) of CERCLA, or any state equivalent;

          (B)  filed a notice pursuant to Section 103(c) of CERCLA;

          (C)  filed  notice  pursuant to Section 3010 of RCRA,  indicating  the
               generation of any hazardous  waste, as that term is defined under
               40 CFR Part 261 or any state equivalent; or

          (D)  filed any notice under any applicable Environmental Law reporting
               a substantial violation of any applicable Environmental Law;

                                      -26-
<PAGE>

          (vi) there is not now,  nor to the best  knowledge  of each Seller has
     there ever been, on or in any Business Property:

          (A)  any  treatment,  recycling,  storage or disposal of any hazardous
               waste, as that term is defined under 40 CFR Part 261 or any state
               equivalent,  that  requires  or  required a  Governmental  Permit
               pursuant to Section 3005 of RCRA; or

          (B)  any underground  storage tank or surface  impoundment or landfill
               or waste pile.

          (vii)  there  is  not  now  on  or  in  any   Business   Property  any
polychlorinated  biphenyls (PCB) used in pigments,  hydraulic  oils,  electrical
transformers or other equipment;

          (viii)  none of the Sellers  has  received  any notice or claim to the
effect  that it is or may be liable to any Person as a result of the  Release or
threatened Release of a Contaminant;

          (ix)  no  Environmental  Encumbrance  has  attached  to  any  Business
Property; and

          (x)  any  asbestos-containing  material  which  is on or  part  of any
Business  Property is in good repair  according  to the  current  standards  and
practices  governing  such  material,  and its  presence or  condition  does not
violate any currently applicable Environmental Law.

          5.24. INSURANCE. SCHEDULE 5.24 sets forth a list and brief description
(including nature of coverage, limits, deductibles, and premiums for the current
fiscal year with  respect to each type of coverage) of all policies of insurance
maintained,  owned or held by any Seller on the date hereof with  respect to the
Purchased Assets or the Business.  Sellers shall keep or cause such insurance or
comparable  insurance  to be kept in full force and effect  through  the Closing
Date.  Sellers have complied with each of such  insurance  policies and have not
failed to give any notice or present  any claim  thereunder  in a due and timely
manner.  Sellers have delivered to Buyer correct and complete copies of the most
recent inspection  reports,  if any, received from insurance  underwriters as to
the condition of the Purchased Assets.

          5.25.  SUPPLIERS.  SCHEDULE  5.25  sets  forth  a list  of  names  and
addresses of the ten largest suppliers  (measured by dollar volume of purchases)
of each  Division and the  percentage  of the Business  which each such supplier
represents  or  represented  during the period from  January 1, 2000 through the
Balance Sheet Date. Except as set forth in SCHEDULE 5.25, there exists no actual
or,  to  the  Sellers'  knowledge,   threatened  termination,   cancellation  or
limitation of, or any  modification  or change in, the business  relationship of
any Seller with any supplier or group of suppliers  listed in SCHEDULE  5.25, or
whose sales  individually  or in the aggregate are material to the operations of
the  Business,  and  there  exists  no  present  condition  or state of facts or
circumstances  involving  suppliers which any Seller can now reasonably  foresee
would  materially  adversely  affect the  Business or prevent the conduct of the
Business  after  the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by  this
Agreement  in  essentially  the same  manner  in which  it has  heretofore  been
conducted.

          5.26. BUDGETS.  SCHEDULE 5.26 sets forth (i) as of the date hereof the
budgets of capital,  payroll and other expenditures of each Division prepared in
the ordinary course of the Business for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2000
and (ii) the total budgeted capital  expenditures  through December 31, 2000, if
any,  for each  capital  expenditure  project for which funds are proposed to be
expended during 2000.

                                      -27-
<PAGE>

          5.27.  NO FINDER.  None of the Sellers nor any Person acting on any of
their behalves has paid or become  obligated to pay any fee or commission to any
broker,   finder  or  intermediary   for  or  on  account  of  the  transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

          5.28.  DISCLOSURE.  None of the  representations  or warranties of any
Seller  contained  herein,  none of the  information  contained in the Schedules
referred  to in  ARTICLE  V,  and none of the  other  information  or  documents
furnished  to  Buyer  or  any  of  its  representatives  by  any  Seller  or its
representatives  pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, is false or misleading
in any material respect or omits to state a fact herein or therein  necessary to
make the statements  herein or therein not  misleading in any material  respect.
There is no fact which adversely affects or in the future is likely to adversely
affect the  Purchased  Assets or the Business in any material  respect which has
not been set forth or referred to in this Agreement or the Schedules hereto.

          5.29.  FINANCIAL  PROJECTIONS.  Sellers  have made  available to Buyer
certain  financial  projections with respect to the Business,  which projections
were prepared for internal use only. Sellers makes no representation or warranty
regarding  the accuracy of such  projections  or as to whether such  projections
will be achieved or otherwise,  except that each Seller  represents and warrants
that such  projections  were prepared in good faith and are based on assumptions
believed by it to be reasonable.

          5.30.  TERMINATION OF LIENS.  UCC-3  Termination  Statements have been
filed  with  respect  to any  liens on any of the  Purchased  Assets in favor of
LaSalle National Bank.

          5.31.  CREDITOR  LIST.  The list of creditors  which was  delivered to
Buyer  pursuant  to  SECTION  9.8 of this  Agreement  is true  and  correct  and
accurately reflects the information required to be stated therein.

          5.32.  FAIRNESS  OPINION.  The Boards of  Directors  of  Sellers  have
received a written opinion of Shields & Company,  Inc. (the "Fairness  Opinion")
indicating that the consideration being paid for the Purchased Assets represents
at least the fair market value of such assets.

                                   ARTICLE VI

                     REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
                     ---------------------------------------

          As an  inducement  to each Seller to enter into this  Agreement and to
consummate the transactions  contemplated  hereby,  Buyer hereby  represents and
warrants to each Seller and agrees as follows:

          6.1.  ORGANIZATION  OF BUYER.  Buyer is a corporation  duly organized,
validly  existing and in good  standing  under the laws of the State of Delaware
and has full  power and  authority  to own or lease and to  operate  and use its
properties and assets and to carry on its business as now conducted.

          6.2. AUTHORITY OF BUYER.

          (a) Buyer has full power and authority to execute, deliver and perform
this  Agreement  and  all of the  Buyer  Ancillary  Agreements.  The  execution,
delivery and performance of this Agreement and the Buyer Ancillary Agreements by
Buyer have been duly  authorized  and approved by Buyer's board of directors and
do  not  require  any  further   authorization   or  consent  of  Buyer  or  its
stockholders. This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by
Buyer and is the legal,  valid and binding  agreement  of Buyer  enforceable  in
accordance with its terms, except as such

                                      -28-
<PAGE>

legality,  validity, binding effect or enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy,
insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally or by equitable
principles  relating  to the  availability  of  remedies  and each of the  Buyer
Ancillary  Agreements  has been duly  authorized by Buyer and upon execution and
delivery  by Buyer  will be a  legal,  valid  and  binding  obligation  of Buyer
enforceable in accordance  with its terms,  except as such  legality,  validity,
binding  effect or  enforcement  may be limited  by  bankruptcy,  insolvency  or
similar laws affecting  creditors'  rights generally or by equitable  principles
relating to the availability of remedies.

          (b) Neither the execution and delivery of this Agreement or any of the
Buyer  Ancillary  Agreements  or the  consummation  of  any of the  transactions
contemplated  hereby or thereby nor compliance with or fulfillment of the terms,
conditions and provisions hereof or thereof will:

          (i)  conflict  with,  result in a breach of the terms,  conditions  or
     provisions  of, or  constitute  a default,  an event of default or an event
     creating rights of  acceleration,  termination or cancellation or a loss of
     rights under (A) the Certificate of  Incorporation or by-laws of Buyer, (B)
     any  material  note,  instrument,   agreement,  mortgage,  lease,  license,
     franchise, permit or other authorization,  right, restriction or obligation
     to which Buyer is a party or any of its  properties  is subject or by which
     Buyer is bound,  (C) any Court  Order to which Buyer is a party or by which
     it is bound or (D) any Requirements of Laws affecting Buyer; or

          (ii) require the approval,  consent,  authorization  or act of, or the
     making  by Buyer of any  declaration,  filing  or  registration  with,  any
     Person.

          6.3. NO FINDER.  Neither Buyer nor any Person acting on its behalf has
paid or become  obligated to pay any fee or commission to any broker,  finder or
intermediary  for  or on  account  of  the  transactions  contemplated  by  this
Agreement.

                                  ARTICLE VII

                        ACTION PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE
                        --------------------------------

          The respective parties hereto covenant and agree to take the following
actions between the date hereof and the Closing Date:

          7.1.  INVESTIGATION OF THE DIVISION BY BUYER. Sellers shall afford and
cause  the  Divisions  to  afford  to the  officers,  employees  and  authorized
representatives   of  Buyer  (including   independent   public  accountants  and
attorneys)  complete  access  during  normal  business  hours  to  the  offices,
properties,  employees and business and financial  records  (including  computer
files,  retrieval  programs  and  similar  documentation  and  such  access  and
information that may be necessary in connection with an environmental  audit) of
the  Divisions to the extent Buyer shall deem  necessary or desirable  and shall
furnish to Buyer or its authorized  representatives such additional  information
concerning  the  Purchased  Assets,  the  Business  and  the  operations  of the
Divisions as shall be reasonably  requested,  including all such  information as
shall be necessary to enable Buyer or its representatives to verify the accuracy
of the  representations  and warranties  contained in this Agreement,  to verify
that the  covenants of Sellers  contained in this  Agreement  have been complied
with and to determine  whether the  conditions set forth in ARTICLE IX have been
satisfied.  Buyer  agrees that such  investigation  shall be conducted in such a
manner as not to interfere  unreasonably  with the  operations of Sellers or the
Divisions. No investigation made by Buyer or its representatives hereunder shall
affect the representations and warranties of any Seller hereunder.

                                      -29-
<PAGE>

          7.2. PRESERVE ACCURACY OF REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.  Each of the
parties  hereto  shall  refrain  from taking any action  which would  render any
representation  or  warranty  contained  in  ARTICLE  V or VI of this  Agreement
inaccurate as of the Closing Date. Each party shall promptly notify the other of
any action,  suit or proceeding  that shall be instituted or threatened  against
such party to  restrain,  prohibit or  otherwise  challenge  the legality of any
transaction contemplated by this Agreement.  Sellers shall promptly notify Buyer
of any lawsuit,  claim,  proceeding  or  investigation  that may be  threatened,
brought,  asserted or commenced  against any Seller which would have been listed
in SCHEDULE 5.22 if such lawsuit,  claim, proceeding or investigation had arisen
prior to the date hereof.

          7.3. CONSENTS OF THIRD PARTIES; GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS.

          (a) Sellers will act diligently  and reasonably to obtain,  before the
Closing Date, the consent,  approval or waiver, in form and substance reasonably
satisfactory  to Buyer,  from any party to any Seller  Agreement  required to be
obtained  to assign or transfer  any such  Agreements  to Buyer or to  otherwise
satisfy the conditions  set forth in SECTION 9.5;  provided that none of Sellers
nor Buyer shall have any obligation to offer or pay any  consideration  in order
to obtain any such consents or approvals;  and PROVIDED,  FURTHER,  that Sellers
shall not make any agreement or understanding  affecting the Purchased Assets or
the Business as a condition for  obtaining  any such consents or waivers  except
with the prior written consent of Buyer.  During the period prior to the Closing
Date,  Buyer shall act  diligently  and  reasonably to cooperate with Sellers to
obtain the consents, approvals and waivers contemplated by this SECTION 7.3(A).

          (b) During the period  prior to the  Closing  Date,  Sellers and Buyer
shall act diligently and  reasonably,  and shall  cooperate with each other,  to
obtain any  consents  and  approvals  of any  Governmental  Body  required to be
obtained  by them in order to assign or  transfer  any  Governmental  Permits to
Buyer,  to permit the  consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by this
Agreement,  or to  otherwise  satisfy the  conditions  set forth in SECTION 9.4;
PROVIDED that Sellers shall not make any  agreement or  understanding  affecting
the  Purchased  Assets or the  Business as a condition  for  obtaining  any such
consents or approvals except with the prior written consent of Buyer.

          7.4. OPERATIONS PRIOR TO THE CLOSING DATE.

          (a)  Sellers  shall  operate  and  carry on the  Business  only in the
ordinary course and  substantially  as presently  operated.  Consistent with the
foregoing,  Sellers  shall  keep  and  maintain  the  Purchased  Assets  in good
operating  condition  and  repair  and shall use each of their  reasonable  best
efforts  consistent  with  good  business  practice  to  maintain  the  business
organization  of the  Divisions  intact  and to  preserve  the  goodwill  of the
suppliers, contractors, licensors, employees, customers, distributors and others
having business relations with the Business.  In connection  therewith,  Sellers
shall not (i)  transfer  or cause to be  transferred  from either  Division  any
employee or agent thereof,  (ii) offer  employment after the Closing Date to any
such employee or agent or (iii) otherwise attempt to persuade any such person to
terminate his or her relationship with either Division.

          (b) Notwithstanding  SECTION 7.4(A), except as expressly  contemplated
by this Agreement or except with the express written approval of Buyer,  none of
the Sellers shall:

          (i) make any  change  in the  Business  or the  operations  of  either
     Division or make any  expenditure in respect of either Division which shall
     exceed the amount, as set forth in SCHEDULE 5.26, budgeted therefor;

                                      -30-
<PAGE>

          (ii) make any capital  expenditure  with respect to either Division or
     enter  into  any  contract  or  commitment  therefor,  other  than  capital
     expenditures  or commitments  for capital  expenditures  referred to in the
     applicable budget contained in SCHEDULE 5.26;

          (iii)  except  as  contemplated  by  SCHEDULE  5.26,  enter  into  any
     contract,  agreement,  undertaking  or  commitment  which  would  have been
     required to be set forth in  Schedule  5.20 if in effect on the date hereof
     or enter into any contract  with  respect to the  Business  which cannot be
     assigned to Buyer or a permitted assignee of Buyer under SECTION 13.5;

          (iv) enter into any contract  for the purchase of real  property to be
     used by either  Division  or for the sale of any  Owned  Real  Property  or
     exercise any option to purchase  real  property  listed in SCHEDULE 5.10 or
     any option to extend a lease listed in SCHEDULE 5.11;

          (v)  sell,  lease  (as  lessor),  transfer  or  otherwise  dispose  of
     (including any transfers  from either  Division to any Seller or any of its
     respective  Affiliates),  or mortgage or pledge,  or impose or suffer to be
     imposed  any  Encumbrance  on,  any of the  Purchased  Assets,  other  than
     inventory and minor amounts of personal property sold or otherwise disposed
     of for fair value in the ordinary  course of the Business  consistent  with
     past practice and other than Permitted Encumbrances;

          (vi)  cancel  any  debts  owed to or claims  held by  either  Division
     (including the  settlement of any claims or  litigation)  other than in the
     ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice;

          (vii) create,  incur or assume,  or agree to create,  incur or assume,
     any  indebtedness  for borrowed money in respect of either  Division (other
     than money  borrowed or advances  from any Seller or any of its  respective
     Affiliates  in the  ordinary  course of the Business  consistent  with past
     practice) or enter into, as lessee,  any capitalized  lease obligations (as
     defined in Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 13);

          (viii)  accelerate  or  delay  collection  of any  notes  or  accounts
     receivable  generated by the Business in advance of or beyond their regular
     due dates or the dates  when the same  would  have  been  collected  in the
     ordinary course of the Business consistent with past practice;

          (ix)  delay or  accelerate  payment  of any  account  payable or other
     liability of the Business  beyond or in advance of its due date or the date
     when such  liability  would  have been paid in the  ordinary  course of the
     Business consistent with past practice;

          (x) allow the levels of raw materials,  supplies,  work-in-process  or
     other materials included in the inventory of either Division to vary in any
     material respect from the levels customarily maintained in the Business;

          (xi) make, or agree to make,  any payment of cash or  distribution  of
     assets to any Seller or any of its respective  Affiliates  (other than cash
     realized upon collection of receivables generated in the ordinary course of
     the Business);

          (xii) institute any increase in any profit-sharing,  bonus, incentive,
     deferred compensation,  insurance, pension, retirement,  medical, hospital,
     disability,  welfare  or  other  employee  benefit  plan  with  respect  to
     employees of either Division;

                                      -31-
<PAGE>

          (xiii) make any change in the  compensation of the employees of either
     Division,  other than changes made in accordance  with normal  compensation
     practices and consistent with past compensation practices;

          (xiv) prepare or file any Tax Return  inconsistent  with past practice
     or, on any such Tax Return, take any position,  make any election, or adopt
     any method that is  inconsistent  with positions  taken,  elections made or
     methods used in preparing  or filing  similar Tax Returns in prior  periods
     (including  positions,  elections or methods which would have the effect of
     deferring  income to periods for which Buyer is liable  pursuant to SECTION
     8.3(A) or accelerating deductions to periods for which any Seller is liable
     pursuant to SECTION 8.3(A)); or

          (xv)  make  any  change  in the  accounting  policies  applied  in the
     preparation of the financial statements contained in SCHEDULE 5.4.

          7.5.  NOTIFICATION  BY SELLERS OF CERTAIN  MATTERS.  During the period
prior to the Closing Date,  Sellers will promptly advise Buyer in writing of (i)
any material  adverse  change in the  condition of the  Purchased  Assets or the
Business,  (ii) any notice or other communication from any third Person alleging
that the consent of such third Person is or may be required in  connection  with
the transactions  contemplated by this Agreement, and (iii) any material default
under any Seller Agreement or event which, with notice or lapse of time or both,
would  become  such a default on or prior to the  Closing  Date and of which any
Seller has knowledge.

                                  ARTICLE VIII

                              ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
                              ---------------------

          8.1. COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE OR SOLICIT BUSINESS.

          (a) In  furtherance  of the  sale  of the  Purchased  Assets  and  the
Business to Buyer hereunder by virtue of the  transactions  contemplated  hereby
and more  effectively to protect the value and goodwill of the Purchased  Assets
and the Business so sold,  each Seller  covenants and agrees that,  for a period
ending on the first  anniversary of the Closing Date, none of the Sellers or any
of their  respective  subsidiaries or parent entities (each, a "Related  Party")
will:

          (i) directly or indirectly (whether as principal,  agent,  independent
     contractor,   partner  or  otherwise)  own,   manage,   operate,   control,
     participate in, perform services for, sell materials to, or otherwise carry
     on,  a  business   similar  to  or   competitive   with  the   business  of
     Internet-based  ordering and delivery of groceries and other consumer goods
     anywhere in the Chicago, Illinois MSA or the Washington, D.C. MSA, or

          (ii) enter into any such  relationship and shall not induce or attempt
     to  persuade,  any  employee,  agent or  customer  of  either  Division  to
     terminate its employment, agency or business relationship with Buyer or its
     Affiliates;

PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that nothing set forth in this  SECTION 8.1 shall  prohibit
Sellers or their  respective  Related Parties from owning not in excess of 5% in
the aggregate of any class of capital stock of any  corporation if such stock is
publicly  traded and listed on any national or regional stock exchange or on the
NASDAQ national market;  PROVIDED,  FURTHER,  that the performance by Sellers of
the Transition  Services pursuant to SECTION 8.9 shall not be deemed a violation
of this SECTION 8.1(A).  In addition,  each Seller  covenants and agrees that it
will not, and will not permit any of its Affiliates to, divulge or make use of

                                      -32-
<PAGE>

any trade secrets or other  confidential  information of the Business other than
to disclose such secrets and information to Buyer or its Affiliates.

          (b) If any Seller or any Related Party of thereof  violates any of its
obligations  under this SECTION 8.1,  Buyer may proceed  against it in law or in
equity for such damages or other relief as a court may deem appropriate. Sellers
acknowledge  that a violation  of this  SECTION 8.1 may cause Buyer  irreparable
harm  which may not be  adequately  compensated  for by money  damages.  Sellers
therefore agree that in the event of any actual or threatened  violation of this
SECTION 8.1, Buyer shall be entitled,  in addition to other remedies that it may
have, to a temporary  restraining  order and to preliminary and final injunctive
relief  against  such  Seller or such  Related  Party  thereof  to  prevent  any
violations  of this SECTION 8.1,  without the  necessity of posting a bond.  The
prevailing  party in any action  commenced  under this SECTION 8.1 shall also be
entitled to receive reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs. It is the intent
and  understanding  of each party hereto that if, in any action before any court
or agency legally empowered to enforce this SECTION 8.1, any term,  restriction,
covenant or promise in this SECTION 8.1 is found to be unreasonable and for that
reason unenforceable,  then such term, restriction, covenant or promise shall be
deemed modified to the extent  necessary to make it enforceable by such court or
agency.

          8.2. SELLERS' GRANT OF LIMITED RIGHT TO USE NAME.

          (a) The Sellers  hereby grant to Buyer and its Affiliates the limited,
worldwide, nonexclusive,  irrevocable, royalty-free,  nontransferable,  personal
right and license through and including November 15, 2000, and no longer, to use
the  "Streamline"  trade name and the other  Trademarks  listed on SCHEDULE 8.2.
Such  Trademarks  shall be utilized only in connection with the operation of the
Business  and only in a manner  consistent  with the  operation  of the Business
immediately prior to the Closing.

          (b)  The  quality  of  Buyer's  use  of  such   Trademarks   shall  be
commensurate  with that  established by Sellers prior to the Closing Date. Buyer
agrees that any use of the Trademarks  shall bear a legal notice in such form as
may be prescribed by law.

          (c) Buyer agrees to cooperate  with Sellers,  at Sellers'  request and
expense, in protecting,  maintaining,  enforcing, and defending such Trademarks,
including  providing any materials or  information  and executing any documents.
Buyer  agrees  that it shall  not at any time,  without  the  prior  consent  of
Sellers, apply for any trademark protection of any of the Trademarks or file any
application or other document with any governmental  authority or take any other
action  which could affect or is  inconsistent  with  Sellers'  ownership of the
Trademarks or abet any third party in doing so.

          (d) Except as otherwise permitted in this SECTION 8.2, on November 15,
2000,  Buyer shall  cease all use of the  Trademarks  and all rights  granted to
Buyer hereunder shall cease and shall forthwith revert to Seller.

          (e) Sellers hereby grant, for a period of six months after the Closing
Date, a worldwide,  transferable,  irrevocable royalty-free right and license to
Buyer and its Affiliates to refer to the Business, but not any other business or
operations of Buyer or any of its Affiliates,  as "formerly  Streamline.com" and
to use  such  reference  in  advertising  or in the  description  or name of any
service or product from time to time purchased, processed,  manufactured or sold
by Buyer and its  affiliates  in  continuation  of the  Business.  Buyer and its
affiliates  shall  have  the  further   worldwide,   transferable,   irrevocable
royalty-free  right  and  license  from and after  the  Closing  Date to sell or
otherwise  use or dispose of any  materials  included in the inventory of either
Division and that bear the name "Streamline"  alone or in combination with other
words if such  materials  (i) were included in the  Purchased  Assets,  (ii) are
returned  to Buyer or its  affiliates  after the  Closing  Date,  or (iii)  were
contracted  for by any Seller  prior to the  Closing  Date;  PROVIDED  that,  in
connection with any such use or disposition, Buyer and/or

                                      -33-
<PAGE>

any applicable Affiliates are clearly identified as the party using or disposing
of any such materials;  and FURTHER PROVIDED that such right shall terminate six
months after the Closing Date with respect to any such materials unless the only
reference  therein to Seller is to its claim of  copyright  ownership,  in which
case such right shall be unlimited as to time.  Buyer and its  Affiliates  shall
also  have the  worldwide,  transferable,  irrevocable  royalty-free  right  and
license  from and  after the  Closing  Date to use,  for a period of six  months
following the Closing Date,  any signs,  letterhead,  invoices or other supplies
that bear the name "Streamline" alone or in combination with other words if such
signs,  letterhead,  invoices or  supplies  (a) were  included in the  Purchased
Assets,  or (b) were  contracted  for by any Seller  prior to the Closing  Date;
PROVIDED  that, in  connection  with any such use,  Buyer and/or any  applicable
Affiliates are clearly identified as the party using any such materials.

          (f) In the event Buyer or any  Affiliate of Buyer  violates any of its
obligations  under this SECTION 8.2, any Seller may proceed against it in law or
in equity  for such  damages  or other  relief as a court may deem  appropriate.
Buyer  acknowledges  that  violation  of  this  SECTION  8.2 may  cause  Sellers
irreparable  harm which may not be adequately  compensated for by money damages.
Buyer, therefore, agrees that in the event of any violation of this SECTION 8.2,
each Seller shall be entitled,  in addition to other  remedies that it may have,
to seek preliminary and final injunctive  relief against Buyer or such Affiliate
of Buyer to prevent any violations of this SECTION 8.2. The prevailing  party in
any action  commenced  under this  SECTION 8.2 shall also be entitled to receive
reasonable  attorneys' fees and court costs. It is the intent and  understanding
of each party hereto that if, in any action  before any court or agency  legally
empowered  to enforce  this  SECTION  8.2,  any term,  restriction,  covenant or
promise in this  SECTION  8.2 is found to be  unreasonable  and for that  reason
unenforceable,  then such term, restriction, covenant or promise shall be deemed
modified to the extent necessary to make it enforceable by such court or agency.

          8.3. TAXES.

          (a) Sellers  shall be jointly and  severally  liable for and pay,  and
pursuant  to  ARTICLE  XI shall  indemnify  Buyer  against,  all Taxes  (whether
assessed or unassessed) applicable to the Business, the Purchased Assets and the
Assumed  Liabilities,  in each case  attributable  to  taxable  years or periods
ending on or prior to the Closing Date and, with respect to any Straddle Period,
the portion of such  Straddle  Period  ending on and including the Closing Date.
Buyer  shall  be  liable  for and  shall  pay all  Taxes  (whether  assessed  or
unassessed)  applicable  to the Business,  the Purchased  Assets and the Assumed
Liabilities  that are  attributable to taxable years or periods  beginning after
the Closing Date and, with respect to any Straddle  Period,  the portion of such
Straddle Period beginning after the Closing Date; provided, that Buyer shall not
be liable  for any Taxes for which  Sellers  are  liable  under  this  Agreement
(including  by reason of SECTION  5.7).  For  purposes of this  SECTION 8.3, any
Straddle  Period  shall be  treated on a  "closing  of the  books"  basis as two
partial  periods,  one  ending  at the close of the  Closing  Date and the other
beginning on the day after the Closing Date, except that Taxes (such as property
Taxes) imposed on a periodic basis shall be allocated on a daily basis.

          (b)  Notwithstanding  SECTION  8.3(A),  any sales Tax,  use Tax,  real
property   transfer  or  gains  Tax,   documentary  stamp  Tax  or  similar  Tax
attributable  to the sale or transfer of the Business,  the Purchased  Assets or
the Assumed  Liabilities  shall be paid by Sellers.  Buyer agrees to timely sign
and deliver such  certificates  or forms as may be necessary or  appropriate  to
establish  an exemption  from (or  otherwise  reduce),  or file Tax Returns with
respect to, such Taxes.

          (c) Sellers or Buyer, as the case may be, shall provide  reimbursement
for any Tax paid by one party all or a portion of which is the responsibility of
the other  party in  accordance  with the terms of this  SECTION  8.3.  Within a
reasonable time prior to the payment of any said Tax, the party paying

                                      -34-
<PAGE>

such Tax shall give notice to the other party of the Tax payable and the portion
which is the liability of each party, although failure to do so will not relieve
the other party from its liability hereunder.

          (d) After the Closing  Date,  each of the Sellers and Buyer shall (and
cause their respective Affiliates to):

          (i) assist the other party in  preparing  any Tax  Returns  which such
     other party is responsible for preparing and filing;

          (ii) cooperate  fully in preparing for any audits of, or disputes with
     taxing  authorities  regarding,  any Tax  Returns  of the  Business  or the
     Purchased Assets;

          (iii)  make  available  to the other and to any  taxing  authority  as
     reasonably  requested all information,  records,  and documents relating to
     Taxes of the Business or the Purchased Assets;

          (iv) provide  timely  notice to the other in writing of any pending or
     threatened Tax audits or  assessments  relating to Taxes of the Business or
     the  Purchased  Assets for  taxable  periods for which the other may have a
     liability under this SECTION 8.3; and

          (v) furnish the other with copies of all correspondence  received from
     any  taxing  authority  in  connection  with any Tax  audit or  information
     request with respect to any such taxable period.

          (e)  Notwithstanding  anything to the contrary in this Agreement,  the
obligations of the parties set forth in this SECTION 8.3 shall be  unconditional
and absolute and shall remain in effect without limitation as to time.

          8.4.  DISCHARGE OF DIVISIONS'  LIABILITIES.  Each Seller covenants and
agrees that it will pay and discharge each and every liability and obligation of
such Seller in respect of the  Business or the  Purchased  Assets  arising  from
events occurring on or prior to the Closing Date,  except for those  liabilities
and  obligations   expressly  assumed  by  Buyer  at  the  Closing  pursuant  to
instruments  of  assumption  delivered  to  Sellers  at the  Closing,  it  being
understood  and agreed that Buyer is assuming no  liabilities  or obligations of
any Seller other than liabilities and obligations so expressly assumed by Buyer.

          8.5.  EMPLOYEES  AND  EMPLOYEE  BENEFIT  PLANS.  (a) During the period
beginning on the Closing Date and ending on September  30, 2000,  Sellers  shall
make  available  the services of its employees who are employed in the Divisions
to Buyer or its affiliates as leased employees (the "Leased Employees").  During
such period,  Sellers shall pay and provide to all Leased Employees compensation
and benefits  equal to that which they were receiving  immediately  prior to the
Closing Date (except to the extent  otherwise  required by applicable  law). The
Leased  Employees  shall be deemed  for all  purposes  (including  compensation,
employee benefits, employment tax and reporting obligations, and all obligations
arising as a result of the termination of a Leased Employee's  employment) to be
employees solely of Seller or its affiliates and not to be employees of Buyer or
any of its affiliates.  Sellers shall have responsibility for the employment and
daily supervision of the Leased Employees; PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that Sellers shall
consult with Buyer  regarding  the nature and scope of the services  required by
Buyer and the performance of such services by the Leased Employees, and PROVIDED
FURTHER,  that  Sellers  shall not,  and shall  cause their  affiliates  not to,
undertake any actions in connection with the provision of such services that are
not  authorized  by Buyer.  Buyer  shall  reimburse  each  Seller for its direct
payroll  costs,  excluding  overhead  expenses,  within one  business  day after
receiving a copy of Sellers' payroll reports

                                      -35-
<PAGE>

from Sellers'  payroll  agent.  Buyer shall also reimburse each Seller for other
reasonable  direct costs of providing such leased employee  services,  including
payroll taxes, the costs of workers' compensation insurance and costs related to
Seller's Non-ERISA Plans listed on SCHEDULE 5.18(A), other than costs related to
any  equity-based   compensation  plans  (excluding  the  fees  of  third  party
administrators  under any employee benefit plan maintained by a Seller and costs
associated  with the provision of the  Accounting  Services set forth on ANNEX B
hereto).  Notwithstanding any other provision herein,  Buyer shall not reimburse
any  Seller  for  any  payment  or  benefit  under  an  employee  benefit  plan,
arrangement or agreement except to the extent it is set forth on SCHEDULE 2.3(D)
or SCHEDULE 5.18 and was provided to Buyer prior to the date hereof. Immediately
following the Employment Date as defined in SECTION 8.5(B), Sellers shall submit
to Buyer for  payment a billing  invoice or other  statement  setting  forth the
amount of any fees for the leased employee services provided hereunder,  reduced
by any fees or expenses  heretofore  paid by Buyer.  Such  invoice or  statement
shall be accompanied by such supporting  detail as Buyer may reasonably  request
with respect to any of such fees. Payment by Buyer to Sellers in respect of such
invoice  or  statement  shall be made  within 15 days  after the date of Buyer's
receipt of such invoice or  statement.  Buyer shall have the right to conduct an
audit of Sellers to determine the accuracy of the  accounting for any such fees,
the cost of  which  shall be borne  by  Buyer;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that if the
results of any such audit show  excess  charges  for fees of more than $5,000 in
the aggregate, then the cost of such audit shall be borne by Sellers and Sellers
shall promptly  reimburse  Buyer for all  overcharges  due to excess charges for
such fees.

          (b) Effective on October 1, 2000 (the "Employment  Date"),  Buyer will
offer  employment to the  employees of the Divisions  listed on SCHEDULE 8.5 who
remain actively employed as Leased Employees immediately prior to the Employment
Date. Such Employees who are extended and accept offers of employment from Buyer
shall  become  employees  of Buyer as of the  Employment  Date (the  "Continuing
Employees").  Buyer in its sole discretion may terminate any Continuing Employee
at any time after the Employment Date.

          (c) Except as  specifically  set forth herein,  Buyer shall not assume
any obligations  for any employee  benefit plan maintained by, or contributed to
by,  Seller  or any  Seller  Group  Member  ("Seller  Plans")  or for any  other
obligations of Seller or any Seller Group Member with respect to their employees
or former  employees.  Seller will fully provide or pay for all  liabilities  or
obligations to the Continuing Employees arising on or before the Employment Date
under any Seller Plans or any other employee  benefit  arrangements  (including,
without  limitation,  insurance,  disability and other programs),  including all
vested  benefits  accrued under the Seller Plans up to the Employment  Date, and
for such purposes  shall fully vest each  Continuing  Employee with all benefits
accrued for such  Continuing  Employee  under any Seller Plan that is a "pension
plan" as defined in  Section  3(2) of ERISA  through  such  date.  Seller  shall
provide continuation coverage to each individual who under the terms of Seller's
health plan is entitled to continuation rights pursuant to Code Section 4980B or
Part 6 of Subtitle I of ERISA. Buyer shall assume obligations for any Continuing
Employee's accrued but unused vacation days and sick days and accrued but unpaid
regular salary, except to the extent a Continuing Employee becomes entitled to a
payment  for accrued  but unused  vacation  days or sick days on account of such
Continuing Employee's termination of employment with a Seller.

          (d)  Seller   shall  bear  the  cost  and  expense  of  any   workers'
compensation  claim  asserted  and  arising  out of an injury  sustained  by any
Continuing Employee prior to the Employment Date.

          (e)  Buyer,  a  successor  employer  for  federal,   state  and  local
withholding  and employment  Taxes,  shall assume Seller's  responsibilities  as
predecessor employer for filing all federal,  state and local withholding income
Tax and  employment  Tax Returns and to furnish for the 2000 calendar year Forms
W-2 and similar forms relating to all Continuing Employees for the calendar year
in which

                                      -36-
<PAGE>

the Employment Date occurs that are due after the Employment  Date.  Buyer shall
assume  such  responsibility  in  accordance  with  the  alternative   procedure
described in Section 5 of Revenue  Procedure 96-60 and, for the calendar year in
which the Employment Date occurs,  shall assume Seller's  obligations to furnish
Forms W-2 to all  Continuing  Employees.  Seller  shall  comply  with all of the
requirements  set forth in such  alternative  procedure  that are  imposed  on a
predecessor  employer  and Buyer shall comply with all of the  requirements  set
forth in such procedure that are imposed on a successor  employer.  Seller shall
provide  information and data to Buyer upon request with respect to the wages of
Continuing  Employees  and related  payroll Taxes for the calendar year in which
the  Employment  Date occurs  through the last regular wage payment prior to the
Employment  Date in order for Buyer to file  timely and proper Tax  Returns  and
forms for the calendar year in which the Employment Date occurs.

          (f) As of the Employment Date,  Continuing Employees shall be eligible
to participate in the employee  benefit plans  maintained by Buyer for similarly
situated employees. Buyer will take into account service of Continuing Employees
on behalf of the Division prior to the Employment Date and treat such service as
service with Buyer for purposes of determining  such employees'  eligibility for
holidays,  sick days and  vacation  benefits and for  participation  and vesting
purposes  under  any  other  employee  benefit  plans,  programs,   policies  or
arrangements  covering  such  Continuing  Employees  established,  continued  or
otherwise  sponsored by Buyer after the Employment Date. Except as otherwise set
forth herein,  Buyer may modify or terminate any employee benefit plan, program,
policy  or  arrangement  covering  Continuing  Employees  at any time  after the
Employment  Date in accordance  with  standard  business  practices.  Continuing
Employees  shall  participate  in any group health plan  maintained by Buyer for
such   employees   without  any  waiting   periods,   without  any  evidence  of
insurability, and without application of any pre-existing condition limitations,
except to the extent applicable under the plans sponsored by Seller  immediately
prior to the  Employment  Date.  Buyer shall count claims  arising  prior to the
Employment Date for purposes of  deductibles,  out-of-pocket  maximums,  benefit
maximums,  and all other similar  limitations for calendar year 2000 to the same
extent as applicable under Seller's plans as in effect  immediately prior to the
Employment Date. As soon as practicable after the Employment Date, Sellers shall
provide Buyer with all employment and employee benefits data necessary for Buyer
to comply with its obligations under this SECTION 8.5.

          (g) Except as otherwise  provided in SECTION  8.5(C),  Seller shall be
responsible  for the costs and  consequences  associated with the termination of
any  employee  of a Seller who does not  become a  Continuing  Employee  for any
reason.  In the event any Continuing  Employee  shall be legally  entitled to an
amount  in the  nature  of  termination  benefits  or costs  as a result  of the
termination  of his  or her  employment  with  Seller  in  connection  with  the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement notwithstanding that such Continuing
Employee is not terminated by Buyer or does not resign from Buyer,  Seller shall
reimburse  Buyer for any such benefits or costs paid by Buyer as a result of the
termination by Seller.

          (h) Nothing in this Agreement,  express or implied,  shall confer upon
any employee of Seller or any of its Affiliates,  or any  representative  of any
such  employee,  any rights or remedies,  including  any right to  employment or
continued employment for any period of any nature whatsoever.

          8.6.  CHANGE IN  CORPORATE  NAME.  Beacon  agrees  promptly  after the
Closing  Date to change its d/b/a name to a name that does not include the words
"Scotty's,"  "Scotty's  Market" or  "Scotty's  Home  Market,"  or any  variation
thereof.

          8.7. COVENANT NOT TO SUE; GENERAL RELEASE. Buyer and Sellers agree and
covenant not to commence any action, arbitration or other claim or dispute based
upon,  arising  out  of or  relating  in  any  way to  Buyer's  interest  in any
transaction  with  Parent  prior to the date  hereof],  the  failure of any such
transaction  to occur or the  parties'  negotiations  with  respect  to any such
transaction, except as otherwise

                                      -37-
<PAGE>

provided  herein.  In the event that Buyer or any Seller breaches this provision
by  commencing  an action,  arbitration  or other  claim or  dispute,  then such
breaching party shall be responsible  for paying all reasonable  attorneys' fees
and costs of the  non-breaching  party.  For  purposes of this SECTION 8.7 only,
Affiliates  of Buyer and  Affiliates  of any Seller  shall be deemed to be third
party  beneficiaries.  Sellers shall also use their  reasonable  best efforts to
obtain from each of the Major Stockholders a Major Stockholders Release.

          8.8.  USE OF  PROCEEDS.  Each  Seller  agrees that it will not use any
proceeds it receives  from the sale of the Purchased  Assets for  distributions,
dividends or any other payments to equityholders of such Seller unless and until
all  obligations  of such Seller to each of its creditors have been satisfied in
full.

          8.9. TRANSITION SERVICES. (a) To assist in ensuring the continuous and
uninterrupted  operation of the  Business,  each of the Sellers  will,  and will
cause their respective  affiliates to, provide Buyer with transition services as
requested  by Buyer for the  categories  of  services  listed on ANNEX A and any
associated  services and in any event all of the  services  described on ANNEX A
(the  "Transition  Services") until (i) the earlier of (x) such time as Buyer is
reasonably  able to provide such services to the Business  itself or Buyer shall
have contracted with third parties to provide such services to the Business,  in
each case without  interruption to the Business or (y) the completion by Sellers
of transition services for grocery deliveries made by Buyer through November 15,
2000;  or (ii) such later period that is specified in ANNEX A; such period being
the "Transition Period". Buyer shall use commercially reasonable efforts to take
such appropriate  action,  so that Buyer will, with the passage of time, be able
to perform or have  performed for itself  certain  accounting  related  services
identified in ANNEX A. Buyer shall keep Seller  generally  informed of its plans
in this  regard in order for  Sellers  to make any  appropriate  adjustments  in
Sellers' staffing and hiring plans.

          (b) Each Seller shall, and shall cause its affiliates to, provide such
Transition  Services in good faith, in a professional and workmanlike manner and
on a basis  consistent  with  the  usual  standards  for the  provision  of such
Transition Services or similar services by Seller to its own customers.

          (c) All employees and  representatives of any Seller or its affiliates
providing the Transition Services hereunder to Buyer and its affiliates shall be
deemed for all purposes  (including  compensation  and employee  benefits) to be
employees or representatives  solely of such Seller or its affiliates and not to
be  employees  or  representatives  of Buyer or any of its  affiliates  or to be
independent  contractors  thereof.  Notwithstanding the fact that performance of
the  Transition  Services  shall be under the direction of Buyer,  in performing
their respective  duties  hereunder,  all employees and  representatives  of any
Seller or its affiliates  shall be under the direction,  control and supervision
of such Seller (and not of Buyer or its  affiliates).  Nothing herein  contained
shall be deemed or  construed  by the  parties  hereto or for any other party as
creating the  relationship  of principal  and agent or of  partnership  or joint
venture  by the  parties  hereto.  None of Sellers  nor any of their  respective
affiliates  shall take title to or otherwise  acquire any lien or other interest
in any of Buyer's  assets or properties in connection  with the provision of the
Transition  Services,  and each  Seller and its  affiliates  shall hold all such
assets and properties only for the benefit of Buyer.

          (d) Buyer shall have the sole  authority to direct the manner in which
the Transition  Services are performed,  including  approving the content of any
communications to customers or suppliers of the Business. In connection with the
provision of Transition Services involving communications with customers, Buyer,
at its option,  may script all  communications  of Sellers and their affiliates,
and  Sellers  shall,  and shall  cause  their  affiliates  to,  follow  any such
script(s). Sellers shall not, and shall cause their affiliates not to, undertake
any actions in connection with the provision of Transition Services that are not
authorized by Buyer.

                                      -38-
<PAGE>

          (e) Buyer shall reimburse each Seller for its reasonable  direct costs
of providing the Transition  Services as reflected in an estimated  budget to be
mutually  agreed upon by Sellers  and Buyer.  Sellers  shall on a monthly  basis
submit to Buyer for payment a billing invoice or other  statement  setting forth
the  amount of any fees for the  Transition  Services  not  theretofore  paid by
Buyer.  Each such invoice or statement  shall be accompanied by such  supporting
detail as Buyer may reasonably request with respect to any of such fees. Payment
by Buyer to Sellers in respect of any such  invoice or  statement  shall be made
within 15 days after the date of Buyer's  receipt of such invoice or  statement.
Buyer  shall have the right to conduct  an audit of  Sellers  to  determine  the
accuracy  of the  accounting  for  all  cash  receipts  and  disbursements  from
operations after the Closing Date and for any fees charged by any Seller for the
Transition  Services,  the cost of which  shall  be  borne by  Buyer;  PROVIDED,
HOWEVER,  that if the  results  of any such  audit  show  mis-reporting  of cash
receipts and disbursements and/or excess charges for fees of more than $5,000 in
the aggregate, then the cost of such audit shall be borne by Sellers and Sellers
shall promptly  reimburse Buyer for all overcharges due to mis-reporting of cash
receipts or disbursements and excess charges for fees.

          (f) Buyer will provide Sellers with the accounting  services set forth
on ANNEX B (the  "Accounting  Services") for the operation of the Business up to
and including the Closing Date (the "Closing Period").  Buyer shall provide such
Accounting  Services in good faith, in a professional and workmanlike manner and
on a basis  consistent  with  the  usual  standards  for the  provision  of such
Accounting   Services  or  similar   services  by  Buyer.   All   employees  and
representatives of Buyer providing the Accounting  Services hereunder to Sellers
shall be deemed for all purposes (including  compensation and employee benefits)
to be  employees or  representatives  solely of Buyer and not to be employees or
representatives  of any  Seller or any of its  affiliates  or to be  independent
contractors  thereof. In performing their respective duties hereunder,  all such
employees and representatives of Buyer shall be under the direction, control and
supervision  of Buyer (and not of any Seller or its  affiliates).  Sellers shall
reimburse  Buyer for its  reasonable  direct costs of providing  the  Accounting
Services as  reflected  in an  estimated  budget to be  mutually  agreed upon by
Sellers and Buyer.  Buyer shall submit to Sellers for payment a billing  invoice
or other  statement  setting  forth the  amount  of any fees for the  Accounting
Services.  Such invoice or statement  shall be  accompanied  by such  supporting
detail as  Sellers  may  reasonably  request  with  respect to any of such fees.
Payment by Sellers to Buyer in respect of any such invoice or statement shall be
made  within 15 days  after the date of  Sellers'  receipt  of such  invoice  or
statement.  Sellers  shall  have  the  right  to  conduct  an  audit of Buyer to
determine the accuracy of the accounting for all cash receipts and disbursements
from  operations  on or prior to the  Closing  Date and for any fees  charged by
Buyer for the Accounting Services,  the cost of which shall be borne by Sellers;
PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that if the results of any such audit show mis-reporting of
cash  receipts and  disbursements  and/or  excess  charges for fees of more than
$5,000 in the aggregate, then the cost of such audit shall be borne by Buyer and
Buyer shall promptly  reimburse Sellers for all overcharges due to mis-reporting
of cash receipts or disbursements and all excess charges for fees.

          (g) During the Transition Period,  neither Sellers or their affiliates
nor Buyer or its affiliate  shall  disparage the others,  whether by action,  in
writing  or  orally.  Further,  after the  Closing,  neither  Sellers  nor their
affiliates shall  communicate with any customers of the Business,  other than as
directed by Buyer and in accordance with this Agreement.

          (h) In order to ensure that this  Agreement  is properly  implemented,
Sellers  and Buyers  will each  appoint a person who has the  responsibility  of
coordinating  all necessary  contact between the parties during the term of this
Agreement.  These individuals shall work closely to ensure that this Section 8.9
is properly implemented.

          8.10. USE OF CUSTOMER DATA.  Each Seller agrees that after the Closing
such Seller shall use Customer  Data only in  connection  with the  provision of
Transition Services and shall not use

                                      -39-
<PAGE>

any Customer Data in any manner  whatsoever  for the benefit of its business (it
being understood by the parties hereto that general  advertising  (other than in
the  Chicago  Business  and  Maryland  Business  markets   (including   national
advertising  in such  markets))  shall not be  considered  a  violation  of this
SECTION 8.10.) Each Seller agrees that  immediately  following the completion of
the Transition  Services,  at Buyer's request, any Customer Data not transferred
to Buyer hereunder shall be disposed of or destroyed by such Seller.

          8.11. RELEASE OF SELLERS' OBLIGATIONS. Promptly following the Closing,
Buyer shall use  reasonable  best efforts to assist in causing each Seller to be
released and discharged in full of the Assumed  Liabilities (it being understood
that Buyer shall not be required  to pay any amounts in  connection  therewith).
From and after the Closing, Buyer shall perform each Assumed Liability.

          8.12.  SUBSTITUTION OF CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT.  Promptly following the
Closing, Buyer shall use reasonable best efforts to assist in causing the return
(or to assist Mid-Atlantic in causing the return) to the account of Mid-Atlantic
of that  certain  certificate  of  deposit  with  Crestar  Bank in the amount of
approximately  $112,000,  which  certificate of deposit is issued in the name of
Mid-Atlantic  and  held for the  benefit  of the  landlord  of the  Leased  Real
Property relating to the Maryland Division, such efforts of Buyer to include, if
required, the purchase by Buyer of a letter of credit, certificate of deposit or
the  establishment  of other  security  for the  benefit of such  landlord in an
amount not to exceed $166,000.

                                   ARTICLE IX

                  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF BUYER
                  --------------------------------------------

          The obligations of Buyer under this Agreement  shall, at the option of
Buyer, be subject to the  satisfaction,  on or prior to the Closing Date, of the
following conditions:

          9.1. NO MISREPRESENTATION OR BREACH OF COVENANTS AND WARRANTIES. There
shall have been no material  breach by any Seller in the  performance  of any of
its covenants and agreements herein;  each of the representations and warranties
of each Seller  contained or referred to herein shall be true and correct on the
Closing  Date as though made on the  Closing  Date,  except for changes  therein
specifically  permitted  by this  Agreement or  resulting  from any  transaction
expressly  consented  to in writing  by Buyer or any  transaction  permitted  by
SECTION 7.4; and there shall have been  delivered to Buyer a certificate to such
effect, dated the Closing Date, signed on behalf of each Seller by the President
or any Vice President of such Seller.

          9.2. NO CHANGES OR  DESTRUCTION  OF PROPERTY.  Between the date hereof
and the Closing Date,  there shall have been (a) no material  adverse  change in
the Purchased  Assets,  the Business or the  operations,  liabilities,  profits,
prospects or condition  (financial  or  otherwise)  of either  Division;  (b) no
material adverse federal or state legislative or regulatory change affecting the
Business  or its  products  or  services;  and  (c) no  material  damage  to the
Purchased  Assets by fire,  flood,  casualty,  act of God or the public enemy or
other cause,  regardless of insurance  coverage for such damage; and there shall
have been  delivered to Buyer a  certificate  to such effect,  dated the Closing
Date and signed on behalf of each Seller by the President or any Vice  President
of such Seller.

          9.3. NO RESTRAINT OR LITIGATION.  No action,  suit,  investigation  or
proceeding  shall have been  instituted or threatened to restrain or prohibit or
otherwise  challenge the legality or validity of the  transactions  contemplated
hereby.

                                      -40-
<PAGE>

          9.4. NECESSARY GOVERNMENTAL APPROVALS. The parties shall have received
all approvals and actions of or by all  Governmental  Bodies which are necessary
to consummate the transactions  contemplated  hereby, which are either specified
in SCHEDULE 5.3 (except as otherwise contemplated therein) or otherwise required
to be obtained prior to the Closing by applicable  Requirements of Laws or which
are necessary to prevent a material adverse change in the Purchased Assets,  the
Business  or  the  operations,  liabilities,  profits,  prospects  or  condition
(financial or otherwise) of each Division.

          9.5. NECESSARY CONSENTS.  Each Seller shall have received consents, in
form  and  substance  reasonably  satisfactory  to  Buyer,  to the  transactions
contemplated hereby from the other parties to all contracts,  leases, agreements
and  permits to which any Seller is a party or by which any Seller or any of the
Purchased  Assets is affected  and which are  specified  in SCHEDULE  9.5 or are
otherwise  necessary  to  prevent a  material  adverse  change in the  Purchased
Assets, the Business or in the operations,  liabilities,  profits,  prospects or
condition  (financial or otherwise) of either  Division.  If any of the consents
specified  in SCHEDULE  9.5 are not obtained  prior to the Closing  Date,  Buyer
shall be  entitled  to waive the  condition  set forth in this  SECTION  9.5 for
purposes of Closing;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that notwithstanding any such waiver,
Sellers shall  nevertheless  continue to act diligently to obtain such consents;
and  PROVIDED,  FURTHER that if such consents have not been obtained on or prior
to the Closing Date,  Buyer shall  deposit the Indemnity  Escrow Amount into the
Indemnity  Escrow Account at Closing as provided in SECTION 3.2 which  Indemnity
Escrow  Amount  shall be  disbursed  in  accordance  with the  Indemnity  Escrow
Agreement.

          9.6.  TITLE  INSURANCE.  Buyer shall have received with respect to the
Leased Real Property identified in SCHEDULE 5.11 current leasehold owner's title
insurance policy.

          9.7. MAJOR STOCKHOLDERS RELEASES.  Buyer shall have received the Major
Stockholders Releases, duly executed by each of the Major Stockholders that is a
signatory thereto.

          9.8.  LIST OF  CREDITORS.  Buyer shall have  received an  affidavit of
Parent and Mid-Atlantic  (the "Affidavit of Creditors")  which shall contain the
names and business addresses of all creditors of Parent or Mid-Atlantic relating
to the  Maryland  Business and all persons who are known by any Seller to assert
claims against  Parent or  Mid-Atlantic  relating to the Maryland  Business even
though such claims may be  disputed,  showing the amounts due such  creditors or
amounts asserted as of the Closing Date.

          9.9.  FAIRNESS  OPINION.  The Board of Directors of Sellers shall have
received the Fairness Opinion.

                                   ARTICLE X

                 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO OBLIGATIONS OF SELLERS
                 ----------------------------------------------

          The  obligations of Sellers under this Agreement  shall, at the option
of Sellers, be subject to the satisfaction,  on or prior to the Closing Date, of
the following conditions:

          10.1.  NO  MISREPRESENTATION  OR BREACH OF COVENANTS  AND  WARRANTIES.
There shall have been no material  breach by Buyer in the  performance of any of
its covenants and agreements herein;  each of the representations and warranties
of Buyer contained or referred to in this Agreement shall be true and correct on
the Closing Date as though made on the Closing Date,  except for changes therein
specifically  permitted  by this  Agreement or  resulting  from any  transaction
expressly consented to in

                                      -41-
<PAGE>

writing by Sellers or any transaction  contemplated by this Agreement; and there
shall have been  delivered to Sellers a  certificate  to such effect,  dated the
Closing  Date  and  signed  on  behalf  of Buyer  by the  President  or any Vice
President of Buyer.

          10.2. NO RESTRAINT OR LITIGATION. No action, suit or proceeding by any
Governmental Body shall have been instituted or threatened to restrain, prohibit
or otherwise challenge the legality or validity of the transactions contemplated
hereby.

          10.3.  NECESSARY  GOVERNMENTAL  APPROVALS.   The  parties  shall  have
received all approvals and actions of or by all Governmental Bodies necessary to
consummate  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  which are  required  to be
obtained  prior to the Closing by  applicable  Requirements  of Laws  (except as
otherwise contemplated by SCHEDULE 5.3).

                                   ARTICLE XI

                                 INDEMNIFICATION
                                 ---------------

          11.1. INDEMNIFICATION BY SELLERS.

          (a) Each Seller  jointly and  severally  agrees to indemnify  and hold
harmless  each  Buyer  Group  Member  from and  against  any and all  Losses and
Expenses incurred by such Buyer Group Member in connection with or arising from:

          (i) any breach by any Seller of any of its covenants in this Agreement
     or in any Seller Ancillary Agreement;

          (ii) any  failure of any Seller to perform any of its  obligations  in
     this Agreement or in any Seller Ancillary Agreement;

          (iii)  any  breach  of  any   warranty  or  the   inaccuracy   of  any
     representation  of any Seller contained or referred to in this Agreement or
     any certificate delivered by or on behalf of any Seller pursuant hereto;

          (iv) any  failure of any  Seller to obtain  prior to the  Closing  any
     consent set forth in SCHEDULE 5.3;

          (v) the failure of any Seller to comply with any applicable bulk sales
     law,  except that this clause shall not affect the  obligation  of Buyer to
     pay and discharge the Assumed Liabilities;

          (vi) any claim by and third  Person that the use of the trade names or
     Trademarks  of any  Seller by any Buyer  Group  Member in  accordance  with
     SECTION  8.2  infringes  the  Intellectual  Property  Rights of such  third
     Person; or

          (vii) the failure of any Seller to perform any Excluded Liability.

          (b) The  indemnification  provided  for in  this  SECTION  11.1  shall
terminate as of April 1, 2002 (the "Indemnity  Termination Date") (and no claims
shall be made by any Buyer Group Member  under this  SECTION  11.1  thereafter),
except that the indemnification by Sellers shall continue as to:

                                      -42-
<PAGE>

          (i) the  obligations  and  representations  of each  Seller  under the
     Instrument of Assignment,  the representation and warranties of each Seller
     set forth in SECTION  5.17 and the  covenants  of each  Seller set forth in
     SECTION 8.4 as to which no time limitation shall apply;

          (ii) the  representations  and  warranties  set forth in SECTIONS 5.7,
     5.18 and 5.23 and the  covenants of each Seller set forth in SECTIONS  8.3,
     13.2, 13.6 and 13.13,  as to all of which no time  limitation  shall apply,
     subject to any applicable statute of limitation;

          (iii)  the  covenant  set  forth  in  SECTION  8.1,  as to  which  the
     indemnification  provided for in this SECTION 11.1 shall terminate one year
     after the expiration of the noncompetition period provided for therein; and

          (iv) any Loss or Expense of which any Buyer Group  Member has notified
     Sellers in accordance with the  requirements of SECTION 11.3 on or prior to
     the date such indemnification  would otherwise terminate in accordance with
     this SECTION  11.1, as to which the  obligation  of Sellers shall  continue
     until the liability of Seller shall have been  determined  pursuant to this
     ARTICLE XI, and Sellers shall have  reimbursed  all Buyer Group Members for
     the full amount of such Loss and Expense in  accordance  with this  ARTICLE
     XI.

          11.2. INDEMNIFICATION BY BUYER.

          (a) Buyer  agrees to  indemnify  and hold  harmless  each Seller Group
Member from and  against  any and all Loss and  Expense  incurred by such Seller
Group Member in connection with or arising from:

          (i) any breach by Buyer of any of its  covenants or agreements in this
     Agreement or in any Buyer Ancillary Agreement;

          (ii) any  failure by Buyer to perform any of its  obligations  in this
     Agreement or in any Buyer Ancillary Agreement;

          (iii)  any  breach  of  any   warranty  or  the   inaccuracy   of  any
     representation  of Buyer  contained or referred to in this  Agreement or in
     any certificate delivered by or on behalf of Buyer pursuant hereto; or

          (iv) the failure of Buyer to perform the Assumed Liabilities.

          (b) The  indemnification  provided  for in  this  SECTION  11.2  shall
terminate  on the  Indemnity  Termination  Date (and no claims  shall be made by
Seller under this SECTION 11.2 thereafter),  except that the  indemnification by
Buyer shall continue as to:

          (i) the covenants of Buyer set forth in SECTIONS 8.3,  13.2,  13.6 and
     13.13,  as to all of which no time limitation  shall apply,  subject to any
     applicable statute of limitations; and

          (ii) any Loss or  Expense  of which  Sellers  have  notified  Buyer in
     accordance  with the  requirements  of SECTION 11.3 on or prior to the date
     such  indemnification  would  otherwise  terminate in accordance  with this
     SECTION 11.2, as to which the  obligation of Buyer shall continue until the
     liability of Buyer shall have been determined  pursuant to this ARTICLE XI,
     and Buyer  shall have  reimbursed  all Seller  Group  Members  for the full
     amount of such Loss and Expense in accordance with this ARTICLE XI.

                                      -43-
<PAGE>

          11.3. NOTICE OF CLAIMS.  Any Buyer Group Member or Seller Group Member
(the "Indemnified  Party") seeking  indemnification  hereunder shall give to the
party  obligated  to  provide  indemnification  to such  Indemnified  Party (the
"Indemnitor")  a notice (a "Claim Notice")  describing in reasonable  detail the
facts giving rise to any claim for  indemnification  hereunder and shall include
in such Claim Notice (if then known) the amount or the method of  computation of
the amount of such claim,  and a reference to the provision of this Agreement or
any other agreement,  document or instrument executed hereunder or in connection
herewith  upon  which  such  claim is based;  PROVIDED,  that a Claim  Notice in
respect of any  action at law or suit in equity by or against a third  Person as
to which indemnification will be sought shall be given promptly after the action
or suit is  commenced;  PROVIDED  FURTHER that failure to give such notice shall
not relieve the Indemnitor of its obligations  hereunder except to the extent it
shall have been prejudiced by such failure.

          11.4. THIRD PERSON CLAIMS.

          (a) Subject to SECTION 11.4(B),  the Indemnified  Party shall have the
right to conduct and  control,  through  counsel of its  choosing,  the defense,
compromise or settlement of any third Person claim,  action or suit against such
Indemnified Party as to which  indemnification will be sought by any Indemnified
Party from any Indemnitor  hereunder,  and in any such case the Indemnitor shall
cooperate in connection  therewith  and shall furnish such records,  information
and  testimony and attend such  conferences,  discovery  proceedings,  hearings,
trials and appeals as may be reasonably  requested by the  Indemnified  Party in
connection  therewith;  provided,  that the Indemnitor may participate,  through
counsel  chosen by it and at its own expense,  in the defense of any such claim,
action or suit as to which the  Indemnified  Party has so elected to conduct and
control the defense thereof; and provided,  further,  that the Indemnified Party
shall not, without the written consent of the Indemnitor  (which written consent
shall not be unreasonably  withheld),  pay, compromise or settle any such claim,
action or suit,  except that no such consent  shall be required if,  following a
written request from the Indemnified Party, the Indemnitor shall fail, within 14
days after the making of such request, to acknowledge and agree in writing that,
if such claim, action or suit shall be adversely determined, such Indemnitor has
an obligation to provide  indemnification  hereunder to such Indemnified  Party.
Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  the  Indemnified  Party shall have the right to
pay,  settle or compromise any such claim,  action or suit without such consent,
provided  that in such  event the  Indemnified  Party  shall  waive any right to
indemnity therefor hereunder unless such consent is unreasonably withheld.

          (b) If any third Person claim,  action or suit against any Indemnified
Party is solely for money damages or, where any Seller is the  Indemnitor,  will
have no  continuing  effect  in any  material  respect  on the  Business  or the
Purchased  Assets,  then the  Indemnitor  shall  have the right to  conduct  and
control, through counsel of its choosing, the defense,  compromise or settlement
of any such third Person claim, action or suit against such Indemnified Party as
to which  indemnification  will be  sought  by any  Indemnified  Party  from any
Indemnitor  hereunder if the Indemnitor has  acknowledged  and agreed in writing
that, if the same is adversely  determined,  the Indemnitor has an obligation to
provide  indemnification to the Indemnified Party in respect thereof, and in any
such case the  Indemnified  Party shall  cooperate in  connection  therewith and
shall  furnish  such  records,   information   and  testimony  and  attend  such
conferences,  discovery  proceedings,  hearings,  trials  and  appeals as may be
reasonably requested by the Indemnitor in connection therewith;  provided,  that
the Indemnified  Party may participate,  through counsel chosen by it and at its
own  expense,  in the defense of any such claim,  action or suit as to which the
Indemnitor  has  so  elected  to  conduct  and  control  the  defense   thereof.
Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  the  Indemnified  Party shall have the right to
pay, settle or compromise any such claim,  action or suit, provided that in such
event  the  Indemnified  Party  shall  waive  any  right to  indemnity  therefor
hereunder  unless the  Indemnified  Party  shall have  sought the consent of the
Indemnitor  to such  payment,  settlement  or  compromise  and such  consent was
unreasonably  withheld, in which event no claim for indemnity therefor hereunder
shall be waived.

                                      -44-
<PAGE>

          11.5.  LIMITATIONS OF INDEMNIFICATION.  No Indemnifying Party shall be
required  to  indemnify  an  Indemnified  Party  hereunder  unless and until the
aggregate  amount of Losses and/or Expenses for which the applicable  Indemnitor
is  otherwise  obligated  to make  payment  pursuant to this  SECTION 11 exceeds
$50,000,  whereupon  such  Indemnitor  shall  be  obligated  to pay  the  entire
aggregate  amount of all such Losses and  Expenses.  The amount of any Losses or
Expenses  recoverable by an  Indemnified  Party under this SECTION 11.5 shall be
calculated  net of any  insurance  proceeds  or  other  third  party  recoveries
received by such Indemnified Party with respect thereto.

          11.6.  ADJUSTMENT TO PURCHASE  PRICE.  Any payment by Buyer or Sellers
under this  ARTICLE XI shall be made on an  After-Tax  Basis,  and to the extent
such payment can be properly so characterized under applicable tax law, shall be
treated by the parties as an adjustment to the Purchase Price.

                                  ARTICLE XII

                                   TERMINATION
                                   -----------

          12.1.  TERMINATION.  Anything  contained  in  this  Agreement  to  the
contrary notwithstanding,  this Agreement may be terminated at any time prior to
the Closing Date:

          (a) by the mutual consent of Buyer and Parent;

          (b) by Buyer in the event of any material  breach by any Seller of any
of Seller's  agreements,  representations or warranties contained herein and the
failure of such Seller to cure such breach  within  seven days after  receipt of
notice from Buyer requesting such breach to be cured; or

          (c) by Parent in the event of any  material  breach by Buyer of any of
Buyer's  agreements,  representations  or  warranties  contained  herein and the
failure of Buyer to cure such breach  within seven days after  receipt of notice
from Parent requesting such breach to be cured.

          12.2.  NOTICE OF  TERMINATION.  Any party  desiring to terminate  this
Agreement  pursuant to SECTION 12.1 shall give notice of such termination to the
other parties to this Agreement.

          12.3. EFFECT OF TERMINATION.  If this Agreement is terminated pursuant
to this ARTICLE XII, all further obligations of the parties under this Agreement
(other  than  SECTIONS  13.2 and  13.10)  shall be  terminated  without  further
liability of any party to the other,  PROVIDED that nothing herein shall relieve
any party from liability for its willful breach of this Agreement.

                                  ARTICLE XIII

                               GENERAL PROVISIONS
                               ------------------

          13.1.  SURVIVAL  OF  OBLIGATIONS.  All  representations,   warranties,
covenants  and  obligations  contained  in  this  Agreement  shall  survive  the
consummation  of the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement as provided
herein.

          13.2.  CONFIDENTIAL  NATURE OF INFORMATION.  Each party agrees that it
will treat in confidence all documents, materials and other information which it
shall  have  obtained  regarding  the  other  party  during  the  course  of the
negotiations leading to the consummation of the transactions

                                      -45-
<PAGE>

contemplated  hereby  (whether  obtained  before  or  after  the  date  of  this
Agreement),  the  investigation  provided for herein,  the  preparation  of this
Agreement and other related  documents and the provision of Transition  Services
and Accounting  Services,  and, if the transactions  contemplated hereby are not
consummated,  each party will return to the other party all copies of  nonpublic
documents and materials which have been furnished in connection therewith,  and,
if such transactions are consummated,  Buyer will promptly  thereafter return to
Parent all copies of nonpublic documents and materials which have been furnished
by any Seller to Buyer and which do not relate  primarily to the Business.  Such
documents,  materials and  information  shall not be  communicated  to any third
Person (other than, in the case of Buyer, to its counsel, accountants, financial
advisors or lenders,  and in the case of Sellers, to their counsel,  accountants
or financial advisors). No other party shall use any confidential information in
any manner  whatsoever  except solely for the purpose of evaluating the proposed
purchase and sale of the Purchased  Assets;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that after the
Closing Buyer may use or disclose any confidential  information  included in the
Purchased Assets or otherwise  reasonably  related  primarily to the Business or
the Purchased  Assets.  The  obligation  of each party to treat such  documents,
materials and other information in confidence shall not apply to any information
which (i) is or becomes  available  to such party from a source  other than such
party,  (ii) is or becomes  available  to the  public  other than as a result of
disclosure  by such  party or its  agents,  (iii) is  required  to be  disclosed
without protection of confidentiality  under applicable law or judicial process,
but only to the extent it must be disclosed, or (iv) such party reasonably deems
necessary to disclose to obtain any of the  consents or  approvals  contemplated
hereby.

          13.3.  NO PUBLIC  ANNOUNCEMENT.  None of Buyer nor any  Seller  shall,
without the  approval of the other  (which  approval  shall not be  unreasonably
withheld) , make any press release or other public  announcement  concerning the
transactions  contemplated by this  Agreement,  except as and to the extent that
any such party shall be so obligated by law or the rules of any stock  exchange,
in which case the other party  shall be advised and the parties  shall use their
best efforts to cause a mutually agreeable release or announcement to be issued;
PROVIDED that the foregoing  shall not preclude  communications  or  disclosures
necessary to implement the  provisions  of this  Agreement or to comply with the
accounting and Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure obligations.

          13.4.  NOTICES.  All  notices  or  other  communications  required  or
permitted  hereunder  shall be in writing and shall be deemed given or delivered
when  delivered  personally or when sent by  registered or certified  mail or by
private courier addressed as follows:

          If to Buyer, to:

          Peapod, Inc.
          9933 Woods Drive
          Skokie, IL  60077
          Attention: Marc van Gelder
          Facsimile: (847) 583-9495

          with a copy to:

          Sidley & Austin
          Bank One Plaza
          10 South Dearborn
          Chicago, IL  60603
          Attention: Christine A. Leahy, Esq.
          Facsimile: (312) 853-7036

                                      -46-
<PAGE>

          If to any Seller, to:

          Streamline.com, Inc.
          27 Dartmouth Street
          Westwood, MA  02090
          Attention: Edward Albertian
          Facsimile: (781) 407-1946
          with a copy to:

          Bingham Dana LLP
          150 Federal Street
          Boston, MA  02110
          Attention: Wayne D. Bennett, Esq.
          Facsimile  (617) 951-8736

or to such other address as such party may indicate by a notice delivered to the
other party hereto.

          13.5. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.

          (a) The  rights of either  party  under  this  Agreement  shall not be
assignable by such party hereto prior to the Closing without the written consent
of  the  other;  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that  Buyer  may  assign  its  rights  and
obligations  under  this  Agreement  to an  Affiliate  of Buyer.  Following  the
Closing,  either  party may  assign  any of its  rights  hereunder,  but no such
assignment shall relieve it of its obligations hereunder.

          (b) This  Agreement  shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of
the parties hereto and their  successors and permitted  assigns.  The successors
and permitted assigns hereunder shall include without limitation, in the case of
Buyer,  any  permitted  assignee as well as the  successors  in interest to such
permitted assignee (whether by merger, liquidation (including successive mergers
or liquidations) or otherwise). Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied,
is  intended  or shall be  construed  to confer  upon any Person  other than the
parties and  successors  and assigns  permitted  by this SECTION 13.5 any right,
remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

          13.6. ACCESS TO RECORDS AFTER CLOSING.

          (a) For a period of six years  after the  Closing  Date,  Sellers  and
their  representatives  shall  have  reasonable  access  to all of the books and
records of the Divisions  transferred to Buyer hereunder to the extent that such
access may reasonably be required by Sellers in connection with matters relating
to or affected by the  operations  of the  Divisions  prior to the Closing Date.
Such access shall be afforded by Buyer upon receipt of reasonable advance notice
and during normal  business hours.  Sellers shall be solely  responsible for any
costs or expenses  incurred by it pursuant  to this  SECTION  13.6(A).  If Buyer
shall desire to dispose of any of such books and records prior to the expiration
of such six-year period, Buyer shall, prior to such disposition,  give Sellers a
reasonable opportunity,  at Sellers' expense, to segregate and remove such books
and records as Sellers may select.

          (b) For a period of six years  after the Closing  Date,  Buyer and its
representatives  shall have  reasonable  access to all of the books and  records
relating to the Business  which  Sellers or any of their  Affiliates  may retain
after the  Closing  Date.  Such  access  shall be  afforded by Sellers and their
Affiliates upon receipt of reasonable  advance notice and during normal business
hours. Buyer shall be

                                      -47-
<PAGE>

solely  responsible  for any costs and expenses  incurred by it pursuant to this
SECTION  13.6(B).  If Sellers or any of their Affiliates shall desire to dispose
of any of such  books  and  records  prior to the  expiration  of such  six-year
period,  Sellers  shall,  prior to such  disposition,  give  Buyer a  reasonable
opportunity,  at Buyer's expense, to segregate and remove such books and records
as Buyer may select.

          13.7.  ENTIRE AGREEMENT;  AMENDMENTS.  This Agreement and the Exhibits
and Schedules  referred to herein and the documents  delivered  pursuant  hereto
contain  the entire  understanding  of the  parties  hereto  with  regard to the
subject matter contained herein or therein,  and supersede all prior agreements,
understandings  or letters of intent between or among any of the parties hereto,
including  the Letter of  Understanding.  This  Agreement  shall not be amended,
modified or supplemented  except by a written instrument signed by an authorized
representative of each of the parties hereto.

          13.8. PARTIAL  INVALIDITY.  Wherever  possible,  each provision hereof
shall  be  interpreted  in  such  manner  as to be  effective  and  valid  under
applicable law, but in case any one or more of the provisions  contained  herein
shall,  for any reason,  be held to be invalid,  illegal or unenforceable in any
respect,  such provision  shall be  ineffective  to the extent,  but only to the
extent, of such invalidity,  illegality or unenforceability without invalidating
the remainder of such invalid,  illegal or unenforceable provision or provisions
or  any  other  provisions   hereof,   unless  such  a  construction   would  be
unreasonable.

          13.9. WAIVERS.  Any term or provision of this Agreement may be waived,
or the  time for its  performance  may be  extended,  by the  party  or  parties
entitled  to  the  benefit  thereof.  Any  such  waiver  shall  be  validly  and
sufficiently  authorized for the purposes of this Agreement if, as to any party,
it is authorized in writing by an authorized  representative  of such party. The
failure  of any  party  hereto  to  enforce  at any time any  provision  of this
Agreement  shall not be construed to be a waiver of such  provision,  nor in any
way to affect the validity of this  Agreement or any part hereof or the right of
any party thereafter to enforce each and every such provision.  No waiver of any
breach of this  Agreement  shall be held to  constitute a waiver of any other or
subsequent breach.

          13.10.  EXPENSES.  Each party  hereto will pay all costs and  expenses
incident  to its  negotiation  and  preparation  of  this  Agreement  and to its
performance and compliance with all agreements and conditions  contained  herein
on its part to be performed or complied with,  including the fees,  expenses and
disbursements of its counsel and accountants.

          13.11.  EXECUTION IN  COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in
one or  more  counterparts,  each of  which  shall  be  considered  an  original
instrument, but all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement, and
shall become binding when one or more  counterparts  have been signed by each of
the parties hereto and delivered to each Seller and Buyer.

          13.12.  ENFORCEMENT OF AGREEMENT.  In the event of an action at law or
in equity between the parties  hereto to enforce any of the  provisions  hereof,
the  unsuccessful  party  to such  litigation  or  proceeding  shall  pay to the
successful party all costs and expenses,  including reasonable  attorneys' fees,
incurred therein by such successful party on trial and appeal as adjudged by the
court,  and if such  successful  party or parties shall recover  judgment in any
such action or  proceeding,  such costs,  expenses  and  attorneys'  fees may be
included as part of such judgment.

          13.13.  FURTHER  ASSURANCES.  From time to time following the Closing,
each Seller shall execute and deliver, or cause to be executed and delivered, to
Buyer such other  instruments of conveyance and transfer as Buyer may reasonably
request or as may be otherwise necessary to more effectively convey and transfer
to, and vest in, Buyer and put Buyer in possession of, any part of the Purchased
Assets, and, in the case of licenses, certificates,  approvals,  authorizations,
agreements,  contracts,  leases, easements and other commitments included in the
Purchased Assets (a) which cannot be

                                      -48-
<PAGE>

transferred or assigned  effectively  without the consent of third parties which
consent has not been obtained  prior to the Closing,  to cooperate with Buyer at
its request in  endeavoring  to obtain such  consent  promptly,  and if any such
consent is  unobtainable,  to use its reasonable best efforts to secure to Buyer
the  benefits  thereof  in some other  manner,  or (b) which are  otherwise  not
transferable  or  assignable,  to use its reasonable  best efforts  jointly with
Buyer to secure to Buyer the benefits  thereof in some other  manner  (including
the exercise of the rights of any Seller thereunder);  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  that
nothing  herein shall relieve  Sellers of their  obligations  under SECTION 7.3.
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, this Agreement shall
not  constitute  an  agreement  to assign any  license,  certificate,  approval,
authorization, agreement, contract, lease, easement or other commitment included
in the Purchased Assets if an attempted  assignment  thereof without the consent
of a third party thereto would constitute a breach thereof.

          13.14.  GOVERNING  LAW.  This  Agreement  shall  be  governed  by  and
construed in  accordance  with the internal laws (as opposed to the conflicts of
law provisions) of the State of Illinois.

          13.15.  TIME IS OF THE  ESSENCE.  With  respect  to all dates and time
periods set forth or referred to in this Agreement, time is of the essence.

          13.16.   SUBMISSION   TO   JURISDICTION.   Sellers  and  Buyer  hereby
irrevocably  submit in any suit, action or proceeding  arising out of or related
to this Agreement or any of the transactions  contemplated  hereby or thereby to
the  jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Northern  District
of Illinois and the jurisdiction of the Circuit Court of Cook County of Illinois
and waive any and all  objections to  jurisdiction  that they may have under the
laws of the State of Illinois or the United States.

                                      -49-
<PAGE>

          IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be executed the day and year first above written.

                                        PEAPOD, INC.

                                        By: ______________________________

                                             Name: _______________________

                                             Title: ______________________

                                        STREAMLINE.COM, INC.

                                        By: ______________________________

                                             Name: _______________________

                                             Title: ______________________

                                        BEACON HOME DIRECT, INC.

                                        By: ______________________________

                                             Name: _______________________

                                             Title: ______________________

                                        STREAMLINE MID-ATLANTIC, INC.

                                        By: ______________________________

                                             Name: _______________________

                                             Title: ______________________

                                      -50-
<PAGE>

                                     ANNEX A
                               TRANSITION SERVICES

Systems Services
----------------

Sellers  shall  provide  Buyer  with the  following  services  for the  Maryland
Business, including but not limited to:

     o    maintaining, supporting and updating content on the front-end website

     o    online merchandising

     o    executing online  communication with customers;  working with Buyer to
          communicate business changes on-line

     o    executing,  with Buyer, an opt-in message  ensuring that customers are
          notified  that they will be joining  the  Buyer's  service  and giving
          Buyer access to all customer  information,  order history and previous
          shopping lists

     o    maintaining  and  supporting  warehouse  management  system  and other
          related systems for product picking, delivery and returns; downloading
          of product and order information; and routing of deliveries

     o    assisting in balancing customer delivery availability with operational
          capacity

     o    preparing all customer  data, and previous order data after January 1,
          2000, in a mutually  agreeable  format to enable  transfer of customer
          information  and  previous  order  information  to  the  Buyer  at the
          completion of the Transition Period

Accounting Services
-------------------

Sellers  shall  provide  Buyer  with the  following  services  for the  Maryland
Business, including but not limited to:

     o    payroll  services  (Buyer will assume  these  services for wages after
          September  30,  2000  when  able  to do so,  prior  to the  end of the
          Transition Period)

     o    accounts  payable  services,  including  processing  and  invoicing of
          accounts payable (Buyer will assume these services when able to do so,
          prior to the end of Transition Period)

     o    billing services for customer orders

     o    processing  of  customer  payments  and related  accounts  receivable,
          including the transfer of such data after January 1, 2000 to the Buyer
          at the completion of the Transition Period

     o    processing of other cash receipts

     o    purchasing services related to the ordering of products

     o    preparing monthly income statements

                                      -51-
<PAGE>

     o    maintaining  all books  and  records  for the  Transition  Period  and
          providing  such  books  and  records  to the  Buyer  at the end of the
          Transition Period

Customer Care and Communications
--------------------------------

Sellers  shall  provide  Buyer  with the  following  services  for the  Maryland
Business, including but not limited to:

     o    signing-up  customers;  provided that Sellers agree not to sign up any
          customers for the refrigerator plan

     o    scheduling returns

     o    crediting customer accounts

     o    responding to customer calls and complaints

     o    documenting  responses to customer  calls and  complaints  in a manner
          consistent with that performed for Sellers' own customers

     o    preparing,  with Buyer, an opt-in message  ensuring that customers are
          notified  that they will be joining  the  Buyer's  service  and giving
          Buyer access to all customer  information,  order history and previous
          shopping lists

For a period of one year from the Closing Date for the Chicago  Business and for
a period from the end of the Transition Period through one year from the Closing
Date for the Maryland  business,  Sellers shall provide the following  services,
including but not limited to:

     o    forwarding of customer inquiries or other communications to the Buyer

     o    providing  a  link  from  Seller's  website  to  Buyer's  website  for
          customers in the Chicago,  Illinois MSA and the  Washington,  D.C. MSA
          (for  example,  if a new customer  enters a zip code in either  market
          they will be redirected to a jump page explaining the operation of the
          business, and then linking to Buyer's website)

     o    forwarding phone calls and messages from customers to the Buyer

Merchandising
-------------

Sellers  shall  provide  Buyer  with the  following  services  for the  Maryland
Business, including but not limited to:

     o    maintaining   product  database,   including   descriptions,   pricing
          information and product information

     o    administering promotional programs

                                      -52-
<PAGE>

                                     ANNEX B
                               ACCOUNTING SERVICES

Buyer shall  provide  Sellers  with the  following  accounting  services for the
operations  of the  Business  on or  prior to the  Closing  Date  (the  "Closing
Period"), including but not limited to:

     o    payroll services

     o    accounts  payable  services,  including  processing  and  invoicing of
          accounts payable

     o    billing services for customer orders

     o    processing of customer payments and related accounts receivable

     o    processing of other cash receipts

     o    preparing monthly income statements

     o    maintaining all books and records for the Closing Period and providing
          such books and records to Sellers at the end of the Transition Period

                                      -53-


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