MEYER FRED INC
10-Q, 1995-09-12
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<PAGE>1
                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                                 FORM 10-Q



[ X ]     QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
          EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

          For the quarterly period ended August 12, 1995

                                                        OR

[   ]     TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES
          EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

          For the transition period from __________ to __________



                        Commission File No. 0-15023



                              FRED MEYER, INC.
           (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                   Delaware                                 93-0798201
          (State or other jurisdiction of                (I.R.S. Employer
          incorporation or organization)              Identification Number)

              3800 S.E. 22nd Avenue
                Portland, Oregon                              97202
    (Address of principal executive offices)                (Zip Code)

                               (503) 232-8844
            (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                              Not applicable.
            (Former name, former address and former fiscal year,
                       if changed since last report.)


     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the
registrant was required to file such reports); and (2) has been subject to
such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

          Yes  XX          No
             -----



          Shares of Common Stock Outstanding at August 12, 1995:   26,704,430


<PAGE>2


                       Part I - Financial Information

                     FRED MEYER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                        CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

                               (In thousands)
                                (Unaudited)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                     August 12,      January 28,
                                                          1995             1995
                                                    ----------       ----------

                            ASSETS

<S>                                                  <C>              <C>
CURRENT ASSETS:
   Cash and cash equivalents .................       $   36,048       $   34,868
   Receivables-net ...........................           23,240           20,025
   Inventories ...............................          501,924          514,473
   Prepaid expenses and other ................           30,779           42,092
   Income taxes receivable ...................             --             15,021
   Current portion of deferred taxes .........           15,586           15,116
                                                     ----------       ----------
      Total current assets ...................          607,577          641,595
                                                     ----------       ----------

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT-NET ...................          975,143          896,439
                                                     ----------       ----------

OTHER ASSETS .................................           22,172           24,638
                                                     ----------       ----------

         TOTAL ...............................       $1,604,892       $1,562,672
                                                     ==========       ==========



                          LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY

CURRENT LIABILITIES:
   Accounts payable and outstanding checks .....     $  297,099      $  312,044
   Current portion of long-term debt
      and lease obligations ....................          1,623           1,623
   Income taxes payable ........................            911            --
   Accrued expenses and other ..................         84,351          78,414
                                                     ----------      ----------
      Total current liabilities ................        383,984         392,081
                                                     ----------      ----------

LONG-TERM DEBT AND MORTGAGES ...................        580,337         540,166
                                                     ----------      ----------

CAPITAL LEASE OBLIGATIONS ......................         13,766          13,823
                                                     ----------      ----------

DEFERRED LEASE TRANSACTIONS ....................         43,561          45,655
                                                     ----------      ----------

DEFERRED INCOME TAXES ..........................         20,466          22,258
                                                     ----------      ----------

OTHER LONG-TERM LIABILITIES ....................          8,784          10,069
                                                     ----------      ----------

STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
   Common stock ................................            270             268
   Additional paid-in capital ..................        199,222         197,087
   Retained earnings ...........................        359,047         345,291
   Treasury stock and other ....................         (4,545)         (4,026)
                                                     ----------      ----------
      Total stockholders' equity ...............        553,994         538,620
                                                     ----------      ----------

         TOTAL .................................     $1,604,892      $1,562,672
                                                     ==========      ==========
</TABLE>

              See notes to consolidated financial statements.


<PAGE>3


                     FRED MEYER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

                  (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                (Unaudited)



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                            12 Weeks Ended
                                                          ----------------------
                                                          August 12,  August 13,
                                                               1995        1994
                                                          ---------   ---------

<S>                                                        <C>          <C>
NET SALES ............................................     $775,809     $737,284
                                                           --------     --------
COST OF MERCHANDISE SOLD:
    General ..........................................      552,634      513,981
    Related party lease ..............................        1,285        1,285
                                                           --------     --------
    Total cost of merchandise sold ...................      553,919      515,266
                                                           --------     --------

GROSS MARGIN .........................................      221,890      220,018
                                                           --------     --------

OPERATING AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES:
    General ..........................................      184,231      172,439
    Related party leases .............................       12,426       13,193
                                                           --------     --------
    Total operating and administrative expenses ......      196,657      185,632
                                                           --------     --------

INCOME FROM OPERATIONS ...............................       25,233       36,386
INTEREST EXPENSE-NET .................................        8,019        5,429
                                                           --------     --------

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES ...........................       17,214       30,957
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES ...........................        6,541       11,764
                                                           --------     --------

NET INCOME ...........................................     $ 10,673     $ 19,193
                                                           ========     ========

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE ............................     $    .38     $    .67
                                                           --------     --------

WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF
   COMMON AND COMMON EQUIVALENT
   SHARES OUTSTANDING ................................       28,369       28,676
                                                           ========     ========

</TABLE>


              See notes to consolidated financial statements.


<PAGE>4


                     FRED MEYER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS

                  (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                (Unaudited)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                              28 Weeks Ended
                                                         -----------------------
                                                         August 12,   August 13,
                                                              1995         1994
                                                         ---------    ---------

<S>                                                     <C>           <C>
NET SALES ..........................................    $1,712,488    $1,669,631
                                                        ----------    ----------

COST OF MERCHANDISE SOLD:
    General ........................................     1,221,560     1,172,952
    Related party lease ............................         2,998         2,998
                                                        ----------    ----------
    Total cost of merchandise sold .................     1,224,558     1,175,950
                                                        ----------    ----------

GROSS MARGIN .......................................       487,930       493,681
                                                        ----------    ----------

OPERATING AND ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES:
    General ........................................       416,732       394,235
    Related party leases ...........................        29,840        30,868
                                                        ----------    ----------
    Total operating and administrative expenses ....       446,572       425,103
                                                        ----------    ----------

INCOME FROM OPERATIONS .............................        41,358        68,578
INTEREST EXPENSE-NET ...............................        19,171        11,837
                                                        ----------    ----------

INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES .........................        22,187        56,741
PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES .........................         8,431        21,562
                                                        ----------    ----------

NET INCOME .........................................    $   13,756    $   35,179
                                                        ==========    ==========

EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE ..........................    $      .48    $     1.23
                                                        ==========    ==========

WEIGHTED AVERAGE NUMBER OF
   COMMON AND COMMON EQUIVALENT
   SHARES OUTSTANDING ..............................        28,424        28,704
                                                        ==========    ==========

</TABLE>


              See notes to consolidated financial statements.

<PAGE>5


                     FRED MEYER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

                               (In thousands)
                                (Unaudited)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                         28 Weeks Ended
                                                 -------------------------------
                                                 August 12,           August 13,
                                                      1995                 1994
                                                 ---------            ---------

<S>                                               <C>                 <C>
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
   Net income ................................... $  13,756           $  35,179
   Adjustments to reconcile net income to net
      cash provided by operating activities:
      Depreciation and amortization of
         property and equipment .................    55,607              46,337
      Deferred lease transactions ...............    (2,094)             (1,399)
      Other liabilities .........................    (1,285)                122
      Income taxes ..............................    13,670              (6,210)
      Inventories ...............................    12,549             (21,535)
      Other current assets ......................     8,098               3,420
      Accounts payable and accrued expenses .....     8,515              28,668
      Other .....................................     1,086                 930
                                                  ---------           ---------

   Net cash provided by operating activities ....   109,902              85,512
                                                  ---------           ---------

CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
   Issuance of common stock-net .................     1,591               2,388
   Decrease in outstanding checks ...............   (17,522)             (7,156)
   Decrease in notes receivable .................       114                 122
   Long-term financing:
      Borrowings ................................    70,000              71,072
      Repayments ................................   (29,887)               (142)
                                                  ---------           ---------

   Net cash provided by financing activities ....    24,296              66,284
                                                  ---------           ---------

CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:
   Net maturities (purchases)
      of investment securities ..................     1,510                (920)
   Purchases of property and equipment ..........  (136,617)           (150,641)
   Net proceeds from sale of real property ......     2,089               3,406
                                                  ---------           ---------

   Net cash used for investing activities .......  (133,018)           (148,155)
                                                  ---------           ---------

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS:
   Net increase for the period ..................     1,180               3,641
   Beginning of period ..........................    34,868              34,054
                                                  ---------           ---------

   End of period ................................ $  36,048           $  37,695
                                                  =========           =========

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURE OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION:
   Cash paid (refunded) during the period for:
      Interest .................................. $  13,328           $  12,898
      Income taxes ..............................    (5,389)             27,500

</TABLE>


              See notes to consolidated financial statements.


<PAGE>6


                     FRED MEYER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1.    Interim Reporting Periods
      -------------------------
      The Company's interim reporting periods for reports to stockholders are
      the 16th, 28th, and 40th weeks of its fiscal year.


2.    Reclassifications
      -----------------
      Certain prior year balances have been reclassified to conform to current
      year presentation.


3.    Inventories
      -----------
      Inventories consist mainly of merchandise held for sale.  Substantially
      all the inventories are valued at the lower of last-in, first-out (LIFO)
      cost or market.  Estimated gross margins have been used for determining
      the cost of merchandise sold for those operating departments not taking
      physical inventories at the end of the interim periods.


4.    Income Taxes
      ------------
      Income taxes have been provided for based upon the current estimate of the
      Company's annual effective tax rate.


5.    Stockholders' Equity
      --------------------
      Changes in stockholders' equity for the twenty-eight weeks ended
      August 12, 1995 were:
                                                               (In thousands)
                                                               --------------

       Stockholders' equity, January 28, 1995                      $538,620
       Issuance of common stock-net                                   1,591
       Amortization of unearned compensation                             27
       Net income                                                    13,756
                                                                   --------
       Stockholders' equity, August 12, 1995                       $553,994
                                                                   ========


6.    Earnings Per Common Share
      -------------------------
      Fully diluted earnings per common share are computed by dividing net
      income by the weighted average number of common and common equivalent
      shares outstanding.  Weighted average shares reflect the dilutive effect
      of outstanding stock options (ranging in exercise price from $3.24 to
      $41.25 per share) which was determined by using the "treasury stock"
      method.


7.    Commitments and Contingencies
      -----------------------------
      The Company and its subsidiaries are parties to various legal claims,
      actions, and complaints, certain of which involve material amounts.
      Although the Company is unable to predict with certainty whether or not it
      will ultimately be successful in these legal proceedings or, if not, what
      the impact might be, management presently believes that disposition of
      these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's
      consolidated financial position or consolidated results of operations.

                              ---------------


<PAGE>7



The financial information furnished in this Form 10-Q reflects all adjustments
of a normal recurring nature, which, in the opinion of management, are
necessary for a fair presentation of the results for the 12 and 28 weeks ended
August 12, 1995 and August 13, 1994.

The consolidated results of operations presented herein are not necessarily
indicative of the results to be expected for the year due to the seasonality
of the Company's business.  These consolidated financial statements should be
read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes
incorporated by reference in the Company's latest annual report filed on Form
10-K.


                              FRED MEYER, INC.
                  MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
               FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS


FINANCIAL CONDITION

The Company funded its working capital and capital expenditure needs in 1995
and 1994 through internally generated cash flow, supplemented by borrowings
under committed and uncommitted bank lines of credit and unrated commercial
paper.

On June 29, 1993 and August 2, 1993, the Company issued an aggregate of
$70,000,000 of five-year floating rate notes to a group of five banks.  At the
Company's option, the notes will bear interest at a spread above LIBOR or
certificate of deposit rates.  On June 1, 1994, the Company issued an
aggregate of $57,500,000 of senior notes to a group of life insurance
companies.  The notes mature on July 15 of 1999, 2001, 2004, and 2007 and bear
interest rates of between 7.25 percent and 7.98 percent.  On April 25, 1995,
the Company issued $50,000,000 of seven year senior 7.77 percent notes to a
major insurance company.  On May 30, 1995, the Company borrowed $20,000,000
from a major international bank with a maturity of five years and bearing
interest at 6.775 percent.  The Company also put in place a lease line of
credit for land and buildings for up to $100,000,000.

The Company entered into a new credit facility in 1994 with several domestic
and foreign banks for a committed line of credit which provides for borrowings
of up to $400,000,000.  This agreement was extended for one year in 1995 and
continues through June 30, 2000, at which time the agreement terminates and
any outstanding amounts must be paid in full.  On March 6, 1995, the Company
entered into a new 364-day credit facility with several domestic and foreign
banks for an additional committed line of credit which provides for borrowings
of up to $100,000,000.  After 364 days, the agreement terminates, and any
outstanding amounts must be paid in full unless extended.  In addition to
these committed credit facilities, the Company had $85,000,000 of uncommitted
money market lines of credit with several foreign banks and had $107,000,000
of uncommitted money market lines of credit with banks who are in the
committed credit facility.  The bank lines of credit and unrated commercial
paper are used primarily for seasonal inventory requirements, new store
construction and financing, existing store remodeling, acquisition of land,
and major projects such as MIS development.  At August 12, 1995, the Company
had unrated commercial paper outstanding in the amount of approximately
$326,498,000, borrowings under money market lines with committed line banks of
$4,000,000, no borrowings under uncommitted borrowing facilities, and a total
of approximately $169,502,000 available for borrowings under its committed
credit facilities.

The Company has entered into interest rate swap and cap agreements to reduce
the impact of changes in interest rates on its floating rate long-term debt.
At August 12, 1995, the Company had outstanding six interest rate contracts
with commercial banks, having a total notional principal amount of
$100,000,000.  Three of these agreements effectively fix the Company's
interest rate on unrated


<PAGE>8



commercial paper, floating rate facilities, and uncommitted lines of credit at
rates between 4.625 percent and 7.595 percent on a notional principal amount
of $50,000,000.  These contracts expire in 1996, 1997, and 1998.  The
remaining three agreements effectively limit the maximum interest rate the
Company will pay at rates between 5.00 percent and 9.00 percent on notional
principal amounts totaling $50,000,000.  These three agreements mature in
1996, 1998, and 1999.  The Company is exposed to credit loss in the event of
nonperformance by the other parties to the interest rate swap agreements.
However, the Company does not anticipate nonperformance by the counter-
parties.

The Company believes that a combination of cash flow from operations and
borrowings under its expanded credit facilities will permit it to finance its
capital expenditure requirements for 1995, currently budgeted to be
$225,000,000.  If the Company determines that it is preferable, it may fund
its capital expenditure requirements by mortgaging facilities, entering into
sale and leaseback transactions, or by issuing additional debt or equity.



RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Comparison of the 12 weeks ended August 12, 1995 with the 12 weeks ended
August 13, 1994.

Net sales for the second quarter of 1995 increased $38,525,000 or 5.2 percent
over the corresponding quarter in 1994.  The 1995 increase in sales reflects
openings of new stores and inflation, offset by soft sales in seasonal nonfood
categories partially due to weather comparisons and partly due to competitive
factors.  Many competitive openings over the past year, particularly in the
home improvement and home electronic categories, softer consumer demand that
was weakest in the Seattle market, and Portland sales not entirely being back
to prestrike levels all combined to reduce our results.  Comparable store
sales decreased 1.2 percent for the second quarter of 1995.  Food comparable
store sales increased 1.5 percent, and nonfood comparable store sales
decreased 3.1 percent.  The Company's food operations accounted for 41.6
percent of the overall sales in 1995 and 39.5 percent in 1994.

Gross margin as a percent of net sales was 28.6 percent for the second quarter
of 1995, compared with 30.1 percent for 1994's second quarter.  Gross margins
decreased in the second quarter of 1995 due to higher markdowns in seasonally
sensitive items, startup costs associated with opening the Company's new food
distribution center near Seattle, and slow nonfood sales trends.

Operating and administrative expenses as a percent of net sales were 25.3
percent for the second quarter of 1995, compared with 25.2 percent for 1994's
second quarter.  Expenses as a percent of sales increased in 1995's second
quarter, due to the impact of lower sales on fixed expenses and store labor
costs.

Net interest expense in the second quarter of 1995 was $8,019,000, an increase
of 47.7 percent from the $5,429,000 reported for 1994.  The increase reflects
higher borrowings due to an acceleration in new store construction and
remodels and the impact of 1994's labor disputes.

The effective tax rate for the second quarters of 1995 and 1994 was 38.0
percent.

Net income decreased 44.4 percent to $10,673,000 in the second quarter of 1995
from $19,193,000 in the second quarter of 1994.  Earnings per share were $.38
for the second quarter of 1995 based on 28,369,000 shares outstanding,
compared with $.67 for the prior year's second quarter based on 28,676,000
shares outstanding.


<PAGE>9



Comparison of the 28 weeks ended August 12, 1995 with the 28 weeks ended
August 13, 1994.

Net sales for the first 28 weeks of 1995 increased $42,857,000 or 2.6 percent
to $1,712,488,000.  This increase reflects openings of new stores and
inflation, offset by soft sales in seasonal nonfood categories partially due
to weather comparisons and partly due to competitive factors.  Many
competitive openings over the past year, particularly in the home improvement
and home electronic categories, softer consumer demand that was weakest in the
Seattle market, and Portland sales not entirely being back to prestrike levels
all combined to reduce our results.  Comparable store sales decreased 3.3
percent for this 28 week period.  Food comparable store sales decreased .5
percent, and nonfood comparable store sales decreased 5.2 percent.  The
Company's food operations accounted for 41.8 percent of the overall sales for
the first 28 weeks of 1995 compared with 39.6 percent for the first 28 weeks
of 1994.

Gross margin as a percent of net sales was 28.5 percent for the first 28 weeks
of 1995 compared with 29.6 percent for 1994.  Gross margins decreased in the
first 28 weeks of 1995 due to higher markdowns in seasonally sensitive items,
startup costs associated with opening the Company's new food distribution
center near Seattle, and slow nonfood sales trends.

Operating and administrative expenses as a percent of net sales were 26.1
percent for the first 28 weeks of 1995 compared with 25.5 percent for the
first 28 weeks of 1994.  Expenses as a percent of sales increased in 1995's
first 28 weeks, due to the impact of lower sales on fixed expenses and store
labor costs.

Net interest expense in the first 28 weeks of 1995 was $19,171,000, an
increase of 62.0 percent from the $11,837,000 for 1994.  The increase reflects
higher borrowings due to an acceleration in new store construction and
remodels and the impact of 1994's labor disputes.

The effective tax rate for the first 28 weeks of 1995 and 1994 was 38.0
percent.

Net income decreased 60.9 percent to $13,756,000 in the first 28 weeks of 1995
from $35,179,000 in the first 28 weeks of 1994.  Earnings per share were $.48
for the first 28 weeks of 1995 based on 28,424,000 shares outstanding,
compared with $1.23 for the prior year's period based on 28,704,000 shares
outstanding.




EFFECT OF LIFO

The Company estimates annual LIFO expense based on estimates of three factors:
inflation rates (calculated by reference to the Department Stores Inventory
Price Index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for softgoods and
jewelry, and to internally generated indices based on Company purchases during
the year for all other departments), expected inventory levels, and expected
markup levels (after reflecting permanent markdowns and cash discounts).  The
Company reviewed these year-to-date indices at the end of the second quarter
and adjusted its LIFO reserve on a year-to-date basis to reflect the Company's
overall product mix, anticipated year-end inventory levels, and the Company's
expectations of the indices for the remainder of the year.


<PAGE>10



                         PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

Item 4.       Submission of matters to a vote of Security Holders.

              At the annual meeting of the stockholders of the Company held on
              June 27, 1995, action was taken with respect to the election of
              directors.  As of the record date, May 1, 1995, 26,702,580 shares 
              of common stock were outstanding and entitled to vote.  The voting
              results are shown below:

              Election of Directors:
                                                 For                 Withheld
                                              ----------             --------

              Saul A. Fox                     22,858,960             762,840
              A.M. Gleason                    23,454,831             166,969
              Jerome Kohlberg, Jr.            22,856,089             765,711
              Roger S. Meier                  23,459,847             161,953
              Michael W. Michelson            23,422,737             199,063
              Robert G. Miller                23,421,820             199,980
              Paul E. Raether                 23,423,019             198,781

              Amendments to the Company's 1990 Stock Incentive Plan:

                                                                      Broker
                 For              Against           Abstain          Nonvotes
              ----------         ---------         ---------        ----------

              16,266,370         4,634,049           74,065          2,648,316


Item 6.       Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K.

       (a)    Exhibit
              -------

               4F.   Amended and Restated Term Loan Agreement, dated as of
                     May 17, 1995, in an original aggregate principal
                     amount of $30,000,000, among Fred Meyer, Inc., and 
                     Cooperatieve Centrale Raiffeisen- Boerenleenbank B.A.

              4G.    Note Agreement, dated April 25, 1995, in an original 
                     aggregate principal amount of $50,000,000, among Fred 
                     Meyer, Inc., and The Prudential Insurance Company of 
                     America and Pruco Life Insurance Company.

              11.    Computation of Earnings per Common Share.

              22.    Amended Fred Meyer, Inc. 1990 Stock Incentive Plan.

              27.    Financial Data Schedule.

       (b)    Reports on Form 8-K
              -------------------

              No reports on Form 8-K have been filed during the period for which
              this report is filed.


<PAGE>11


                                 SIGNATURES


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                       FRED MEYER, INC.
                                       (Registrant)



Dated:   September 7, 1995             /s/ KENNETH THRASHER
                                       -------------------------------
                                       Kenneth Thrasher
                                       Senior Vice President - Finance
                                       Chief Financial Officer


<PAGE>12


                               EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit                                                            Sequential
Number        Document Description                                Page Number
------        --------------------                                -----------

4F.           Amended and Restated Term Loan Agreement,
              dated as of May 17, 1995, in an original
              aggregate principal amount of $30,000,000,
              among Fred Meyer, Inc., and Cooperatieve
              Centrale Raiffeisen-Boerenleenbank B.A.


4G.           Note Agreement, dated April 25, 1995, in an
              original aggregate principal amount of
              $50,000,000, among Fred Meyer, Inc., and The
              Prudential Insurance Company of America and
              Pruco Life Insurance Company.


11.           Computation of Earnings per Common Share.


22.           Amended Fred Meyer, Inc. 1990 Stock Incentive Plan


27.           Financial Data Schedule.

<PAGE>1
                    AMENDED AND RESTATED TERM LOAN AGREEMENT

                            Dated as of May 17, 1995


       FRED MEYER, INC. a Delaware corporation (the "Borrower"), and
COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK B.A., "Rabobank Nederland",
New York Branch (the "Bank") agree as follows:

                                   ARTICLE I
                        AMOUNTS AND TERMS OF THE ADVANCE

       SECTION 1.01. The Advances. The Bank had made available to the
Borrower, on the terms and conditions set forth herein, an advance (the
"Tranche A Advance") from November 4, 1991 to and including November 30,
1991 (the "Tranche A Termination Date") in an amount not exceeding
$10,000,000 (the "Trance A Commitment"). The Bank agrees, on the terms and
conditions hereinafter set forth, to make an advance (the "Tranche B
Advance") to the Borrower from time to time during the period from the date
hereof to and including May 31, 1996 (the "Tranche B Termination Date") in
an amount not to exceed $20,000,000 (the "Tranche B Commitment" and
together with the Tranche A Commitment, the "Commitment").

       SECTION 1.02. Making the Advance. (a) The Tranche B Advance shall be
made on notice from the Borrower to the Bank delivered before 11:00 A.M.
(New York City time) on a Business Day (as hereinafter defined) specifying
the amount of such Advance and the Interest Period (as hereinafter defined)
therefor pursuant to Section 1.03. Not later than 2:00 P.M. (New York City
time) on such Business Day and upon fulfillment of the applicable
conditions set forth in Article II, the Bank will make the Tranche B
Advance available to the Borrower in same day funds at the Bank's address
referred to in Section 6.02.

       SECTION 1.03. Repayment, Interest and Fees. (a) The Borrower shall
repay the aggregate unpaid principal amount of (i) the Tranche A Advance on
November 13, 1996 (the "Tranche A Maturity Date") and (ii) the Tranche B
Advance on May 17, 2000 (the "Tranche B Maturity Date") in accordance with
the terms of a promissory note of the Borrower, in substantially the form
of Exhibit A-I hereto in respect of the Tranche A Advance and Exhibit A-2
hereto in respect of the Tranche B Advance (each, a "Note"), evidencing the
indebtedness resulting from each Advance and delivered to the Bank pursuant
to Article II.


<PAGE>2


       (b) The Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount
of each Advance from the date of such Advance until such principal is paid
in full at the applicable rate set forth below.

       (c) The period between the date of each Advance and the date of
payment in full of each Advance shall be divided into successive
three-month periods, each such period being an "Interest Period" for such
Advance. The initial Interest Period for each Advance shall begin on the
date of such Advance and end on the three month anniversary of such date,
and thereafter, each subsequent Interest Period for such Advance shall
begin on the last day of the immediately preceding Interest Period for such
Advance and end on the next three month anniversary of the date of such
Advance.

       (d) The Borrower shall pay interest on the unpaid principal amount
of each Advance from the date of such Advance until such principal amount
is due, payable on the last day of each Interest Period for such Advance,
at an interest rate per annum equal at all times during such Interest
Period for such Advance to the rate per annum set forth in the Note
evidencing such Advances.

       (e) On any overdue principal amount of any Advance the Borrower
shall pay interest on demand at the Default Rate from the date such amount
becomes due to the date such amount is paid in full. The "Default Rate" is
a fluctuating rate equal to 2 percent per annum above the rate of interest
announced by the Bank from time to time in New York, New York as the Bank's
base rate (the "Base Rate"), each change in such fluctuating interest rate
to take effect simultaneously with the corresponding change in the Base
Rate.

       (f) The Borrower agrees to pay to the Bank on the date hereof a
facility fee in an amount equal to five (5) basis points on the aggregate
amount of the Tranche B Commitment.

       SECTION 1.04. Optional Prepayments. The Borrower may, upon at least
five Business Day's notice to the Bank, prepay the outstanding amount of
any Advance in whole or in part with accrued interest to the date of such
prepayment on the amount prepaid, provided, however, that any prepayment of
such Advance shall be accompanied by the compensation provided for by
Section 6.05 hereof.

       SECTION 1.05. Increased Costs. If, after the date hereof either (i)
the introduction of or any change (including, without limitation, any
change by way of imposition or increase of reserve requirements) in or in
the interpretation of any law or regulation or (ii) the compliance by the
Bank with any new guideline or request from any central bank or other
governmental authority (whether or not having the force of law), shall
result in any increase in the cost to the Bank of making, funding or
maintaining any Advance, then the Borrower shall from time to time, upon
demand by the Bank, pay to the Bank additional amounts sufficient to
indemnify the Bank against such increased cost. A certificate as to the
amount of such increased cost, submitted to the Borrower by the Bank,
shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive and binding for all
purposes.


<PAGE>3


       SECTION 1.06. Payments and Computations. The Borrower shall make
each payment hereunder and under the Note evidencing an Advance not later
than 12:00 noon (New York City time) on the day when due in lawful money of
the United States of America to the Bank at its address referred to in
Section 6.02 in same day funds. The Borrower hereby authorizes the Bank, if
and to the extent payment of any amount is not made when due under this
Agreement and any Note, to charge from time to time against any account of
the Borrower with the Bank any amount so due. All computations of interest
hereunder (unless calculated by reference to the Base Rate) and under any
Note and commitment fee hereunder shall be made by the Bank on the basis of
a year of 360 days, for the actual number of days (including the first day
but excluding the last day) elapsed and all calculations of interest
determined by reference to the Base Rate shall be made on the basis of a
year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, for the actual number of days
(including the first day but excluding the last day) elapsed.

       SECTION 1.07. Payment on Non-Business Days. Whenever any payment to
be made hereunder or under any Note shall be stated to be due, or whenever
the last day of any Interest Period would otherwise occur, on a Saturday,
Sunday or a public or bank holiday in New York City (any other day being a
"Business Day"), such payment may be made, and the last day of such
Interest Period shall occur, on the next succeeding Business Day, and such
extension of time shall in such case be included in the computation of
payment of interest.

                                   ARTICLE II
                              CONDITIONS PRECEDENT

       SECTION 2.01. Condition Precedent to each Advance. The obligation of
the Bank to make an Advance is subject to the condition precedent that the
Bank shall have received on or prior to such Advance the following, each
dated the day of such Advance, in form and substance satisfactory to the
Bank:

       (a) A Note evidencing each of the Tranche A Advance and the Tranche
B Advance.

       (b) Satisfactory evidence of authority of the Borrower to undertake
   the transactions contemplated hereby.

       (c) A certificate of the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the
   Borrower certifying the names and true signatures of the officers of the
   Borrower authorized to sign this Agreement and each Note and the other
   documents to be delivered by it hereunder.

       SECTION 2.02. Additional Conditions Precedent to each Advance. The
obligation of the Bank to make an Advance shall be subject to the further
conditions precedent that on the date of such Advance (a) the following
statements shall be true (and the receipt by the Borrower of the proceeds
of such Advance shall be deemed to constitute a representation and warranty
by the Borrower that such statements are true on such date):


<PAGE>4


       (i) The representations and warranties contained in Section 3.01 of
   this Agreement, are correct in all material respects on and as of the
   date of such Advance as though made on and as of such date, and

       (ii) No event has occurred and is continuing, or would result from
   each Advance, which constitutes an Event of Default (as defined in
   Section 5.01 hereof) or would constitute an Event of Default but for the
   requirement that notice be given or time elapse or both;

and (b) the Bank shall have received such other approvals, opinions or
documents as the Bank may reasonably request.

                                   ARTICLE III
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

       SECTION 3.01. Representations and Warranties of the Borrower. The
Borrower represents and warrants as follows:

       (a) The Borrower is a corporation duly incorporated, validly
   existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction
   indicated at the beginning of this Agreement.

       (b) The execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower of this
   Agreement and each Note are within the Borrower's corporate powers, have
   been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action, do not
   contravene (i) the Borrower's charter or by-laws or (ii) law or any
   contractual restriction binding on or affecting the Borrower, and do not
   result in or require the creation of any lien, security interest or
   other charge or encumbrance upon or with respect to any of its
   properties.

       (c) No authorization or approval or other action by, and no notice
   to or filing with, any governmental authority or regulatory body is
   required for the due execution, delivery and performance by the Borrower
   of this Agreement and each Note.

       (d) This Agreement and each Note are the legal, valid and binding
   obligations of the Borrower enforceable against the Borrower in
   accordance with their respective terms, except as enforcement may be
   limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar
   laws or equitable principles relating to or limiting creditors' rights
   generally.

       (e) The balance sheets of the Borrower and its subsidiaries as at
   January 28, 1995, 1995, and the related statements of income and
   retained earnings of the Borrower and its subsidiaries for the fiscal
   period then ended, copies of which have been furnished to the Bank,
   fairly present the financial condition of the Borrower and its
   subsidiaries as at such

<PAGE>5


   date and the results of the operations of the Borrower and its
   subsidiaries for the period ended on such date, all in accordance with
   generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied, and since
   January 28, 1995 there has been no change in such condition or
   operations which would materially and adversely affect the ability of
   the Borrower to perform any of its obligations hereunder or under any
   Note.

       (f) There is no pending, or threatened action or proceeding
   affecting the Borrower or any of its subsidiaries before any court,
   governmental agency or arbitrator, which may materially adversely affect
   the financial condition or operations of the Borrower or any subsidiary.

       (g) The Borrower is not engaged in the business of extending credit
   for the purpose of purchasing or carrying margin stock (within the
   meaning of Regulation U issued by the Board of Governors of the Federal
   Reserve System), and no proceeds of any Advance will be used to purchase
   or carry any margin stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose
   of purchasing or carrying any margin stock.

                              ARTICLE IV
                       COVENANTS OF THE BORROWER

       SECTION 4.01. Incorporation of Covenants. Reference is made to that
certain Credit Agreement dated as of June 30, 1994 (the "1994 Credit
Agreement") among the Borrower, Continental Bank, as Agent, and other
financial institutions party thereto. Further reference is made to the
covenants contained in Section 10 of the 1994 Credit Agreement (hereinafter
referred to as the "Incorporated Covenants"). The Borrower agrees with the
Bank that the Incorporated covenants (and the related definitions and all
other relevant provisions of the 1994 Credit Agreement related thereto) are
hereby incorporated by reference into this Agreement to the same extent and
with the same effect as if set forth fully herein, without giving effect to
any waiver, amendment, modification, termination or replacement of the 1994
Credit Agreement or any term or provision of the Incorporated Covenants
occurring subsequent to the date of this Agreement, except to the extent
such waiver, amendment, modification, termination or replacement has been
approved in writing by the Bank; provided that any reference in the
Incorporated Covenants to "Lender" shall be deemed to be a reference to the
Bank.

                                    ARTICLE V
                                EVENTS OF DEFAULT

       SECTION 5.01. Events of Default. If any of the following events
("Events of Default") shall occur and be continuing:

       (a) The Borrower shall fail to pay principal when due or shall fail
   to pay interest or any other amount payable hereunder or under any Note
   within 5 days of when due; or


<PAGE>6


       (b) Any representation or warranty made by the Borrower hereunder or
   in connection with this Agreement shall prove to have been incorrect in
   any material respect when made; or

       (c) The Borrower shall fail to perform or observe any other term,
   covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement and any such failure
   shall remain unremedied for 30 days after written notice thereof shall
   have been given to the Borrower by the Bank; or

       (d) The Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall fail to
   pay any indebtedness in excess of $5,000,000 (excluding indebtedness
   evidenced by any Note) of the Borrower or such subsidiary (as the case
   may be), or any interest or premium thereon, when due (whether by
   scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand or
   otherwise) and such failure shall continue after the applicable grace
   period, if any, specified in the agreement or instrument relating to
   such indebtedness; or any other default under any agreement or
   instrument relating to any such indebtedness, or any other event, shall
   occur and shall continue after the applicable grace period, if any,
   specified in such agreement or instrument, if the effect of such default
   or event is to accelerate, or to permit the acceleration of, the
   maturity of such indebtedness; or any such indebtedness shall be
   declared to be due and payable, or required to be prepaid (other than by
   a regularly scheduled required prepayment), prior to the stated maturity
   thereof; or

       (e) The Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall generally
   not pay its debts as such debts become due, or shall admit in writing
   its inability to pay its debts generally, or shall make a general
   assignment for the benefit of creditors; or any proceeding shall be
   instituted by or against the Borrower or any of its Material
   Subsidiaries seeking to adjudicate it a bankrupt or insolvent, or
   seeking liquidation, winding up, reorganization, arrangement,
   adjustment, protection, relief; or composition of it or its debts under
   any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization or relief
   of debtors, or seeking the entry of an order for relief or the
   appointment of a receiver, trustee or other similar official for it or
   for any substantial part of its property, and, in the case of any such
   proceeding instituted against it (but not instituted by it) either such
   proceeding shall remain undismissed or unstayed for a period of 60 days
   or any of the actions sought in such proceeding (including, without
   limitation, the entry of an order for relief against it or the
   appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian or other similar official
   for it or for any substantial part of its property) shall occur; or any
   Borrower or any of its Material Subsidiaries shall take any corporate
   action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this
   subsection (e); or

       (f) Any judgment or order for the payment of money in excess of
   $5,000,000 shall be rendered against the Borrower or any of its Material
   Subsidiaries and shall remain

<PAGE>7


   unsatisfied, undischarged, unvacated, unbonded or unstayed for a
   period of 60 days or in any event later than five days prior to the date
   of any proposed sale thereunder.

then, and in any such event, the Bank (i) may, by notice to the Borrower,
declare its obligation to make the Tranche B Advance to be terminated,
whereupon the same shall forthwith terminate, and (ii) may, by notice to
the Borrower, declare each Note, all interest thereon and all other amounts
payable under this Agreement to be forthwith due and payable, whereupon
each Note, all such interest and all such amounts shall become and be
forthwith due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or further
notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the
Borrower; provided, however, that in the event of an actual or deemed entry
of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower or any subsidiary under
the Federal Bankruptcy Code, (x) the obligation of the Bank to make the
Tranche B Advance shall automatically be terminated and (y) each Note, all
such interest and all such amounts shall automatically become due and
payable, without presentment, demand, protest or any notice of any kind,
all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower.

                                   ARTICLE VI
                                  MISCELLANEOUS

       SECTION 6.01. Amendments, Etc. No amendment or waiver of any
provision of any Loan Document, nor consent to any departure by the
Borrower therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall
be in writing and signed by the Bank and then such waiver or consent shall
be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for
which given.

       SECTION 6.02. Notices, Etc. All notices and other communications
provided for under this Agreement shall be in writing (including
telegraphic, telex, telecopier or cable communication) and mailed,
telegraphed, telexed, cabled or delivered, if to the Borrower, at its
address at 3800 S.E. 22nd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97202, Attention:
Treasurer; telecopier no. (503) 797-5299 and if to the Bank, at its address
at 245 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10167, Attention: Corporate Services
Department; telecopier no. (212) 916- 7930 or, as to each party, at such
other address as shall be designated by such party in a written notice to
the other party. All such notices and communications shall, when mailed,
telegraphed, telexed or cabled, be effective, if by mail, three business
days after depositing in the mails, if by telex, when confirmed by telex
answerback received, if by telecopier, when receipt is either confirmed by
confirming transmission equipment or acknowledged by the addressee or its
office, and, if by any other means, upon receipt, except that notices to
the Bank pursuant to the provisions of Article I shall not be effective
until received by the Bank. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this
Section 6.02, the Bank may accept oral borrowing notice pursuant to Section
1.02 hereof, provided that the Bank shall incur no liability to the
Borrower in acting on any such communication that the Bank believes in good
faith to have been given by a person authorized to give such notice on
behalf of the Borrower. Any confirmation sent by the Bank to the Borrower
of any borrowing under this Agreement shall, in the absence of manifest
error, be conclusive and binding for all purposes.error, be conclusive and
binding for all purposes.


<PAGE>8


       SECTION 6.03. No Waiver; Remedies. No failure on the part of the
Bank to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right under this
Agreement or any Note shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any
single or partial exercise of any right hereunder or under the Note
preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other
right. The remedies provided in this Agreement or any Note are cumulative
and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

       SECTION 6.04. Accounting Terms. All accounting terms not
specifically defined herein shall be construed in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles consistently applied, except as otherwise
stated herein.

       SECTION 6.05. Costs, Expenses and Taxes. (a) Each party shall be
responsible for its own expenses incurred in the preparation, execution and
delivery of this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay on demand all costs
and expenses (including reasonable counsel fees and expenses) in connection
with the enforcement of this Agreement and any Note and the other documents
to be delivered under the Agreement and any Note.

       (b) If, due to payments made by the Borrower pursuant to Section
1.04 or the acceleration of the maturity of any Advance pursuant to Section
5.01, the Bank receives payments of principal of such Advance other than on
the maturity date for such Advance, the Borrower shall pay to the Bank on
demand any amounts required to compensate the Bank for any loss or expense
arising from the liquidation and/or redeployment of funds obtained by the
Bank in order to make such Advance (but excluding any loss of anticipated
profits). A certificate of the amounts payable pursuant to this Section
6.05(b) (setting forth in reasonable detail the calculation of such
amounts) submitted by the Bank to the Company shall be conclusive, absent
manifest error.

       SECTION 6.06. Right of Set-off. Upon the occurrence and during the
continuance of any Event of Default the Bank is hereby authorized at any
time and from time to time, to the fullest extent permitted by law, to set
off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand,
provisional or final) at any time held and other indebtedness at any time
owing by the Bank to or for the credit or the account of the Borrower
against any and all of the obligations of the Borrower now or hereafter
existing under this Agreement and each Note, irrespective of whether or not
the Bank shall have made any demand under this Agreement or each Note and
although such deposits, indebtedness or obligations may be unmatured or
contingent. The Bank agrees promptly to notify the Borrower after any such
set-off and application, provided that the failure to give such notice
shall not affect the validity of such set-off and application. The rights
of the Bank under this Section are in addition to other rights and remedies
(including, without limitation, other rights of set-off) which the Bank may
have.

       SECTION 6.07. Severability of Provisions. Any provision of this
Agreement or of any Note which is prohibited or unenforceable in any
jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent
of such prohibition or unenforceability without

<PAGE>9


invalidating the remaining provisions hereof or thereof or affecting the
validity or enforce ability of such provision in any other jurisdiction.

       SECTION 6.08. Consent to Jurisdiction. (a) The Borrower hereby
irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of any New York State or Federal
court sitting in New York City in any action or proceeding arising out of
or relating to this Agreement or any Note, and the Borrower hereby
irrevocably agrees that all claims in respect of such action or proceeding
may be heard and determined in such New York State court or in such Federal
court. The Borrower hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent it may
effectively do so, the defense of an inconvenient forum to the maintenance
of such action or proceeding. The Borrower irrevocably consents to the
service of copies of the summons and complaint and any other process which
may be served in any such action or proceeding by the mailing of copies of
such process to the Borrower at its address specified in Section 6.02. The
Borrower agrees that a final judgment in any such action or proceeding
shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on
the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.

       (b) Nothing in this Section 6.08 shall affect the right of the Bank
to serve legal process in any other manner permitted by law or affect the
right of the Bank to bring any action or proceeding against the Borrower or
its property in the courts of other jurisdictions.

       SECTION 6.09. Binding Effect; Governing Law. This Agreement shall be
binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower and the Bank and
their respective successors and assigns, except that neither party hereto
shall have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein
without the prior written consent of the other. This Agreement and each
Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of
the State of New York.

       SECTION 6.10. Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be
executed in any number of counterparts, each of which when so executed
shall be deemed to be an original and all of which when taken together
shall constitute but one and the same agreement.

       SECTION 6.11. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH OF THE BORROWER AND THE
BANK HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY ACTION,
PROCEEDING OR COUNTERCLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT
TO WHICH IT IS A PARTY OR ANY INSTRUMENT OR DOCUMENT DELIVERED THEREUNDER.



<PAGE>10



       IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to
be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, as of
the date first above written.

                                FRED MEYER, INC.


                                By /s/ MICHAEL DON
                                   ---------------------------------------
                                   Vice President/Treasurer


                                COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE
                                  RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK B.A.,
                                  "Rabobank Nederland", New York
                                   Branch


                                By /s/
                                   ---------------------------------------
                                   Authorized Officer


                                By 
                                   ---------------------------------------
                                   Authorized Officer



<PAGE>11



                                  EXHIBIT A - 1

                            TRANCHE A PROMISSORY NOTE


$10,000,000                                           Dated:  May 17, 1995


       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, FRED MEYER, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Borrower"), HEREBY PROMISES TO PAY to the order of
COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK B.A., "Rabobank Nederland",
New York Branch (the "Bank") the principal sum of Ten Million Dollars
($10,000,000), on November 13, 1996.

       The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount
of the Advance from the date of such Advance until such principal amount is
paid in full (i) for the period from the date of the Advance to and
including the maturity date of the Advance, at 7.74 percent per annum and
(ii) after such maturity date, at the Default Rate set forth in the Credit
Agreement. Interest is payable at such times, as are specified in the
Credit Agreement.

       Both principal and interest are payable in lawful money of the
United States of America to the Bank at 245 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10167, in same day funds.

       This Promissory Note is the Note referred to in, and is entitled to
the benefits of the Amended and Restated Term Loan Agreement dated as of
May 17, 1995 (the "Credit Agreement") between the Borrower and the Bank.
The Credit Agreement, among other things, (i) provides for the making of
advances (the "Advances") by the Bank to the Borrower from time to time in
the amount first above mentioned, and (ii) contains provisions for
acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain stated
events and also for prepayments on account of principal hereof prior to the
maturity hereof upon the terms and conditions therein specified.

       This Promissory Note is in substitution of and replacement for the
Note dated as of November 13, 1991 made by the Borrower in favor of the
Bank.

                                       FRED MEYER, INC.



                                       By
                                         ---------------------------------
                                         Title:



<PAGE>12



                                  EXHIBIT A - 2

                            TRANCHE B PROMISSORY NOTE


$20,000,000                                            Dated: May 17, 1995



       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, FRED MEYER, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Borrower"), HEREBY PROMISES TO PAY to the order of
COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK B.A. "Rabobank Nederland",
New York Branch (the "Bank") the principal sum of Twenty Million Dollars
($20,000,000), on May 17, 2000.

       The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount
of the Advance from the date of such Advance until such principal amount is
paid in full (i) for the period from the date of the Advance to and
including the maturity date of the Advance, at __ percent per annum and
(ii) after such maturity date, at the Default Rate set forth in the Credit
Agreement. Interest is payable at such times, as are specified in the
Credit Agreement.

       Both principal and interest are payable in lawful money of the
United States of America to the Bank at 245 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10167, in same day funds.

       This Promissory Note is the Note referred to in, and is entitled to
the benefits of the Amended and Restated Term Loan Agreement dated as of
May 17, 1995 (the "Credit Agreement") between the Borrower and the Bank.
The Credit Agreement among other things, (i) provides for the making of
advances (the "Advances") by the Bank to the Borrower from time to time in
the amount first above mentioned, and (ii) contains provisions for
acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain stated
events and also for prepayments on account of principal hereof prior to the
maturity hereof upon the terms and conditions therein specified.

                                       FRED MEYER, INC.



                                       By
                                         ---------------------------------
                                         Title:




<PAGE>13



                            TRANCHE A PROMISSORY NOTE


$10,000,000                                           Dated:  May 17, 1995


       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, FRED MEYER, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Borrower"), HEREBY PROMISES TO PAY to the order of
COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK B.A., "Rabobank Nederland",
New York Branch (the "Bank") the principal sum of Ten Million Dollars
($10,000,000), on November 13, 1996.

       The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount
of the Advance from the date of such Advance until such principal amount is
paid in full (i) for the period from the date of the Advance to and
including the maturity date of the Advance, at 7.74 percent per annum and
(ii) after such maturity date, at the Default Rate set forth in the Credit
Agreement. Interest is payable at such times, as are specified in the
Credit Agreement.

       Both principal and interest are payable in lawful money of the
United States of America to the Bank at 245 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10167, in same day funds.

       This Promissory Note is the Note referred to in, and is entitled to
the benefits of the Amended and Restated Term Loan Agreement dated as of
May 17, 1995 (the "Credit Agreement") between the Borrower and the Bank.
The Credit Agreement, among other things, (i) provides for the making of
advances (the "Advances") by the Bank to the Borrower from time to time in
the amount first above mentioned, and (ii) contains provisions for
acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain stated
events and also for prepayments on account of principal hereof prior to the
maturity hereof upon the terms and conditions therein specified.

       This Promissory Note is in substitution of and replacement for the
Note dated as of November 13, 1991 made by the Borrower in favor of the
Bank.

                                       FRED MEYER, INC.



                                       By /s/ MICHAEL H. DON
                                         ---------------------------------
                                         Title: VP/Treasurer



<PAGE>14


                            TRANCHE B PROMISSORY NOTE


$20,000,000                                            Dated: May 30, 1995

       FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, FRED MEYER, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the "Borrower"), HEREBY PROMISES TO PAY to the order of
COOPERATIEVE CENTRALE RAIFFEISEN-BOERENLEENBANK B.A., "Rabobank Nederland",
New York Branch (the "Bank") the principal sum of Twenty Million Dollars
($20,000,000), on May 30, 2000.

       The Borrower promises to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount
of the Advance from the date of such Advance until such principal amount is
paid in full (i) for the period from the date of the Advance to and
including the maturity date of the Advance at 6.775 percent per annum and
(ii) after such maturity date, at the Default Rate set forth in the Credit
Agreement. Interest is payable at such times, as are specified in the
Credit Agreement.

       Both principal and interest are payable in lawful money of the
United States of America to the Bank at 245 Park Avenue, New York, New York
10167, in same day funds.

       This Promissory Note is the Note referred to in, and is entitled to
the benefits of the Amended and Restated Term Loan Agreement dated as of
May 17, 1995 (the "Credit Agreement") between the Borrower and the Bank.
The Credit Agreement, among other things, (i) provides for the making of
advances (the "Advances") by the Bank to the Borrower from time to time in
the amount first above mentioned, and (ii) contains provisions for
acceleration of the maturity hereof upon the happening of certain stated
events and also for prepayments on account of principal hereof prior to the
maturity hereof upon the terms and conditions therein specified.

                                       FRED MEYER, INC.



                                       By /s/ MICHAEL H. DON
                                         ---------------------------------
                                         Title: VP/Treasurer

                                                                 EXHIBIT 4G
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------







                               FRED MEYER, INC.







                                NOTE AGREEMENT

                          Dated as of April 25, 1995

               $50,000,000 7.77% Senior Notes Due April 25, 2002






------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<PAGE>1




                               Table of Contents

                         (Not a part of the Agreement)

SECTION                             HEADING                               PAGE

SECTION 1. DESCRIPTION OF NOTES AND COMMITMENT...............................1

      Section 1.1.  Description of Notes.....................................1
      Section 1.2.  Commitment, Closing Date.................................1

SECTION 2. PREPAYMENT OF NOT.ES..............................................2

      Section 2.1.  Optional Prepayment with Premium.........................2
      Section 2.2.  Notice of Optional Prepayments...........................2
      Section 2.3.  Direct Payment...........................................3

SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS...................................................3

      Section 3.1.  Representations of the Company...........................3
      Section 3.2.  Representations of the Purchaser.........................3

SECTION 4. CLOSING CONDITIONS................................................4

      Section 4.1.  Conditions...............................................4
      Section 4.2.  Waiver of Conditions.....................................5

SECTION 5. COMPANY COVENANTS.................................................6

      Section 5.1.  Corporate Existence, Etc.................................6
      Section 5.2.  Insurance................................................6
      Section 5.3.  Taxes, Claims for Labor and Materials;
                    Compliance with Laws.....................................6
      Section 5.4.  Maintenance, Etc.........................................7
      Section 5.5.  Nature of Business.......................................7
      Section 5.6.  Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth..........................7
      Section 5.7.  Limitations on Indebtedness..............................7
      Section 5.8.  Limitation on Liens......................................8
      Section 5.9.  Mergers, Consolidations and Sales
                    of Assets...............................................11
      Section 5.10. Guaranties..............................................14
      Section 5.11. Repurchase of Notes.....................................14
      Section 5.12. Transactions with Affiliates............................14
      Section 5.13. Withdrawal from Multiemployer Plans



<PAGE>2



                    and Termination of Pension Plans........................14
      Section 5.14. Redesignation of Subsidiaries...........................15
      Section 5.15. Reports and Rights of Inspection........................15
      Section 5.16. Dividends, Stock Purchases..............................18


SECTION 6. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES THEREFOR..........................19

      Section 6.1.  Events of Default.......................................19
      Section 6.2.  Notice to Holders.......................................20
      Section 6.3.  Acceleration of Maturities..............................21
      Section 6.4.  Rescission of Acceleration..............................21

SECTION 7. AMENDMENTS, WAIVERS AND CONSENTS.................................22

      Section 7.1.  Consent Required........................................22
      Section 7.2.  Solicitation of Holders.................................22
      Section 7.3.  Effect of Amendment or Waiver...........................23

SECTION 8. INTERPRETATION OF AGREEMENT; DEFINITIONS.........................23

      Section 8.1.  Definitions.............................................23
      Section 8.2.  Accounting Principles...................................31
      Section 8.3.  Directly or Indirectly..................................31

SECTION 9. MISCELLANEOUS....................................................31

      Section 9.1.  Registered Notes........................................31
      Section 9.2.  Exchange of Notes.......................................32
      Section 9.3.  Loss, Theft, Etc. of Notes..............................32
      Section 9.4.  Expenses, Stamp Tax Indemnity...........................32
      Section 9.5.  Powers and Rights Not Waived;
                    Remedies Cumulative.....................................33
      Section 9.6.  Notices.................................................33
      Section 9.7.  Successors and Assigns..................................34
      Section 9.8.  Survival of Covenants and
                    Representations.........................................34
      Section 9.9.  Severability............................................34
      Section 9.10. Changes in GAAP.........................................34
      Section 9.11. Governing Law...........................................34
      Section 9.12. Submission to Jurisdiction..............................34
      Section 9.13. Captions................................................35

Signature...................................................................35


<PAGE>3



ATTACHMENTS TO NOTE AGREEMENT:

Schedule I        --    Names and Addresses of Purchasers and Amounts
                        of Commitments

Schedule II       --    Description of Current Debt, Funded Debt
                        (including Capitalized Leases), Liens,
                        Subsidiaries, Pending Tax Matters and Other
                        Matters

Exhibit A               --    Form of Senior Notes due April 25, 2002

Exhibit B               --    Representations and Warranties of the
                              Company

Exhibit C               --    Description of Closing Opinion of
                              Counsel to the Company

Exhibit D               --    Subordination Provisions Applicable to
                              Subordinated Indebtedness



<PAGE>1




                              FRED MEYER, INC.
                           3800 S.E. 22nd Avenue
                           Portland, Oregon 97242

                               NOTE AGREEMENT


                                                                Dated as of
                                                             April 25, 1995

To the Purchasers named in Schedule I
  hereto which are signatories of this
  Agreement

Ladies and Gentlemen:

        The undersigned, Fred Meyer, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), agrees with you as follows:

SECTION 1.  DESCRIPTION OF NOTES AND COMMITMENT.

     Section 1.1. Description of Notes. (a) The Company will authorize the
issue and sale of its 7.77% Senior Notes due April 25, 2002 (such
originally issued notes, together with any notes issued in substitution,
exchange or replacement therefor, are hereinafter collectively referred to
as the "Notes"). The Notes will be dated the date of issue, will bear
interest from such date at the rate of 7.77% per annum, payable
semiannually in arrears on the 25th of April and October in each year
(commencing October 25, 1995) and at maturity and will bear interest on
overdue principal (including any overdue optional prepayment of principal)
and premium, if any, and (to the extent legally enforceable) on any overdue
installment of interest at the Overdue Rate after the date due, whether by
acceleration or otherwise, until paid. The Notes shall mature on April 25,
2002 and shall be substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

     Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year
of twelve 30-day months. The Notes are not subject to prepayment or
redemption at the option of the Company prior to their expressed maturity
date except on the terms and conditions and in the amounts and with the
premium, if any, set forth in Section 2 of this Agreement. You and the
other purchasers named in Schedule I are hereinafter sometimes referred to
as the "Purchasers". The terms which are capitalized herein shall have the
meanings set forth in Section 8.1 unless the context shall otherwise
require.

     Section 1.2. Commitment, Closing Date. Subject to the terms and
conditions hereof and on the basis of the representations and warranties
hereinafter set forth, the


<PAGE>2



Company agrees to issue and sell to you, and you agree to purchase from the
Company, Notes in the aggregate principal amount set forth opposite your
name on Schedule I hereto at a price of 100% of such principal amount on
the Closing Date hereafter mentioned.

     Delivery of the Notes will be made at the offices of Prudential
Capital Group, 777 S. Figueroa Street, Suite 2950, Los Angeles, California
90017, against payment therefor in Federal Reserve funds in the amount of
the purchase price at 10:00 A.M., Los Angeles time, on April 25, 1995 (the
"Closing Date"). The Notes delivered to you on the Closing Date will be
delivered to you in the form of a single registered Note in the form
attached hereto as Exhibit A for the full amount of your purchase (unless
different denominations are specified by you), registered in your name or
in the name of such nominee, as may be specified in Schedule I attached
hereto.

     SECTION 2. PREPAYMENT OF NOTES.

     No prepayment of the Notes may be made except to the extent and in the
manner provided in this Section.

     Section 2.1. Optional Prepayment with Premium. Upon compliance with
Section 2.2, the Company shall have the privilege, at any time and from
time to time, of prepaying the outstanding Notes, either in whole or in
part (but if in part then in a minimum principal amount of $1,000,000), by
payment of the principal amount of the Notes, or portion thereof to be
prepaid, and accrued interest thereon to the date of such prepayment,
together with a premium equal to the Make-Whole Amount, determined as of
two Business Days prior to the date of such prepayment pursuant to this
Section 2.1.

     Section 2.2. Notice of Optional Prepayments. The Company will give
notice of any prepayment of the Notes pursuant to Section 2.1 to each
holder thereof not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days before the date
fixed for such optional prepayment specifying (a) such date, (b) the
principal amount of the holder's Notes to be prepaid on such date, (c) that
a premium may be payable, (d) the date when such premium will be
calculated, (e) the estimated premium, and (f) the accrued interest
applicable to the prepayment. Such notice of prepayment shall also certify
all facts, if any, which are conditions precedent to any such prepayment.
Notice of prepayment having been so given, the aggregate principal amount
of the Notes specified in such notice, together with accrued interest
thereon and the premium, if any, payable with respect thereto, shall become
due and payable on the prepayment date specified in said notice. Not later
than three Business Days prior to the prepayment date specified in such
notice, the Company shall provide each holder of a Note written notice of
the premium, if any, payable in connection with such prepayment and,
whether or not any premium is payable, a reasonably detailed computation of
the Make-Whole Amount. Upon notice by any holder to the Company that such
holder believes the Company's calculation of the Make-


<PAGE>3



Whole Amount is in error, the Company shall recalculate the Make- Whole
Amount, including an adjustment, if required, to the prepayment premium.

     Section 2.3. Direct Payment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary
contained in this Agreement or the Notes, in the case of any Note owned by
you or your nominee or owned by any subsequent Institutional Holder which
has given written notice to the Company requesting that the provisions of
this Section 2.3 shall apply, the Company will punctually pay when due the
principal thereof, interest thereon and premium, if any, due with respect
to said principal, without any presentment thereof, directly to you, to
your nominee or to such subsequent Institutional Holder at your address or
your nominee's address set forth in Schedule I hereto or such other address
as you, your nominee or such subsequent Institutional Holder may from time
to time designate in writing to the Company or, if a bank account with a
United States bank is designated for you or your nominee on Schedule I
hereto or in any written notice to the Company from you, from your nominee
or from any such subsequent Institutional Holder, the Company will make
such payments in immediately available funds to such bank account, no later
than 12:00 p.m. New York City time on the date due, marked for attention as
indicated, or in such other manner or to such other account in any United
States bank as you, your nominee or any such subsequent Institutional
Holder may from time to time direct in writing. If for any reason
whatsoever the Company does not make any such payment by such 12:00 p.m.
transmittal time, such payment shall be deemed to have been made on the
next following Business Day and such payment shall bear interest at the
Overdue Rate.

     SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS.

     Section 3.1. Representations of the Company. The Company represents
and warrants that all representations and warranties set forth in Exhibit B
are true and correct as of the date hereof and are incorporated herein by
reference with the same force and effect as though herein set forth in
full.

     Section 3.2. Representations of the Purchaser. (a) You represent, and
in entering into this Agreement the Company understands, that you are
acquiring the Notes for the purpose of investment and not with a view to
the distribution thereof, and that you have no present intention of
selling, negotiating or otherwise disposing of the Notes; it being
understood, however, that the disposition of your property shall at all
times be and remain within your control.

     (b) You further represent that either: (1) you are acquiring the Notes
with assets from your general account and not with the assets of any
separate account in which any employee benefit plan has any interest; (2)
no part of the funds to be used by you to purchase the Notes constitutes
assets allocated to any separate account maintained by you such that the
application of such funds constitutes a prohibited transaction under
Section 406 of ERISA; or (3) all or a part of such funds constitute assets
of one or more separate accounts, trusts or a commingled pension trust


<PAGE>4



maintained by you, and you have disclosed to the Company the names of such
employee benefit plans whose assets in such separate account or accounts or
pension trusts exceed 10% of the total assets or are expected to exceed 10%
of the total assets of such account or accounts or trusts as of the date of
such purchase and the Company has advised you in writing (and in making the
representations set forth in this clause (3) you are relying on such
advice) that the Company is not a party-in- interest nor are the Notes
employer securities with respect to the particular employee benefit plan
disclosed to the Company by you as aforesaid (for the purpose of this
clause (3), all employee benefit plans maintained by the same employer or
employee organization are deemed to be a single plan). As used in this
Section 3.2(b), the terms "separate account", "party-in- interest",
"employer securities" and "employee benefit plan" shall have the respective
meanings assigned to them in ERISA.

     SECTION 4. CLOSING CONDITIONS.

     Section 4.1. Conditions. Your obligation to purchase the Notes on the
Closing Date shall be subject to the performance by the Company of its
agreements hereunder which by the terms hereof are to be performed at or
prior to the time of delivery of the Notes and to the following further
conditions precedent:

          (a) Closing Certificate. You shall have received a certificate
     dated the Closing Date, signed by the President or a Vice President of
     the Company, the truth and accuracy of which shall be a condition to
     your obligation to purchase the Notes proposed to be sold to you and
     to the effect that (1) the representations and warranties of the
     Company set forth in Exhibit B hereto are true and correct on and with
     respect to the Closing Date, (2) the Company has performed all of its
     obligations hereunder which are to be performed on or prior to the
     Closing Date, and (3) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and
     is continuing.

          (b) Legal Opinions. You shall have received from Stoel Rives
     Boley Jones & Grey, counsel for the Company, its opinion dated the
     Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to you, and covering
     the matters set forth in Exhibit C hereto.

          (c) Company's Existence and Authority. On or prior to the Closing
     Date, you shall have received, in form and substance reasonably
     satisfactory to you and your special counsel, such documents and
     evidence with respect to the Company as you may reasonably request in
     order to establish the existence and good standing of the Company and
     the authorization of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.

          (d) Certain Documents. The Company shall have delivered to you
     duly executed copies of (i) the Notes and this Agreement; (ii) an
     incumbency certificate regarding the due election, authorization and
     signature exemplars of


<PAGE>5



     officers signing or otherwise acting on behalf of the Company in
     connection herewith; and (iii) a secretary's certificate (A) attaching
     the Company's certificate of incorporation, certified as of a recent
     date by the Secretary of State of Delaware, and bylaws, certified by
     the Secretary of the Company; (B) attaching the resolutions of the
     Board of Directors of the Company authorizing the issue and sale of
     the Notes, the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement
     and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby and
     certifying that such resolutions were duly adopted by such Board, have
     not been since modified or rescinded, and remain in full force and
     effect; and (C) certifying that no proceedings to dissolve, liquidate
     or otherwise terminate the corporate existence of the Company or any
     Material Restricted Subsidiary have been commenced or are
     contemplated.

          (e) Funding Instructions. At least three Business Days prior to
     the Closing Date, you shall have received written instructions
     executed by a Responsible Officer of the Company directing the manner
     of the payment of funds and setting forth (1) the name of the
     transferee bank, (2) such transferee bank's ABA number, (3) the
     account name and number into which the purchase price for the Notes is
     to be deposited, and (4) the name and telephone number of the account
     representative responsible for verifying receipt of such funds.

          (f) Structuring Fee. Concurrently with the delivery of the Notes
     to you on the Closing Date, a structuring fee of $10,000 shall have
     been paid by the Company. The Company shall not be responsible for any
     of your other fees, costs or expenses in connection with the
     negotiation, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Notes.

          (g) Legality of Investment. The Notes to be purchased by you
     shall be a legal investment for you under the laws of each
     jurisdiction to which you may be subject (without resort to any
     so-called "basket provisions" to such laws).

          (h) Satisfactory Proceedings. All proceedings taken in connection
     with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, and all
     documents necessary to the consummation thereof, shall be satisfactory
     in form and substance to you and your counsel, and you shall have
     received a copy (executed or certified as may be appropriate) of all
     legal documents or proceedings taken in connection with the
     consummation of said transactions.

     Section 4.2. Waiver of Conditions. If on the Closing Date the Company
fails to tender to you the Notes to be issued to you on such date or if the
conditions specified in Section 4.1 have not been fulfilled, you may
thereupon elect to be relieved of all further obligations under this
Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, if the conditions specified in
Section 4.1 have not been fulfilled, you may waive compliance by the
Company with any such condition to such extent as you may in your sole
discretion


<PAGE>6



determine. Nothing in this Section 4.2 shall operate to relieve the Company
of any of its obligations hereunder or to waive any of your rights against
the Company.

     SECTION 5. COMPANY COVENANTS.

     From and after the Closing Date and continuing so long as any amount
remains unpaid on any Note:

     Section 5.1. Corporate Existence, Etc. The Company will preserve and
keep in full force and effect, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to
preserve and keep in full force and effect, its corporate existence and all
licenses and permits necessary to the proper conduct of its business,
provided that the foregoing shall not prevent any transaction permitted by
Section 5.9.

     Section 5.2. Insurance. The Company will maintain, and will cause each
Restricted Subsidiary to maintain, insurance coverage by financially sound
and reputable insurers and in such forms and amounts (including
deductibles) and against such risks as are (a) maintained by prudent
corporations of established reputation engaged in the same or a similar
business and owning and operating similar properties and, in the case of
the Company, having as of the date of any determination thereof a
"consolidated net worth" determined in accordance with GAAP approximately
equal to the Consolidated Net Worth of the Company or (b) consistent with
the Company's insurance practices existing on the Closing Date, including
self-insurance, all as more fully set forth in Schedule II hereto.

     Section 5.3. Taxes, Claims for Labor and Materials; Compliance with
Laws.

     (a) The Company will promptly pay and discharge, and will cause each
Restricted Subsidiary promptly to pay and discharge, all lawful taxes,
assessments and governmental charges or levies imposed upon the Company or
such Restricted Subsidiary, respectively, or upon or in respect of all or
any part of the property or business of the Company or such Restricted
Subsidiary, all trade accounts payable in accordance with usual and
customary business terms, and all claims for work, labor or materials,
which if unpaid might become a Lien upon any property of the Company or
such Restricted Subsidiary; provided the Company or such Restricted
Subsidiary shall not be required to pay any such tax, assessment, charge,
levy, account payable or claim if (1) the validity, applicability or amount
thereof is being contested in good faith by appropriate actions or
proceedings which will prevent the forfeiture or sale of any property of
the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or any material interference with
the use thereof by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, and (2) the
Company or such Restricted Subsidiary shall set aside, on its books,
reserves deemed by it to be adequate with respect thereto.


<PAGE>7



     (b) The Company will promptly comply and will cause each Restricted
Subsidiary to promptly comply with all laws, ordinances or governmental
rules and regulations to which it is subject, including, without
limitation, the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, as amended,
ERISA and all Environmental Laws, the violation of which could materially
and adversely affect the properties, business, prospects, profits or
condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries or would result in any Lien not permitted under Section 5.8.

     Section 5.4. Maintenance, Etc. The Company will maintain, preserve and
keep, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to maintain, preserve and
keep, its properties which are used or useful in the conduct of its
business (whether owned in fee or a leasehold interest) in good repair and
working order and from time to time will make all necessary repairs,
replacements, renewals and additions so that at all times the efficiency
thereof shall be maintained.

     Section 5.5. Nature of Business. Neither the Company nor any
Restricted Subsidiary will engage in or cease to engage in any business if,
as a result, the general nature of the business, taken on a consolidated
basis, which would then be engaged in by the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries would be substantially changed from the distribution, either
at retail or wholesale, of apparel, general merchandise and food and drug
store products and in connection therewith or in furtherance of and as a
supplement thereto operation of the businesses involved in the manufacture,
distribution or sale of food, consumer products or services, and related
businesses.

     Section 5.6. Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth. The Company will at all
times keep and maintain Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth at an amount not
less than $400,000,000.

     Section 5.7. Limitations on Indebtedness. (a) The Company will not
create, assume, guarantee or otherwise incur or in any manner be or become
liable in respect of any Funded Debt, and will not permit any Restricted
Subsidiary to, create, assume, guarantee or otherwise incur or in any
manner be or become liable in respect of any Indebtedness, except:

          (1) Funded Debt evidenced by the Notes;

          (2) Funded Debt of the Company and Indebtedness of Restricted
     Subsidiaries outstanding as of the Closing Date and described on
     Schedule II hereto;

          (3) Subordinated Funded Debt of the Company to a Restricted
     Subsidiary;


<PAGE>8



          (4) Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to
     a Predominantly-owned Restricted Subsidiary; and

          (5) additional Funded Debt of the Company and Indebtedness of its
     Restricted Subsidiaries, provided that at the time of creation,
     issuance, assumption, guarantee or other incurrence thereof and after
     giving effect thereto and to the application of the proceeds thereof:

          (i) in the case of the issuance of any Funded Debt of the Company
     or a Restricted Subsidiary, Consolidated Funded Debt shall not exceed
     60% of Consolidated Total Capitalization; provided that
     notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and its Restricted
     Subsidiaries may incur Consolidated Funded Debt exceeding 60% but in
     no event exceeding 65% of Consolidated Total Capitalization
     ("Acquisition Funded Debt") for a period of not more than four
     consecutive fiscal quarters in any five consecutive fiscal year period
     if, but only if, 100% of the net proceeds of such Acquisition Funded
     Debt are applied to the acquisition of assets or capital stock of any
     Person engaged in one or more of the businesses engaged in by the
     Company or a Restricted Subsidiary as described in Section 5.5; and

          (ii) in the case of the issuance of any Funded Debt of the
     Company secured by Liens permitted by Section 5.8(a)(11) or the
     issuance of Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary (other than
     Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary secured by Liens permitted by
     Section 5.8(a)(8) or (10) and Indebtedness of a corporation which
     becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the date hereof), the sum
     (without duplication) of (A) all Funded Debt of the Company and its
     Restricted Subsidiaries secured by Liens permitted by Section
     5.8(a)(11), plus (B) the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness of
     Restricted Subsidiaries incurred in accordance with the provisions of
     this clause (ii) shall not exceed 15% of Consolidated Total Assets.

     (b) Indebtedness issued or incurred in accordance with the limitations
of Section 5.7(a) may be renewed, extended or refunded (without increase in
principal amount remaining unpaid at the time of such renewal, extension or
refunding), provided that at the time of such renewal, extension or
refunding and after giving effect thereto, no Event of Default would exist.

     (c) Any corporation which becomes a Restricted Subsidiary after the
date hereof shall for all purposes of Section 5.7(a)(5)(i) be deemed to
have created, assumed or incurred at the time it becomes a Restricted
Subsidiary all Indebtedness of such corporation existing immediately after
it becomes a Restricted Subsidiary.

     Section 5.8. Limitation on Liens. (a) The Company will not, and will
not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create or incur, or suffer to be
incurred or to exist, any Lien


<PAGE>9



on its or their property or assets, whether now owned or hereafter
acquired, or upon any income or profits therefrom, except:

          (1) Liens for property taxes or assessments or other governmental
     charges or levies and Liens securing claims or demands of mechanics
     and materialmen, provided that payment thereof is not at the time
     required by Section 5.3;

          (2) Liens of or resulting from any litigation or legal proceeding
     which are currently being contested in good faith by appropriate
     proceedings unless the judgment they secure shall not have been
     stayed, bonded or discharged within 60 days;

          (3) Liens incidental to the conduct of business or the ownership
     of properties and assets (including Liens in connection with workers'
     compensation, unemployment insurance and other like laws,
     warehousemen's and attorneys' liens and statutory landlords' liens)
     and Liens to secure the performance of bids, tenders or trade
     contracts, or to secure statutory obligations, surety or appeal bonds
     or other Liens of like general nature, in any such case incurred in
     the ordinary course of business and not in connection with the
     borrowing of money, which in any such case would not materially and
     adversely affect the properties, business, prospects, profits or
     condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and its Restricted
     Subsidiaries, taken as a whole; provided in each case, the obligation
     secured is not overdue or, if overdue, is being contested in good
     faith by appropriate actions or proceedings;

          (4) minor survey exceptions or minor encumbrances, easements or
     reservations, or rights of others for rights- of-way, utilities and
     other similar purposes, or zoning or other restrictions as to the use
     of real properties, which are necessary for the conduct of the
     activities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries or which
     customarily exist on properties of corporations engaged in similar
     activities and similarly situated and which do not in any event
     materially impair their use in the operation of the business of the
     Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

          (5) Liens securing Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary to the
     Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary;

          (6) Liens existing as of the Closing Date and either described in
     the footnotes to the consolidated financial statements of the Company
     and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended January 28, 1995 or
     described on Schedule II hereto;


<PAGE>10



          (7) Liens created or incurred under leases of real property owned
     by the Company in which the Company is the landlord, provided that (1)
     the rentals payable under any such lease are for fair rental value,
     (2) any such lease is entered into in (i) an "arm's-length"
     transaction and (ii) the ordinary course of the Company's business and
     (3) after giving effect to the execution, extension or renewal of any
     such lease, no Default or Event of Default would exist;

          (8) Liens created or incurred after the Closing Date given to
     secure the payment of the purchase price incurred in connection with
     the acquisition or purchase of real or personal property or the cost
     of construction or improvements to real or personal property, in any
     such case, useful and intended to be used in carrying on the business
     of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, provided that (i) the Lien
     shall attach solely to the real or personal property acquired,
     purchased, constructed or improved, (ii) such Lien shall have been
     created or incurred within 270 days after the date of acquisition or
     purchase or the date of completion of construction or improvement of
     such real or personal property, as the case may be, (iii) at the time
     of the imposition of the Lien, the aggregate amount remaining unpaid
     on all Indebtedness secured by Liens on such real or personal
     property, as the case may be (whether or not assumed by the Company or
     a Restricted Subsidiary) shall not exceed an amount equal to the
     lesser of the total acquisition or purchase price or cost of
     construction or improvement, as the case may be, or fair market value
     of such real or personal property (as determined in good faith by the
     Board of Directors of the Company), and (iv) all such Indebtedness
     shall have been incurred within the applicable limitations provided in
     Section 5.7(a)(5);

          (9) Liens affixed on real or personal property (including without
     limitation outstanding shares of capital stock and Indebtedness) of
     any entity at the time such entity becomes a Restricted Subsidiary
     given to secure the payment of the purchase price incurred in
     connection with the acquisition of such entity by the Company or a
     Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (i) the Lien shall attach solely
     to such real or personal property, (ii) such Lien shall have been
     created or incurred substantially concurrently with such acquisition
     or purchase, (iii) at the time of acquisition or purchase of such
     Restricted Subsidiary, the aggregate amount of Indebtedness secured by
     Liens on such real or personal property (whether or not assumed by the
     Company or such Restricted Subsidiary) shall not exceed an amount
     equal to the lesser of the purchase price or fair market value of such
     real property or such personal property (as determined in good faith
     by the Board of Directors of the Company), and (iv) all such
     Indebtedness shall have been incurred within the applicable
     limitations provided in Section 5.7(a)(5);

          (10) Liens on real or personal property existing (i) at the time
     of acquisition thereof, whether or not the Indebtedness secured
     thereby is assumed by the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary,
     or (ii) on the property or


<PAGE>11



     outstanding shares of a corporation at the time such corporation is
     merged into or consolidated with the Company or any such Restricted
     Subsidiary or at the time of a sale, lease or other disposition of the
     properties or outstanding shares or Indebtedness of a corporation or
     firm as an entirety to the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary;
     provided that the amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens shall
     not exceed an amount equal to the lesser of the acquisition or
     purchase price or fair market value of such real or personal property;
     and provided further, that all such Indebtedness shall have been
     incurred within the limitations of Section 5.7(a)(5)(i);

          (11) Liens created or incurred after the Closing Date given to
     secure Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in
     addition to the Liens permitted by the preceding clauses (1) through
     (10) hereof, provided that all Indebtedness secured by such Liens
     shall have been incurred within the applicable limitations provided in
     Section 5.7(a)(5); and

          (12) Liens permitted by the preceding clause (5), (6), (7), (8),
     (9), (10) or (11) of this Section 5.8 which have been extended or
     renewed in respect of the same property theretofore subject to such
     Liens in connection with the extension, renewal or refunding of the
     Indebtedness secured thereby; provided that (i) such extension,
     renewal or refunding of Indebtedness shall be without increase in the
     principal amount remaining unpaid as of the date of such extension,
     renewal or refunding and (ii) such Liens shall attach solely to the
     same such property.

     (b) In the event that any property, asset or income or profits
therefrom is subjected to a Lien in violation of this Section 5.8, the
Company will make or cause to be made provision whereby the Notes will be
secured equally and ratably with all other obligations secured thereby and
concurrently therewith the Company shall furnish to the holders of the
Notes an opinion to such effect in scope and form reasonably satisfactory
to the holders of at least 66-2/3% of the principal amount of the Notes at
the time outstanding of Stoel Rives Boley Jones & Grey or another
independent counsel satisfactory to such holders, and in any case the Notes
shall have the benefit, to the full extent that, and with such priority as,
the holders may be entitled thereto under applicable law, of an equitable
Lien on such property, asset, income or profits securing the Notes.

     Section 5.9. Mergers, Consolidations and Sales of Assets. (a) The
Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to,
consolidate with or be a party to a merger with any other corporation, or
sell, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its assets;
provided that:

          (1) any Restricted Subsidiary may merge or consolidate with or
     into the Company or any Predominantly-owned Restricted Subsidiary so
     long as in any


<PAGE>12



     merger or consolidation involving the Company, the Company shall
     be the surviving or continuing corporation;

          (2) the Company may consolidate or merge with or into any other
     corporation if (i) the corporation which results from such
     consolidation or merger (the "surviving corporation") is organized
     under the laws of any state of the United States or the District of
     Columbia, (ii) the due and punctual payment of the principal of and
     premium, if any, and interest on all of the Notes, according to their
     tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observation of all of
     the covenants in the Notes and this Agreement to be performed or
     observed by the Company are expressly assumed by the surviving
     corporation, by written agreement reasonably satisfactory in scope and
     form to the holders of 66-2/3% in aggregate principal amount of the
     outstanding Notes (provided that execution by the holders of the Notes
     of such agreement shall not be required), and (iii) at the time of
     such consolidation or merger and immediately after giving effect
     thereto, (A) no Default or Event of Default would exist and (B) the
     surviving corporation would be permitted by the provisions of Section
     5.7(a)(5) to incur at least $1.00 of additional Consolidated Funded
     Debt; and

          (3) the Company may sell or otherwise dispose of all or
     substantially all of its assets to any Person if (i) the acquiring
     Person is a corporation organized under the laws of any state of the
     United States or the District of Columbia, (ii) the due and punctual
     payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on all
     the Notes, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual
     performance and observance of all of the covenants in the Notes and in
     this Agreement to be performed or observed by the Company are
     expressly assumed by the acquiring corporation, by written agreement
     reasonably satisfactory in scope and form to the holders of 66-2/3% in
     aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes (provided that
     execution by the holders of the Notes of such agreement shall not be
     required), and (iii) at the time of such sale or disposition and
     immediately after giving effect thereto, (A) no Default or Event of
     Default would exist and (B) the acquiring corporation would be
     permitted by the provisions of Section 5.7(a)(5) to incur at least
     $1.00 of additional Consolidated Funded Debt.

     (b) The Company will not, and will not permit any Restricted
Subsidiary to, sell, lease, transfer, abandon or otherwise dispose of (any
such sale, lease, transfer, abandonment or other disposition being herein
referred to as a "Transfer") any assets (including stock of any
Subsidiary); provided that the foregoing restrictions do not apply to:

          (1) Transfers in the ordinary course of business for fair value
     and except as provided in Section 5.9(a); or


<PAGE>13



          (2) the Transfer of assets of a Restricted Subsidiary to the
     Company or a Predominantly-owned Restricted Subsidiary; or

          (3) the Transfer of any real or personal property of the Company
     or a Restricted Subsidiary the book value of which at the time of such
     Transfer shall be less than $5,000,000; provided that in the opinion
     of a Responsible Officer of the Company (i) the Transfer is for fair
     value and is in the best interests of the Company and (ii) such
     Transfer is not part of a plan by the Company to divest itself of a
     substantial portion of its assets inconsistent with the purposes of
     this Section 5.9 (in which event such Transfer shall be made within
     the limitations of Section 5.9(a)(3) or (b)(5)); or

          (4) any Transfer of assets of the Company or a Restricted
     Subsidiary whenever it is determined in the good faith judgment of a
     Responsible Officer of the Company that such assets are obsolete,
     worn-out or without economic value to the Company or any of its
     Restricted Subsidiaries; or

          (5) any Transfer of such assets for cash or other property to a
     Person or Persons if all of the following conditions are met:

          (i) the assets (valued at net book value) do not, together with
     all other assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries
     previously Transferred during the same fiscal year in reliance upon
     this Section 5.9(b)(5), exceed 10% of Consolidated Total Assets
     determined as of the end of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter;

          (ii) in the good faith judgment of the Company's Board of
     Directors, the Transfer is for fair value and is in the best interests
     of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary;

          (iii) immediately after the consummation of the transaction and
     after giving effect thereto, (A) no Default or Event of Default would
     exist, and (B) the Company would be permitted by the provisions of
     Section 5.7(a)(5) to incur at least $1.00 of additional Consolidated
     Funded Debt; and

          (iv) in the case of any Transfer of all or substantially all of
     the assets or stock of a Subsidiary or of any Indebtedness of a
     Subsidiary, immediately after the Transfer such Subsidiary shall have
     no Indebtedness of or continuing Investment in the capital stock of
     the Company or of any Subsidiary and any such Indebtedness or
     Investment shall have been discharged or acquired, as the case may be,
     by the Company or a Subsidiary;

     provided, however, that for purposes of the foregoing calculation,
     there shall not be included any assets (or portions of such assets) to
     the extent the proceeds are


<PAGE>14



     applied within 12 months of the date of Transfer of such assets to
     either (A) the acquisition of fixed assets useful and intended to be
     used in the operation of the Company and its Subsidiaries as described
     in Section 5.5 and having a fair market value (as determined in good
     faith by the Board of Directors of the Company) at least equal to that
     of the assets so Transferred and/or (B) the prepayment at any
     applicable prepayment premium of Funded Debt (other than Subordinated
     Funded Debt) of the Company. It is understood and agreed by the
     Company that any such proceeds paid and applied to the prepayment of
     the Notes as hereinabove provided shall be prepaid as and to the
     extent provided in Section 2.1.

     Section 5.10. Guaranties. The Company will not, and will not permit
any Restricted Subsidiary to, become or be liable in respect of any
Guaranty of Indebtedness except Guaranties of Indebtedness by the Company
which are limited in amount to a maximum principal amount, any interest
accrued thereon and any expenses incurred in connection therewith or which
constitute Guaranties of Indebtedness incurred by any Restricted Subsidiary
in compliance with the provisions of this Agreement.

     Section 5.11. Repurchase of Notes. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary or Affiliate which is controlled by the Company, directly or
indirectly, may repurchase or make any offer to repurchase any Notes unless
an offer has been made to repurchase Notes, pro rata, from all holders of
the Notes at the same time and upon the same terms. In case the Company or
any Subsidiary or Affiliate which is controlled by the Company repurchases
or otherwise acquires any Notes, such Notes shall immediately thereafter be
cancelled and no Notes shall be issued in substitution therefor. Without
limiting the foregoing, upon the purchase or other acquisition of any Notes
by the Company, any Subsidiary or any such Affiliate, such Notes shall no
longer be outstanding for purposes of any section of this Agreement
relating to the taking by the holders of the Notes of any actions with
respect hereto, including, without limitation, Section 6.3, Section 6.4 and
Section 7.1.

     Section 5.12. Transactions with Affiliates. The Company will not, and
will not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into or be a party to
any transaction or arrangement with any Affiliate (including, without
limitation, the purchase from, sale to or exchange of property with, or the
rendering of any service by or for, any Affiliate), except in the ordinary
course of and pursuant to the reasonable requirements of the Company's or
such Restricted Subsidiary's business and upon fair and reasonable terms
which, when taken as a whole, are no less favorable to the Company or such
Restricted Subsidiary than would obtain in a comparable arm's-length
transaction with a Person other than an Affiliate.

     Section 5.13. Withdrawal from Multiemployer Plans and Termination of
Pension Plans. The Company will not and will not permit any Subsidiary to
withdraw from any Multiemployer Plan if such withdrawal could result in
withdrawal liability (as described


<PAGE>15



in Part I of Subtitle E of Title IV of ERISA) or to terminate any Plan
which in either case could materially and adversely affect the financial
condition of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries or the ability of
the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement or the Notes.

     Section 5.14. Redesignation of Subsidiaries. The Company may designate
or redesignate any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary by
giving prompt written notice to the holders of the Notes that the Board of
Directors of the Company has made such determination, provided, however,
that no Unrestricted Subsidiary may be designated as a Restricted
Subsidiary and no Restricted Subsidiary which at any time from and after
the Closing Date had previously been designated as an Unrestricted
Subsidiary may be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary if, at the time
of such action and after giving effect thereto: (a) the Company would not
be permitted by the provisions of Section 5.7(a)(5) to incur at least $1.00
of additional Consolidated Funded Debt, or (b) a Default or Event of
Default would exist, and provided further, that any Restricted Subsidiary
which at any time from and after the Closing Date had previously been
designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and which is to be designated an
Unrestricted Subsidiary may not thereafter be designated as a Restricted
Subsidiary for a period of at least 366 days following the date of
designation of such Restricted Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary.

     Section 5.15. Reports and Rights of Inspection. (A) The Company will
keep, and will cause each Restricted Subsidiary to keep, proper books of
record and account, on a consolidated basis, in which full and correct
entries will be made of all dealings or transactions of, or in relation to,
the business and affairs of the Company and its Subsidiaries, in accordance
with GAAP consistently applied (except for changes disclosed in the
financial statements furnished to you pursuant to this Section 5.15 and
concurred in by the independent public accountants referred to in Section
5.15(b)), and will furnish to you so long as you are the holder of any Note
and to each other Institutional Holder of the then outstanding Notes (in
duplicate if so specified below or otherwise requested):

          (a) Quarterly Statements. As soon as available and in any event
     within 90 days after the end of each quarterly fiscal period (except
     the last) of each fiscal year, copies of:

          (1) a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its
     consolidated Subsidiaries as of the close of such quarterly fiscal
     period, setting forth in comparative form the consolidated figures for
     the fiscal year then most recently ended,

          (2) consolidated statements of operations of the Company and its
     consolidated Subsidiaries for such quarterly fiscal period and for the
     portion of the fiscal year ending with such quarterly fiscal period,
     in each case setting forth


<PAGE>16



     in comparative form the consolidated figures for the corresponding
     periods of the preceding fiscal year, and

          (3) a consolidated statement of cash flows of the Company and its
     consolidated Subsidiaries for the portion of the fiscal year ending
     with such quarterly fiscal period, setting forth in comparative form
     the consolidated figures for the corresponding period of the preceding
     fiscal year,all in reasonable detail and certified (subject to normal
     year-end adjustments) as to fairness of presentation and consistency
     by a Responsible Officer of the Company;

          (b) Annual Statements. As soon as available and in any event
     within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year of the Company,
     copies of:

          (1) a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and its
     consolidated Subsidiaries as of the close of such fiscal year, and

          (2) consolidated statements of operations, changes in
     stockholders' equity and cash flows of the Company and its
     consolidated Subsidiaries for such fiscal year,

     in each case setting forth in comparative form the consolidated
     figures for the preceding fiscal year, all in reasonable detail and
     accompanied by a report thereon of a firm of independent public
     accountants of recognized national standing selected by the Company to
     the effect that the consolidated financial statements present fairly,
     in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of the
     Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the end of the fiscal
     year being reported on and the consolidated results of the operations
     and cash flows for said year in conformity with GAAP and that the
     examination of such accountants in connection with such financial
     statements has been conducted in accordance with generally accepted
     auditing standards and included such tests of the accounting records
     and such other auditing procedures as said accountants deemed
     necessary in the circumstances;

          (c) Audit Reports. Promptly upon receipt thereof, one copy of
     each interim or special audit made by independent accountants of the
     books of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and any management
     letter received from such accountants;

          (d) SEC and Other Reports. Promptly upon their becoming
     available, one copy of each financial statement, report, notice or
     proxy statement sent by the Company to its creditors and stockholders
     generally and of each regular or periodic report, and any registration
     statement or prospectus filed by the Company or any Subsidiary with
     any securities exchange or the Securities and Exchange Commission or
     any successor agency, and copies of any orders in any


<PAGE>17



     proceedings to which the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a
     party, issued by any governmental agency, Federal or state, having
     jurisdiction over the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

          (e) ERISA Reports. Promptly upon the occurrence thereof, written
     notice of (1) a Reportable Event with respect to any Plan for which
     the requirement of notice to the PBGC within 30 days has not been
     waived (provided that the loss of qualification of a Plan and the
     failure to meet the minimum funding standard of Section 412 of the
     Code or Section 302 of ERISA shall be a Reportable Event for which
     notice must be given regardless of the issuance of any waiver of the
     reporting requirement by the PBGC); (2) the institution of any steps
     by the Company, any ERISA Affiliate, the PBGC or any other Person to
     terminate any Plan under Sections 4041(c) or 4042 of ERISA; (3) the
     institution of any steps by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate to
     withdraw from any Plan which could result in a liability to the
     Company; (4) a non-exempt "prohibited transaction" within the meaning
     of Section 406 of ERISA in connection with any Plan; (5) any material
     increase in the contingent liability of the Company or any Restricted
     Subsidiary with respect to any post-retirement welfare liability; or
     (6) the taking of any action by, or the threatening of the taking of
     any action by, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Labor
     or the PBGC with respect to any of the foregoing;

          (f) Officer's Certificates. Within the periods provided in
     paragraphs (a) and (b) above, a certificate of a Responsible Officer
     of the Company stating that such officer has reviewed the provisions
     of this Agreement and setting forth: (1) the information and
     computations (in sufficient detail) required in order to establish
     whether the Company was in compliance with the requirements of
     Sections 5.6, 5.7, 5.8(a)(10) and 5.9(b)(5) at the end of the period
     covered by the financial statements then being furnished, and (2)
     whether there existed as of the date of such financial statements and
     whether, to the best of such officer's knowledge, there exists on the
     date of the certificate or existed at any time during the period
     covered by such financial statements any Default or Event of Default
     and, if any such condition or event exists on the date of the
     certificate, specifying the nature and period of existence thereof and
     the action the Company is taking and proposes to take with respect
     thereto;

          (g) Accountant's Certificates. Within the period provided in
     paragraph (b) above, a certificate of the accountants who render an
     opinion with respect to such financial statements, stating that they
     have reviewed this Agreement and stating further whether, in making
     their audit, such accountants have become aware of any Default or
     Event of Default under any of the terms or provisions of this
     Agreement insofar as any such terms or provisions pertain to or
     involve accounting matters or determinations, and if any such
     condition or event then exists, specifying the nature and period of
     existence thereof; and


<PAGE>18




          (h) Requested Information. With reasonable promptness, such other
     data and information as you or any such Institutional Holder may
     reasonably request.

     (B) Without limiting the foregoing, the Company will permit you, so
long as you are the holder of any Note, and each Institutional Holder of
the then outstanding Notes (or such agents as either you or such
Institutional Holder may designate), to visit and inspect, under the
Company's guidance, any of the properties of the Company or any Restricted
Subsidiary, to examine all of their books of account, records, reports and
other papers, to make copies and extracts therefrom and to discuss their
respective affairs, finances and accounts with their respective officers,
employees, and independent public accountants (and by this provision the
Company authorizes said accountants to discuss with you the finances and
affairs of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries), all at such
reasonable times and as often as may be reasonably requested. Any
visitation shall be at the sole expense of you or such Institutional
Holder, unless a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be
continuing or the holder of any Note or of any other evidence of
Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary gives any written
notice or takes any other action with respect to a claimed default, in
which case, any such visitation or inspection shall be at the sole expense
of the Company.

     (C) If at any time Unrestricted Subsidiaries constitute 5% or more of
Consolidated Total Assets or Unrestricted Subsidiaries contribute 5% or
more of operating income of the Company and its Subsidiaries, then and in
such event the Company shall for each quarterly and annual fiscal period
thereafter deliver the financial statements referred to in clauses (a) and
(b) of Section 5.15(A) on the basis of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries.

     Section 5.16. Dividends, Stock Purchases. The Company will not except
as hereinafter provided:

          (a) declare or pay any dividends, either in cash or property, on
     any shares of its capital stock of any class (except dividends or
     other distributions payable solely in shares of common stock of the
     Company);

          (b) directly or indirectly, or through any Subsidiary or through
     any Affiliate of the Company, purchase, redeem or retire any shares of
     its capital stock of any class or any warrants, rights or options to
     purchase or acquire any shares of its capital stock (other than in
     exchange for or out of the net cash proceeds to the Company for the
     substantially concurrent issue or sale of shares of common stock of
     the Company or warrants, rights or options to purchase or acquire any
     shares of its common stock); or

          (c) make any other payment or distribution, either directly or
     indirectly or through any Subsidiary, in respect of its capital stock;


<PAGE>19



     if after giving effect thereto, an Event of Default would exist under
     Section 5.6, Section 5.7 or Section 5.9.

SECTION 6. EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES THEREFOR.

     Section 6.1. Events of Default. Any one or more of the following shall
constitute an "Event of Default" as such term is used herein:

          (a) Default shall occur in the payment of interest on any Note
     when the same shall have become due and such default shall continue
     for more than five Business Days; or

          (b) Default shall occur in the making of any payment of the
     principal of any Note or premium, if any, thereon at the expressed or
     any accelerated maturity date or at any date fixed for prepayment; or

          (c) Default shall occur in the observance or performance of any
     covenant or agreement contained in Section 5.6 through Section 5.9
     which is not remedied within ten Business Days after the first day on
     which a Responsible Officer of the Company first obtains knowledge of
     such default; or

          (d) Default shall occur in the observance or performance of any
     other provision of this Agreement which is not remedied within 30 days
     after the first day on which a Responsible Officer of the Company
     first obtains knowledge of such Default; provided that in the case of
     any Default pursuant to this Section 6.1(d) which cannot with due
     diligence be cured within such 30-day period, if the Company shall
     proceed promptly to cure the same and thereafter prosecute the curing
     of such Default with due diligence, the time within which to cure such
     Default shall be extended for such period as may be necessary to
     effect such cure but in no event more than 60 additional days; or

          (e) Default shall be made in the payment when due (whether by
     lapse of time, by declaration, by call for redemption or otherwise) of
     the principal of or interest on any Indebtedness for borrowed money
     (other than the Notes) under any indenture, agreement or other
     instrument under which any Indebtedness for borrowed money of the
     Company or any Restricted Subsidiary aggregating in excess of
     $10,000,000 is outstanding and such default or event shall permit the
     acceleration by the holders of such Indebtedness for borrowed money
     (or a trustee on their behalf) or repurchase by the Company or an
     Affiliate of, occur at the maturity of, or result in the acceleration
     of, such Indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company or any
     Restricted Subsidiary and such acceleration shall not have been
     rescinded or annulled; or


<PAGE>20



          (f) Default or the happening of any event shall occur under any
     indenture, agreement or other instrument under which any Indebtedness
     for borrowed money (other than the Notes) of the Company or any
     Restricted Subsidiary aggregating in excess of $10,000,000 may be
     issued and such default or event shall occur at the maturity of, or
     result in the acceleration of, such Indebtedness for borrowed money of
     the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and such acceleration shall
     not have been rescinded or annulled; or

          (g) Any representation or warranty made by the Company herein, or
     made by the Company in any statement or certificate furnished by the
     Company in connection with the consummation of the issuance and
     delivery of the Notes or furnished by the Company pursuant hereto, is
     untrue in any material respect as of the date of the issuance or
     making thereof; or

          (h) Final judgment or judgments for the payment of money
     aggregating in excess of $10,000,000 (net of insurance proceeds to the
     extent the insurer has acknowledged liability) is or are outstanding
     against the Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary or against
     any property or assets of either and any one of such judgments has
     remained unpaid, unvacated, unbonded or unstayed by appeal or
     otherwise for a period of 60 days from the date of its entry; or

          (i) A custodian, liquidator, trustee or receiver is appointed for
     the Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary or for the major
     part of the property of either and is not discharged within 60 days
     after such appointment; or

          (j) The Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary becomes
     insolvent or bankrupt, is generally not paying its debts as they
     become due or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the
     Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary applies for or consents
     to the appointment of a custodian, liquidator, trustee or receiver for
     the Company or such Material Restricted Subsidiary or for the major
     part of the property of either; or

          (k) Bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement or insolvency
     proceedings, or other proceedings for relief under any bankruptcy or
     similar law or laws for the relief of debtors, are instituted by or
     against the Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary and, if
     instituted against the Company or any Material Restricted Subsidiary,
     are consented to or are not dismissed within 60 days after such
     institution.

     Section 6.2. Notice to Holders. When any Event of Default described in
the foregoing Section 6.1 has occurred, or if the holder of any Note or of
any other evidence of Indebtedness for borrowed money of the Company gives
any notice or takes any other action with respect to a claimed default, the
Company agrees to give notice promptly and


<PAGE>21



in any event within five Business Days after a Responsible Officer of the
Company first obtains knowledge of such event to all holders of the Notes
then outstanding.

     Section 6.3. Acceleration of Maturities. When any Event of Default
described in paragraph (a) or (b) of Section 6.1 has happened and is
continuing, any holder of any Note may, by notice in writing sent to the
Company in the manner provided in Section 9.6, declare the entire principal
and all interest accrued on such Note to be, and such Note shall thereupon
become due and payable as hereinafter provided, without any presentment,
demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby
expressly waived. When any Event of Default described in paragraphs (a)
through (h), inclusive, of said Section 6.1 has happened and is continuing,
the holder or holders of 66-2/3% or more of the principal amount of the
Notes at the time outstanding may, by notice in writing to the Company in
the manner provided in Section 9.6, declare the entire principal and all
interest accrued on all Notes to be, and all Notes shall thereupon become
due and payable as hereinafter provided, without any presentment, demand,
protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly
waived. The Notes declared due and payable pursuant to foregoing sentences
of this Section 6.3 shall be and become due and payable five Business Days
following notice in writing sent to the Company in the manner provided in
Section 9.6 as provided in foregoing sentences of this Section 6.3 (the
"Acceleration Date"). When any Event of Default described in paragraph (i),
(j) or (k) of Section 6.1 has occurred, then all outstanding Notes shall
immediately become due and payable without presentment, demand or notice of
any kind. Upon the Notes becoming due and payable as a result of any Event
of Default as aforesaid, the Company will forthwith pay to the holders of
the Notes the entire principal and interest accrued on the Notes and, to
the extent not prohibited by applicable law, an amount as liquidated
damages for the loss of the bargain evidenced hereby (and not as a penalty)
equal to the Make-Whole Amount, determined as of the date on which the
Notes shall so become due and payable; provided, however, that if prior to
the Acceleration Date in respect of the occurrence of any Event of Default
described in paragraphs (a) through (h) of Section 6.1, the provisions of
Section 6.4(a), (b) and (c) shall have been satisfied but the declaration
of acceleration of any Notes shall not have been rescinded and annulled
pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.4, then and in such event the
Company shall on the Acceleration Date pay to the holders of the Notes
which have not rescinded such declaration of acceleration the entire
principal and interest accrued on such Notes, without payment of any Make-
Whole Amount. No course of dealing on the part of the holder or holders of
any Notes nor any delay or failure on the part of any holder of Notes to
exercise any right shall operate as a waiver of such right or otherwise
prejudice such holder's rights, powers and remedies. The Company further
agrees, to the extent permitted by law, to pay to the holder or holders of
the Notes all costs and expenses incurred by them in the collection of any
Notes upon any default hereunder or thereon, including reasonable
compensation to such holder's or holders' attorneys for all services
rendered in connection therewith.


<PAGE>22



     Section 6.4. Rescission of Acceleration. The provisions of Section 6.3
are subject to the condition that if the principal of and accrued interest
on (1) any outstanding Note has been declared due and payable by reason of
the occurrence of any Event of Default described in paragraph (a) or (b) of
Section 6.1, the holder of such Note may, by written instrument filed with
the Company, rescind and annul such declaration and the consequences
thereof, and (2) all of the outstanding Notes have been declared
immediately due and payable by reason of the occurrence of any Event of
Default described in paragraphs (c) through (h), inclusive, of Section 6.1,
the holders of 66-2/3% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then
outstanding may, by written instrument filed with the Company, rescind and
annul such declaration and the consequences thereof, provided in each case
that at the time such declaration is annulled and rescinded:

          (a) no judgment or decree has been entered for the payment of any
     monies due pursuant to the Notes or this Agreement;

          (b) all arrears of interest upon all the Notes and all other sums
     payable under the Notes and under this Agreement (except any
     principal, interest or premium on the Notes which has become due and
     payable solely by reason of such declaration under Section 6.3) shall
     have been duly paid; and

          (c) each and every other Default and Event of Default shall have
     been made good, cured or waived pursuant to Section 7.1;

and provided further, that no such rescission and annulment shall extend to
or affect any subsequent Default or Event of Default or impair any right
consequent thereto.


SECTION 7. AMENDMENTS, WAIVERS AND CONSENTS.

     Section 7.1. Consent Required. Any term, covenant, agreement or
condition of this Agreement may, with the consent of the Company, be
amended or compliance therewith may be waived (either generally or in a
particular instance and either retroactively or prospectively), if the
Company shall have obtained the consent in writing of the holders of at
least 66-2/3% in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes; provided
that without the written consent of the holders of all of the Notes then
outstanding, no such amendment or waiver shall be effective (a) which will
change the time of payment of the principal of or the interest on any Note
or change the principal amount thereof or reduce the rate of interest
thereon, or (b) which will change any of the provisions with respect to
optional prepayments, or (c) which will change the percentage of holders of
the Notes required to consent to any such amendment or waiver of any of the
provisions of this Section 7 or Section 6.


<PAGE>23



     Section 7.2. Solicitation of Holders. So long as there are any Notes
outstanding, the Company will not solicit, request or negotiate for or with
respect to any proposed waiver or amendment of any of the provisions of
this Agreement or the Notes unless each holder of Notes (irrespective of
the amount of Notes then owned by it) shall be informed thereof by the
Company within 5 Business Days following the initial inquiry with respect
thereto by the Company to any holder of the Notes and shall be afforded the
opportunity of considering the same and shall be supplied by the Company
with sufficient information to enable it to make an informed decision with
respect thereto. The Company will not, directly or indirectly, pay or cause
to be paid any remuneration, whether by way of supplemental or additional
interest, fee or otherwise, to any holder of Notes as consideration for or
as an inducement to entering into by any holder of Notes of any waiver or
amendment of any of the terms and provisions of this Agreement or the Notes
unless such remuneration is concurrently offered, on the same terms,
ratably to the holders of all Notes then outstanding. Promptly and in any
event within 30 days of the date of execution and delivery of any such
waiver or amendment, the Company shall provide a true, correct and complete
copy thereof to each of the holders of the Notes.

     Section 7.3. Effect of Amendment or Waiver. Any such amendment or
waiver shall apply equally to all of the holders of the Notes and shall be
binding upon them, upon each future holder of any Note and upon the
Company, whether or not such Note shall have been marked to indicate such
amendment or waiver. No such amendment or waiver shall extend to or affect
any obligation not expressly amended or waived or impair any right
consequent thereon.

SECTION 8. INTERPRETATION OF AGREEMENT; DEFINITIONS

     Section 8.1. Definitions. Unless the context otherwise requires, the
terms hereinafter set forth when used herein shall have the following
meanings and the following definitions shall be equally applicable to both
the singular and plural forms of any of the terms herein defined:

     "Affiliate" shall mean any Person (other than a Restricted Subsidiary)
(a) which directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries
controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, the
Company, (b) which beneficially owns or holds 10% or more of any class of
the Voting Stock of the Company or (c) 10% or more of the Voting Stock (or
in the case of a Person which is not a corporation, 10% or more of the
equity interest) of which is beneficially owned or held by the Company or a
Subsidiary. The term "control" means the possession, directly or
indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management
and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of Voting Stock, by
contract or otherwise.

     "Business Day" shall mean any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or
other day on which banks in Portland, Oregon or New York, New York are
required by law to close or are customarily closed.


<PAGE>24



     "Capitalized Lease" shall mean any lease the obligation for Rentals
with respect to which is required to be capitalized on a consolidated
balance sheet of the lessee and its subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

     "Capitalized Rentals" of any Person shall mean as of the date of any
determination thereof the amount at which the aggregate Rentals due and to
become due under all Capitalized Leases under which such Person is a lessee
would be reflected as a liability on a consolidated balance sheet of such
Person.

     "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and
the regulations from time to time promulgated thereunder.

     "Company" shall mean Fred Meyer, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and any
Person who succeeds to all, or substantially all, of the assets and
business of Fred Meyer, Inc.

     "Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth" shall mean as of the date of any
determination thereof the arithmetic sum of:

          (a) the amount of the capital stock accounts (net of treasury
     stock, at cost, but including preferred stock), plus (or minus in the
     case of a deficit) the surplus and retained earnings of the Company
     and its Restricted Subsidiaries as set forth in the consolidated
     financial statements of the Company as at the end of the fiscal
     quarter immediately preceding the date of such determination,

     MINUS

          (b) the net book value, after deducting any reserves applicable
     thereto, of all items of the following character which are included in
     the assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, to wit:

          (1) the incremental increase in an asset resulting from any
     reappraisal, revaluation or write-up of assets, other than an increase
     to the extent permitted by GAAP, in any such case in connection with
     the acquisition of an asset or business by the Company or any of its
     Restricted Subsidiaries; and

          (2) (i) unamortized debt discount and expense and (ii) goodwill,
     patents, patent applications, permits, trademarks, trade names,
     copyrights, licenses, franchises, experimental expense, organizational
     expense, research and development expense and such other assets as are
     properly classified as "intangible assets" the fair market value of
     which is in excess of $5,000,000 acquired by the Company or any of its
     Restricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date; provided, however,
     that notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may include in any
     determination of "Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth" the aggregate net
     value of capitalized software, prepaid royalties, patents, patent
     applications, trademarks,


<PAGE>25



     trade names, and copyrights and other intellectual property the fair
     market value of which is $5,000,000 or less acquired after the Closing
     Date;

all determined in accordance with GAAP.

     "Consolidated Funded Debt" shall mean, as of the date of any
determination thereof, all Funded Debt of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries, determined on a consolidated basis eliminating intercompany
items.

     "Consolidated Total Assets" shall mean, as of the date of any
determination thereof, total assets of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

     "Consolidated Total Capitalization" shall mean, as of the date of any
determination thereof, the sum of (a) Consolidated Funded Debt plus (b)
Consolidated Adjusted Net Worth.

     "Default" shall mean any event or condition the occurrence of which
would, with the lapse of time or the giving of notice, or both, constitute
an Event of Default.

     "Environmental Law" shall mean any international, federal, state or
local statute, law, regulation, order, consent decree, judgment, permit,
license, code, covenant, deed restriction, common law, treaty, convention,
ordinance or other requirement relating to public health, safety or the
environment, including, without limitation, those relating to releases,
discharges or emissions to air, water, land or groundwater, to the
withdrawal or use of groundwater, to the use and handling of
polychlorinated biphenyls or asbestos, to the disposal, treatment, storage
or management of hazardous or solid waste, or Hazardous Substances or crude
oil, or any fraction thereof, or to exposure to toxic or hazardous
materials, to the handling, transportation, discharge or release of gaseous
or liquid Hazardous Substances and any regulation, order, notice or demand
issued pursuant to such law, statute or ordinance, in each case applicable
to the property of the Company and its Subsidiaries or the operation,
construction or modification of any thereof, including without limitation,
the following: the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and
Liability Act of 1980, as amended by the Superfund Amendments and
Reauthorization Act of 1986, the Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by
the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 and the Hazardous and
Solid Waste Amendments of 1984, the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act,
as amended, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, as amended by the
Clean Water Act of 1976, the Safe Drinking Water Control Act, the Clean Air
Act of 1966, as amended, the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended, the Emergency
Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986, the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1975, the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 and any
similar or implementing state law, and any state statute and any further
amendments to these laws providing for financial responsibility for cleanup
or other actions with respect


<PAGE>26



to the release or threatened release of Hazardous Substances or crude oil,
or any fraction thereof, and all rules, regulations, guidance documents and
publications promulgated thereunder.

     "ERISA" shall mean the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended, and any successor statute of similar import, together
with the regulations thereunder, in each case as in effect from time to
time. References to sections of ERISA shall be construed to also refer to
any successor sections.

     "ERISA Affiliate" shall mean any corporation, trade or business that
is, along with the Company, a member of a controlled group of corporations
or a controlled group of trades or businesses, as described in section
414(b) and 414(c), respectively, of the Code or Section 4001 of ERISA.

     "Event of Default" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1.

     "Funded Debt" of any Person shall mean (a) all Indebtedness of such
Person for borrowed money or which has been incurred in connection with the
acquisition of assets in each case having a final maturity of more than one
year from the date of origin thereof (or which is renewable or extendible
at the option of the obligor for a period or periods more than one year
from the date of origin), including all payments in respect thereof that
are required to be made within one year from the date of any determination
of Funded Debt, whether or not the obligation to make such payments shall
constitute a current liability of the obligor under GAAP, (b) all
Capitalized Rentals of such Person, and (c) all Guaranties by such Person
of Funded Debt of others.

     "GAAP" shall mean generally accepted accounting principles at the
time.

     "Guaranties" by any Person shall mean all obligations (other than
endorsements in the ordinary course of business of negotiable instruments
for deposit or collection) of such Person guaranteeing, or in effect
guaranteeing, any Indebtedness, dividend or other obligation of any other
Person (the "primary obligor") in any manner, whether directly or
indirectly, including, without limitation, all obligations incurred through
an agreement, contingent or otherwise, by such Person: (a) to purchase such
Indebtedness or obligation or any property or assets constituting security
therefor, (b) to advance or supply funds (1) for the purchase or payment of
such Indebtedness or obligation, or (2) to maintain working capital or any
balance sheet or income statement condition or otherwise to advance or make
available funds for the purchase or payment of such Indebtedness or
obligation, (c) to lease property or to purchase Securities or other
property or services primarily for the purpose of assuring the owner of
such Indebtedness or obligation of the ability of the primary obligor to
make payment of the Indebtedness or obligation, or (d) otherwise to assure
the owner of the Indebtedness or obligation of the primary obligor against
loss in respect thereof; provided that (i) letters of credit issued for the
benefit of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and used to finance the
purchase of inventory or


<PAGE>27



the construction of improvements otherwise subject to a construction
contract and (ii) notes, bills and checks presented by the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary to banks for collection or deposit in the ordinary
course of business upon customary credit terms may be excluded from any
determination of "Guaranties". For the purposes of all computations made
under this Agreement, a Guaranty in respect of any Indebtedness for
borrowed money shall be deemed to be Indebtedness equal to the principal
amount of such Indebtedness for borrowed money which has been guaranteed,
and a Guaranty in respect of any other obligation or liability or any
dividend shall be deemed to be Indebtedness equal to the maximum aggregate
amount of such obligation, liability or dividend.

     "Hazardous Substance" shall mean any hazardous or toxic material,
substance or waste, pollutant or contaminant which is regulated under any
statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation of any local, state, regional
or federal authority having jurisdiction over the property of the Company
and its Subsidiaries or its use, including but not limited to any material,
substance or waste which is: (a) defined as a hazardous substance under
Section 311 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (33 U.S.C. Section
1317), as amended; (b) regulated as a hazardous waste under Section 1004 or
Section 3001 of the Federal Solid Waste Disposal Act, as amended by the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (42 U.S.C. Section 6901 et seq.), as
amended; (c) defined as a hazardous substance under Section 101 of the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (42
U.S.C. Section 9601 et seq.), as amended; or (d) defined or regulated as a
hazardous substance or hazardous waste under any rules or regulations
promulgated under any of the foregoing statutes.

     "Indebtedness" of any Person shall mean and include all (a)
obligations of such Person for borrowed money or which have been incurred
in connection with the acquisition of property or assets, (b) obligations
secured by any Lien upon property or assets owned by such Person, even
though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such
obligations, provided that if such Person has not, directly or indirectly,
assumed or otherwise become liable for the payment of such obligations, the
amount of Indebtedness included in any calculation shall not exceed the net
book value of the property or assets encumbered by the related Lien, (c)
obligations created or arising under any conditional sale or other title
retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person,
notwithstanding the fact that the rights and remedies of the seller, lender
or lessor under such agreement in the event of default are limited to
repossession or sale of property, (d) Capitalized Rentals and (e)
Guaranties of obligations of others of the character referred to in this
definition; provided that in no event shall:

          (1) trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of business by
     the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary upon customary credit terms;
     and


<PAGE>28



          (2) lease obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary
     which do not constitute Capitalized Rentals in accordance with GAAP be
     included in any determination of "Indebtedness."

     "Institutional Holder" shall mean any of the following Persons: (a)
any bank, savings and loan association, savings institution, trust company
or national banking association, acting for its own account or in a
fiduciary capacity, (b) any charitable foundation, (c) any insurance
company, (d) any fraternal benefit society, (e) any pension, retirement or
profit-sharing trust or fund within the meaning of Title I of ERISA or for
which any bank, trust company, national banking association or investment
adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended,
is acting as trustee or agent, (f) any investment company or business
development company, as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended, (g) any small business investment company licensed under the Small
Business Investment Act of 1958, as amended, (h) any broker or dealer
registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any
investment adviser registered under the Investment Adviser Act of 1940, as
amended, (i) any government, any public employees' pension or retirement
system, or any other government agency supervising the investment of public
funds, (j) any other entity all of the equity owners of which are
Institutional Holders or (k) any other Person which may be within the
definition of "qualified institutional buyer" as such term is used in Rule
144A, as from time to time in effect, promulgated under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended.

     "Lien" shall mean any interest in property securing an obligation owed
to, or a claim by, a Person other than the owner of the property, whether
such interest is based on the common law, statute or contract, and
including but not limited to the security interest lien arising from a
mortgage, encumbrance, pledge, conditional sale or trust receipt or a
lease, consignment or bailment for security purposes. The term "Lien" shall
include reservations, exceptions, encroachments, easements, rights-of- way,
covenants, conditions, restrictions, leases and other title exceptions and
encumbrances affecting real property. The term "Lien" shall also include,
with respect to stock, stockholder agreements, voting trust agreements,
buy-back agreements and all similar arrangements. For the purposes of this
Agreement, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to be the
owner of any property which it has acquired or holds subject to a
conditional sale agreement, Capitalized Lease or other arrangement pursuant
to which title to the property has been retained by or vested in some other
Person for security purposes and such retention or vesting shall constitute
a Lien.

     "Make-Whole Amount" shall mean in connection with any Note the excess,
if any, of (a) the aggregate present value as of the date of such
prepayment or payment of each dollar of principal of the Notes being
prepaid or paid and the amount of interest (exclusive of interest accrued
to the date of prepayment or payment) that would have been payable in
respect of such dollar if such prepayment or payment had not been made,
determined by discounting such amounts at the Reinvestment Rate (applied on
a


<PAGE>29



semiannual basis) from the respective dates on which they would have been
payable, over (b) 100% of the principal amount of the outstanding Notes
being prepaid or paid. If the Reinvestment Rate is equal to or higher than
7.77%, then the Make-Whole Amount with respect to the Notes shall be zero.
For purposes of any determination of the Make-Whole Amount:

          "Reinvestment Rate" shall mean (1) the yield reported on page
     "USD" of the Bloomberg Financial Markets Services Screen (or, if not
     available, any other nationally recognized trading screen reporting
     on-line intraday trading in United States government Securities) at
     11:00 a.m. (New York City, New York time) for the United States
     government Securities having a maturity (rounded to the nearest month)
     corresponding with the maturity date of the principal of the Notes
     being prepaid or paid or (2) in the event no nationally recognized
     trading screen reporting on-line intraday trading in the United States
     government Securities is available, Reinvestment Rate shall mean the
     arithmetic mean of the yields for the two columns under the heading
     "Week Ending" published in the Statistical Release under the caption
     "Treasury Constant Maturities" for the maturity (rounded to the
     nearest month) corresponding to the maturity date of the principal of
     the Notes being prepaid or paid. If no published maturity exactly
     corresponds to the maturity date of the principal of the Notes being
     prepaid or paid, yields for the two published maturities most closely
     corresponding to such maturity shall be calculated pursuant to the
     immediately preceding sentence and the Reinvestment Rate shall be
     interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight-line
     basis, rounding in each of such relevant periods to the nearest month.
     For the purposes of calculating the "Reinvestment Rate", the most
     recent Statistical Release published prior to the date of
     determination of the Make-Whole Amount shall be used.

          "Statistical Release" shall mean the then most recently published
     statistical release designated "H.15(519)" or any successor
     publication which is published weekly by the Federal Reserve System
     and which establishes yields on actively traded U.S. Government
     Securities adjusted to constant maturities or, if such statistical
     release is not published at the time of any determination hereunder,
     then such other reasonably comparable index which shall be designated
     by the holders of 66-2/3% in aggregate principal amount of the
     outstanding Notes.

     "Material Restricted Subsidiary" shall mean any Restricted Subsidiary
the net worth (computed in accordance with the definition of "Consolidated
Adjusted Net Worth") of which constitutes at least 2.5% of Consolidated
Adjusted Net Worth.

     "Multiemployer Plan" shall have the same meaning as in ERISA.

     "Overdue Rate" shall mean 8.77%.


<PAGE>30



     "PBGC" shall mean the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation and any
entity succeeding to any or all of its functions under ERISA.

     "Person" shall mean an individual, partnership, corporation, trust or
unincorporated organization, and a government or agency or political
subdivision thereof.

     "Plan" shall mean a "pension plan," as such term is defined in ERISA,
established or maintained by the Company or any ERISA Affiliate or as to
which the Company or any ERISA Affiliate contributed or is a member or
otherwise may have any liability.

     "Predominantly-owned" when used in connection with any Subsidiary
shall mean a Subsidiary of which at least 80% of the issued and outstanding
shares of stock (except shares required as directors' qualifying shares)
shall be owned by the Company and/or one or more of its Predominantly-owned
Subsidiaries.

     "Purchasers" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1.

     "Rentals" shall mean and include as of the date of any determination
thereof all fixed payments (including as such all payments which the lessee
is obligated to make to the lessor on termination of the lease or surrender
of the property) payable by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as
lessee or sublessee under a lease of real or personal property, but shall
be exclusive of any amounts required to be paid by the Company or a
Restricted Subsidiary (whether or not designated as rents or additional
rents) on account of maintenance, repairs, insurance, taxes and similar
charges. Fixed rents under any so-called "percentage leases" shall be
computed solely on the basis of the minimum rents, if any, required to be
paid by the lessee regardless of sales volume or gross revenues.

     "Reportable Event" shall have the same meaning as in ERISA.

     "Responsible Officer" shall mean the President, Chief Financial
Officer, Treasurer or Chief Accounting Officer of the Company.

     "Restricted Subsidiary" shall mean any Subsidiary (a) which is
organized under the laws of the United States or any State thereof; (b)
which conducts substantially all of its business and has substantially all
of its assets within the United States; and (c) which is not designated as
an Unrestricted Subsidiary on Schedule II to this Agreement or in
accordance with Section 5.15.

     "Security" shall have the same meaning as in Section 2(1) of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

     "Subordinated Funded Debt" shall mean all Funded Debt of the Company
which is at all times evidenced by a written instrument or instruments
containing subordination


<PAGE>31



provisions substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit D attached
hereto, providing for the subordination thereof to other Indebtedness of
the Company, including, without limitation, the Notes, or such other
provisions as may be approved in writing by the holders of not less than
66-2/3% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes.

     The term "subsidiary" shall mean as to any particular parent
corporation any corporation of which more than 50% (by number of votes) of
the Voting Stock shall be beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by
such parent corporation. The term "Subsidiary" shall mean a subsidiary of
the Company.

     "Transfer" shall have the meaning assigned thereto in Section 5.9(b).

     "Unrestricted Subsidiary" shall mean any Subsidiary which is
designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary in Schedule II to this Agreement
or in accordance with Section 5.15.

     "Voting Stock" shall mean Securities of any class or classes, the
holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled
to elect a majority of the corporate directors (or Persons performing
similar functions).

     Section 8.2. Accounting Principles. Where the character or amount of
any asset or liability or item of income or expense is required to be
determined or any consolidation or other accounting computation is required
to be made for the purposes of this Agreement, the same shall be done in
accordance with GAAP, to the extent applicable, except where such
principles are inconsistent with the requirements of this Agreement.

     Section 8.3. Directly or Indirectly. Where any provision in this
Agreement refers to action to be taken by any Person, or which such Person
is prohibited from taking, such provision shall be applicable whether the
action in question is taken directly or indirectly by such Person.

SECTION 9. MISCELLANEOUS.

     Section 9.1. Registered Notes. The Company shall cause to be kept at
its principal office a register for the registration and transfer of the
Notes, and the Company will register or transfer or cause to be registered
or transferred, as hereinafter provided, any Note issued pursuant to this
Agreement.

     At any time and from time to time the holder of any Note which has
been duly registered as hereinabove provided may transfer such Note upon
surrender thereof at the principal office of the Company duly endorsed or
accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed by the holder
of such Note or its attorney duly authorized in writing.


<PAGE>32



     Prior to the presentation to the Company of a duly executed instrument
of transfer and the Note (or, in the event of loss, theft, mutilation or
destruction of the Note, presentation of a duly executed instrument of
transfer in compliance with Section 9.3 hereof), the Person in whose name
any Note shall be registered shall be deemed and treated as the owner and
holder thereof for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding any
notice to the contrary. Payment of or on account of the principal, premium,
if any, and interest on any Note shall be made to or upon the written order
of such holder.

     Section 9.2. Exchange of Notes. At any time and from time to time,
upon not less than ten days' notice to that effect given by the holder of
any Note initially delivered or of any Note substituted therefor pursuant
to Section 9.1, this Section 9.2 or Section 9.3, and, upon surrender of
such Note at its office, the Company will deliver in exchange therefor,
without expense to such holder, except as set forth below, a Note for the
same aggregate principal amount as the then unpaid principal amount of the
Note so surrendered, or Notes in the denomination of $100,000 (or such
lesser amount as shall constitute 100% of the Notes of such holder) or any
amount in excess thereof as such holder shall specify, dated as of the date
to which interest has been paid on the Note so surrendered or, if such
surrender is prior to the payment of any interest thereon, then dated as of
the date of issue, registered in the name of such Person or Persons as may
be designated by such holder, and otherwise of the same form and tenor as
the Notes so surrendered for exchange. The Company may require the payment
of a sum sufficient to cover any stamp tax or governmental charge imposed
upon such exchange or transfer.

     Section 9.3. Loss, Theft, Etc. of Notes. Upon receipt of evidence
satisfactory to the Company of the loss, theft, mutilation or destruction
of any Note, and in the case of any such loss, theft or destruction upon
delivery of a bond of indemnity in such form and amount as shall be
reasonably satisfactory to the Company, or in the event of such mutilation
upon surrender and cancellation of the Note, the Company will make and
deliver without expense to the holder thereof, a new Note, of like tenor,
in lieu of such lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated Note. If the Purchaser
or any subsequent Institutional Holder is the owner of any such lost,
stolen or destroyed Note, then the affidavit of an authorized officer of
such owner, setting forth the fact of loss, theft or destruction and of its
ownership of such Note at the time of such loss, theft or destruction shall
be accepted as satisfactory evidence thereof and no further indemnity shall
be required as a condition to the execution and delivery of a new Note
other than the written agreement of such owner to indemnify the Company.

     Section 9.4. Expenses, Stamp Tax Indemnity. Unless the parties agree
otherwise, the Company agrees to pay directly all of your out-of-pocket
expenses in connection with (i) any amendments, waivers or consents
initiated at the request of the Company at any time or by action of the
holders of the Notes during the continuance of a Default or Event of
Default (whether or not the same are actually executed and delivered),
including, without limitation, any amendments, waivers, or consents
resulting from any


<PAGE>33



work-out, renegotiation or restructuring relating to the performance by the
Company of its obligations under this Agreement and the Notes; and (ii)
responding to any third party subpoena or other third party legal process
or informal investigative demand issued in connection with the Notes, this
Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby or by reason of any
holder's acquisition or ownership of any Note.

     The Company further agrees that it will pay and save you harmless
against any and all liability with respect to stamp and other taxes, if
any, which may be payable or which may be determined to be payable in
connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Notes,
whether or not any Notes are then outstanding. The Company agrees to
protect and indemnify you against any liability for any and all brokerage
fees and commissions payable or claimed to be payable to any Person in
connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. You
represent that you have not retained any broker or finder to arrange for
the offer, sale or delivery of the Notes.

     Section 9.5. Powers and Rights Not Waived; Remedies Cumulative. No
delay or failure on the part of the holder of any Note in the exercise of
any power or right shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single
or partial exercise of the same preclude any other or further exercise
thereof, or the exercise of any other power or right, and the rights and
remedies of the holder of any Note are cumulative to, and are not exclusive
of, any rights or remedies any such holder would otherwise have.

     Section 9.6. Notices. All communications provided for hereunder shall
be in writing and, if to you, delivered or mailed prepaid by registered or
certified mail or overnight air courier, or by facsimile communication, in
each case addressed to you at your address appearing on Schedule I to this
Agreement or such other address as you or the subsequent holder of any Note
initially issued to you may designate to the Company in writing, and if to
the Company, delivered or mailed by registered or certified mail or
overnight air courier, or by facsimile communication confirmed by
registered or certified mail or overnight air courier, to the Company at
3800 S.E. 22nd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97242, Attention: Vice President,
Corporate Treasurer, or to such other address as the Company may in writing
designate to you or to a subsequent holder of the Note initially issued to
you; provided, however, that a notice to you by overnight air courier shall
only be effective if delivered to you at a street address designated for
such purpose in Schedule I, and a notice to you by facsimile communication
shall only be effective if made by confirmed transmission to you at a
telephone number designated for such purpose in Schedule I, or, in either
case, as you or a subsequent holder of any Note initially issued to you may
designate to the Company in writing.

     Section 9.7. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding
upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to your
benefit and to the benefit of your successors and assigns, including each
successive holder or holders of any Notes.


<PAGE>34



     Section 9.8. Survival of Covenants and Representations. All covenants,
representations and warranties made by the Company herein and in any
certificates delivered pursuant hereto, whether or not in connection with
the Closing Date, shall survive the closing and the delivery of this
Agreement and the Notes.

     Section 9.9. Severability. Should any part of this Agreement for any
reason be declared invalid or unenforceable, such decision shall not affect
the validity or enforceability of any remaining portion, which remaining
portion shall remain in force and effect as if this Agreement had been
executed with the invalid or unenforceable portion thereof eliminated and
it is hereby declared the intention of the parties hereto that they would
have executed the remaining portion of this Agreement without including
therein any such part, parts or portion which may, for any reason, be
hereafter declared invalid or unenforceable.

     Section 9.10. Changes in GAAP. Each of the Purchasers and each other
holder of the Notes by its acceptance thereof understands and agrees with
the Company that in the event that a change in GAAP occurs which is the
sole cause of a change in any of the calculations contemplated by this
Agreement, including without limitation, calculations with regard to the
covenants contained in Sections 5.6 through 5.9, then in such event the
Purchasers and/or such holders, as the case may be, and the Company shall
undertake to amend any affected provisions of this Agreement so as to
preserve the intent and purpose thereof and to accommodate such change in
GAAP and to enter into an amendment hereof to reflect the same.

     Section 9.11. Governing Law. This Agreement and the Notes issued and
sold hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with New
York law, including all matters of construction, validity and performance.

     Section 9.12. Submission to Jurisdiction. Any legal action or
proceeding with respect to this Agreement or the Notes or any document
related thereto may be brought in the courts of the State of New York or of
the United States of America for the Southern District of New York, and, by
execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company hereby accepts for
itself and in respect of its property generally and unconditionally, the
non- exclusive jurisdiction of the aforesaid courts. The Company hereby
irrevocably and unconditionally waives any objection, including, without
limitation, any objection to the laying of venue or based on the grounds of
forum non conveniens which it may now or hereafter have to the bringing of
any action or proceeding in such respective jurisdiction. The Company
agrees and irrevocably consents to substituted service of process in any
such action or proceeding by the mailing, by registered or certified U.S.
mail, or by any other means or mail that requires a signed receipt, of
copies of such process to the Company at its offices specified in Section
9.6. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action or
proceeding shall be conclusive and may be enforced in other jurisdictions
by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law. To the
extent that the Company has or hereafter may


<PAGE>35



acquire immunity from any such jurisdiction of any court or from any legal
process (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgement,
attachment in aid of execution, execution or otherwise) with respect to
itself or its property, the Company hereby irrevocably waives such immunity
in respect of its obligations under this Agreement or the Notes.

     Section 9.13. Captions. The descriptive headings of the various
Sections or parts of this Agreement are for convenience only and shall not
affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

     The execution hereof by you shall constitute a contract between us for
the uses and purposes hereinabove set forth, and this Agreement may be
executed in any number of counterparts, each executed counterpart
constituting an original but all together only one agreement.

                              FRED MEYER, INC.

                              By MICHAEL DON
                                 ------------------------------------
                                 Its Vice President and
                                     Corporate Treasurer

Accepted as of April 25, 1995


                              THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY
                              OF AMERICA

                              By /s/
                                 ------------------------------------
                                 Its Second Vice President

                              PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY

                              By /s/
                                 ------------------------------------
                                 Its Assistant Vice President


<PAGE>I-1



                                                                 SCHEDULE I

                             PURCHASER SCHEDULE


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          Aggregate     Note Denomi-
                                                          Principal     nations
                                                          Amount of     ------------
                                                          Notes to be
                                                          Purchased
                                                          -----------

<S>                                                       <C>           <C>
THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY
        OF AMERICA

                                                          $50,000,000   $48,825,000
</TABLE>

(1)     All payments on account of Notes held by such purchaser shall be
        made by wire transfer of immediately available funds for credit to:

        Account No. 050-54-526 (in the case of payments
               on account of the Note originally issued
               in the principal amount of $48,825,000)

        Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York
        23 Wall Street
        New York, New York  10015
        (ABA No.: 021-000-238)

        Each such wire transfer shall set forth the name of the Company, a
        reference to "Fred Meyer 7.77% Senior Notes due April 25, 2002,
        Security No. !INV5078!, and the due date and application (as among
        principal, interest and Make-Whole Amount) of the payment being
        made.


(2)     Address for all notices relating to payments:

        The Prudential Insurance Company of America
        Four Gateway Center
        100 Mulberry Street
        Newark, New Jersey  07102-4069



<PAGE>I-2



        Attention:  Manager, Investment Structure and Pricing

        Telephone:  (201) 802-6660
        Fax:        (201) 624-6432


(3)     Address for all other communications and notices:

        The Prudential Insurance Company of America
        c/o Prudential Capital Group
        777 South Figueroa Street, Suite 2950
        Los Angeles, California  90017

        Attention:   Managing Director

        Telephone:   (213) 486-5350
        Fax:         (213) 623-9764


(4)     Recipient of telephonic prepayment notices:

        Manager, Investment Structure and Pricing

        Telephone:   (201) 802-6660
        Fax:         (201) 624-6432

(5)     Tax Identification No.:  22-1211670


<PAGE>I-3



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                          Aggregate     Note Denomi-
                                                          Principal     nations
                                                          Amount of     ------------
                                                          Notes to be
                                                          Purchased
                                                          -----------

<S>                                                       <C>           <C>
PRUCO LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                                          $ 1,175,000   $ 1,175,000
</TABLE>

(1)     All payments on account of Notes held by such purchaser shall be
        made by wire transfer of immediately available funds for credit to:

        Account No. 000-55-455
        Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York
        23 Wall Street
        New York, New York  10015
        (ABA No.:  021-000-238)

        Each such wire transfer shall set forth the name of the Company, a
        reference to "Fred Meyer 7.77 % Senior Notes due April 25, 2002,
        Security No. "!INV5079!," and the due date and application (as
        among principal, interest and Make-Whole Amount) of the payment
        being made.


(2)     Address for all notices relating to payments:

        Pruco Life Insurance Company
        c/o The Prudential Insurance Company of America
        Four Gateway Center
        100 Mulberry Street
        Newark, New Jersey  07102-4069

        Attention:   Manager, Investment Structure and Pricing

        Telephone:   (201) 802-6660
        Fax:         (201) 624-6432


<PAGE>I-4



(3)     Address for all other communications and notices:

        Pruco Life Insurance Company
        c/o Prudential Capital Group
        777 South Figueroa Street, Suite 2950
        Los Angeles, California  90017

        Attention:  Managing Director

        Telephone:  (213) 486-5350
        Fax:        (213) 623-9764


(4)     Recipient of telephonic prepayment notices:

        Manager, Investment Structure and Pricing

        Telephone:  (201) 802-6660
        Fax:        (201) 624-6432


(5)     Tax Identification No.:  22-1944557


<PAGE>II-1



                                                                SCHEDULE II


                        SUBSIDIARIES OF THE COMPANY


1.  RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES:



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            PERCENTAGE
                                                                             OF VOTING
                                                 JURISDICTION             STOCK OWNED BY
                   NAME OF                            OF                 COMPANY AND EACH
                 SUBSIDIARY                      INCORPORATION           OTHER SUBSIDIARY

<S>                                               <C>                          <C>
B&B Stores, Inc.                                    Montana                    100%
B&B Pharmacy, Inc.                                  Montana                    100%
CB&S Advertising Agency, Inc.                       Oregon                     100%
Distribution Trucking Company                       Oregon                     100%
FM Holding Corporation                             Delaware                    100%
Grand Central, Inc.                                  Utah                      100%
FM Retail Services, Inc.                          Washington                   100%
Fred Meyer, Inc.
  (a Washington Corporation)                      Washington                   100%
Fred Meyer of Alaska, Inc.                          Alaska                     100%
Fred Meyer of California, Inc.                    California                   100%
Natur Glo, Inc.                                     Oregon                     100%
Roundup Co.                                       Washington                   100%
</TABLE>


2.  SUBSIDIARIES (OTHER THAN RESTRICTED SUBSIDIARIES):


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            PERCENTAGE
                                                                             OF VOTING
                                                 JURISDICTION             STOCK OWNED BY
                   NAME OF                            OF                 COMPANY AND EACH
                 SUBSIDIARY                      INCORPORATION           OTHER SUBSIDIARY


<S>                                                <C>                         <C>
Fred Meyer (UK) Limited                            Hong Kong                   100%
  (inactive)
</TABLE>

<PAGE>II-2



                 DESCRIPTION OF DEBT AND CAPITALIZED LEASES

1.    Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries outstanding on the Closing
      Date and Liens (if any) securing any such Indebtedness are as
      follows:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                              <C>                               <C>
Roundup Co.                      Note and Trust Deed to            $ 13,049,299
                                 Nationwide Life
Fred Meyer of Alaska,            Note and Trust Deed to            $ 16,802,352
  Inc.                           Nationwide Life
</TABLE>


2.    Funded Debt (other than Capitalized Rentals) of the Company
      outstanding on the Closing Date and Liens (if any) securing any such
      Funded Debt are as follows:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                                        <C>
Unsecured Floating Rate Notes to Five Banks                                $ 70,000,000
Note and Trust Deed to Employers' Life                                     $  2,655,222
Note and Trust Deed to Nationwide Life                                     $ 10,620,887
Unsecured Note to Rabobank                                                 $ 10,000,000
Unsecured Commercial Paper (as of April 25, 1995)                          $405,000,000
Senior Notes to various Life Insurance Companies                           $ 57,500,000
</TABLE>

3.    Capitalized Lease Obligations of the Company and its Restricted
      Subsidiaries outstanding on the Closing Date and Liens (if any)
      securing any such Capitalized Leases are as follows:


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                                        <C>
Fred Meyer, Inc. to Duane Co.                                              $  6,938,000
Grand Central, Inc. to various investors                                   $  6,967,000
</TABLE>


<PAGE>II-3



                          DESCRIPTION OF INSURANCE


A.      Liability Insurance:  Subject to $2,000,000 self-insurance
        retention; $50,000,000 limit

B.      Workers Compensation Insurance:  Self-insured in major
        states (Oregon and Washington); insurance carried for
        losses in excess of $350,000 per incident.

C.      Property Insurance:  Values insured to replacement cost
        including business interruption.  Deductibles per incident
        range up to $1,000,000 with a variety of sub-limits.
        Earthquake coverage subject to a deductible of 5% of values.


<PAGE>II-4



                                                                 EXHIBIT A-1


                              FRED MEYER, INC.

                             7.77% Senior Note
                             Due April 25, 2002



No. RA-____                                                    April 25, 1995

$

     Fred Meyer, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), for value
received, hereby promises to pay to


                           or registered assigns
                       on the 25th day of April 2002
                          the principal amount of

                        Dollars ($_________________)

and to pay interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve
30-day months) on the principal amount from time to time remaining unpaid
hereon at the rate of 7.77% per annum from the date hereof until maturity,
payable semiannually on the 25th day of April and October in each year
(commencing on October 25, 1995) and at maturity. The Company agrees to pay
interest on overdue principal (including any overdue required or optional
prepayment of principal) and premium, if any, and (to the extent legally
enforceable) on any overdue installment of interest, at the rate of 8.77%
per annum after the due date, whether by acceleration or otherwise, until
paid.

     All of the principal hereof and premium, if any, interest hereon are
payable at the main office of Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York in
New York City or at such other place as the holder hereof shall designate
in writing to the Company, in coin or currency of the United States of
America which at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment
of public and private debts. If any amount of principal, premium, if any,
or interest on or in respect of this Note becomes due and payable on any
date which is not a Business Day, such amount shall be payable on the
immediately preceding Business Day. "Business Day" means any day other than
a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banks in Portland, Oregon or New
York, New York are required by law to close or are customarily closed.


<PAGE>II-5



     This Note is one of the 7.77% Senior Notes, due April 25, 2002 (the
"Notes") of the Company in the aggregate principal amount of $50,000,000
which are issued or to be issued under and pursuant to the terms and
provisions of the Note Agreement, dated as of April 25, 1995 (the "Note
Agreement"), entered into by the Company with the original Purchasers
therein referred to and this Note and the holder hereof is entitled equally
and ratably with the holders of all other Notes outstanding under the Note
Agreement to all the benefits provided for thereby or referred to therein.
Reference is hereby made to the Note Agreement for a statement of such
rights and benefits.

     This Note and the other Notes outstanding under the Note Agreement may
be declared due prior to their expressed maturity dates, in the events, on
the terms and in the manner and amounts as provided in the Note Agreement.

     The Notes are not subject to prepayment or redemption at the option of
the Company prior to their expressed maturity dates except on the terms and
conditions and in the amounts and with the premium, if any, set forth in
the Note Agreement.

     This Note is registered on the books of the Company and transferable
only by surrender thereof at the principal office of the Company duly
endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer duly executed
by the registered holder of Note or its attorney duly authorized in
writing. Payment of or on account of principal, premium, if any, and
interest on Note shall be made only to or upon the order in writing of the
registered holder.

     This Note and said Note Agreement are governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of New York, including all matters of
construction, validity and performance.

                                         FRED MEYER, INC.



                                         By ___________________________
                                              Its Vice President and
                                              Corporate Treasurer


<PAGE>B-1



                                                                  EXHIBIT B


                       REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES


     The Company represents and warrants to you as follows:

     1. Subsidiaries. Schedule II attached to the Agreement states the name
of each of the Company's Subsidiaries, its jurisdiction of incorporation
and the percentage of its Voting Stock owned by the Company and/or its
Subsidiaries. Those Subsidiaries listed in Section 1 of said Schedule II
constitute Restricted Subsidiaries. The Company and each Subsidiary has
good and marketable title to all of the shares it purports to own of the
stock of each Subsidiary, free and clear in each case of any Lien. All such
shares have been duly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

     2. Corporate Organization and Authority. The Company, and each
Restricted Subsidiary,

          (a) is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good
     standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;

          (b) has all requisite power and authority and all necessary
     licenses and permits to own and operate its properties and to carry on
     its business as now conducted and as presently proposed to be
     conducted; and

          (c) is duly licensed or qualified and is in good standing as a
     foreign corporation in each jurisdiction wherein the nature of the
     business transacted by it or the nature of the property owned or
     leased by it makes such licensing or qualification necessary.

     3. Business and Property. You have heretofore been furnished with the
Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K and related Annual Report to
Shareholders for the fiscal years ended January 29, 1994 and January 28,
1995 and certain information from Board presentation materials, including
cash flow and capital expenditure projections (collectively, the "Company
Information"), all of which generally sets forth the business conducted and
proposed to be conducted by the Company and its Subsidiaries and the
principal properties of the Company and its Subsidiaries.

     4. Financial Statements. (a) The consolidated balance sheets of the
Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of February 2, 1991, February
1, 1992, January 30, 1993, January 29, 1994 and January 28, 1995, and the
related statements of consolidated operations, changes in consolidated
stockholders' equity and consolidated cash flows for the fiscal years ended
on said dates, each accompanied by a report thereon containing an


<PAGE>B-2



opinion unqualified as to scope limitations imposed by the Company and
otherwise without qualification except as therein noted, by Deloitte &
Touche, have been prepared in accordance with GAAP consistently applied
except as therein noted, are correct and complete and present fairly the
financial position of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of
such dates and the results of their operations and their cash flows for
such periods.

     (b) Since January 28, 1995, there has been no change in the condition,
financial or otherwise, of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries as
shown on the consolidated balance sheet as of such date except changes in
the ordinary course of business, none of which individually or in the
aggregate has been materially adverse.

     5. Indebtedness. Schedule II attached to the Agreement correctly
describes all Indebtedness of Restricted Subsidiaries and all Funded Debt
and Capitalized Leases of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries
outstanding on the Closing Date.

     6. Full Disclosure. Neither the financial statements referred to in
paragraph 4 hereof nor the Agreement, the Company Information or any other
written statement furnished by the Company to you in connection with the
negotiation of the Agreement or the negotiation and sale of the Notes
contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits a material fact
necessary to make the statements contained therein or herein not
misleading. There is no fact peculiar to the Company or its Subsidiaries
which the Company has not disclosed to you in writing which materially
affects adversely or, so far as the Company can now foresee, will
materially affect adversely the properties, business, prospects, profits or
condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and its Restricted
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

     7. Pending Litigation. There are no proceedings pending or, to the
knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the Company or
any Restricted Subsidiary in any court or before any governmental authority
or arbitration board or tribunal which involve the possibility of
materially and adversely affecting the properties, business, prospects,
profits or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries.

     8. Title to Properties. The Company and each Restricted Subsidiary has
good and marketable title in fee simple (or its equivalent under applicable
law) to all material parcels of real property and has good title to all the
other material items of property it purports to own, including that
reflected in the most recent balance sheet referred to in paragraph 4
hereof, except as sold or otherwise disposed of in the ordinary course of
business and except for Liens permitted by the Agreement.

     9. Patents and Trademarks. The Company and each Restricted Subsidiary
owns or possesses all the patents, trademarks, trade names, service marks,
copyrights,


<PAGE>B-3



licenses and rights with respect to the foregoing necessary for the present
and planned future conduct of its business, without any known conflict with
the rights of others.

     10. Sale is Legal and Authorized. The sale of the Notes and compliance
by the Company with all of the provisions of the Agreement and the Notes--

          (a) are within the corporate powers of the Company;

          (b) will not violate any provisions of any law or any order of
     any court or governmental authority or agency and will not conflict
     with or result in any breach of any of the terms, conditions or
     provisions of, or constitute a default under, the Certificate of
     Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any indenture or other
     agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it
     may be bound or result in the imposition of any Liens or encumbrances
     on any property of the Company; and

          (c) have been duly authorized by proper corporate action on the
     part of the Company (no action by the stockholders of the Company
     being required by law, by the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws
     of the Company or otherwise), executed and delivered by the Company
     and the Agreement and the Notes constitute the legal, valid and
     binding obligations, contracts and agreements of the Company
     enforceable in accordance with their respective terms.

     11. No Defaults. No Default or Event of Default has occurred and is
continuing. The Company is not in default in the payment of principal or
interest on any Indebtedness and is not in default under any instrument or
instruments or agreements under and subject to which any Indebtedness has
been issued and no event has occurred and is continuing under the
provisions of any such instrument or agreement which with the lapse of time
or the giving of notice, or both, would constitute an event of default
thereunder.

     12. Governmental Consent. No approval, consent or withholding of
objection on the part of any regulatory body, state, Federal or local, is
necessary in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of
the Agreement or the issuance, sale or delivery of the Notes or compliance
by the Company with any of the provisions of the Agreement or the Notes.

     13. Taxes. All tax returns required to be filed by the Company or any
Restricted Subsidiary in any jurisdiction have, in fact, been filed, and
all taxes, assessments, fees and other governmental charges upon the
Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or upon any of their respective
properties, income or franchises which are shown to be due and payable in
such returns have been paid. For all taxable years ending on or before
February 1, 1992, the Federal income tax liability of the Company and its
Restricted Subsidiaries has been satisfied and either the period of
limitations on


<PAGE>B-4



assessment of additional Federal income tax has expired or the Company and
its Restricted Subsidiaries have entered into an agreement with the
Internal Revenue Service closing conclusively the total tax liability for
the taxable year. The Company does not know of any proposed additional tax
assessment against it for which adequate provision has not been made on its
accounts, and no material controversy in respect of additional Federal or
state income taxes due since said date is pending or to the knowledge of
the Company threatened. The provisions for taxes on the books of the
Company and each Restricted Subsidiary are adequate for all open years, and
for its current fiscal period.

     14. Use of Proceeds. The net proceeds from the sale of the Notes will
be used to refinance commercial paper and other short- term Indebtedness
(characterized on the Company's balance sheet as Funded Debt in accordance
with GAAP) and for capital expenditures. None of the transactions
contemplated in the Agreement (including, without limitation thereof, the
use of proceeds from the issuance of the Notes) will violate or result in a
violation of Section 7 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,
or any regulation issued pursuant thereto, including, without limitation,
Regulations G, T and X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System, 12 C.F.R., Chapter II. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary owns
or intends to carry or purchase any "margin stock" or for any other purpose
that might result in the issuance of the Notes being deemed a "purpose
credit" within the meaning of said Regulation G. None of the proceeds from
the sale of the Notes will be used to purchase, or refinance any borrowing
the proceeds of which were used to purchase, any "security" within the
meaning of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     15. Private Offering. Since August 1, 1994, the Company has neither
directly or indirectly offered, nor will it offer, the Notes or any similar
Security to, or solicited or will solicit an offer to acquire the Notes or
any similar Security from, or has otherwise approached or negotiated, or
will approach or negotiate, in respect of the Notes or any similar Security
with any Person other than the Purchasers, each of whom was offered a
portion of the Notes at private sale for investment. The Company has
neither directly or indirectly offered, nor will offer, the Notes or any
similar Security to, or solicited or will solicit an offer to acquire the
Notes or any similar Security from any Person so as to bring the issuance
and sale of the Notes within the provisions of Section 5 of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or to the provisions of any applicable state
securities or "blue sky" laws. The Company has not engaged or otherwise
utilized the services of any agent in offering, issuing or selling the
Notes, whether to the Purchasers or to other Persons.

     16. ERISA. Based, to the extent relevant, upon the accuracy of the
representations of the Purchasers set forth in Section 3.2(b) of the
Agreement, the consummation of the transactions provided for in the
Agreement and compliance by the Company with the provisions thereof and the
Notes issued thereunder will not involve any prohibited transaction within
the meaning of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal


<PAGE>B-5



Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. Each Plan complies in all material
respects with all applicable statutes and governmental rules and
regulations, and (a) no Reportable Event has occurred and is continuing
with respect to any Plan, (b) neither the Company nor any ERISA Affiliate
has withdrawn from any Plan or Multiemployer Plan or instituted steps to do
so, and (c) no steps have been instituted to terminate any Plan. No
condition exists or event or transaction has occurred in connection with
any Plan which could result in the incurrence by the Company or any ERISA
Affiliate of any material liability, fine or penalty. No Plan maintained by
the Company or any ERISA Affiliate, nor any trust created thereunder, has
incurred any "accumulated funding deficiency" as defined in Section 302 of
ERISA nor does the present value of all benefits vested under all Plans
exceed, as of the last annual valuation date, the value of the assets of
the Plans allocable to such vested benefits. Neither the Company nor any
ERISA Affiliate has any contingent liability with respect to any
post-retirement "welfare benefit plan" (as such term is defined in ERISA)
except as has been disclosed to the Purchasers.

     17. Compliance with Law. (a) Neither the Company nor any Restricted
Subsidiary (1) is in violation of any law, ordinance, franchise,
governmental rule or regulation to which it is subject; or (2) has failed
to obtain any license, permit, franchise or other governmental
authorization necessary to the ownership of its property or to the conduct
of its business, which violation or failure to obtain would materially
affect adversely the business, prospects, profits, properties or condition
(financial or otherwise) of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries,
taken as a whole, or impair the ability of the Company to perform its
obligations contained in the Agreement or the Notes. Neither the Company
nor any Restricted Subsidiary is in default with respect to any order of
any court or governmental authority or arbitration board or tribunal.

     (b) Without limiting the provisions of clause (a) of this paragraph
17, the Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable
Environmental Laws the failure to comply with which would materially affect
adversely the properties, business, prospects, profits or condition
(financial or otherwise) of the Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a
whole, or the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under the
Agreement or the Notes.

     18. Investment Company and Public Utility Acts. The Company is not,
and is not directly or indirectly controlled by or acting on behalf of any
Person which is, required to register as an "investment company" under the
Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. Neither the Company nor any
Subsidiary is a (i) "holding company," a "subsidiary company" of a "holding
company" or an "affiliate" of a "holding company" or of a "subsidiary
company" of a "holding company," as such terms are defined in the Public
Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, as amended or (ii) public utility
within the meaning of the Federal Power Act, as amended.

     19. Foreign Assets Control Regulations, etc. The Company and its
Subsidiaries are not by reason of being a "national" of "designated foreign
country" or a "specially


<PAGE>B-6



designated national" within the meaning of the Regulations of the Office of
Foreign Assets Control, United States Treasury Department (31 C.F.R.,
Subtitle B, Chapter V), or for any other reason, subject to any restriction
or prohibition under, or in violation of, any Federal statue or
Presidential Executive Order, or any rules or regulations of any
department, agency or administrative body promulgated under any such
statute or order, concerning trade or other relations with any foreign
country or any citizen or national thereof or the ownership or operation of
any property.



<PAGE>C-1



                                                                  EXHIBIT C

                     DESCRIPTION OF CLOSING OPINION OF
                           COUNSEL TO THE COMPANY

     The closing opinion of Stoel Rives Boley Jones & Grey, counsel for the
Company, which is called for by Section 4.1 of the Note Agreement, shall be
dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Purchasers, shall be
satisfactory in scope and form to the Purchasers and shall be to the effect
that:

          1. The Company is a corporation, duly incorporated, validly
     existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware,
     has the corporate power and the corporate authority to execute and
     perform the Note Agreement and to issue the Notes and has the full
     corporate power and the corporate authority to conduct the activities
     in which it is now engaged and is in good standing or of current
     status as a foreign corporation, as the case may be, in each
     jurisdiction set forth in the certificate of the Company attached to
     this opinion (the "Company Certificate") as a jurisdiction where the
     Company has material assets or conducts a material portion of its
     business.

          2. Each Subsidiary is a corporation duly organized, validly
     existing and in good standing or of current status, as the case may
     be, under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation and is in good
     standing or of current status as a foreign corporation, as the case
     may be, in each jurisdiction set forth in the Company Certificate as a
     jurisdiction where such Subsidiary has material assets or conducts a
     material portion of its business. All of the issued and outstanding
     shares of capital stock of each such Subsidiary are owned of record by
     the Company, by one or more Subsidiaries, or by the Company and one or
     more Subsidiaries.

          3. The Note Agreement has been duly authorized by all necessary
     corporate action on the part of the Company, has been duly executed
     and delivered by the Company and constitutes the legal, valid and
     binding contract of the Company enforceable in accordance with its
     terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance or
     similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, and general
     principles of equity (regardless of whether the application of such
     principles is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

          4. The Notes have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate
     action on the part of the Company, have been duly executed and
     delivered by the Company and constitute the legal, valid and binding
     obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms,
     subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance or similar
     laws affecting creditors' rights generally, and

<PAGE>C-2



     general principles of equity (regardless of whether the application of
     such principles is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law).

          5. No approval, consent or withholding of objection on the part
     of, or filing, registration or qualification with, any governmental
     body, Federal, state or local, is necessary in connection with the
     execution and delivery of the Note Agreement or the Notes.

          6. The issuance and sale of the Notes and the execution, delivery
     and performance by the Company of the Note Agreement do not conflict
     with or result in any breach of any of the provisions of or constitute
     a default under or result in the creation or imposition of any Lien
     upon any of the property of the Company pursuant to the provisions of
     the Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws of the Company or any
     agreement or other instrument listed as a "Material Agreement" in the
     Company Certificate attached to this opinion.

          7. The issuance, sale and delivery of the Notes under the
     circumstances contemplated by the Note Agreement does not, under
     existing law, require the registration of the Notes under the
     Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the qualification of an
     indenture under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

          8. The issuance of the Notes and the use of the proceeds of the
     sale of the Notes in accordance with the provisions of and
     contemplated by the Note Agreement do not violate or conflict with
     Regulation G, T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal
     Reserve System.

          9. There is no litigation pending or, to the best knowledge of
     such counsel, threatened which in such counsel's opinion could
     reasonably be expected to have a materially adverse effect on the
     Company's business or assets or which would impair the ability of the
     Company to issue and deliver the Notes or to comply with the
     provisions of the Note Agreement.

     The opinion of Stoel Rives Boley Jones & Grey shall cover such other
matters relating to the sale of the Notes as the Purchasers may reasonably
request. With respect to matters of fact on which such opinion is based,
such counsel shall be entitled to rely on appropriate certificates of
public officials and officers of the Company and, with respect to the
opinion numbered (7) upon, to the extent relevant, the accuracy of the
representations of the Purchasers set forth in Section 3.2(a) of the Note
Agreement.


<PAGE>E-1



                                                                  EXHIBIT D


                   SUBORDINATION PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO
                          SUBORDINATED FUNDED DEBT

     (a) The indebtedness evidenced by the subordinated notes<F1>, any
renewals or extensions thereof, premium, if any, interest (including,
without limitation, any such interest accruing subsequent to the filing by
or against the Company of any proceeding brought under Chapter 11 of the
Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. Section 100 et seq.)) and any fees, charges,
expenses or other sums payable under or in respect of the agreements
pursuant to which such subordinated notes were issued, shall at all times
be wholly and unconditionally subordinate and junior in right of payment to
all principal, premium, if any, and interest (including, without
limitation, any such interest accruing subsequent to the filing by or
against the Company of any proceeding brought under Chapter 11 of the
Bankruptcy Code (11 U.S.C. Section 100 et seq.) whether or not such
interest is allowed as a claim pursuant to the provisions of such Chapter)
and all other fees, charges, expenses and other sums payable in respect of
(1) the Company's $50,000,000 aggregate principal amount 7.77% Senior Notes
due April 25, 1995 (the "Notes") issued pursuant to the Note Agreement
dated as of April 25, 1995 among the Company, The Prudential Insurance
Company of America and Pruco Life Insurance Company, and (2) any other
indebtedness for money borrowed of the Company not expressed to be
subordinate or junior to any other indebtedness of the Company (the
indebtedness described in the preceding clauses (1) and (2) is hereinafter
called "Superior Indebtedness"), in the manner and with the force and
effect hereafter set forth:

          (1) In the event of (i) any liquidation, dissolution or other
     winding up of the Company, voluntary or involuntary, (ii) any
     execution, sale, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation,
     readjustment, reorganization, composition or other similar proceeding
     relative to the Company or its property, (iii) any general assignment
     by the Company for the benefit of creditors, or (iv) any distribution,
     division, marshalling or application of any of the properties or
     assets of the Company or the proceeds thereof to creditors, voluntary
     or involuntary, and whether or not involving legal proceedings, then
     and in any event:

          (A) all principal, premium, if any, any interest and all other
     sums owing on all Superior Indebtedness shall first be paid in full in
     cash before any payment or distribution of any kind or character,
     whether in cash, property or securities (other than in securities,
     including equity securities, or other evidences of indebtedness, the
     payment of which is unconditionally subordinated to the

---------------
<F1>  Or debentures or other designation as may be appropriate.


<PAGE>E-2



     payment of all Superior Indebtedness which may at the time be
     outstanding) shall be made on indebtedness evidenced by the
     subordinated notes;

          (B) all principal and interest on the subordinated notes shall
     forthwith become due and payable, and any payment or distribution of
     any kind or character, whether in cash, property or securities (other
     than securities, including equity securities or other evidences of
     indebtedness, the payment of which is unconditionally subordinated to
     the payment of all Superior Indebtedness which may at the time be
     outstanding), which would otherwise (but for the terms hereof) be
     payable or deliverable in respect of the subordinated notes, shall be
     paid or delivered directly to the holders of the Superior
     Indebtedness, for application to the payment of the Superior
     Indebtedness, until all Superior Indebtedness shall have been paid in
     full, and the holders of the subordinated notes at the time
     outstanding irrevocably authorize, empower and direct all receivers,
     trustees, liquidators, conservators, fiscal agents and others having
     authority in the premises to effect all such payments and deliveries;

          (C) any payment or distribution of any kind or character, whether
     in cash, property or securities (other than in securities, including
     equity securities or other evidences of indebtedness, the payment of
     which is unconditionally subordinated to the payment of all Superior
     Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding) which shall be made
     upon or in respect of the subordinated notes shall be paid over to the
     holders of Superior Indebtedness, pro rata, for application and
     payment thereof unless and until such Superior Indebtedness shall have
     been paid or satisfied in full; and

          (D) notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, if for any reason
     whatsoever any payment or distribution of any kind or character,
     whether in cash, property or securities (other than in securities,
     including equity securities or other evidences of indebtedness, the
     payment of which is unconditionally subordinated to the payment of all
     Superior Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding), should be
     received by a holder of the subordinated notes before all such
     Superior Indebtedness is paid in full, such payment or distribution
     shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be immediately
     paid or delivered by such holder to, as the case may be, the holders
     of such Superior Indebtedness remaining unpaid, or their
     representative or representatives, for application to the payment of
     all such Superior Indebtedness, pro rata, unless and until such
     Superior Indebtedness shall have been paid or satisfied in full.

          (2) In the event that the subordinated notes are declared or
     become due and payable because of the occurrence of any event of
     default hereunder (or under the agreement or indenture, as
     appropriate) or otherwise than at the option of the Company, under
     circumstances when the foregoing clause (1) shall not be applicable,
     then each holder of any Superior Indebtedness then outstanding shall

<PAGE>E-3



     have the right to declare immediately due and payable all or any part
     of the Superior Indebtedness owing and payable to such holder and the
     holders of the subordinated notes shall be entitled to payments only
     after there shall first have been paid in full in cash all Superior
     Indebtedness outstanding at the time the subordinated notes so become
     due and payable because of any such event.

          (3) In case either (i) default in respect of the payment of the
     principal of, premium if any, or interest on any Superior
     Indebtedness, or (ii) any other default on any Superior Indebtedness
     as a result of which the holders thereof shall then be entitled to
     accelerate such Superior Indebtedness shall in either such case have
     occurred and be continuing with respect to any Superior Indebtedness,
     unless and until all Superior Indebtedness shall have been paid in
     full in cash, the Company will not, and will not permit any subsidiary
     to, directly or indirectly, make or agree to make, and neither the
     holder nor any assignee or successor holder of any subordinated notes
     will demand, accept or receive, (A) any payment in cash, property,
     securities (other than in securities, including equity securities or
     other evidences of indebtedness, the payment of which is
     unconditionally subordinated to the payment of all Superior
     Indebtedness which may at the time be outstanding) or otherwise,
     direct or indirect, of or on account of any principal of, premium, if
     any, interest or any other sum owing in respect of any subordinated
     notes, or (B) any payment for the purpose of any redemption, purchase
     or other acquisition, direct or indirect, of any subordinated notes,
     and no such payments shall be due.

     (b) If any payment or distribution of any kind or character (whether
in cash, securities or other property) or any security shall be received by
any holder of the subordinated notes in contravention of any of the terms
of this Section ___, such payment or distribution or security shall be held
in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered and
transferred to, holders of the Superior Indebtedness pro rata for
application to the payment of all Superior Indebtedness remaining unpaid,
to the extent necessary to pay all such Superior Indebtedness in full in
cash. In the event of the failure of any holder of the subordinated notes
to endorse or assign any such payment, distribution or security, any holder
of the Superior Indebtedness or such holder's representative is hereby
irrevocably authorized to endorse or assign the same.

     (c) The holder of each subordinated note undertakes and agrees for the
benefit of each holder of Superior Indebtedness to execute, verify, deliver
and file any proofs of claim within 30 days before the expiration of the
time to file the same which any holder of Superior Indebtedness may at any
time require in order to prove and realize upon any rights or claims
pertaining to the subordinated notes and to effectuate the full benefit of
the subordination contained herein; and upon failure of the holder of any
subordinated note so to do, any such holder of Superior Indebtedness shall
be deemed to be irrevocably appointed the agent and attorney-in-fact of the
holder of such note to execute, verify, deliver and file any such proofs of
claim.

<PAGE>E-4



     (d) No right of any holder of any Superior Indebtedness to enforce
subordination as herein provided shall at any time or in any way be
affected or impaired by any failure to act on the part of the Company or
the holders of Superior Indebtedness, or by any noncompliance by the
Company with any of the terms, provisions and covenants of the subordinated
notes or the agreement under which they are issued, regardless of any
knowledge thereof that any such holder of Superior Indebtedness may have or
be otherwise charged with.

     (e) No holder of any subordinated notes will sell, assign, pledge,
encumber or otherwise dispose of any of its subordinated notes unless such
sale, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or disposition is made expressly
subject to the foregoing provisions.

     (f) The Company agrees, for the benefit of the holders of Superior
Indebtedness, that in the event that any subordinated note is declared due
and payable before its expressed maturity because of the occurrence of a
default hereunder, (1) the Company will give prompt notice in writing of
such happening to the holders of Superior Indebtedness, (2) all Superior
Indebtedness shall forthwith become immediately due and payable upon
demand, regardless of the expressed maturity thereof and (3) the holders of
such subordinated notes shall not be entitled to receive any payment or
distribution in respect thereof or applicable thereto until all Superior
Indebtedness at the time outstanding shall have been paid in full.

     (g) The subordination effected by the foregoing provisions and the
rights created thereby of the holders of the Superior Indebtedness shall
not be affected by (1) any amendment of or addition or supplement to any
Superior Indebtedness or any instrument or agreement relating thereto, (2)
any exercise or non-exercise of any right, power or remedy under or in
respect of any Superior Indebtedness or any instrument or agreement
relating thereto, or (3) the giving or denial of any waiver, consent,
release, indulgence, extension, renewal, modification or delay or the
taking or nontaking of any other action, inaction or omission, in respect
of any Superior Indebtedness or any instrument or agreement relating
thereto or to any securities relating thereto or any guarantee thereof,
whether or not any holder of any subordinated notes shall have had notice
or knowledge of any of the foregoing.


<PAGE>
                                 EXHIBIT 11


                     FRED MEYER, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES
                  COMPUTATION OF EARNINGS PER COMMON SHARE

                  (In thousands, except per share amounts)
                                (Unaudited)


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       12 Weeks Ended         28 Weeks Ended
                                    -------------------     -------------------
                                    Aug. 12,    Aug. 13,    Aug. 12,    Aug. 13,
                                       1995        1994        1995        1994
                                    -------     -------     -------     -------


<S>                                <C>         <C>         <C>         <C>     
Weighted average number of
  shares outstanding ...........     26,704      26,518      26,663      26,479

Weighted average number of
  shares under option ..........      2,790       3,601       2,904       3,646

Shares assumed to have been
  purchased under the
  treasury stock method ........     (1,125)     (1,443)     (1,143)     (1,421)
                                   --------    --------    --------    --------

Weighted average number of
  common and common equivalent
  shares outstanding ...........     28,369      28,676      28,424      28,704
                                   ========    ========    ========    ========

Net income .....................   $ 10,673    $ 19,193    $ 13,756    $ 35,179
                                   ========    ========    ========    ========

Earnings per common share ......   $    .38    $    .67    $    .48    $   1.23
                                   ========    ========    ========    ========

</TABLE>

                              PROPOSED AMENDED
                              FRED MEYER, INC.
                         1990 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

     1. Purpose. The purpose of this Stock Incentive Plan (the "Plan") is
to enable Fred Meyer, Inc. (the "Company") to attract and retain the
services of selected salaried employees, including employees who may be
officers or directors of the Company or of any subsidiary of the Company,
and selected nonemployee agents, consultants and advisors to the Company or
any subsidiary.

     2. Shares Subject to the Plan. Subject to adjustment as provided below
and in paragraph 12, the shares to be offered under the Plan shall consist
of Common Stock of the Company ("Common Stock"), and the total number of
shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the Plan shall not exceed
4,000,000 shares plus any shares that are available for grant under the
Company's 1983 Stock Option Plan, as amended (the "1983 Plan") or that may
subsequently become available for grant under such plan through the
expiration, termination, forfeiture or cancellation of awards under such
plan. The shares issued under the Plan may be authorized and unissued
shares or reacquired shares. If an option, stock appreciation right or
Performance-based Award granted under the Plan expires, terminates or is
cancelled, the unissued shares subject to such option, stock appreciation
right or Performance-based Award shall again be available under the Plan.
If shares sold or issued under the Plan are forfeited to the Company or
repurchased by the Company, the number of shares forfeited or repurchased
shall again be available under the Plan.

     3. Effective Date and Duration of Plan.

          (a) Effective Date. The Plan shall become effective as of
June19, 1990. No option or stock appreciation right granted under the Plan
to an officer who is subject to Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") or a director shall become
exercisable, however, until the Plan is approved by the affirmative vote of
the holders of a majority of the shares of Common Stock represented at a
shareholders meeting at which a quorum is present and any such awards under
the Plan prior to such approval shall be conditioned on and subject to such
approval. Subject to this limitation, options and stock appreciation rights
may be granted and shares may be awarded as bonuses or Performance-based
Awards or sold under the Plan at any time after the effective date and
before termination of the Plan.

          (b) Duration. The Plan shall continue in effect until all shares
available for issuance under the Plan have been issued and all restrictions
on such shares have lapsed. The Board of Directors may suspend or terminate
the Plan at any time except with respect to options, Performance-based
Awards and shares subject to restrictions then outstanding under the Plan.
Termination shall not affect any outstanding awards, any right of the
Company to repurchase shares or the forfeitability of shares issued under
the Plan.

<PAGE>2
     4. Administration.

          (a) Board of Directors. The Plan shall be administered by the
Board of Directors of the Company, which shall determine and designate from
time to time the individuals to whom awards shall be made, the amount of
the awards and the other terms and conditions of the awards. Subject to the
provisions of the Plan, the Board of Directors may from time to time adopt
and amend rules and regulations relating to administration of the Plan,
advance the lapse of any waiting period, accelerate any exercise date,
waive or modify any restriction applicable to share (except those
restrictions imposed by law) and make all other determinations in the
judgment of the Board of Directors necessary or desirable for the
administration of the Plan. The interpretation and construction of the
provisions of the Plan and related agreements by the Board of Directors
shall be final and conclusive. The Board of Directors may correct any
defect or supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency in the Plan or
in any related agreement in the manner and to the extent it shall deem
expedient to carry the Plan into effect, and it shall be the sole and final
judge of such expediency

          (b) Committee. The Board of Directors may delegate to a committee
of the Board of Directors (the "Committee") any or all authority for
administration of the Plan. If authority is delegated to a Committee, all
references to the Board of Directors in the Plan shall mean and relate to
the Committee except (i)as otherwise provided by the Board of Directors,
(ii)that only the Board of Directors may amend or terminate the Plan as
provided in paragraphs 3 and 15 and (iii)that a Committee including
officers of the Company shall not be permitted to grant options to persons
who are officers of the Company.

     5. Types of Awards; Eligibility. The Board of Directors may, from time
to time, take the following action, separately or in combination, under the
Plan: (i)grant Incentive Stock Options, as defined in Section 422 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), as provided in
paragraphs 6(a) and 6(b); (ii)grant options other than Incentive Stock
Options ("Non-Statutory Stock Options") as provided in paragraphs 6(a) and
6(c); (iii)award stock bonuses as provided in paragraph 7; (iv)sell
shares subject to restrictions as provided in paragraph 8; (v)grant stock
appreciation rights as provided in paragraph 9; (vi)grant cash bonus
rights as provided in paragraph 10; and (vii)grant Performance-based
Awards as provided in paragraph11. Any such awards may be made to salaried
employees, including employees who are officers or directors, and to other
individuals described in paragraph 1 who the Board of Directors believes
have made or will make an important contribution to the Company or its
subsidiaries; provided, however, that only employees of the Company shall
be eligible to receive Incentive Stock Options under the Plan. The Board of
Directors shall select the individuals to whom awards shall be made and
shall specify the action taken with respect to each individual to whom an
award is made. At the discretion of the Board of Directors, an individual
may be given an election to surrender an award in exchange for the grant of
a new award. No individual may be granted options or stock appreciation
rights under the 

<PAGE>3
Plan for more than an aggregate of 500,000 shares of Common Stock in
connection with the hiring of the individual or 200,000 shares in any
fiscal year otherwise.

     6. Option Grants.

          (a) General Rules Relating to Options.

               (i) Terms of Grant. The Board of Directors may grant options
under the Plan. With respect to each option grant, the Board of Directors
shall determine the number of shares subject to the option, the option
price, the period of the option, the time or times at which the option may
be exercised and whether the option is an Incentive Stock Option or a
Non-Statutory Stock Option. At the time of the grant of an option or at any
time thereafter, the Board of Directors may provide that an optionee who
exercised an option with Common Stock of the Company shall automatically
receive a new option to purchase additional shares equal to the number of
shares surrendered and may specify the terms and conditions of such new
options.

               (ii) Exercise of Options. Except as provided in paragraph
6(a)(iv) or as determined by the Board of Directors, no option granted
under the Plan may be exercised unless at the time of such exercise the
optionee is employed by or in the service of the Company or any subsidiary
of the Company and shall have been so employed or provided such service
continuously since the date such option was granted. Absence on leave or on
account of illness or disability under rules established by the Board of
Directors shall not, however, be deemed an interruption of employment or
service for this purpose. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of
Directors, vesting of options shall not continue during an absence on leave
(including an extended illness) or on account of disability. Except as
provided in paragraphs 6(a)(iv), 12 and 13, options granted under the Plan
may be exercised from time to time over the period stated in each option in
such amounts and at such times as shall be prescribed by the Board of
Directors, provided that options shall not be exercised for fractional
shares. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, if the
optionee does not exercise an option in any one year with respect to the
full number of shares to which the optionee is entitled in that year, the
optionee's rights shall be cumulative and the optionee may purchase those
shares in any subsequent year during the term of the option.

               (iii) Nontransferability. Each Incentive Stock Option and,
unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors with respect to an
option granted to a person who is neither an officer nor a director of the
Company, each other option granted under the Plan by its terms shall be
nonassignable and nontransferable by the optionee, either voluntarily or by
operation of law, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution
of the state or country of the optionee's domicile at the time of death,
and each option by its terms shall be exercisable during the optionee's
lifetime only by the optionee.

<PAGE>3
               (iv) Termination of Employment or Service.

                    (A) General Rule. Unless otherwise determined by the
Board of Directors, in the event the employment or service of the optionee
with the Company or a subsidiary terminates for any reason other than
because of physical disability or death as provided in subparagraphs
6(a)(iv)(B) and (C) or because of a change in control as provided in
subparagraph 6(a)(iv)(D), the option may be exercised at any time prior to
the expiration date of the option or the expiration of three months after
the date of such termination, whichever is the shorter period, but only if
and to the extent the optionee was entitled to exercise the option at the
date of such termination.

                    (B) Termination Because of Total Disability. Unless
otherwise determined by the Board of Directors, in the event of the
termination of employment or service because of total disability, the
option may be exercised at any time prior to the expiration date of the
option or the expiration of 12 months after the date of such termination,
whichever is the shorter period, but only if and to the extent the optionee
was entitled to exercise the option at the date of such termination. The
term "total disability" means a mental or physical impairment which is
expected to result in death or which has lasted or is expected to last for
a continuous period of 12 months or more and which causes the optionee to
be unable, in the opinion of the Company and two independent physicians, to
perform his or her duties as an employee, director, officer or consultant
of the Company and to be engaged in any substantial gainful activity. Total
disability shall be deemed to have occurred on the first day after the
Company and the two independent physicians have furnished their opinion of
total disability to the Company.

                    (C) Termination Because of Death. Unless otherwise
determined by the Board of Directors, in the event of the death of an
optionee while employed by or providing service to the Company or a
subsidiary, the option may be exercised at any time prior to the expiration
date of the option or the expiration of 12 months after the date of such
death, whichever is the shorter period, but only if and to the extent the
optionee was entitled to exercise the option at the date of such
termination and only by the person or persons to whom such optionee's
rights under the option shall pass by the optionee's will or by the laws of
descent and distribution of the state or country of domicile at the time of
death.

                    (D) Termination Upon a Change of Control. In the event
an optionee's employment by the Company or by any parent or subsidiary of
the Company terminates within one year after a change in control of the
Company for any reason other than retirement, death, or total disability
(as defined in paragraph 6(a)(iv)(B)), any option held by such optionee may
be exercised with respect to all remaining shares subject thereto, free of
any limitation on the number of shares with respect to which the option may
be exercised in any one year, at any time prior to its expiration date or
the expiration of three months after the date of such termination of
employment, whichever is the shorter period; provided that no option may be
exercised by an officer or director of the Company within six months of its
date of 

<PAGE>5
grant. With respect to an option granted less than six months prior
to a change in control of the Company to an officer or director of the
Company, the option shall become exercisable in full for a period of
30days following the expiration of six months after the date of such
grant, and this right shall apply even if the option has otherwise
terminated after a change in control. A "change in control of the Company"
shall mean a change in control of a nature that would be required to be
reported in response to Item 5(f) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
("Exchange Act"), or any successor provision; provided that, without
limitation, such a change in control shall be deemed to have occurred if
(1)any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of
the Exchange Act) is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 20percent or more of
the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding securities; or
(2)during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the
beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Company
cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof unless the
election, or the nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, of
each new director was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the
directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of the
period. A change in control of the Company shall not include any change in
control (i)pursuant to a written agreement between the Company and another
person, which agreement is approved and adopted by the Board of Directors
of the Company, (ii)pursuant to any tender offer or exchange offer which
the Board of Directors has in any manner recommended acceptance of to the
shareholders of the Company, or (iii)pursuant to a distribution of shares
of Common Stock of the Company by FMI Associates to its partners.

                    (E) Amendment of Exercise Period Applicable to
Termination. The Board of Directors, at the time of grant or at any time
thereafter, may extend the three-month and 12-month exercise periods any
length of time not later than the original expiration date of the option,
and may increase the portion of an option that is exercisable, subject to
such terms and conditions as the Board of Directors may determine.

                    (F) Failure to Exercise Option. To the extent that the
option of any deceased optionee or of any optionee whose employment or
service terminates is not exercised within the applicable period, all
further rights to purchase shares pursuant to such option shall cease and
terminate.

               (v) Purchase of Shares. Unless the Board of Directors
determines otherwise, shares may be acquired pursuant to an option granted
under the Plan only upon receipt by the Company of notice in writing from
the optionee of the optionee's intention to exercise, specifying the number
of shares as to which the optionee desires to exercise the option and the
date on which the optionee desires to complete the transaction, and if
required in order to comply with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
containing a representation that it is the optionee's present intention to
acquire the shares for investment and not with a view to distribution.
Unless the Board of Directors determines otherwise, on or before the date
specified for 

<PAGE>6
completion of the purchase of shares pursuant to an option, the optionee
must have paid the Company the full purchase price of such shares in cash
(including cash that may be the proceeds of a loan from the Company) or, in
whole or in part, in Common Stock of the Company valued at fair market
value, or, with the consent of the Board of Directors, restricted stock,
Performance-based Awards or other contingent awards denominated in either
stock or cash, deferred compensation credits, promissory notes and other
forms of consideration. The fair market value of Common Stock provided in
payment of the purchase price shall be the closing price for the Common
Stock as reported in the NYSE Composite Transactions and published in The
Wall Street Journal on the trading day preceding the date the option is
exercised, or such other reported value of the Common Stock as shall be
specified by the Board of Directors. No shares shall be issued until full
payment therefor has been made. Subject to such rules as may be adopted by
the Board of Directors, an optionee may request the Company to apply
automatically the shares to be received upon the exercise of a portion of a
stock option (even though stock certificates have not yet been issued) to
satisfy the purchase price for additional portions of the option.

          Each optionee who has exercised an option shall immediately upon
notification of the amount due, if any, pay to the Company in cash amounts
necessary to satisfy any applicable federal, state and local tax
withholding requirements. If additional withholding is or becomes required
beyond any amount deposited before delivery of the certificates, the
optionee shall pay such amount to the Company on demand. If the optionee
fails to pay the amount demanded, the Company may withhold that amount from
other amounts payable by the Company to the optionee, including salary,
subject to applicable law. Subject to such rules as may be adopted by the
Board of Directors, an optionee may satisfy this obligation, in whole or in
part, by having the Company withhold from the shares to be issued upon the
exercise that number of shares that would satisfy the withholding amount
due or by delivering to the Company Common Stock to satisfy the withholding
amount. Upon the exercise of an option, the number of shares reserved for
issuance under the Plan shall be reduced by the number of shares issued
upon exercise of the option, less the number of shares surrendered in
payment of the option exercise or surrendered or withheld to satisfy
withholding obligations.

          (b) Incentive Stock Options. Incentive Stock Options shall be
subject to the following additional terms and conditions:

               (i) Limitation on Amount of Grants. No employee may be
granted Incentive Stock Options under the Plan if the aggregate fair market
value, on the date of grant, of the Common Stock with respect to which
Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by that employee
during any calendar year under the Plan and under any other incentive stock
option plan (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) of the Company
or any parent or subsidiary of the Company exceeds $100,000.

               (ii) Limitations on Grants to 10 Percent Shareholders. An
Incentive Stock Option may be granted under the Plan to an employee
possessing 

<PAGE>7
more than 10percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of
stock of the Company or of any parent or subsidiary of the Company only if
the option price is at least 110percent of the fair market value of the
Common Stock subject to the option on the date it is granted, as described
in paragraph 6(b)(iv), and the option by its terms is not exercisable after
the expiration of five years from the date it is granted.

               (iii) Duration of Options. Subject to paragraphs 6(a)(ii)
and 6(b)(ii), Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan shall continue
in effect for the period fixed by the Board of Directors, except that no
Incentive Stock Option shall be exercisable after the expiration of
10years from the date it is granted.

               (iv) Option Price. The option price per share shall be
determined by the Board of Directors at the time of grant. Except as
provided in paragraph 6(b)(ii), the option price shall not be less than
100percent of the fair market value of the Common Stock covered by the
Incentive Stock Option at the date the option is granted. The fair market
value shall be deemed to be the closing price for the Common Stock as
reported in the NYSE Composite Transactions and published in The Wall
Street Journal on the day preceding the date the option is granted, or if
there has been no sale on that date, on the last preceding date on which a
sale occurred, or such other value of the Common Stock as shall be
specified by the Board of Directors.

               (v) Limitation on Time of Grant. No Incentive Stock Option
shall be granted on or after the tenth anniversary of the effective date of
the Plan.

               (vi) Conversion of Incentive Stock Options. The Board of
Directors may at any time without the consent of the optionee convert an
Incentive Stock Option to a Non-Statutory Stock Option.

               (vii) Limitation on Number of Shares Issuable Under
Incentive Stock Options. Subject to adjustment as provided in paragraph 12,
the total number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued under the
Plan upon exercise of Incentive Stock Options shall not exceed 4,000,000
shares.

          (c) Non-Statutory Stock Options. Non-Statutory Stock options
shall be subject to the following additional terms and conditions:

               (i) Option Price. The option price for Non-Statutory Stock
Options shall be determined by the Board of Directors at the time of grant.
The option price may not be less than 50percent of the fair market value
of the shares on the date of grant. The fair market value of shares covered
by a Non-Statutory Stock Option shall be determined pursuant to paragraph
6(b)(iv).

               (ii) Duration of Options. Non-Statutory Stock Options
granted under the Plan shall continue in effect for the period fixed by the
Board of Directors.

<PAGE>8
     7. Stock Bonuses. The Board of Directors may award shares under the
Plan as stock bonuses. Shares awarded as a bonus shall be subject to the
terms, conditions, and restrictions determined by the Board of Directors.
The restrictions may include restrictions concerning transferability and
forfeiture of the shares awarded, together with such other restrictions as
may be determined by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may
require the recipient to sign an agreement as a condition of the award, but
may not require the recipient to pay any monetary consideration other than
amounts necessary to satisfy tax withholding requirements. The agreement
may contain any terms, conditions, restrictions, representations and
warranties required by the Board of Directors. The certificates
representing the shares awarded shall bear any legends required by the
Board of Directors. The Company may require any recipient of a stock bonus
to pay to the Company in cash upon demand amounts necessary to satisfy any
applicable federal, state or local tax withholding requirements. If the
recipient fails to pay the amount demanded, the Company may withhold that
amount from other amounts payable by the Company to the recipient,
including salary or fees for services, subject to applicable law. With the
consent of the Board of Directors, a recipient may deliver Common Stock to
the Company to satisfy this withholding obligation. Upon the issuance of a
stock bonus, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan
shall be reduced by the number of shares issued, less the number of shares
surrendered or withheld to satisfy withholding obligations.

     8. Restricted Stock. The Board of Directors may issue shares under the
Plan for such consideration (including promissory notes and services) as
determined by the Board of Directors provided that in no event shall the
consideration be less than 50percent of fair market value of the Common
Stock at the time of issuance. Shares issued under the Plan shall be
subject to the terms, conditions and restrictions determined by the Board
of Directors. The restrictions may include restrictions concerning
transferability, repurchase by the Company and forfeiture of the shares
issued, together with such other restrictions as may be determined by the
Board of Directors. All Common Stock issued pursuant to this paragraph 8
shall be subject to a purchase agreement, which shall be executed by the
Company and the prospective recipient of the shares prior to the delivery
of certificates representing such shares to the recipient. The purchase
agreement may contain any terms, conditions, restrictions, representations
and warranties required by the Board of Directors. The certificates
representing the shares shall bear any legends required by the Board of
Directors. The Company may require any purchaser of restricted stock to pay
to the Company in cash upon demand amounts necessary to satisfy any
applicable federal, state or local tax withholding requirements. If the
purchaser fails to pay the amount demanded, the Company may withhold that
amount from other amounts payable by the Company to the purchaser,
including salary; subject to applicable law. With the consent of the Board
of Directors, a purchaser may deliver Common Stock to the Company to
satisfy this withholding obligation. Upon the issuance of restricted stock,
the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan shall be reduced
by the number of shares issued, less the number of shares surrendered in
payment of the restricted stock or surrendered or withheld to satisfy
withholding obligations.

<PAGE>9
     9. Stock Appreciation Rights.

          (a) Grant. Stock appreciation rights may be granted under the
Plan by the Board of Directors, subject to such rules, terms, and
conditions as the Board of Directors prescribes.

          (b) Exercise.

               (i) Each stock appreciation right shall entitle the holder,
upon exercise, to receive from the Company in exchange therefor an amount
equal in value to the excess of the fair market value on the date of
exercise of one share of Common Stock of the Company over its fair market
value on the date of grant (or, in the case of a stock appreciation right
granted in connection with an option, the excess of the fair market value
of one share of Common Stock of the Company over the option price per share
under the option to which the stock appreciation right relates), multiplied
by the number of shares covered by the stock appreciation right or the
option, or portion thereof, that is surrendered. No stock appreciation
right shall be exercisable at a time that the amount determined under this
subparagraph is negative. Payment by the Company upon exercise of a stock
appreciation right may be made in Common Stock valued at fair market value,
in cash, or partly in Common Stock and partly in cash, all as determined by
the Board of Directors.

               (ii) A stock appreciation right shall be exercisable only at
the time or times established by the Board of Directors; provided, that the
provisions of paragraph 6(a)(iv)(D) shall apply to the exercise of a stock
appreciation right upon termination of employment of the grantee following
a change in control as provided therein. If a stock appreciation right is
granted in connection with an option, the following rules shall apply:
(1)the stock appreciation right shall be exercisable only to the extent
and on the same conditions that the related option could be exercised;
(2)upon exercise of the stock appreciation right, the option or portion
thereof to which the stock appreciation right relates terminates; and
(3)upon exercise of the option, the related stock appreciation right or
portion thereof terminates. No stock appreciation right granted to an
officer or director may be exercised during the first six months following
the date it is granted.

               (iii) The Board of Directors may withdraw any stock
appreciation right granted under the Plan at any time and may impose any
conditions upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right or adopt rules
and regulations from time to time affecting the rights of holders of stock
appreciation rights. Such rules and regulations may govern the right to
exercise stock appreciation rights granted prior to adoption or amendment
of such rules and regulations as well as stock appreciation rights granted
thereafter.

               (iv) For purposes of this paragraph 9, the fair market value
of the Common Stock shall be the closing price for the Common Stock as
reported in the NYSE Composite Transactions and published in The Wall
Street Journal, or such other reported value of the Common Stock as shall
be specified by the Board of 

<PAGE>10
Directors, on the trading day preceding the date the stock appreciation
right is exercised.

               (v) No fractional shares shall be issued upon exercise of a
stock appreciation right. In lieu thereof, cash may be paid in an amount
equal to the value of the fraction or, if the Board of Directors shall
determine, the number of shares may be rounded downward to the next whole
share.

               (vi) Each participant who has exercised a stock appreciation
right shall, upon notification of the amount due, pay to the Company in
cash amounts necessary to satisfy any applicable federal, state and local
tax withholding requirements. If the participant fails to pay the amount
demanded, the Company may withhold that amount from other amounts payable
by the Company to the participant including salary, subject to applicable
law. With the consent of the Board of Directors a participant may satisfy
this obligation, in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold from
any shares to be issued upon the exercise that number of shares that would
satisfy the withholding amount due or by delivering Common Stock to the
Company to satisfy the withholding amount.

               (vii) Upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right for
shares, the number of shares reserved for issuance under the Plan shall be
reduced by the number of shares issued, less the number of shares
surrendered or withheld to satisfy withholding obligations. Cash payments
of stock appreciation rights shall not reduce the number of shares of
Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan.

     10. Cash Bonus Rights.

          (a) Grant. The Board of Directors may grant cash bonus rights
under the Plan in connection with (i)options granted or previously
granted, (ii)stock appreciation rights granted or previously granted,
(iii)stock bonuses awarded or previously awarded and (iv)shares sold or
previously sold under the Plan. Cash bonus rights will be subject to rules,
terms and conditions as the Board of Directors may prescribe. The payment
of a cash bonus shall not reduce the number of shares of Common Stock
reserved for issuance under the Plan.

          (b) Cash Bonus Rights in Connection with Options. A cash bonus
right granted in connection with an option will entitle an optionee to a
cash bonus when the related option is exercised (or terminates in
connection with the exercise of a stock appreciation right related to the
option) in whole or in part. No cash bonus right granted to an officer or
director in connection with an option may be exercised during the first six
months following the date the bonus right is granted. If an optionee
purchases shares upon exercise of an option and does not exercise a related
stock appreciation right, the amount of the bonus shall be determined by

<PAGE>11
multiplying the excess of the total fair market value of the shares to be
acquired upon the exercise over the total option price for the shares by
the applicable bonus percentage. If the optionee exercises a related stock
appreciation right in connection with the termination of an option, the
amount of the bonus shall be determined by multiplying the total fair
market value of the shares and cash received pursuant to the exercise of
the stock appreciation right by the applicable bonus percentage. The bonus
percentage applicable to a bonus right shall be determined from time to
time by the Board of Directors but shall in no event exceed 75percent.

          (c) Cash Bonus Rights in Connection with Stock Bonus. A cash
bonus right granted in connection with a stock bonus will entitle the
recipient to a cash bonus payable when the stock bonus is awarded or
restrictions, if any, to which the stock is subject lapse. If bonus stock
awarded is subject to restrictions and is repurchased by the Company or
forfeited by the holder, the cash bonus right granted in connection with
the stock bonus shall terminate and may not be exercised. The amount and
timing of payment of a cash bonus shall be determined by the Board of
Directors.

          (d) Cash Bonus Rights in Connection with Stock Purchases. A cash
bonus right granted in connection with the purchase of stock pursuant to
paragraph 8 will entitle the recipient to a cash bonus when the shares are
purchased or restrictions, if any, to which the stock is subject lapse. Any
cash bonus right granted in connection with shares purchased pursuant to
paragraph 8 shall terminate and may not be exercised in the event the
shares are repurchased by the Company or forfeited by the holder pursuant
to applicable restrictions. The amount of any cash bonus to be awarded and
timing of payment of a cash bonus shall be determined by the Board of
Directors.

          (e) Taxes. The Company shall withhold from any cash bonus paid
pursuant to paragraph 10 the amount necessary to satisfy any applicable
federal, state and local withholding requirements.

     11. Performance-based Awards. The Board of Directors may grant awards
intended to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m)
of the Code and the regulations thereunder ("Performance-based Awards").
Performance- based Awards shall be denominated at the time of grant either
in Common Stock ("Stock Performance Awards") or in dollar amounts ("Dollar
Performance Awards"). Payment under a Stock Performance Award or a Dollar
Performance Award shall be made, at the discretion of the Board of
Directors, in Common Stock ("Performance Shares"), or in cash or in any
combination thereof. Performance-based Awards shall be subject to the
following terms and conditions:

          (a) Award Period. The Board of Directors shall determine the
period of time for which a Performance-based Award is made (the "Award
Period").

          (b) Performance Goals and Payment. The Board of Directors shall
establish in writing an objective ("Performance Goals") that must be met by
the Company or any subsidiary, division or other unit (including one or
more regions or stores) of the Company ("Business Unit") during the Award
Period as a condition to payment being made under the Performance-based
Award. The Performance Goals for each award shall be one or more targeted
levels of performance with respect to 

<PAGE>12
one or more of the following objective measures with respect to the Company
or any Business Unit: departmental expense performance, earnings per share,
total shareholder return (stock price increase plus dividends), return on
equity, return on assets, revenues, operating income, income before taxes,
net income, inventories, inventory turns, cash flows, expenses, capital
expenditures, increase in shareholder value as a percentage of assets
employed, other financial return ratios, market performance, customer
satisfaction or any of the foregoing before the effect of acquisitions,
divestitures, accounting changes, and restructuring and special charges
(determined according to criteria established by the Board of Directors).
The Board of Directors shall also establish the number of Performance
Shares or the amount of cash payment to be made under a Performance-based
Award if the Performance Goals are met or exceeded, including the fixing of
a maximum payment (subject to Section11(d)). The Board of Directors may
establish other restrictions to payment under a Performance-based Award,
such as a continued employment requirement, in addition to satisfaction of
the Performance Goals. Some or all of the Performance Shares may be issued
at the time of the award as restricted shares subject to forfeiture in
whole or in part if Performance Goals or, if applicable, other restrictions
are not satisfied.

          (c) Computation of Payment. After an Award Period, the financial
performance of the Company or Business Unit, as applicable, during the
period shall be measured against the Performance Goals. If the Performance
Goals are not met, no payment shall be made under a Performance-based
Award. If the Performance Goals are met or exceeded, the Board of Directors
shall certify that fact in writing and certify the number of Performance
Shares earned or the amount of cash payment to be made under the terms of
the Performance-based Award.

          (d) Maximum Awards. No participant may receive Stock Performance
Awards in any fiscal year under which the maximum number of shares of
Common Stock issuable under the award exceeds 100,000 shares. No
participant may receive Dollar Performance Awards in any fiscal year under
which the maximum amount of cash payable under the award exceeds
$1,500,000.

          (e) Tax Withholding. Each participant who has received
Performance Shares shall, upon notification of the amount due, pay to the
Company in cash amounts necessary to satisfy any applicable federal, state
and local tax withholding requirements. If the participant fails to pay the
amount demanded, the Company may withhold that amount from other amounts
payable by the Company to the participant, including salary, subject to
applicable law. With the consent of the Board of Directors, a participant
may satisfy this obligation, in whole or in part, by having the Company
withhold from any shares to be issued that number of shares that would
satisfy the withholding amount due or by delivering Common Stock to the
Company to satisfy the withholding amount.

          (f) Effect on Shares Available. The payment of a
Performance-based Award in cash shall not reduce the number of shares of
Common Stock reserved for issuance under the Plan. The number of shares of
Common Stock reserved for 

<PAGE>13
issuance under the Plan shall be reduced by the number of shares issued
upon payment of an award, less the number of shares surrendered or withheld
to satisfy withholding obligations.

     12. Changes in Capital Structure. If the outstanding Common Stock of
the Company is hereafter increased or decreased or changed into or
exchanged for a different number or kind of shares or other securities of
the Company or of another corporation by reason of any reorganization,
merger, consolidation, plan of exchange, recapitalization,
reclassification, stock split-up, combination of shares or dividend payable
in shares, appropriate adjustment shall be made by the Board of Directors
in the number and kind of shares available for awards under the Plan. In
addition, the Board of Directors shall make appropriate adjustment in the
number and kind of shares as to which outstanding options and stock
appreciation rights, or portions thereof then unexercised, shall be
exercisable, so that the optionee's proportionate interest before and after
the occurrence of the event is maintained. The Board of Directors may also
require that any securities issued in respect of or exchanged for shares
issued hereunder that are subject to restrictions be subject to similar
restrictions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall
have no obligation to effect any adjustment that would or might result in
the issuance of fractional shares, and any fractional shares resulting from
any adjustment may be disregarded or provided for in any manner determined
by the Board of Directors. Any such adjustments made by the Board of
Directors shall be conclusive. In the event of dissolution of the Company
or a merger, consolidation or plan of exchange affecting the Company, in
lieu of providing for options and stock appreciation rights as provided
above in this paragraph 12, the Board of Directors may, in its sole
discretion, provide a 30-day period prior to such event during which
optionees shall have the right to exercise options and stock appreciation
rights in whole or in part without any limitation on exercisability and
upon the expiration of which 30-day period all unexercised options and
stock appreciation rights shall immediately terminate.

     13. Corporate Mergers, Acquisitions, etc. The Board of Directors may
also grant options, stock appreciation rights, Performance-based Awards,
stock bonuses and cash bonuses and issue restricted stock under the Plan
having terms, conditions and provisions that vary from those specified in
this Plan provided that any such awards are granted in substitution for, or
in connection with, the assumption of existing options, stock appreciation
rights, stock bonuses, cash bonuses, restricted stock and Performance-based
Awards granted, awarded or issued by another corporation and assumed or
otherwise agreed to be provided for by the Company pursuant to or by reason
of a transaction involving a corporate merger, consolidation, acquisition
of property or stock, separation, reorganization or liquidation to which
the Company or a subsidiary is a party.

     14. Amendment of Plan. The Board of Directors may at any time, and
from time to time, modify or amend the Plan in such respects as it shall
deem advisable because of changes in the law while the Plan is in effect or
for any other reason. Except as provided in paragraphs 6(a)(iv), 9 and 12,
however, no change in an award 

<PAGE>14
already granted shall be made without the written consent of the holder of
such award.

     15. Approvals. The obligations of the Company under the Plan are
subject to the approval of state and federal authorities or agencies with
jurisdiction in the matter. The Company will use its best efforts to take
steps required by state or federal law or applicable regulations, including
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and any
stock exchange on which the Company's shares may then be listed, in
connection with the grants under the Plan. The foregoing notwithstanding,
the Company shall not be obligated to issue or deliver Common Stock under
the Plan if such issuance or delivery would violate applicable state or
federal securities laws.

     16. Employment and Service Rights. Nothing in the Plan or any award
pursuant to the Plan shall (i)confer upon any employee any right to be
continued in the employment of the Company or any subsidiary or interfere
in any way with the right of the Company or any subsidiary by whom such
employee is employed to terminate such employee's employment at any time,
for any reason, with or without cause, or to decrease such employee's
compensation or benefits, or (ii)confer upon any person engaged by the
Company any right to be retained or employed by the Company or to the
continuation, extension, renewal, or modification of any compensation,
contract, or arrangement with or by the Company.

     17. Rights as a Shareholder. The recipient of any award under the Plan
shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to any Common Stock
until the date of issue to the recipient of a stock certificate for such
shares. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, no adjustment
shall be made for dividends or other rights for which the record date
occurs prior to the date such stock certificate is issued.

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 5
<LEGEND>
THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM
THE COMPANY'S CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IS QUALIFIED
IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          FEB-03-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               AUG-12-1995
<CASH>                                          36,048
<SECURITIES>                                         0
<RECEIVABLES>                                   23,240
<ALLOWANCES>                                         0
<INVENTORY>                                    501,924
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               607,577
<PP&E>                                       1,467,936
<DEPRECIATION>                                 492,793
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               1,604,892
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          383,984
<BONDS>                                        580,337
<COMMON>                                           270
                                0
                                          0
<OTHER-SE>                                     553,724
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 1,604,892
<SALES>                                      1,712,488
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                             1,712,488
<CGS>                                        1,224,558
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  446,572
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                     0
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              19,171
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 22,187
<INCOME-TAX>                                     8,431
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             13,756
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    13,756
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.48
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.48
        
</TABLE>


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