NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES INC
8-K, 1997-07-14
ELECTRIC LIGHTING & WIRING EQUIPMENT
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                                                                    Page 1 of 84

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       Pursuant to Section 13 or 15 (d) of
                       The Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report ( Date of earliest event reported)             July 14, 1997
 

                        NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.
          (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)



      Delaware                 1-3208                        58-0364900
 (State or Other             (Commission                (I.R.S. Employer
 Jurisdiction of             File Number)               Identification Number)
 Incorporation )

            1420 Peachtree Street, N. E., Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3002
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)



                                 (404) 853-1000
              (Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)

                                      None
              (Former Name, Former Address and Former Fiscal Year,
                          if Changed Since Last Report)

<PAGE>

Page 2

Item 2.           Acquisition or Disposition of Assets

     On July 14, 1997, National Service  Industries,  Inc. ("NSI") completed the
sale of certain  assets of its textile  rental  business to G&K  Services,  Inc.
("Purchaser") and its subsidiaries G&K Services Linen Co. and  G&K Services, Co.
for  approximately   $280  million  in  cash  plus  the  assumption  of  certain
liabilities,  subject to a  post-closing  adjustment.  This  disposition,  which
involves  approximately  forty percent of NSI's textile rental volume,  was made
pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 30, 1997, by and among
NSI, its  subsidiaries  National Service  Industries,  Inc. and NSI Enterprises,
Inc.(the "NSI Subsidiaries"), and Purchaser, as amended by a letter agreement as
of the closing.

         The assets sold relate to twenty industrial plants and nine mixed linen
plants and include, among other things, real property,  fixed assets,  vehicles,
inventories, accounts receivable, customer lists, intangible assets, and prepaid
items.  The  liabilities  assumed include  certain  contractual  obligations and
certain accrued employee compensation and benefits.

     The purchase price was determined by  arms-length  negotiation  between NSI
and  Purchaser.   The  price  was  determined  by  adjusting  a  base  price  of
approximately  $263 million to reflect  certain changes in textile rental volume
during specified pre-closing periods,  adding certain estimated amounts for open
accounts  receivable,  new  inventory,  and prepaid  items,  and  deducting  the
estimated  amount of certain assumed  liabilities for employee  compensation and
benefits.  The price will be further  adjusted within 45 days after the closing,
primarily to reflect the final value of those added and deducted items.

         On  July  14,  1997,  NSI  issued  a  press  release  reporting  on the
consummation of the sale, which is filed herewith as Exhibit 99(a).



Item 7.           Financial Statements and Exhibits

(b)               Unaudited pro forma financial  information of NSI with respect
                  to the  disposition of certain of its textile rental assets is
                  attached as an exhibit to this form 8-K.

(c)               Exhibits (listed by numbers corresponding to the provisions of
                  Item 601 of Regulation S-K):

                  2   (a)  Asset  Purchase  Agreement dated  as of May 30, 1997,
                           by  and   among  NSI,   the   NSI  Subsidiaries,  and
                           Purchaser,  together   with   Exhibit  A    (Acquired
                           Facilities).  Other exhibits and disclosure schedules
                           supplemental to the Asset Purchase  Agreement will be
                           furnished to the Commission upon request.

                      (b)  Letter agreement dated July  14, 1997, by  and  among
                           NSI, the NSI Subsidiaries, and Purchaser.

                  99  (a)  NSI News Release dated July 14, 1997.

                      (b)  Unaudited pro forma financial information of NSI with
                           respect to the disposition of certain  of its textile
                           rental assets.



<PAGE>
                                   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.


                        NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.



                            By: /s/ Kenyon W. Murphy
                                Kenyon W. Murphy
                                Vice President, Secretary and
                                Associate Counsel



Date:             July 14, 1997



<PAGE>


Page 4


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

                                                                   Page No.

Exhibit 2   (a)    Asset Purchase Agreement dated
                   as of May 30, 1997, by and among NSI,
                   the NSI Subsidiaries, and Purchaser.                5

            (b)    Letter agreement dated July 14, 1997, 
                   by and among NSI, the NSI Subsidiaries,
                   and Purchaser.                                     75

Exhibit 99  (a)    NSI News Release dated July 14, 1997.              79

            (b)    Unaudited pro forma financial information
                   of NSI with respect to the disposition of
                   certain of its textile rental assets.              80





                                                                          Page 5

                    ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT




                          by and among



               NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.,
                     a Delaware corporation

               NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.,
                      a Georgia corporation

                     NSI ENTERPRISES, INC.,
                    a California corporation




                               and




                       G&K SERVICES, INC.




                    Dated as of May 30, 1997


<PAGE>
Page 6

                        TABLE OF CONTENTS


 ARTICLE 1 - PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS ................................      1
  1.1   Purchased Assets ................................................      1
  1.2   Excluded Assets .................................................      4
  1.3   Certain Intellectual Property Rights of Seller and the
        Affiliates ......................................................      5
  1.4   Nonassignable Contracts or Permits 6
  1.5   Subcontract Agreement ...........................................      8

ARTICLE 2 - ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITIES ...................................     10

ARTICLE 3 - PURCHASE PRICE ..............................................     11
  3.1   Purchase Price 11
  3.2   Payment of Purchase Price .......................................     12
  3.3   Rental Revenue Adjustment .......................................     12
  3.4   New Inventory Procedures 16
  3.5   Closing Schedules ...............................................     16
  3.6   Dispute Resolution ..............................................     17
  3.7   Gain Sharing on Subsequent Disposition of Linen Plants;
        Payment of Linen Shortfall ......................................     17
  3.8   Method of Payment ...............................................     20
  3.9   Exclusive Remedy ................................................     20
  3.10  Allocation of Purchase Price ....................................     20
  3.11  Sales Taxes; Property Taxes; Expenses ...........................     21
  3.12  Treatment of Hold Tickets .......................................     22

ARTICLE 4 - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES  .............................     22
  4.1   Organization and Authority  .....................................     22
  4.2   Financial Information  ..........................................     23
  4.3   Compliance with Other Instruments  ..............................     23
  4.4   Title to Assets .................................................     24
  4.5   Real Property  ..................................................     24
  4.6   Personal Property Leases  .......................................     25
  4.7   Intellectual Property  ..........................................     25
  4.8   Litigation  .....................................................     26
  4.9   Court Orders, Decrees and Laws  .................................     26
  4.10  Labor and Employment Agreements .................................     26
  4.11  Pension and Welfare Plans .......................................     27
  4.12  Environmental Matters ...........................................     28
  4.13  Rental Invoices and List of Sale Accounts .......................     29
  4.14  Customer Contracts ..............................................     29
  4.15  Customer Prices and Terms .......................................     29

                                      (i)
<PAGE>
                                                                          Page 7

  4.16  Covered Accounts ................................................     29
  4.17  Consents ........................................................     29
  4.18  Conduct of Business .............................................     30
  4.19  Business Organization ...........................................     31
  4.20  Other Contracts .................................................     31
  4.21  Restrictive Covenants ...........................................     32
  4.22  Licenses and Permits ............................................     32
  4.23  Inventory  ......................................................     32
  4.24  Accounts Receivable   ...........................................     33
  4.25  Brokers .........................................................     33
  4.26  General Warranties ..............................................     33

ARTICLE 5 - REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PURCHASER .................     33
  5.1   Organization and Authority ......................................     33
  5.2   Compliance with Other Instruments ...............................     33
  5.3   Brokers .........................................................     34

ARTICLE 6 - COVENANTS OF SELLER .........................................     34
   6.1  Conduct of Business; Performance ................................     34
   6.2  HSR Act Filing ..................................................     34
   6.3  Consents ........................................................     34
   6.4  Access and Information ..........................................     36
   6.5  Noncompetition; Nonsolicitation; and Confidentiality ............     36
   6.6  Monthly Financial Statements ....................................     39
   6.7  Notification of Certain Matters .................................     39
   6.8  Continuation Obligations  .......................................     40
   6.9  Environmental Remediation Obligations of Seller .................     40
   6.10 Subsequent Assignment of the Transition Services Agreement ......     41
   6.11 Zoning Assurances ...............................................     41
   6.12 Permitted Encumbrances ..........................................     42
   6.13 Real Property ...................................................     42
   6.14 Supply Contracts ................................................     42

ARTICLE 7 - COVENANTS OF PURCHASER  .....................................     43
   7.1  HSR Act Filings .................................................     43
   7.2  Employee Matters ................................................     43
   7.3  Financing   .....................................................     45
   7.4  Other Matters ...................................................     45
   7.5  Title Policy ....................................................     45

ARTICLE 8 - CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO PURCHASER'S OBLIGATION  .............     45
   8.1  Representations and Warranties ..................................     46
   8.2  Absence of Litigation ...........................................     46

                                      (ii)
<PAGE>
Page 8

   8.3  Consents and Approvals ..........................................     46
   8.4  Opinion of Counsel to Seller ....................................     46
   8.5  Absence of Changes ..............................................     46
   8.6  Delivery of Financials ..........................................     47
   8.7  Real Estate .....................................................     47
   8.8  Financing .......................................................     47

ARTICLE 9 -CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO SELLER'S OBLIGATIONS .................     47
   9.1  Representations and Warranties ..................................     47
   9.2  Absence of Litigation  ..........................................     48
   9.3  Consents and Approvals  .........................................     48
   9.4  Opinion of Counsel to Purchaser  ................................     48

ARTICLE 10 - CLOSING  ...................................................     48
  10.1  Closing  ........................................................     48
  10.2  Deliveries by Seller   ..........................................     48
  10.3  Deliveries by Purchaser .........................................     49

ARTICLE 11 -TERMINATION PRIOR TO CLOSING  ...............................     49
  11.1  Termination of Agreement  .......................................     49
  11.2  Termination of Obligations   ....................................     50

ARTICLE 12 - TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT  .............................     50

ARTICLE 13 - INDEMNIFICATION  ...........................................     50
  13.1  Indemnification by Seller   .....................................     50
  13.2  Indemnification by Purchaser  ...................................     51
  13.3  Definitions  ....................................................     51
  13.4  Third Party Claims  .............................................     51
  13.5  Deductible for Seller's Obligations; Maximum Liability  .........     53
  13.6  Claims Period  ..................................................     53

ARTICLE 14 - MISCELLANEOUS  .............................................     53
  14.1  Publicity   .....................................................     53
  14.2  Bulk Sales Laws  ................................................     54
  14.3  Best Efforts   ..................................................     54
  14.4  Further Acts and Assurances  ....................................     54
  14.5  Notices   .......................................................     54
  14.6  Construction  ...................................................     55
  14.7  Knowledge  ......................................................     56
  14.8  Attachments  ....................................................     56
  14.9  Dispute Resolution  .............................................     56
  14.10 No Reliance  ....................................................     57

                                     (iii)
<PAGE>
                                                                          Page 9

  14.11 Saturdays, Sundays and Legal Holidays  ..........................     58
  14.12 Confidentiality  ................................................     58
  14.13 Parties Bound by Agreement  .....................................     58
  14.14 Counterparts   ..................................................     58
  14.15 Headings  .......................................................     58
  14.16 Modification and Waiver  ........................................     58
  14.17 Severability   ..................................................     58
  14.18 Agreement as to Certain Matters  ................................     59
  14.19 Access to Records   .............................................     59
  14.20 Entire Agreement ................................................     59
  14.21 No Express or Implied Warranties ................................     60

                                      (iv)
<PAGE>
Page 10
                                     LIST 1


                            EXHIBITS
Exhibit A -    Acquired Facilities
Exhibit B -    Subcontract Agreement
Exhibit C -    Term Sheet
Exhibit D -    Opinion of Counsel to Seller
Exhibit E -    Opinion of Counsel to Purchaser
Exhibit F -    Assignment and Assumption of Leases
Exhibit G -    Bill of Sale and General Assignment
Exhibit H -    Assumption Agreement
Exhibit I -    Transition Services Agreement


                            SCHEDULES

Schedule Description                                   Schedule
Number

Owned Real Property .....................................            1.1(b)
Vehicles ................................................            1.1(h)
Purchase Orders, etc ....................................            1.1(i)(ii)
Certain Lease Agreements ................................            1.1(i)(iii)
Real Property Leases ....................................            1.1(i)(iv)
Leases for Personal Property ............................            1.1(i)(v)
Collective Bargaining Agreements ........................            1.1(i)(vi)
Prepaid Items ...........................................            1.1(l)
Licenses, Trademarks and Tradenames .....................            1.1(m)
National Accounts .......................................            1.5
Contribution Obligations ................................            2(e)
Gain Sharing; Revenue Adjustment ........................            3.7
Foreign Qualifications of Seller ........................            4.1
Financial Statements ....................................            4.2
Real Property ...........................................            4.5
Intellectual Property ...................................            4.7
Litigation ..............................................            4.8
Court Orders, Decrees, Laws .............................            4.9
Labor Relations .........................................            4.10
Benefit Plans ...........................................            4.11
Environmental Matters ...................................            4.12
Customer Prices & Terms .................................            4.15
Consents ................................................            4.17

                                      (v)
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 11

Conduct of Business .....................................            4.18
Other Contracts .........................................            4.20
Restrictive Covenants ...................................            4.21
Licenses & Permits ......................................            4.22
Inventory ...............................................            4.23
Seller Brokers ..........................................            4.25
Buyer Brokers ...........................................            5.3
Certain Consents ........................................            6.3
Access and Information ..................................            6.4
Environmental Remediation ...............................            6.9
Zoning ..................................................            6.11
Certain Employees .......................................            7.2(a)
Severance Benefits ......................................            7.2(c)
Delivery of Financials ..................................            8.6(a)
Knowledge ...............................................           14.7


                                      (vi)
<PAGE>
Page 12


                            ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT

          THIS ASSET PURCHASE AGREEMENT (this "Agreement"),  is made and entered
into as of this 30th day of May,  1997,  by and among each of  NATIONAL  SERVICE
INDUSTRIES,   INC.,  a  Delaware   corporation   ("Parent"),   NATIONAL  SERVICE
INDUSTRIES,  INC., a Georgia corporation  ("Seller"),  NSI ENTERPRISES,  INC., a
California  corporation  ("Enterprises") (but only with respect to Article 4 and
Section  6.5  hereof)  and  G&K   SERVICES,   INC.,   a  Minnesota   corporation
("Purchaser");

                            RECITALS:

     1. Seller is a direct,  wholly  owned  subsidiary  of Parent and  conducts,
among other things,  the businesses of the supply for hire of clean,  laundered,
continuous towel, table linen, napkins, bar wipes, bed linen, aprons, chef coats
and pants,  lab coats and other flat linens and kindred  items,  uniforms,  rest
room service, dust control supply,  commercial laundry and facility-based direct
sales  in  each  case at the  facilities  listed  on  Exhibit  A (the  "Acquired
Facilities")  (the  foregoing  businesses,  exclusive of the sterile  healthcare
supply and laundry  businesses  conducted  through  Seller's  NPAC division (the
"NPAC Business"), are hereinafter referred to collectively as the "Business");

     2.  Purchaser  desires to purchase  from Seller and certain other direct or
indirect subsidiaries of Parent and other entities controlled by or under common
control with Parent (each an  "Affiliate"),  and Seller and each such  Affiliate
desire to sell to Purchaser,  the Business as a going concern and certain assets
and rights owned and/or used by Seller or the  Affiliates in the Business,  upon
the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement; and

     3.  Purchaser  also desires to assume from Seller and the  Affiliates,  and
Seller and the Affiliates desire to assign to Purchaser, certain liabilities and
obligations  of Seller and such  Affiliates  relating to the Business,  upon the
terms and conditions set forth in Article 2 of this Agreement;

     NOW,  THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of  the  foregoing  premises  and  the
representations,  warranties,  covenants and agreements  contained  herein,  the
receipt and  sufficiency of which are hereby  acknowledged,  the parties hereto,
intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

                            ARTICLE 1

                   PURCHASE AND SALE OF ASSETS

     1.1 Purchased Assets. Except as otherwise  specifically provided in Section
1.2 hereof,  subject to the terms and conditions hereof,  Seller agrees to sell,
assign,  transfer and deliver, and Parent agrees to cause any Affiliate to sell,
assign, transfer and deliver, to Purchaser, and Purchaser agrees to purchase and
accept  from  Seller  or any such  Affiliate,  as  applicable,  at and as of the
Closing  Date (as  hereinafter  defined),  all of Seller's  or such  Affiliate's
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 13

right,  title and interest in and to the Business as a going  concern and all of
the  following  properties,  assets  and  rights,  relating  exclusively  to the
Business  and  existing as of the Closing  Date  (collectively,  the  "Purchased
Assets"):

           (a) all customer  lists,  customer  files and route books relating to
     customers of the Business (the accounts of such customers as related solely
     to the  Business,  in addition to the customer  accounts  representing  the
     Jacksonville  Volume (as defined below), are referred to hereinafter as the
     "Covered Accounts");

           (b) all Owned Real Property (as defined below)  described on Schedule
     1.1(b),  which Schedule shall be revised on or prior to the Closing Date to
     reflect the legal  descriptions  of each parcel of Owned Real  Property set
     forth on the  respective  Title  Commitment  (as  defined  below)  relating
     thereto;

           (c) all linens,  garments, mats, mops, towels and other rental items,
     along with  laundry  bags and tie covers  which are in used  condition  and
     located at either (i) an  Acquired  Facility;  (ii) any  customer  location
     associated with a Covered Account;  (iii) on any vehicle listed on Schedule
     1.1(h) hereof or that are leased by Seller or an Affiliate pursuant to that
     certain  Lease by and between  Rollins  Leasing  Corp.  and  Parent,  dated
     December 13, 1982  (collectively,  the "Leased  Vehicles");  or (iv) on the
     premises  of  a  third  party  processor  of  such  items  (a  "Processor's
     Premises") (collectively, the "In-Service Inventory");

           (d)  subject to the  inventory  guidelines  set forth in Section  3.4
     hereof, all new, never processed linens,  garments,  mats, mops, towels and
     other  rental  items,  laundry bags and tie covers,  and all new,  unopened
     paper  products  located at an Acquired  Facility  (collectively,  the "New
     Inventory").  Together,  the New Inventory and the In-Service Inventory are
     referred to herein as the "Inventory;"

           (e) all CRT cabinets,  mop handles and frames,  paper towel cabinets,
     bag racks, air freshener  dispensers and soap and tissue dispensers located
     at either (i) an Acquired Facility;  (ii) any customer location  associated
     with a Covered  Account;  or (iii) on any vehicle listed on Schedule 1.1(h)
     hereof  or on any  Leased  Vehicle  (collectively,  the  "Restroom  Service
     Products");

           (f) all machinery, fixtures, furniture,  equipment, materials, parts,
     supplies,  tools and other tangible  property owned by Seller and which are
     located at either (i) an  Acquired  Facility;  (ii) any  customer  location
     associated with a Covered Account;  (iii) on any vehicle listed on Schedule
     1.1(h) hereof or on any Leased Vehicle;  (iv) on a Processor's Premises; or
     (v) in any third party repair shop;

           (g) all rolling stock  (exclusive of vehicles)  used or held for use,
     including, without limitation, delivery carts, hampers and buggies located

                                        2
<PAGE>
Page 14

     at either (i) an Acquired Facility;  (ii) any customer location  associated
     with a Covered  Account;  (iii) on any vehicle  listed on  Schedule  1.1(h)
     hereof or on any Leased Vehicle; or (iv) on a Processor's Premises;

           (h)  all vehicles listed in Schedule 1.1(h) hereto;

           (i) all rights under all contracts and  agreements,  oral or written,
     used by Seller or any Affiliate in the conduct of the Business which are in
     effect as of the Closing Date (all of such contracts and  agreements  being
     hereinafter  referred  to  collectively  as  the  "Contracts"),  including,
     without  limitation,  (i) subject to the  provisions of Section 1.5 hereof,
     all customer contracts pertinent to the Covered Accounts; (ii) all purchase
     orders,  nonproprietary  software  license  agreements  listed on  Schedule
     1.1(i)(ii),   and  other  license   agreements,   service   agreements  and
     maintenance  agreements;  (iii) all  lease  agreements  listed on  Schedule
     1.1(i)(iii)  under  which  Seller is lessor of  portions  of the Owned Real
     Property;  (iv) all Real  Property  Leases  (as  defined  below)  listed on
     Schedule  1.1(i)(iv);  (v) all lease and sublease  agreements  for tangible
     personal  property located at the Acquired  Facilities,  including  without
     limitation,  the  Personal  Property  Leases (as defined  below)  listed on
     Schedule  1.1(i)(v);  and (vi) the  Collective  Bargaining  Agreements  (as
     defined below) listed on Schedule 1.1(i)(vi);

           (j)  to the extent transferable, all permits,
     authorizations and licenses used by Seller or an Affiliate
     in the conduct of the Business (collectively, the
     "Transferable Permits");

           (k) all  accounts  receivable  relating to the Covered  Accounts  and
     other   receivables   relating   exclusively  to  the  Business  which  are
     outstanding  as of the Closing Date,  without regard to whether or not such
     accounts  receivable  have been fully reserved for as uncollected  accounts
     receivable or written off as uncollectible  accounts,  but exclusive of any
     Hold Tickets (as defined below) (the "Accounts Receivable");

           (l) all  prepaid  items  that are  listed in  Schedule  1.1(l) to the
     extent  Purchaser is able to use such prepaid items in the ordinary  course
     of the Business following consummation of the transactions  contemplated by
     this Agreement (the "Prepaid Items");

           (m)  the  intellectual   property  listed  on  Schedule  1.1(m)  (the
     "Intellectual  Property"),  and any  federal  and  state  registrations  or
     applications for registration relating thereto; and

           (n) all of Seller's  rights under all  manufacturing  warranties from
     third parties relating solely to the Purchased Assets.

                                       3
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 15

     1.2 Excluded  Assets.  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of Section 1.1, the
following  properties,  assets and rights (the  "Excluded  Assets") shall not be
transferred to Purchaser and therefore are not a part of the Purchased Assets:

           (a) all cash (whether  positive or negative),  marketable  securities
     and other cash  equivalents of Seller as of the Closing Date,  inclusive of
     any unbooked accounts receivable represented by uncollected C.O.D. accounts
     outstanding  as of the Closing  Date  (collectively,  the "Hold  Tickets"),
     which Hold  Tickets will be treated in the manner  contemplated  by Section
     3.12 hereof;

           (b) all rights under  contracts  relating to the NPAC Business  (and,
     accordingly,  the term "Covered Accounts" shall not include any accounts of
     Seller to the extent related to the NPAC Business);

           (c) all trademarks,  service marks, trade names, service names, logos
     and other like proprietary  rights of Seller or any Affiliates,  except for
     those set forth on Schedule 1.1(m);

           (d) all rights of Seller or any  Affiliate  to tax  refunds,  however
     arising,  relating to the  Purchased  Assets and the  Business  for taxable
     periods prior to and including the Closing Date;

           (e) all  rights  of Seller to any  reimbursements  from  governmental
     entities for  environmental  remediation  or  condemnation  relating to any
     period prior to and  including  the Closing  Date, as well as all rights of
     Seller  to  reimbursement  from  governmental  entities  for  environmental
     remediation  relating to payments  actually made  subsequent to the Closing
     Date, except as otherwise contemplated by Section 6.9(c);

           (f) all  rights  of  Seller  or its  Affiliates  in and to all of its
     proprietary  software  (except to the  extent  such  software  is listed on
     Schedule 1.1m),  Seller's  LinenHelper and  LinenKeeper  software  package,
     training and technical manuals and aids, handbooks,  videos, sales training
     materials,  other proprietary materials relating generally to Seller or its
     company-wide operations, and those items or instructional aids constituting
     Seller's Smith System driver training module;

           (g) all rights of Seller or its Affiliates in and to (i) the Contract
     relating to Cleveland Mills Company and identified on Schedule 4.20 as item
     no. 1 thereon;  and (ii) the Real Estate  Leases  relating to the  property
     located at Route 3, Box 4, Headland,  Alabama and Route 22 West, Ebensburg,
     Pennsylvania;  except in the event  Purchaser  provides  written  notice to
     Seller,  on or prior to the  Closing  Date,  of  Purchaser's  intention  to
     include  such  Contract  or  Real  Estate  Lease(s)  in the  definition  of
     Purchased  Asset  hereunder  (to the extent such Real Estate  Lease(s)  are
     excluded hereunder, such Real Estate Lease(s) shall be hereinafter referred
     to as the "Excluded Leases");

                                       4
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Page 16

           (h) all rights of Seller or its  Affiliates in and to (i) any and all
     contracts with American Print Towel,  (ii) the Supply  Agreement dated June
     21,  1996  between  Seller  and  Standard  Textile  Co.,  Inc.   ("Standard
     Agreement"),  (iii) the Supply Agreement dated June 28, 1996 between Seller
     and Artex International,  Inc. ("Artex Agreement"),  and (iv) the Agreement
     to provide Wastewater  treatment  Services,  dated June 28, 1996 between AO
     Services, Fernandian Beach, FL and National Uniform Services Opa Locka, FL;

           (i) all  rights  of Seller  or its  Affiliates  in and to any and all
     employment  agreements  for  Employees  of the Business  including  without
     limitation those employment  agreements  identified on Schedule 4.10 hereto
     and  any  and all  severance  agreements  with  Employees  of the  Business
     including  without  limitation  those  severance  agreements  identified on
     Schedule 4.10 hereto;

           (j)  all rights of Seller under this Agreement;

           (k)  any assets which are excluded prior to the
     Closing in accordance with Section 1.5(c)(ii)(3); and

           (l) any and all other  properties,  assets and rights of Seller or an
     Affiliate which are not expressly listed or referred to in Section 1.1.

     1.3   Certain Intellectual Property Rights of Seller and the
Affiliates.

           (a) As noted in Section 1.2, except as set forth on Schedule  1.1(m),
     Seller and its Affiliates are not selling  pursuant to this Agreement,  and
     expressly reserve for their own exclusive use and benefit, all right, title
     and interest in and to all trademarks,  service marks, trade names, service
     names,   logos  and  other  like  proprietary  rights  of  Seller  and  the
     Affiliates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, as soon as practicable after the
     Closing Date,  Purchaser shall take, with respect to the plants  identified
     on  Exhibit  A as  industrial  plants  (each an  "Industrial  Plant"),  all
     reasonably  necessary and prompt action,  including repainting the delivery
     trucks  utilized  by the  Industrial  Plants  and which are being  conveyed
     hereunder,  to ensure that such marks,  names, logos and other rights shall
     no longer be used in  connection  with or be  associated  with the Business
     conducted by the Industrial Plants;  provided,  that Seller hereby grants a
     nonexclusive  license (the "Industrial Plants License") to Purchaser to use
     such marks,  names, logos or other rights during a period which shall in no
     event  exceed  nine (9) months from the  Closing  Date as to such  delivery
     trucks and sixty (60) days from the Closing Date as to all other  Purchased
     Assets  utilized by the  Industrial  Plants,  if  Purchaser  is  diligently
     proceeding to remove such association and undertakes  reasonably  necessary
     and prompt  efforts to inform the public that  Purchaser is not  affiliated
     with Seller;  and provided,  further,  that Purchaser shall be permitted to
     use tools,  Inventory,  Restroom  Service Products and other items to which
     names other than those set forth on Schedule 1.1(m) and derivations thereof
     are affixed (and cannot be removed practicably) for the remaining lives of

                                       5
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                                                                         Page 17

     such items.  Except as  hereinafter  provided,  the license  granted herein
     shall apply only to the  Business  conducted by the  Industrial  Plants and
     only to the  extent  and in the manner  that such  rights  were used in the
     Business conducted by the Industrial Plants prior to the Closing Date.

           (b)  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  for the one  (1)  year  period
     following  the Closing Date (except in the case of Ft.  Myers' Branch #196,
     in which  case the  applicable  period  will be nine  (9)  months  from the
     Closing  Date),  Seller  hereby grants a  nonexclusive  license (the "Linen
     Plants  License")  to Purchaser  to use such marks,  names,  logos or other
     rights of Seller or an Affiliate to the extent such marks,  names, logos or
     other  rights  appear  on  any  Purchased  Asset  utilized  by  the  plants
     identified  on  Exhibit  A as  linen  plants  (each a "Linen  Plant"),  and
     Purchaser shall not be required to take any affirmative steps whatsoever to
     ensure  that  such  marks,  names,  logos  and other  rights  not  conveyed
     hereunder  are not being used in  connection  with or  associated  with the
     Business conducted by the Linen Plants.  Upon expiration of the term of the
     Linen  Plants  License,  to the extent  Purchaser  has not entered into any
     binding purchase agreement with respect to the sale of all or substantially
     all of the assets and/or revenue base  attributable to a Linen Plant (each,
     a "Linen Plant Sale"),  Purchaser shall  thereafter  diligently  proceed to
     take all reasonably  necessary and prompt action,  including repainting the
     delivery trucks utilized by such Linen Plant and that are conveyed  hereby,
     so that such marks,  names,  logos and other rights shall not thereafter be
     used in  connection  with or be associated  with the Business  conducted by
     such  Linen  Plant.  Purchaser  shall  further  undertake  such  additional
     reasonably necessary and prompt efforts to inform the public that Purchaser
     is not affiliated  with Seller;  provided that Purchaser shall be permitted
     to use tools, Inventory, Restroom Service Products and other items to which
     names other than those set forth on Schedule 1.1(m) and derivations thereof
     are affixed (and cannot be removed  practicably) for the remaining lives of
     such  items.  Except as  hereinafter  provided,  the Linen  Plants  License
     granted  herein  shall apply only to the  Business  conducted  by the Linen
     Plants and only to the extent and in the manner  that such rights were used
     in the Business  conducted  by the Linen Plants prior to the Closing  Date.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent Purchaser has entered into any
     binding  purchase  agreement  with respect to a Linen Plant Sale during the
     term of the Linen Plants License, Purchaser may sublicense its Linen Plants
     License to any buyer in a Linen Plant Sale, to the extent,  and on the same
     terms as, the  Industrial  Plants  License,  provided that the term of such
     sublicense  shall not commence  until the effective time of the Linen Plant
     Sale pursuant to which such assets are conveyed to the buyer thereof.

     1.4   Nonassignable Contracts or Permits.  Except as otherwise provided  in
Section 6.3 hereof:

           (a)  To  the  extent  that  assignment  hereunder  by  Seller  or any
     Affiliate to Purchaser of any Contract is not permitted or is not permitted
     without the consent of a third party, this Agreement shall not be deemed to
     constitute an  undertaking  to assign the same if such consent is not given
     or if such an undertaking otherwise would constitute a breach of or cause a
     loss of benefits thereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Section

                                       6
<PAGE>
Page 18

     1.4(a)  shall not be read in  derogation  of  Seller's  or any  Affiliate's
     obligation to undertake all  reasonable  efforts to obtain such consents in
     accordance with Section 6.3 hereof.

           (b) If and to the extent  that Seller or any  Affiliate  is unable to
     obtain any third party consent  required for assignment of a Contract prior
     to Closing, Seller or such Affiliate shall continue to be bound by any such
     Contract  until such time as it is able to obtain such third party  consent
     (the  "Non-Assigned  Contract").  In  such  event,  to the  maximum  extent
     permitted by law or the terms of the Non- Assigned Contract,  (i) Seller or
     such  Affiliate  shall  make  the  benefit  of such  Non-Assigned  Contract
     available  to  Purchaser,  and  (ii)  the  assignment  provisions  of  this
     Agreement  shall operate to the extent  permitted by law or the  applicable
     Non-Assigned Contract to create a subcontract,  sublease or sublicense with
     Purchaser  to  perform  such  Non-Assigned  Contract  at a fee equal to the
     monies,  rights and other consideration  receivable or payable by Seller or
     such Affiliate with respect to the performance by or enjoyment of Purchaser
     under such subcontract,  sublease or sublicense. To the extent such benefit
     is made  available,  and/or such  subcontract,  sublease or  sublicense  is
     created,   (i)  Purchaser  shall  pay,  perform  and  discharge  fully  all
     obligations of Seller or any Affiliate under any such Non-Assigned Contract
     after the  Closing  Date,  (ii)  Seller or such  Affiliate  shall,  without
     further  consideration  therefor,  pay and remit to Purchaser  promptly any
     monies,  rights  and  other  consideration  received  in  respect  of  such
     Non-Assigned Contract performance, and (iii) Seller or such Affiliate shall
     exercise  or exploit  its rights and  options  under all such  Non-Assigned
     Contracts only as directed by Purchaser and at Purchaser's expense.

           (c) In  the  event  Seller  or  such  Affiliate  cannot  subcontract,
     sublease  or  sublicense  such  performance  pursuant  to the terms of such
     Non-Assigned  Contract,  then Purchaser shall loan the necessary employees,
     assets and property,  including,  without  limitation,  use of  appropriate
     corporate or trade names,  to permit timely  performance  by Seller or such
     Affiliate of such Non-Assigned  Contract as provided therein. To the extent
     such employees,  assets and property are made  available,  (i) Seller or an
     Affiliate shall pay, perform and discharge fully all obligations  under any
     such  Non-Assigned  Contract  after the Closing  Date,  (ii) Seller or such
     Affiliate shall, without further consideration  therefor,  pay and remit to
     Purchaser promptly any monies,  rights and other consideration  received in
     respect of such Non-Assigned Contract performance, and (iii) Seller or such
     Affiliate shall exercise or exploit their rights and options under all such
     Non-Assigned  Contracts  only as directed by Purchaser  and at  Purchaser's
     expense.

           (d)  Purchaser  agrees to indemnify  and hold Seller or any Affiliate
     harmless from and against any  liabilities or damages  (including  personal
     injury or property damage) incurred by them as a result of or in connection
     with any  performance or  nonperformance  of any  Non-Assigned  Contract by
     Purchaser  after the Closing Date under this  Section  1.4,  and  Purchaser
     shall  reimburse  Seller  or any  Affiliate  for  all  costs  and  expenses
     reasonably   incurred  after  the  Closing  Date  in  connection  with  the
     performance by Seller or any Affiliate of their respective obligations

                                       7
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 19

     under this Section 1.4, but shall not be obligated to reimburse  Seller for
     any  costs  or  expenses   incurred  in  connection  with  Seller  or  such
     Affiliate's seeking and or obtaining any such third party consents.

           (e) If and when any third party consent to a Non-  Assigned  Contract
     shall be obtained or any such Non-Assigned  Contract shall otherwise become
     assignable, Seller or any Affiliate shall promptly assign all of its rights
     and obligations  thereunder or in connection therewith to Purchaser without
     payment of further consideration  therefor, and Purchaser shall assume such
     rights and obligations.

           (f) To the extent any Permit is not  assignable,  either by its terms
     or as a matter of law,  Seller or any  Affiliate  shall use all  reasonable
     efforts to cooperate with and assist  Purchaser in preparing and submitting
     any  information or filings  required in connection  with the reissuance to
     Purchaser of any such Permit.

     1.5   Subcontract Agreement.

           (a)  Notwithstanding  anything  contained  in this  Agreement  to the
     contrary,  with respect to those  Covered  Accounts  that are governed by a
     multilocation or national account  agreement  between Seller and the owners
     of  such   accounts   and  which  are  set  forth  on  Schedule   1.5  (the
     "Multilocation Linen Accounts"),  Seller shall not assign any of its right,
     title, and interest in and to such agreements to Purchaser,  but,  instead,
     Purchaser  and  Seller  will,  at  the  Closing,   enter  into  Subcontract
     Agreements  (each, a "Subcontract  Agreement"),  substantially  in the form
     attached  hereto as Exhibit B,  pursuant to which  Purchaser  shall provide
     service to such  accounts  to the  extent  that  service  to such  accounts
     constituted a part of the Business.  Notwithstanding the foregoing,  in the
     event any  multilocation  or national  account  relates  exclusively to any
     Covered Account(s) serviced solely by the Acquired Facilities, Seller or an
     Affiliate shall assign all of their respective  right,  title, and interest
     in and to such  agreements to Purchaser in such  multilocation  or national
     account pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

           (b)  Any  provision  to the  contrary  notwithstanding,  specifically
     including   Section  14.13  hereof,   Seller  and  each  Affiliate   hereby
     irrevocably  consent to the  assignment by Purchaser of all or a portion of
     Purchaser's  rights under this Section 1.5 or any Subcontract  Agreement to
     any other person or entity in connection  with  Purchaser's  sale of all or
     substantially  all of the assets and/or any relevant portion of the revenue
     base  attributable  to any  Acquired  Facility  and such  transferee  shall
     thereafter have all of Purchaser's rights and obligations hereunder for the
     duration of the Subcontract Agreement.

           (c) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, it is
     understood that the following  provisions  shall be applicable with respect

                                       8
<PAGE>
Page 20

     to Covered Accounts for Industrial Items (as hereinafter defined) which are
     governed by multilocation or national accounts  ("Multilocation  Industrial
     Accounts"):

                (i) In the  case  of  Multilocation  Industrial  Accounts  which
           relate  exclusively  to  Covered  Accounts  serviced  solely  by  the
           Acquired Facilities, Seller or an Affiliate shall assign all of their
           respective  right,  title  and  interest  in and  to  the  agreements
           relating to such Accounts pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

                (ii) Multilocation  Industrial Accounts not otherwise covered by
           Section  2.5(c)(i)  (the  "Special  Industrial  Accounts")  shall  be
           subject to the following provisions:

                     (1)  On or  before  June  12,  1997,  Seller  will  furnish
                Purchaser  with  two  schedules,  one of  which  (which  will be
                designated as Schedule  1.5(c) - Assignable  Special  Industrial
                Accounts) will set forth those Special Industrial  Accounts with
                respect  to which  Seller is willing to assign all of its rights
                with respect to the agreements  relating thereto (subject to the
                provisions   hereof)   (the   "Assignable   Special   Industrial
                Accounts"),  and  one of  which  (which  will be  designated  as
                Schedule 1.5(c) - Non-Assignable  Special  Industrial  Accounts)
                will set forth those Special Industrial Accounts with respect to
                which  Seller is  unwilling  to assign  all of its  rights  with
                respect to the agreements relating thereto (the  "Non-Assignable
                Special Industrial Accounts").

                     (2) On the Closing Date, Seller or an Affiliate will assign
                all of its rights to the  agreements  relating to the Assignable
                Special Industrial Accounts to Purchaser. All Assignable Special
                Industrial  Accounts will be considered  Covered  Accounts (and,
                except to the extent  subcontracted  to Seller by  Purchaser  in
                accordance  with this  paragraph  (2), all revenue  attributable
                thereto during the Industrial  Measuring Period will be included
                as a part of the  Average  Weekly  Industrial  Revenue).  To the
                extent  Purchaser  elects not to service  any such  Accounts  or
                portions   thereof   included  within  the  Assignable   Special
                Industrial  Accounts  then Seller will enter into a  subcontract
                agreement with Purchaser (on substantially the same terms as are
                set  forth  in  the  Subcontract  Agreement,   except  that  the
                respective  roles of Seller and  Purchaser  shall be  reversed),
                pursuant to which Seller will provide  service to such  Accounts
                or portions thereof.

                     (3) Prior to the Closing Date,  Seller and  Purchaser  will
                mutually  determine to what extent, if any, and upon what terms,
                the Non-Assignable Special Industrial Accounts will be

                                       9
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 21

                considered  as a part of the Business.  Absent a mutual  written
                agreement  to the contrary  with  respect to the  Non-Assignable
                Special  Industrial  Accounts,  those  Accounts will be excluded
                from the  Covered  Accounts  (and will be  retained by Seller as
                Excluded  Assets)  and there  shall be a  reduction  in the Base
                Price   equal  to  the   Average   Weekly   Industrial   Revenue
                attributable to such Non-Assignable  Special Industrial Accounts
                multiplied   by  70  (and   there   shall   be  an   appropriate
                corresponding reduction in each of the Total Base Revenue Amount
                and the Base Amount definitions).

           (d)  Seller  shall  hold  Purchaser  harmless  with  respect  to  the
     subsequent  resale of the  Multilocation  Linen Accounts in accordance with
     Section 3.7(e) hereto.

                                    ARTICLE 2

                            ASSUMPTION OF LIABILITIES

     Subject to the terms and  conditions  hereof,  Purchaser  shall  assume and
agree to perform the  obligations of Seller set forth in clauses (a) through (g)
below of this Article 2,  relating to the Business and which are to be performed
from and after the  Closing  Date (the  "Assumed  Liabilities");  provided  that
Purchaser  shall not assume any other  obligation  or liability of Seller or any
Affiliate  that relates to or arises out of  ownership of the Business  prior to
the Closing Date, whether absolute or contingent,  known or unknown, contractual
or otherwise (the "Excluded Liabilities"):

           (a) the  performance  obligations  of Seller,  any  Affiliate  or the
     Business  under the Contracts,  except that Purchaser is not assuming,  and
     Seller shall retain each and every restoration obligation,  if any, related
     to or  arising  out of (i)  Seller's  restoration  obligations  under  that
     certain Lease  Agreement dated January 15, 1990, by and between Clark Road,
     Inc. and Seller related to the Acquired Facility identified on Exhibit A as
     Portland Branch #133, or otherwise with respect to such Acquired  Facility,
     and (ii) Seller's or any  Affiliate's  restoration  obligations  under that
     certain  Agreement  of Lease dated  November  15,  1983,  by and among L.B.
     Jackson,  Jr., R.H. Edney, Jr. and Parent related to the Acquired  Facility
     identified on Exhibit A as Corpus  Christi  Branch #424, or otherwise  with
     respect to such Acquired Facility,  but only to the extent, in either case,
     with respect to conditions that exist on the Closing Date;

           (b) subject to the provisions of Section  6.9(b),  all obligations of
     Seller to conduct the Business in  accordance  with the  compliance  orders
     described in Schedule 2(b);

           (c) all  obligations  of Seller  relating to the Hired  Employees (as
     hereinafter  defined)  for the  Accrued  Employee  Credit  (as  hereinafter

                                       10
<PAGE>
Page 22

     defined), in addition to all performance  obligations of Seller to withhold
     wages from any Hired Employee in satisfaction of any child support order or
     garnishment obligation;

           (d)  with  respect  to  the  Employees  of  the  Business  only,  all
     liabilities  and  obligations  of Seller  under the  Collective  Bargaining
     Agreements  (and,  in  connection  therewith,  Purchaser  hereby  agrees to
     recognize the labor  organizations set forth in Schedule  1.1(i)(vi) as the
     exclusive  bargaining  representatives  of the  Employees  of the  Business
     covered by the  Collective  Bargaining  Agreements),  except in the case of
     those employee benefit plans which by their terms Purchaser cannot assume;

           (e) all  liabilities  for  contributions  with  respect  to the Hired
     Employees for periods after the Closing  Date,  pursuant to the  Collective
     Bargaining  Agreements  described herein and payable to the  "multiemployer
     plans" (as defined  under  Section  4001(a)(3)  of the Employee  Retirement
     Income  Security Act of 1974, as amended  ("ERISA"))  described on Schedule
     2(e) to which the Seller makes  contributions on behalf of the Employees of
     the Business;  provided,  however, that such liabilities do not include any
     currently existing "withdrawal  liability" (as described in Section 4201 of
     ERISA) of Seller or any  Affiliate  that is owing to any of such plans as a
     result of events occurring prior to the Closing Date;

           (f)  all purchase orders to the extent related to the
     Business for goods not delivered or services not provided on
     or prior to the Closing Date; and

           (g) from and after the fourth  anniversary  of the Closing Date,  but
     subject to the  provisions  of Section  6.9  hereof,  all  liabilities  and
     obligations of Seller for environmental  liabilities  related to activities
     that  precede  the  Closing  Date and which are  unknown  as of the  fourth
     anniversary  of the Closing Date, to the extent they occur within the legal
     property boundaries of an Acquired Facility.  Notwithstanding the foregoing
     limited  assumption  of  Seller's  environmental  liabilities,  or anything
     contained  in this  Agreement  to the  contrary,  Seller shall at all times
     remain liable for any  environmental  liability that both (i) arises out of
     or relates to Seller or an  Affiliate's  ownership of the Business prior to
     the  Closing  Date and (ii)  relates to off-site  remediation  obligations,
     "superfund"  or similar type  liability,  whether or not such  liability is
     known or unknown, contingent or otherwise.

                                   ARTICLE 3

                                 PURCHASE PRICE

     3.1 Purchase Price.  Subject to the terms and conditions  contained herein,
in addition to  Purchaser's  assumption  of the Assumed  Liabilities,  Purchaser
agrees to pay a purchase price (the "Purchase  Price") for the Purchased  Assets
in an amount  equal to the total of: (a) Two Hundred  Sixty-Three  Million  Five
Hundred  Thousand  Dollars   ($263,500,000)  (the  "Base  Price"),   subject  to

                                       11
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 23

adjustment as provided in Sections 3.3 and 6.3(b),  if applicable,  below,  plus
(b) an amount  equal to  ninety-seven  percent  (97%) of the face  amount of the
Accounts  Receivable that are less than 91 days past due as of the Closing Date;
plus (c) Seller's  cost of the New  Inventory,  determined  in  accordance  with
Section 3.4 below;  plus (d) the book value of the Prepaid Items;  minus (e) the
accrued wages,  bonuses and commissions,  earned and accrued vacation and vested
sick pay for the Hired  Employees as of the Closing Date (the "Accrued  Employee
Credit").

     3.2   Payment  of  Purchase Price.  The  Purchase  Price shall  be paid  to
Seller as follows:

           (a) At the Closing,  Purchaser  shall assume the Assumed  Liabilities
     pursuant  to  Article 2 above and shall  pay  Seller an amount  (the  "Cash
     Purchase  Price")  equal to the total of: (i) the Base  Price,  as adjusted
     pursuant  to Sections  3.3 and  6.3(b),  if  applicable,  below,  plus (ii)
     ninety-seven  percent (97%) of the  estimated  amount of the face amount of
     the  Accounts  Receivable  that  are less  than 91 days  past due as of the
     Closing Date,  plus (iii) the estimated  value of the New  Inventory,  plus
     (iv) the estimated book value of the Prepaid Items, minus (v) the estimated
     amount of the Accrued  Employee  Credit.  In the case of items (ii) through
     (iv),  such estimated  amounts shall be determined  based on the respective
     amounts thereof  reflected on the Monthly  Statement (as defined below) for
     the month immediately preceding the month in which the Closing occurs. With
     respect to the  Accrued  Employee  Credit,  Seller and  Purchaser  agree to
     jointly estimate at least one week prior to the anticipated  Closing Date a
     reasonable amount to be credited against the Base Price at Closing.

           (b) Within  fifteen  (15) days after the  Closing  Schedules  and the
     Adjustment  Schedule  (as such terms are  defined  below)  become  final in
     accordance  with Section 3.6 below,  (i) if the net amount  payable for the
     New Inventory,  the Accounts  Receivable  and the Prepaid  Items,  less the
     Accrued Employee  Credit,  as reflected on the Closing  Schedules,  plus or
     minus (as  appropriate) the final value of the Disputed  Adjustment  Amount
     (as defined below) as resolved pursuant to Section 3.6 hereof,  exceeds the
     net amount paid (or credited)  for such items in the Cash  Purchase  Price,
     then  Purchaser  shall pay Seller the difference  between such amounts,  or
     (ii)  if the  net  amount  payable  for the  New  Inventory,  the  Accounts
     Receivable  and the Prepaid Items,  less the Accrued  Employee  Credit,  as
     reflected  on the Closing  Schedules,  plus or minus (as  appropriate)  the
     final  value of the  Disputed  Adjustment  Amount as  resolved  pursuant to
     Section  3.6 hereof,  is less than the net amount  paid (or  credited ) for
     such items in the Cash Purchase Price,  then Seller shall pay Purchaser the
     difference between such amounts.

     3.3   Rental Revenue Adjustment.

           (a) Subject to the terms of this  Section  3.3,  if the Total  Actual
     Revenue  Value (as defined  below) varies from the Total Base Revenue Value
     (as defined below), the Base Price (and, therefore, the Purchase Price) and
     the Deductible described in Section 13.5 below shall be adjusted as

                                       12
<PAGE>
Page 24

     provided herein. If the variance between the Total Actual Revenue Value and
     the Total  Base  Revenue  Value is less than one  percent of the Total Base
     Revenue Value then no adjustment to the Base Price or the Deductible  shall
     be made.  If the Total Actual  Revenue Value exceeds the Total Base Revenue
     Value by one  percent or more of the Total  Base  Revenue  Value,  then the
     Deductible  shall be  increased  by an amount  equal to one  percent of the
     Total Base  Revenue  Value and the Base  Price  shall be  increased  by the
     amount of the excess of such variance over such one percent figure.  If the
     Total Base Revenue Value exceeds the Total Actual Revenue Value by at least
     one percent of the Total Base Revenue Value,  then the Deductible  shall be
     decreased  by one  percent of the Total Base  Revenue  Value,  and the Base
     Price shall be decreased by the amount of excess of such variance over such
     one percent figure.

           (b) As soon as possible after the end of the Linen  Measuring  Period
     and the Industrial  Measuring  Period (as defined  below),  but in no event
     less than five (5) days after the end of such periods, Seller shall deliver
     to  Purchaser  a  schedule  showing  those  former  customers  of either an
     Industrial  Plant or Linen Plant who quit  service  with Seller at any time
     between April 2, 1997,  but prior to the normal  contract  maturity date of
     such  customer,  and who Seller  reasonably  believes  began  service  with
     Purchaser  thereafter.  Upon receipt of such customer list, Purchaser shall
     promptly attempt to identify any existing  customer of Purchaser who was so
     listed by Seller,  and shall thereafter provide Seller with such supporting
     invoice and revenue  detail as shall enable Seller to calculate the revenue
     amounts to be attributed to Migrated Linen Revenue and Migrated  Industrial
     Revenue (as defined below). In connection therewith,  Seller shall have the
     right to inspect all invoices and any of  Purchaser's  internal work papers
     relating to the determination and preparation of such customer detail.

           (c) As soon as possible after the end of the Linen  Measuring  Period
     and the  Industrial  Measuring  Period,  but in no event less than five (5)
     days before Closing,  Seller shall deliver to Purchaser a schedule  showing
     Seller's  calculation  of any rental  revenue  adjustment  hereunder,  with
     appropriate  supporting  back-up  detail (the  "Adjustment  Schedule")  and
     Purchaser  shall have the right to inspect all invoices and any of Seller's
     internal work papers relating to the  determination  and preparation of the
     Adjustment Schedule;  provided however, in the event Purchaser disputes, in
     good faith,  the amount of any rental  revenue  adjustment as calculated by
     Seller pursuant to this Section 3.3,  Purchaser shall pay Seller at Closing
     only that portion of the rental revenue  adjustment as to which both Seller
     and Purchaser  agree,  with any remaining  differences with respect to such
     adjustment (the "Disputed Adjustment Amount") being settled pursuant to the
     provisions of Section 3.6.

           (d)  For purposes of this Section 3.3, the following
     definitions apply:

                     (i) "Total Base  Revenue  Value"  means the amount equal to
           (1) the sum of the weekly  volume of each Linen Plant  identified  on
           Schedule 3.7 (after  giving  effect to the  inclusion or exclusion of
           the Acquired Facilities identified on Schedule 3.7 as Corpus Christi

                                       13
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                                                                         Page 25

           and Portland,  as contemplated by Section 6.3(b) hereof),  multiplied
           by 25, plus (2)  $140,293,200  which is the sum of the weekly  volume
           for the Acquired  Facilities not identified on Schedule 3.7 (together
           with the Acquired Facility identified on Schedule 3.7 as Huntington),
           multiplied  by 60. If each Acquired  Facility  identified on Schedule
           3.7  (excluding the Acquired  Facility  identified on Schedule 3.7 as
           Huntington)  is included  in the  calculation  of Total Base  Revenue
           Value,  the parties hereto agree that the sum of the weekly volume to
           be used for the  purpose of clause (1) of the  immediately  preceding
           sentence shall be $1,600,692 with the  corresponding  product of that
           amount multiplied by 25 being $40,017,300,  and, therefore, the Total
           Base Revenue Value shall be $180,310,500;

                     (ii) "Total Actual Revenue Value" means the amount equal to
           (1) the Average  Weekly Linen Revenue  multiplied by 25, plus (2) the
           Average Weekly Industrial Revenue multiplied by 60;

                     (iii) "Average Weekly Linen Revenue" means the sum of gross
           sales  volume for service to  customers  of the Business of the Linen
           Plants during the Linen Measuring  Period  (exclusive of the Excluded
           Amounts) plus the Migrated  Linen Revenue (as defined  below) divided
           by the number of calendar  weeks that  comprise  the Linen  Measuring
           Period.

                     (iv) "Average Weekly  Industrial  Revenue" means the sum of
           gross sales  volume for service to  customers  of the Business of the
           Industrial  Plants,  the gross sales  volume for service to customers
           representing the Jacksonville  Volume,  plus the Migrated  Industrial
           Revenue  (as  defined  below),  in each case  during  the  Industrial
           Measuring Period  (exclusive of the Excluded Amounts) divided by four
           (4);

                (v) "Migrated  Linen Revenue"  means the gross sales volume,  if
           any, for service by Purchaser to former  customers of the Business of
           the Linen  Plants  who,  at any time from and after April 2, 1997 and
           prior to the end of the Linen  Measuring  Period,  have quit  service
           with  Seller  prior  to the  normal  contract  maturity  date of such
           customers and who have  actually  begun  service with  Purchaser,  as
           determined  pursuant to Section  3.3(b)  hereof  (each,  a "Converted
           Linen  Customer");   provided,   however,   in  connection  with  the
           calculation  of  Migrated  Linen  Revenue,  only the actual  invoiced
           amount  attributable to a Converted Linen Customer from and after the
           date such  Converted  Linen  Customer  begins  service with Purchaser
           through  the  end  of the  Linen  Measuring  Period  (in  each  case,
           exclusive of any corresponding Excluded Amounts) shall be used.

                                       14
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Page 26

                (vi) "Migrated Industrial Revenue" means the gross sales volume,
           if any, for service by Purchaser to former  customers of the Business
           of the  Industrial  Plants  who,  at any time from and after April 2,
           1997, and prior to the end of the Industrial  Measuring Period,  have
           quit service with Seller prior to the normal  contract  maturity date
           of such customers and who have actually begun service with Purchaser,
           as determined  pursuant to Section  3.3(b) hereof (each, a "Converted
           Industrial  Customer");  provided,  however,  in connection  with the
           calculation of Migrated Industrial Revenue,  only the actual invoiced
           amount attributable to a Converted Industrial Customer from and after
           the date such  Converted  Industrial  Customer  begins  service  with
           Purchaser through the end of the Industrial Measuring Period (in each
           case, exclusive of any corresponding Excluded Amounts) shall be used.

                     (vii) "Excluded Amounts" means with respect to any sales to
           customers of the Business during either the Linen Measuring Period or
           the Industrial Measuring Period,  amounts derived from (1) discounts,
           allowances  and  other   miscellaneous   amounts;   (2)  taxes;   (3)
           preparation  charges;  (4) rag sales; (5) linen replacement  charges;
           (6)  industrial   replacement  charges;  and  (7)  other  replacement
           charges;

                     (viii)  "Linen  Measuring   Period"  means  the  period  of
           consecutive calendar weeks, exclusive of any weeks in which a Holiday
           occurs, commencing on the opening of business on February 3, 1997 and
           ending at the close of  business  on the Friday  that is at least two
           (2) weeks prior to the  Closing  Date (so long as such week is a week
           that contains no Holidays), but in no event later than June 15, 1997;
           provided,  however,  in the event all of the Schedule 8.6  Statements
           (as  defined  on  Schedule  8.6)  have not been  finalized  or if the
           parties have not received  clearance  under the HSR Act prior to July
           3, 1997, or both,  such end date shall be  automatically  extended to
           the  earlier  of (1) the  Friday  of the  week as of  which  both the
           Schedule 8.6  Statements  have been  finalized and the parties hereto
           have received  clearance  under the HSR Act or (2) the Friday that is
           at least two weeks prior to the Closing Date;

                     (ix) "Industrial Measuring Period" means the period of four
           (4)  consecutive  calendar  weeks,  exclusive of any weeks in which a
           Holiday occurs, ending at the close of business on the Friday that is
           at least two (2)  weeks  prior to the  Closing  Date (so long as such
           week is a week that contains no Holidays), but in no event later than
           June 15,  1997;  provided,  however,  in the event the  Schedule  8.6
           Statements  have  not  been  finalized  or if the  parties  have  not
           received  clearance under the HSR Act prior to July 3, 1997, or both,
           such end date shall be  automatically  extended to the earlier of (1)
           the Friday of the week as of which both the Schedule 8.6 Statements

                                       15
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                                                                         Page 27

           have been  finalized and the parties  hereto have received  clearance
           under the HSR Act or (2) the Friday  that is at least two weeks prior
           to the Closing Date; and

                     (x)  "Holiday"  means the following  holidays:  President's
           Day,  Memorial  Day,  the  Fourth  of July and any other  legal  bank
           holiday in the City of New York,  as the  exclusive  holidays  within
           either measuring period .

                     (xi) Notwithstanding anything in this Section 3.3(d) to the
           contrary,  (1) to the extent any sales volume has been transferred by
           Seller on or after  February 3, 1997 from any  Acquired  Facility and
           such  sales  volume is not based at an  Acquired  Facility  as of the
           Closing  Date,  then such sales  volume  shall be  excluded  from the
           Average  Weekly  Linen  Revenue  and the  Average  Weekly  Industrial
           Revenue,  and (2) to the extent any sales volume has been transferred
           by Seller on or after  February 3, 1997 to an Acquired  Facility  and
           such sales volume is based at an Acquired  Facility as of the Closing
           Date, the average weekly revenue  related to such sales volume during
           the Linen Measuring Period and the Industrial  Measuring  Period,  as
           applicable,  shall be  included  in the  calculation  of the  Average
           Weekly Linen Revenue and the Average Weekly  Industrial  Revenue,  as
           applicable.

     3.4 New Inventory Procedures. Representatives of Seller and Purchaser shall
take a physical  inventory  of the New  Inventory as of the Closing  Date.  Such
physical  inventory  will be  recorded  in  duplicate  books,  each of which the
representatives  of Seller and Purchaser  shall sign. The New Inventory shall be
valued at Seller's  latest  invoice  cost,  net of  discounts  but  inclusive of
freight,  based on Seller's most recent invoices. Any dispute as to the grade or
value of New Inventory items, or as to whether such items of New Inventory shall
be unusable (which items  Purchaser shall not be acquiring)  shall be determined
by Seller and Purchaser; provided, that in making such determination, any amount
of New  Inventory  with  quantities  in excess of a six (6)  months  supply,  as
measured by each of  Purchaser's  and the Business'  combined usage history with
respect  to such SKU,  shall be deemed  unusable  with  respect  to such  excess
quantities,  and shall not constitute a Purchased  Asset,  except that Purchaser
shall have the option, but not the obligation, to acquire any such unusable item
of New  Inventory at a price and on terms that Seller and Purchaser may mutually
agree to.

     3.5 Closing Schedules.  Within forty-five (45) days after the Closing Date,
Seller  shall  deliver  to  Purchaser  the  following  schedules  (the  "Closing
Schedules"),  in  each  case  as of the  Closing  Date:  (i) a  schedule  of New
Inventory and Seller's  latest  invoice cost  therefor,  net of  discounts,  but
inclusive  of  freight;  (ii) a schedule  of the  Accounts  Receivable;  (iii) a
schedule of the  Prepaid  Items;  and (iv) a schedule  of the  Accrued  Employee
Credit.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 3.4 for the New Inventory,  the
Closing  Schedules  shall be prepared  by Seller in  accordance  with  generally
accepted  accounting  principles  on  a  basis  consistent  with  the  Financial
Statements.

                                       16
<PAGE>
Page 28

     3.6   Dispute Resolution.

           (a) Purchaser and its representatives and accountants, at Purchaser's
     expense,  shall have the right to review Seller's  complete  internal audit
     work  papers or other  back-up  detail and  substantiation  relating to the
     Closing  Schedules  and the  Adjustment  Schedule  until  such  time as the
     Closing  Schedules  and the  Adjustment  Schedule  become final as provided
     herein.

           (b)  Purchaser  shall notify Seller in writing of any disputes to the
     Closing  Schedules and the Adjustment  Schedule within thirty (30) calendar
     days  following  Purchaser's  receipt of all of the Closing  Schedules (the
     "Review  Period").  The parties  shall attempt to resolve any such disputes
     through good faith negotiations  within thirty (30) calendar days following
     the  delivery  of  Purchaser's  written  notice  thereof to Seller.  If any
     differences are not resolved by agreement of  representatives of Seller and
     Purchaser during the Review Period,  such differences shall be submitted by
     any affected party for resolution to the Chicago,  Illinois office of Ernst
     & Young. The determination of such independent accounting firm shall be set
     forth in a written  report  delivered to the parties and shall be final and
     binding upon all parties.  Seller and Purchaser  shall each be  responsible
     for one-half of the fees of any such  independent  accounting firm employed
     pursuant to this paragraph.

           3.7  Gain Sharing on Subsequent Disposition of Linen
           Plants; Payment of Linen Shortfall.

           (a) Seller shall be entitled to additional  Purchase Price (the "Gain
     Sharing Payment"),  in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) one-half of the
     Linen Surplus (as defined below) or (ii) Two Million Five Hundred  Thousand
     Dollars  ($2,500,000),  if,  and to the  extent,  the  Aggregate  Value (as
     hereinafter defined) exceeds the Base Amount (as hereinafter defined) (such
     excess,  if any, is  hereinafter  referred to as the "Linen  Surplus.") The
     Gain Sharing  Payment,  if any,  shall be in addition to the Cash  Purchase
     Payment and shall be payable by Purchaser as promptly as possible after the
     first  anniversary of the Closing Date (the "First  Anniversary")  (and, in
     any event,  within  ten (10)  business  days after its final  determination
     pursuant to this Section 3.7).

           (b) As used in this Section 3.7, the  following  terms shall have the
     following respective meanings:

                     (i) Aggregate Value shall mean (1) the sum of (A) the Sales
           Proceeds plus (B) the Remaining Value less (2) Capital Investment.

                     (ii) Sales Proceeds shall mean,  with respect to each Linen
           Plant Sale that occurs on or prior to the First Anniversary,  the sum
           of all  consideration  payable to  Purchaser,  or any  subsidiary  or
           affiliate thereof (including, without limitation, any assumption of

                                       17
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 29

           liabilities in connection  therewith),  all as determined pursuant to
           the terms of the contract governing such Linen Plant Sale,  including
           the net amount of any monies  received or to be received by Purchaser
           or any  subsidiary or affiliate of Purchaser  that  represent  either
           condemnation or insurance  proceeds with respect to a Linen Plant and
           that relate to events that precede the First Anniversary,  reduced by
           (i) the value of any accounts  receivable,  all new, never  processed
           inventory,  prepaid assets and any other current assets  attributable
           to such Linen  Plant(s),  in each case as of the closing  date of the
           transaction;  (ii)  the  actual  out  of  pocket  costs  incurred  by
           Purchaser in connection  with or in  anticipation of such Linen Plant
           Sale,  including by way of illustration,  and not limitation,  legal,
           accounting,  environmental assessment report,  appraisal, real estate
           brokerage, investment banking or finder's fees; and (iii) the cost of
           any  Withdrawal  Liability (as defined in Section 7.2) that Purchaser
           becomes  liable  for with  respect  to such  Linen  Plant  Sale.  For
           purposes of calculating  Sales  Proceeds,  any financing  provided by
           Purchaser  in  connection  with a Linen Plant Sale shall be valued at
           ninety-two  percent (92%) of the face amount of such  indebtedness as
           of the closing  date of such Linen Plant  Sale.  In the event  Seller
           elects to re-purchase any remaining Linen Plants from Purchaser,  the
           parties  agree  to  calculate  the net  proceeds  to be  received  by
           Purchaser  as a result  of such sale in the  manner  set forth in the
           calculation of Sales Proceeds.

                     (iii) Remaining  Value shall mean,  subject to the terms of
           this Section  3.7(b)(iii),  the aggregate  value of any and all Linen
           Plants that were included in the  calculation  of the Base Amount and
           which are not sold by Purchaser on or prior to the First Anniversary,
           as  determined  by Purchaser in its  reasonable  discretion  with due
           regard  to all  then  existing  facts  and  circumstances,  including
           without  limitation,  any  sale  of  rental  revenue  volume  at such
           remaining  Linen  Plants,  separate and apart from any  corresponding
           sale of such Linen Plant's  property,  plant or equipment.  Purchaser
           shall  calculate its good faith  estimate of the Remaining  Value and
           shall  deliver  the same to Seller in  writing  within 45 days of the
           First  Anniversary.  With respect to those Linen Plants identified by
           Purchaser in its  calculation of Remaining Value as Linen Plants that
           Purchaser  intends  to retain  and  operate  from and after the First
           Anniversary,  the value of such Linen  Plant(s)  for  purposes of the
           Remaining  Value  calculation  shall equal such Linen Plant'(s) total
           value, as set forth on Schedule 3.7 hereto.

                     (iv) Capital Investment shall mean the amount that is equal
           to the aggregate amount of any capital expenditures made by Purchaser
           (or any  subsidiary  or affiliate  thereof) with respect to any Linen
           Plant  that is  disposed  of prior to the First  Anniversary  or that
           Purchaser  is  attempting  to sell as of the First  Anniversary.  Any
           capital   expenditures  made  by  Purchaser  (or  any  subsidiary  or
           affiliate thereof) with respect to any Linen Plant that Purchaser

                                       18
<PAGE>
Page 30

           elects to retain  and not sell will not be a Capital  Investment  for
           purposes of the calculation of Aggregate Value.

                     (v) Base Amount  shall mean the sum of the total  values of
           each Linen Plant listed on Schedule 3.7 together with the  Industrial
           Plant  identified on Schedule 3.7 as Huntington  (after giving effect
           to the inclusion or exclusion of the Acquired  Facilities  identified
           on Schedule 3.7 as Corpus Christi and Portland,  as  contemplated  by
           Section  6.3(b)  hereof ), as such  total  values  are  reflected  on
           Schedule 3.7 hereto,  and reduced by the total value  attributable to
           the Acquired Facility identified on Schedule 3.7 as Huntington in the
           event the assets or revenue  attributable to such branch are not sold
           on or prior to the First Anniversary.

           (c)  Within  forty-five  (45)  days  after  the  First   Anniversary,
     Purchaser   shall  deliver  to  Seller  a  schedule   showing   Purchaser's
     calculation  of the Gain  Sharing  Payment  (if  any)  (the  "Gain  Sharing
     Schedule"), together with appropriate supporting back-up detail, and Seller
     shall have the right to inspect  any of  Purchaser's  internal  work papers
     relating to the determination and preparation of the Gain Sharing Schedule.
     In the event Seller  disputes  Purchaser's  calculation of the Gain Sharing
     Payment or the Total Linen Proceeds (as defined below), Seller shall notify
     Purchaser in writing within thirty (30) calendar days following Purchaser's
     receipt of the same (the "Gain Sharing Review  Period").  The parties shall
     attempt to resolve any such disputes through good faith negotiations within
     thirty (30) calendar days following the delivery of Seller's written notice
     thereof to Purchaser.  If any  differences are not resolved by agreement of
     representatives  of Seller and  Purchaser  during the Gain  Sharing  Review
     Period,  such  differences  shall be submitted  by any  affected  party for
     resolution  to  the  Chicago,   Illinois  office  of  Ernst  &  Young.  The
     determination of such  independent  accounting firm shall be set forth in a
     written report delivered to the parties and shall be final and binding upon
     all parties. Seller and Purchaser shall each be responsible for one-half of
     the fees of any such independent  accounting firm employed pursuant to this
     paragraph.

           As a part of the Gain Sharing  Schedule,  Purchaser shall  separately
     set forth the Total Linen Proceeds  attributable to the Multilocation Linen
     Accounts. "Individual Linen Proceeds" shall mean with respect to each Linen
     Plant Sale an amount equal to the Average Weekly Linen Revenue attributable
     to the  Multilocation  Linen  Accounts sold in  connection  with such Linen
     Plant Sale multiplied by the multiplier generally applicable to the sale of
     revenue in  connection  with such Linen Plant Sale (as  determined  in good
     faith by  Purchaser).  "Total  Linen  Proceeds"  shall  mean the sum of all
     Individual Linen Proceeds.

           (d) Upon receipt of Purchaser's  calculation of the Remaining  Value,
     as contemplated by Section  3.7(b)(iii) hereof, with respect to those Linen
     Plants  identified  by  Purchaser in its  calculation  as Linen Plants that
     remain  available  for purchase as of the First  Anniversary,  Seller shall
     have the option,  and shall notify  Purchaser in writing within twenty days
     of receipt of Purchaser's calculation, if it so elects, to re-purchase the

                                       19
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                                                                         Page 31

     Linen  Plant(s)  indicated  in the  notice  at a  price  that is  equal  to
     Purchaser's  valuation of such Linen Plant.  In any event,  Seller shall be
     deemed to have accepted Purchaser's  valuation of each such Linen Plant for
     purposes of  calculating  the  Remaining  Value.  With respect to any Linen
     Plant that Seller elects to purchase,  Seller and Purchaser  agree that the
     transfer of such Linen Plant shall be by the same type of deed,  assignment
     of lease  and/or bill of sale  pursuant to which  Purchaser  acquired  such
     Linen Plant in the first instance.

           (e) If the Total  Linen  Proceeds  are less than the  "Minimum  Sales
     Price" (as  hereinafter  defined),  then Seller  shall pay to  Purchaser an
     amount (the "Linen  Shortfall")  equal to (i) the Minimum  Sales Price less
     (ii) the Total Linen  Proceeds.  As used herein,  the term  "Minimum  Sales
     Price" shall mean an amount equal to (1) the aggregate total of the Average
     Weekly Linen Revenue attributable to the Multilocation Linen Accounts times
     (2) thirty (30). The Linen Shortfall, if any, shall be payable by Seller as
     promptly as possible after the First  Anniversary (and, in any event within
     ten (10)  business  days  after its final  determination  pursuant  to this
     Section  3.7).  Simultaneously  with the  payment  of the Linen  Shortfall,
     Purchaser  shall (at  Seller's  election)  transfer  to  Seller  all of the
     Multilocation  Linen  Accounts  which  were  not sold  prior  to the  First
     Anniversary together with all In-Service Inventory related thereto.

     3.8 Method of Payment.  Any amounts payable hereunder shall be paid by wire
transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the intended
recipient or otherwise as indicated.  Any amounts  payable under Sections 3.2 or
6.3 shall include  interest on such amounts from the Closing Date to the date of
such  payment at a rate per annum  equal to eight  percent  (8%) and any amounts
payable under Section 3.7 shall include  interest on such amounts from the First
Anniversary  to the  date of such  payment  at a rate per  annum  equal to eight
percent (8%).

     3.9 Exclusive  Remedy.  Notwithstanding  anything in this  Agreement to the
contrary, the dispute resolution and remedy provisions set forth in this Article
3 shall  constitute  the sole and  exclusive  remedy of the parties  hereto with
respect to the matters  covered by this  Article 3.  Changes in rental  revenues
shall not be  considered in  determining  whether the  conditions  precedent set
forth in Article 8 have been satisfied  (unless such change in rental revenue is
the result of any  change in the  Business  that  would have a material  adverse
effect on the Business).

     3.10  Allocation of Purchase  Price.  Each party hereto agrees to report to
the Internal  Revenue  Service such  information  concerning  the  allocation of
Purchase  Price as may be required by Section 1060 of the Internal  Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the "Code").  The Purchase  Price,  together with an amount
attributable to the Assumed Liabilities,  shall be allocated among the Purchased
Assets based on the fair market values for the Purchased  Assets in amount to be
agreed upon by Purchaser and Seller and each party agrees that it will adopt and
utilize such agreed values for purposes of  completing  and filing Form 8594 for
federal income tax purposes. Neither Purchaser, nor Seller will voluntarily take
any position inconsistent therewith upon examination of their respective federal
tax return,  in any claim,  in any  litigation or otherwise with respect to such

                                       20
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Page 32

tax return. Purchaser and Seller each agree to use their reasonable best efforts
to mutually  agree to the  allocation  contemplated  by this  Section 3.10 on or
prior to the Closing Date.

     3.11  Sales Taxes; Property Taxes; Expenses.

           (a)  Notwithstanding  anything  in this  Agreement  to the  contrary,
     Purchaser  shall  pay all  state  and  local  sales and use taxes (if any),
     transfer taxes and  documentary  stamp taxes  associated  with the sale and
     conveyance of the Purchased Assets pursuant to this Agreement.

           (b) Subject to the terms of the  Transition  Services  Agreement  (as
     defined below), state and local real and personal property taxes, including
     any utility,  water and sewer charges at the Acquired  Facilities  shall be
     prorated  between  Seller and Purchaser as of the Closing Date on the basis
     of the tax bills payable  during the year of the Closing or, as applicable,
     utility bills for the billing period including the Closing Date.  Purchaser
     shall pay the full amount of such taxes and utility charges upon receipt of
     any such bills after the Closing Date, and Seller, within 30 days of notice
     from  Purchaser,  will  reimburse  Purchaser for the amount of Seller or an
     Affiliate's pro rata share of such taxes and utility charges.

           (c) Seller will pay the fees and  expenses  incurred  with respect to
     obtaining  the Phase I Reports (as defined  herein) for the Real  Property,
     surveys and title work on the Owned Real  Property  performed in connection
     with the transactions  contemplated hereunder,  including,  but not limited
     to,  recording  fees  (exclusive of transfer  taxes and  documentary  stamp
     taxes, if any), special assessments associated with the Purchased Assets or
     the Business,  and any title insurance  premiums due in connection with the
     Title  Policy (as defined  below) and any costs  associated  with the Title
     Endorsements  (as  defined  below).  The title  insurance  premiums  due in
     connection with the Title Policy shall be based on a schedule of values for
     the Owned Real  Estate  prepared  by  Purchaser,  a copy of which  shall be
     delivered to Seller  within five days prior to the  Closing.  To the extent
     that in the aggregate title insurance premiums are increased as a result of
     completion by Purchaser of appraisals of the Owned Real Property undertaken
     within a reasonable  period of time following the Closing Date, then Seller
     shall reimburse  Purchaser for any such additional costs and subject to the
     "tie-in" endorsement requested by Purchaser from the Title Company,  Seller
     shall receive a credit for any decrease in such costs.

           (d) All filing fees payable with respect to the filings to be made by
     Purchaser and Seller under the Hart-  Scott-Rodino  Antitrust  Improvements
     Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act") shall be paid by Purchaser.

                                       21
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                                                                         Page 33

           (e) Seller and Purchaser agree to share equally the cost of preparing
     and  delivering  the Schedule 8.6  Statements,  provided  that  Purchaser's
     obligation under this Section 3.11(e) shall not exceed $60,000.

           (f) Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement,  Seller
     and  Purchaser  shall each pay their own  respective  costs and expenses in
     connection  with this Agreement and the  transactions  contemplated by this
     Agreement,  including  any finder's  fees or brokerage or other  commission
     arising by reason of any services rendered or alleged to have been rendered
     to such  party  in  connection  with  this  Agreement  or the  transactions
     contemplated herein.

     3.12  Treatment of Hold  Tickets.  At or as soon as  practicable  after the
Closing,  Seller  will  provide  Purchaser  with a  statement  of  Hold  Tickets
outstanding  as of the Closing Date.  Purchaser  agrees that for a period of 120
days  after the  Closing  Date (the  "Collection  Period"),  Purchaser  will use
reasonable  efforts to collect the Hold  Tickets.  All  payments  received  from
customers  having a Hold Ticket  shall be applied to the invoice  identified  by
such  customer with its payment and all  collected  amounts shall  thereafter be
remitted to Seller by the fifteenth  day of each month,  until such Hold Tickets
have been collected in full or otherwise written off by Seller as uncollectible.
Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  Purchaser  shall have no obligation to seek to
collect any Hold Tickets beyond the Collection Period.

                                   ARTICLE 4

                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

     Parent, Seller and Enterprises,  hereby represent and warrant to Purchaser,
with respect to themselves only, as follows:

     4.1   Organization and Authority.

           (a)  Parent,   Seller  and  each   Affiliate  are   corporations   or
     partnerships,  duly organized,  validly existing and in good standing under
     the laws of their  respective  jurisdictions of incorporation or formation;
     and Seller and each  Affiliate  has the corporate or  partnership  power to
     own,  operate,  use or  lease  the  Purchased  Assets  and to  conduct  the
     operations of the Business as presently  being  conducted.  Seller and each
     Affiliate is qualified or otherwise  authorized  to transact  business as a
     foreign  corporation or partnership in each jurisdiction listed in Schedule
     4.1 which constitute all  jurisdictions in which the nature of the Business
     requires such qualification.

           (b)  Each  of  Parent,  Seller  and  Enterprises  has  all  requisite
     corporate  power and  authority to execute and deliver this  Agreement  and
     perform their respective obligations hereunder.  The execution and delivery
     of this  Agreement  by each  of  Parent,  Seller  and  Enterprises  and the
     performance by them of their respective covenants and agreements hereunder

                                       22
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Page 34

     have been duly authorized by all necessary  corporate or partnership action
     on their part.  This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each
     of Parent,  Seller and  Enterprises  and  constitutes the valid and binding
     obligation of each, enforceable against them in accordance with its terms.

     4.2 Financial  Information.  Schedule  4.2(a)  attached hereto contains the
unaudited  statements of assets and selected  liabilities  of the Business as of
August 31, 1996,  and August 31, 1995 and the related  unaudited  statements  of
revenues  and  operating  expenses for each of the fiscal years ended August 31,
1996, August 31, 1995 and August 31, 1994 (the "Financial Statements"). Schedule
4.2(b) attached hereto contains the unaudited  statements of assets and selected
liabilities  of the Business as of January 31, 1997 and January 31, 1996 and the
related  unaudited  statements  of  revenues  and  operating  expenses  for  the
five-month  period ended on each of such dates (the "Interim  Statements").  The
Financial  Statements and the Interim Statements (i) are correct and complete in
all material  respects,  (ii) have been  prepared  from the books and records of
Seller with respect to the Business, (iii) have been prepared in accordance with
generally accepted accounting  principles  consistently  applied,  except (A) as
otherwise set forth on Schedule  4.18, (B) that in the case of the statements of
revenues and  operating  expenses,  there has been no  allocation of the charges
outlined on Schedule 4.2(c) hereof, (C) the Financial Statements and the Interim
Statements  have no footnotes,  (D) with respect to the statements of assets and
selected  liabilities as of August 31, 1996, and August 31, 1995 and January 31,
1996 the  balances  reflected in the line item for Assumed  Liabilities  are not
complete,  and (E) in the case of the Interim  Statements  such  statements  are
subject to normal  year-end  adjustments  consistent  with those normal year-end
adjustments contained within the Financial  Statements;  and (iv) fairly present
in all material  respects the Purchased  Assets and Assumed  Liabilities  of the
Business on the dates  indicated and the revenues and operating  expenses of the
Business for the periods then ended.  For  purposes of this  Agreement,  "Latest
Balance  Sheet" means the  statement of assets and  selected  liabilities  as of
January 31, 1997.

     In addition  to, and not in lieu of, the  foregoing,  upon  delivery of the
Schedule 8.6  Statements,  Seller shall be deemed to represent  and warrant that
such  Schedule  8.6  Statements  (i) are  correct and  complete in all  material
respects,  (ii) have been  prepared  from the books and  records of Seller  with
respect to the Business,  (iii) have been prepared in accordance  with generally
accepted accounting principles  consistently applied, and (iv) fairly present in
all  material  respects  the  Purchased  Assets and Assumed  Liabilities  of the
Business on the dates  indicated and the revenues and operating  expenses of the
Business for the periods then ended.

     4.3 Compliance with Other  Instruments.  The execution and delivery of this
Agreement by Seller and the performance by Seller of its  obligations  hereunder
will not: (a) conflict with or result in any violation of the charter  documents
or  partnership  agreement  or bylaws of Parent,  Seller or any  Affiliate,  (b)
conflict  with or result in (i) a breach of any agreement or instrument to which
Seller or such  Affiliate is a party and which is required to be  identified  on
any Schedule delivered by Seller pursuant to this Agreement (except with respect
to any  requirement  for  consent to the  assignment  of any such  agreement  or
instrument) or (ii) result in any violation of any federal,  state or local law,

                                       23
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                                                                         Page 35

regulation,  ordinance  or  administrative  order  or any  judgment  or  decree,
applicable  to  Seller or any  Affiliate  and  affecting  the  operation  of the
Business  or the  Purchased  Assets  (except  with  respect  to the  filing  and
expiration  of the  waiting  period  under  the HSR Act);  or (c)  result in the
creation of any material lien,  charge or encumbrance of any kind or nature upon
any of the Purchased Assets.

     4.4   Title to Assets.

           (a)  Seller or an  Affiliate  has good and  marketable  title to each
     parcel of Owned Real  Property  and has good and valid  title to each other
     asset  constituting  the Purchased  Assets,  free and clear of any security
     interest,  mortgage,  pledge,  lien,  charge,  encumbrance,  right  of way,
     easement  or  adverse  claim of any kind or  nature,  except  (i) liens for
     current taxes not yet due and payable; and (ii) the imperfections of title,
     restrictions,   easements,   encroachments  or  encumbrances  described  in
     Schedule 4.4 (collectively, the "Permitted Encumbrances").

           (b) As of the  Closing  Date,  Parent  will  cause  Seller  and  each
     Affiliate  to transfer  good and  marketable  title to each parcel of Owned
     Real Property and good and valid title to each other asset constituting the
     Purchased Assets to Purchaser, free and clear of all liens and encumbrances
     of any kind or nature, except for the Permitted Encumbrances. The Purchased
     Assets,  together  with the assets  described  in the  Transition  Services
     Agreement and the assets  described in Sections 1.2(g) and 1.2(h),  include
     all assets  necessary  for the operation of the Business as it is currently
     being operated by Seller, and all such Purchased Assets are owned by either
     Seller, Enterprises or NSI Realty, L.P.

           (c) The vehicles listed on Schedule 1.1(h) hereof,  together with the
     Leased Vehicles  represent all of the vehicles that are used exclusively in
     the Business.  Neither Seller,  nor an Affiliate owns any other  machinery,
     fixtures, furniture,  equipment, materials, parts, supplies, tools or other
     tangible  property that are used  exclusively in the Business except to the
     extent such items are located at either (i) an Acquired Facility;  (ii) any
     customer location  associated with a Covered Account;  (iii) on any vehicle
     listed on  Schedule  1.1(h)  hereof  or on any  Leased  Vehicle;  (iv) on a
     Processor's Premises; or (v) in any third party repair shop.

           (d) Schedule  4.4(d)  identifies each asset of Seller or an Affiliate
     that is used in the  Business  but  that  is not  used  exclusively  in the
     Business.

     4.5 Real Property. There is listed on Schedule 4.5 (i) a description of all
real  property  owned by  Seller or an  Affiliate  and used  exclusively  in the
Business (the "Owned Real Property"), (ii) a description of all lease agreements
under which Seller is lessor of portions of the Owned Real Property, and (iii) a
description  of all lease  and  sublease  agreements  (other  than the  Excluded
Leases,  the "Real  Property  Leases") for real  property  used by Seller in the

                                       24
<PAGE>
Page 36

Business  (the "Leased Real  Property")  (the Leased Real Property and the Owned
Real Property are referred to herein collectively as the "Real Property").  True
and  complete  copies  of the  Real  Property  Leases  have  been  delivered  to
Purchaser, including all amendments, supplements and modifications thereof.
Except as indicated in Schedule 4.5:

           (a) All Real  Property  Leases are  valid,  binding  and  enforceable
     against Seller in accordance with their respective terms and there does not
     exist under any such Real Property Lease any material  default or any event
     which with notice or the lapse of time or both would  constitute a material
     default thereunder against Seller, and to Seller's  knowledge,  against the
     other parties thereto;

           (b) None of the structures or improvements on the Owned Real Property
     encroaches  upon real  property  of another  person,  and no  structure  or
     improvement of any other person  substantially  encroaches  upon any of the
     Real  Property,  except  those  encroachments  identified  as  a  Permitted
     Encumbrance;

           (c) There are no other  matters  affecting  the Owned  Real  Property
     pending,  or, to the  knowledge  of Seller  (i) there are no other  matters
     affecting the Leased Real Property pending or (ii) with respect to the Real
     Property, threatened, which, either individually or in the aggregate, could
     have a material adverse effect on any Acquired  Facility or the Business or
     the Purchased Assets taken as a whole  (collectively,  a "Material  Adverse
     Effect"); and

           (d) All Real Property Leases are assignable to Purchaser without such
     assignment constituting an event of default thereunder.

     4.6  Personal  Property  Leases.  There is listed in  Schedule  1.1(i)(v) a
description of any leases  relating to each item of tangible  personal  property
leased by Seller or any  Affiliate for use  exclusively  in the operation of the
business and having rental payments in excess of $25,000 annually (the "Personal
Property  Leases").   All  Personal  Property  Leases  are  valid,  binding  and
enforceable against Seller, and to Seller's knowledge, against the other parties
thereto,  in  accordance  with their  respective  terms and there does not exist
under any such Personal  Property Lease any material  default or any event which
with  notice or the lapse of time or both would  constitute  a material  default
thereunder against Seller, and to Seller's knowledge,  against the other parties
thereto. True and complete copies of the Personal Property Leases have been made
available to Purchaser,  including all amendments  supplements and modifications
thereof.

     4.7   Intellectual Property.  With respect to the
Intellectual Property and the license agreements listed on
Schedule 1.1(i)(ii) and except as indicated on Schedule 4.7:

           (a)  No   interference   actions  or  other   judicial  or  adversary
     proceedings  concerning  the  Intellectual  Property  is  pending,  and  to
     Seller's  knowledge,  no such action or  proceeding  is  threatened  and to
     Seller's knowledge, there is no reasonable basis for any action or

                                       25
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                                                                         Page 37

     proceeding,  which if adversely  determined,  would have a Material Adverse
     Effect;

           (b)  Seller  has the  right  and  authority  to use the  Intellectual
     Property  in  connection  with the  conduct of the  Business  in the manner
     presently  conducted,  and Seller has not received written notice that such
     use  conflicts  with,  infringes  upon or violates  any rights of any other
     person, firm or corporation; and

           (c)  There  are  no  outstanding,  nor  to  Seller's  knowledge,  any
     threatened  disputes  involving  Seller or an Affiliate with respect to any
     licenses  or similar  agreements  or  arrangements  described  in  Schedule
     1.1(i)(ii).

     4.8  Litigation.  Except as set forth on Schedule  4.8, with respect to the
Business or the Purchased Assets, no suit,  action,  cause of action,  claim for
relief,   complaint,    proceeding,    hearing,    governmental   investigation,
administrative  claim or  charge is  pending  or, to the  knowledge  of  Seller,
threatened  in writing  against  Seller or any  Affiliate and which could have a
Material Adverse Effect.

     4.9 Court  Orders,  Decrees and Laws.  Except as disclosed in Schedule 4.9,
with  respect  to  the  Business  or  the  Purchased  Assets:  (a)  there  is no
outstanding  nor, to the  knowledge  of Seller,  any  threatened,  order,  writ,
judgment,  injunction or decree of any court or  governmental  agency against or
involving  Seller or any Affiliate  which could have a Material  Adverse Effect;
(b) Seller is not operating  under or subject to, or in default with respect to,
any order, writ, judgment,  injunction or decree of any court or federal, state,
municipal  or other  governmental  department,  commission,  board,  agency,  or
instrumentality, domestic or foreign which could have a Material Adverse Effect;
(c) Seller is not in violation  of or in  noncompliance  with any statute,  law,
ordinance or regulation of any government or department or agency thereof in the
conduct of the  Business  which could have a Material  Adverse  Effect;  and (d)
Seller is not in violation of any  applicable  zoning  regulation,  ordinance or
other law,  order,  regulation  or  requirement  relating to the Business or the
Purchased Assets which could have a Material Adverse Effect.

     4.10 Labor and  Employment  Agreements.  Schedule 4.10  identifies (i) each
collective  bargaining  agreement and other labor agreement to which Seller is a
party or by which it is bound with  respect  to the  Business  (the  "Collective
Bargaining  Agreements");  and (ii)  each  written  or, to  Seller's  knowledge,
material oral agreement,  providing a management-level  Employee of the Business
with rights to employment,  compensation or benefits related thereto (other than
benefits  under  Welfare  Plans or  Retirement  Plans as defined in Section 4.11
hereof).  Seller is not, and to Seller's  knowledge,  no other party to any such
agreement is in default with respect to any material term or condition  thereof,
nor, to Seller's knowledge,  has any event occurred which through the passage of
time or notice,  or both,  would  constitute a material  default  thereunder  by
Seller or any other party to such agreement,  or would cause the acceleration of
any material  obligation of Seller or any other party to such agreement.  Seller
has delivered to Purchaser  true and complete  copies of all written  agreements
identified in Schedule 4.10. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.10:

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<PAGE>
Page 38

           (a) Since  January 1, 1995,  no unfair labor  practice  complaint has
     been brought or, to Seller's  knowledge,  threatened,  against  Seller with
     respect to any Hired  Employees,  former employees of the Business or labor
     organization  with respect to the  Business,  before any federal,  state or
     local  agency,  no labor strike  affecting  Seller has been brought nor, to
     Seller's knowledge, is threatened,  and no grievance has been brought since
     January  1,  1997  that  rises  to  step 3 or 4 of the  relevant  grievance
     procedure,  and to Seller's  knowledge  no basis for any such unfair  labor
     practice  complaint  exists which,  if adversely  determined,  could have a
     Material Adverse Effect;

           (b) Since January 1, 1995, no organization or representation petition
     has been  filed or,  to  Seller's  knowledge,  threatened,  respecting  the
     Employees of the Business,  and no such  proceeding  has been brought since
     January 1, 1995.

           (c) Since January 1, 1995, no arbitration  proceeding  arising out of
     or under  any  Collective  Bargaining  Agreement  has been  brought  or, to
     Seller's  knowledge,  is  threatened  with respect to the  Employees of the
     Business,  and no basis for any such proceeding  exists which, if adversely
     determined, could have a Material Adverse Effect; and

           (d)  With  respect  to any  Employee  of the  Business  covered  by a
     Collective  Bargaining  Agreement,  Seller has not engaged in any course of
     conduct or otherwise  pursued any practice of bestowing  any benefits  upon
     such Employees of the Business which would be enforceable against Purchaser
     and which are not required pursuant to any Collective Bargaining Agreement.

     4.11  Pension and Welfare Plans.

           (a) Attached hereto as Schedule  4.11(a) is a list of each group life
     insurance,  disability,  medical, dental, severance pay and other plan that
     is an "employee welfare benefit plan" (as defined in Section 3(1) of ERISA)
     currently  maintained or  contributed to by Seller for the Employees of the
     Business (each a "Welfare Plan").

           (b) Schedule  4.11(b) lists each deferred  profit  sharing,  deferred
     compensation   and  pension  plan   (including   without   limitation  each
     multiemployer  plan defined under  Section  4001(a)(3) of ERISA) that is an
     "employee  pension  benefit  plan" (as  defined in  Section  3(2) of ERISA)
     currently  maintained or  contributed to by Seller for the Employees of the
     Business (each a "Retirement Plan").

           (c) Seller has delivered to Purchaser true and complete copies of the
     plan documents for each Welfare Plan and each  Retirement  Plan, as amended
     to date (other than with respect to plan documents for a multiemployer plan
     defined in Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA).

                                       27
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                                                                         Page 39


     4.12  Environmental Matters.  Except as disclosed on Schedule 4.12:

           (a) With respect to each Acquired  Facility,  (i) Seller is not aware
     of any citation,  inquiry,  notice or request by any governmental authority
     indicating that Seller is in violation or that alleges any violation of any
     applicable  Environmental  Laws (as defined below) in any material respect;
     (ii)  Seller  is  in  material   compliance   with  all  other   applicable
     limitations,  restrictions,  conditions and  prohibitions  contained in any
     Environmental  Laws; (iii) Seller is not subject to or bound by any consent
     decree or order  concerning  the  operation  of the  Business or any of the
     Purchased  Assets with respect to  environmental  matters or the cleanup of
     hazardous materials under any applicable Environmental Law; and (iv) Seller
     is in compliance,  in all material  respects,  with the  compliance  orders
     described in Schedule 2(b).

           (b) No hazardous  materials  have been  generated,  treated,  stored,
     released or disposed  of, or otherwise  placed,  deposited in or located on
     the Real Property by Seller, or to Seller's  knowledge,  any prior owner or
     occupier of the Real Property,  nor has any activity been undertaken on the
     Real  Property  by Seller,  or to  Seller's  knowledge,  any prior owner or
     occupier of the Real Property,  that has caused any of the  following:  (i)
     the Real  Property  to become a  permitted  treatment,  storage or disposal
     facility within the meaning of the Resource  Conservation  and Recovery Act
     of 1976 ("RCRA"), 42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq., or any similar state law or local
     ordinance,  (ii) a release  or  threatened  release  of toxic or  hazardous
     wastes or  substances,  pollutants or  contaminants  from the Real Property
     within the ambit of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,  Compensation
     and Liability Act of 1980 ("CERCLA"),  42 U.S.C.  9601-9657, as amended) or
     any  similar  state  law or local  ordinance,  or (iii)  the  discharge  of
     pollutants  or effluents  into any water source or system,  the dredging or
     filling of any waters or the discharge into the air of any emissions,  that
     would require a permit under the Federal Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.,
     or the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C.  7401 et seq.,  or any similar state law or
     local ordinance.

           (c) To Seller's  knowledge,  with respect to each Acquired  Facility,
     there currently are no above ground or underground  tanks located under, in
     or about the Real Property.  The storage tanks listed on Schedule 4.12 have
     been duly  registered  with all  appropriate  regulatory  and  governmental
     bodies and are each  otherwise in compliance in all material  respects with
     applicable Environmental Laws.

           (d) As  used  in  this  Agreement,  "Environmental  Laws"  means  any
     federal,  state or local statute, law, code, ordinance,  rule or regulation
     relating to: (i) the emission of pollutants into the  atmosphere,  (ii) the
     discharge  of  pollutants  into the water or the  ground  water,  (iii) the
     disposal of solid or  hazardous  waste,  or (iv) the  release of  hazardous
     materials into the  environment  (the term "release"  meaning any spilling,
     leaking,  pumping, pouring,  emitting,  emptying,  discharging,  injecting,
     escaping,  leaching, dumping or disposing into the environment and the term
     "environment" meaning any surface or ground water, drinking water supply,

                                       28
<PAGE>
Page 40

     soil,  surface or subsurface strata or medium or the ambient air.") As used
     in  this  Agreement  "hazardous  materials"  means  any  waste,  pollutant,
     substance, by-product or other material regulated under the CERCLA, RCRA or
     other federal  environmental  law, rule or regulation  (or similar state or
     local   law,   rule  or   regulation)   as  well   as  any   petroleum   or
     petroleum-derived substance or waste.

     4.13 Rental Invoices and List of Sale Accounts.  Seller has heretofore made
available  to  Purchaser  copies of all of Seller's  customer  invoices  for the
Business for customers  whose average weekly  revenues exceed $500 for a one (1)
week period preceding April 18, 1997. Such customer  invoices are correct in all
material respects (except that the identity and addresses of customers have been
deleted),  are based upon actual  delivery of services at prices  agreed upon by
the respective customers and stated therein, any applicable discounts are stated
therein and such  invoices  fairly  present in all material  respects the weekly
billings to such customers for the period indicated.

     4.14  Customer  Contracts.  At least 90% of the  customers  of the Business
whose  average  weekly  revenues  exceed  $500  during the period from and after
February 3, 1997 are being serviced under written customer service agreements or
purchase  orders,  which are valid,  binding,  and in full force and effect.  In
connection  with any Covered  Account that is to be governed by the terms of any
Subcontract Agreement,  as contemplated by Section 1.5 hereof, Seller represents
and warrants  that the provision of services to be made by Purchaser to any such
Covered  Accounts  shall not conflict  with or result in a breach of any service
agreement  to which Seller or such  Affiliate is a party and which  governs such
Covered Account.

     4.15  Customer  Prices and Terms.  With  respect  to the  customers  of the
Business  whose average weekly  revenues  exceed $500 during the period from and
after  February  3, 1997,  except as set forth in  Schedule  4.15  (which  shall
identify  customer names and  approximate  weekly  revenues with respect to each
exception),  since  January 1, 1997,  no such  customer  has quit and Seller has
received no written notice, or to Seller's  knowledge,  verbal notice,  from any
such  customer of its  intention to quit  service with Seller;  and there are no
customer  accounts  which have made  deposits  or  prepayments  which  remain as
liabilities of Seller.

     4.16  Covered  Accounts.  The  Covered  Accounts  to be sold  to  Purchaser
hereunder  will represent  each and every  customer  agreement,  whether oral or
written,  arising out of the Business  conducted at each Acquired Facility as of
the Closing  Date,  in addition to that number of customer  agreements,  whether
oral or written,  representing not less than $27,000 in weekly revenue as of the
week ending May 2, 1997, and that arise out of Seller's Jacksonville Branch #336
(the  "Jacksonville   Volume").   Notwithstanding   the  foregoing,   except  as
contemplated by Section 3.3 hereof,  Seller shall not be deemed to be making any
representation or warranty with respect to any minimum sales volume  represented
by the Jacksonville Volume.

     4.17 Consents. Except as disclosed in Schedule 4.17, there are no consents,
approvals or other authorizations of, orders or notifications of, registrations,

                                       29
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                                                                         Page 41

declarations or filings with, any governmental or judicial authority (other than
as required pursuant to the HSR Act), or consents, approvals,  authorizations or
notifications of any other third party pursuant to (i) the Real Property Leases,
(ii) the Personal  Property  Leases;  (iii) the Other  Contracts;  (iv) customer
service  agreements or purchase  orders with any customer of the Business  whose
average weekly revenues exceed $500 during the period from and after February 3,
1997; or (v) the Collective Bargaining Agreements  (collectively,  the "Material
Contracts") which are required in connection with the valid execution,  delivery
or performance of this Agreement by Seller and the consummation by Seller of the
transactions   contemplated  hereby,  other  than  those  consents,   approvals,
authorizations,  orders, notifications,  registrations,  declarations or filings
the failure to obtain or make which could have a Material Adverse Effect.

     4.18  Conduct of Business.  Except as set  forth  on  Schedule 4.18,  since
 January 31, 1997 there has not been:

           (a) Any increase in encumbrance  against the Owned Real Property,  or
     change  in the  condition  (financial  or  other),  properties,  assets  or
     liabilities  of the  Business,  except  changes in the  ordinary  course of
     business, none of which has had or will have a Material Adverse Effect;

           (b) Any  change  in the  billing  or  pricing  methods  or  practices
     followed  by Seller  in the  Business  or any  change  in  depreciation  or
     amortization  policies or rates theretofore adopted,  except changes in the
     ordinary course of business;

           (c) Any sale,  transfer,  lease,  abandonment or other disposition by
     Seller,  other  than  in  the  ordinary  course  of  the  Business,  of any
     inventory,  supplies,  vehicles,  machinery,  equipment or other  operating
     properties or other assets included among the Purchased  Assets,  including
     any  relocation  or  transfer  of any  Purchased  Assets  from an  Acquired
     Facility to any other facility of Seller or an Affiliate;

           (d)  Any change by Seller in its methods of accounting
     with respect to the Business;

           (e) Any change by Seller in its policies  for timing and  recognition
     of  allowances,  rebates,  concessions  from vendors and similar items with
     respect to the Business;

           (f) Any  business  interruption,  damage,  loss or  other  occurrence
     having a Material Adverse Effect, whether or not covered by insurance, as a
     result of any accident,  fire, casualty, act of God or the public enemy, or
     any labor dispute or disturbance;

           (g) Any conduct of the Business other than in the ordinary course (or
     otherwise contemplated hereunder),  including without limitation any change
     in or implementation of severance compensation benefits for any Employee of
     the Business, any material change in the prices charged by Seller in the

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     Business, any material deviation from past standards of quality of products
     and  services or any  material  reduction  in efforts or funds  expended by
     Seller to (i) repair and maintain  vehicles and other  equipment to be sold
     to Purchaser  hereunder,  (ii) replace  inventories of merchandise held for
     sale to  customers,  (iii)  promote and sell new items and  accounts,  (iv)
     purchase and maintain  inventories  of supplies and repair  parts,  and (v)
     perform all other activities  required to maintain the long-term  viability
     and quality of the Business;

           (h) Any  terminations,  changes or violations by Seller of any of the
     leases,  including without limitation,  the Real Property Leases,  Material
     Contracts,  commitments,  licenses or other  arrangements  of the Business,
     except as required  hereunder or as such changes or  terminations  occur in
     the ordinary  course of business,  none of which  terminations,  changes or
     violations shall have had a Material Adverse Effect;

           (i) Any  violations by Seller of any permits,  licenses,  restrictive
     covenants,  laws or  regulations  binding  on  Seller  which  could  have a
     Material Adverse Effect; and

           (j) Any other  occurrence,  event or condition with respect to Seller
     or  otherwise  to Seller's  knowledge  which could have a Material  Adverse
     Effect.

     4.19 Business Organization.  During the period beginning on the date of the
Latest Balance Sheet and continuing up to and including the Closing Date, Seller
has used and will use its best efforts to preserve the Business  intact,  and to
keep  available  to  Purchaser  the  services  of the present  Employees  of the
Business, to the extent that Purchaser may retain such services pursuant to this
Agreement.

     4.20  Other  Contracts.  Attached  hereto  as  Schedule  4.20 is a true and
complete list of the Contracts (other than the Real Property  Leases,  Contracts
with  customers  of the  Business,  the  Personal  Property  Leases,  employment
agreements,  purchase  orders issued in the ordinary  course of the Business and
the Collective  Bargaining  Agreements)  which require a payment to or a payment
from Seller of $50,000 per year or more (collectively, the "Other Contracts").

           Except as set forth on Schedule 4.20:

           (a) With respect to Other  Contracts with Seller's  suppliers no such
     supplier has given  Seller any written  notice of intent to cancel any such
     contract.

           (b) (i) all of the Other Contracts are in full force and effect; (ii)
     Seller  has  performed  in all  material  respects  all of the  obligations
     required to be performed  by it under the Other  Contracts;  (iii)  neither
     Seller nor, to Seller's  knowledge,  any of the other  parties to the Other
     Contracts are in default in any material respect which,  under the terms of
     such Other  Contracts,  constitutes  an event of default;  (iv) to Seller's
     knowledge, there is no existing state of facts that would give rise, by the

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     passage of time or the giving of notice, to an event of default thereunder;
     and (v) the Other  Contracts  are  assignable  to  Purchaser  without  such
     assignment  constituting an event of default thereunder,  except where such
     event of default would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

     True and complete  copies of the Other  Contracts have been made available,
or prior to the Closing Date, will be made available to Purchaser, including all
amendments supplements and modifications thereof.

     4.21 Restrictive Covenants. Except as disclosed on Schedule 4.21, Seller is
not a party to any written  contract,  license  agreement or  restriction  which
limits the scope of Seller's operation of the Business or the sale or use of the
Purchased  Assets and which has a material adverse effect on the Business or the
Purchased Assets.

     4.22 Licenses and Permits. Seller or an Affiliate has obtained all material
licenses,  permits,   franchises,   approvals  and  governmental  authorizations
(collectively  the  "Licenses  and  Permits")  required in the  operation of the
Business.  Except for such  Licenses and Permits,  no other  material  licenses,
permits,  franchises,  approvals or governmental authorizations are required for
Seller or the operation of the Business.  Except as set forth on Schedule  4.22,
(i) all  Licenses  and  Permits  are in full force and  effect;  (ii)  Seller is
performing in all material respects all obligations  required to be performed by
it to date under any Licenses and Permits; (iii) Seller is not in default in any
material  respect  under any  Licenses or Permits or the laws,  regulations  and
requirements  of the  licensing  and  permit  authorities;  and  (iv)  all  such
Transferable Permits, to the extent assignable, will be assigned to Purchaser on
the Closing Date.

     4.23  Inventory.

           (a) Except as disclosed in Schedule 4.23, the New Inventory  included
     among the Purchased  Assets is new, good and  merchantable,  has never been
     laundered or used in any manner  whatsoever and is useable or saleable,  as
     the case may be, in the ordinary course of business,  and the quantities of
     all Inventory are reasonable and warranted in the present  circumstances of
     the Business.

           (b) The  In-Service  Inventory is  sufficient  in quantity to provide
     timely and adequate  service to the customers of the Business in accordance
     with Seller's  historic  methods and  practices.  The amounts of consumable
     supplies  (including  without  limitation  hangers and washroom  chemicals,
     packaging and other production  supplies)  included in the Purchased Assets
     shall be in amounts equal to the amounts of such  consumable  supplies held
     in accordance with Seller's past practices for use in the Business.

           (c) The  branch  inventory  reports  to be  delivered  by  Seller  to
     Purchaser at Closing and to be identified as Schedule 4.23(c) will be true,
     correct and a complete  list of all of Seller's New Inventory by each stock
     keeping unit (SKU) as of the date indicated on such report.

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           (d) All Inventory  that is owned either by Seller or an Affiliate and
     that is used  exclusively  in the  Business as of the Closing  Date will be
     located  at either  (i) an  Acquired  Facility;  (ii) a  customer  location
     associated with a Covered Account;  (iii) on any vehicle listed on Schedule
     1.1(h) hereof or on a Leased Vehicle or (iv) on a Processor's Premises.

     4.24 Accounts Receivable.  All of the Accounts Receivable of Seller related
to the  Business  constitute  the valid and bona fide  claims of Seller  against
third  parties for sales,  services  or other  charges  arising in the  ordinary
course of the Business. All Accounts Receivable of Seller which are greater than
ninety  days past due as of the  Closing  Date will have been fully  reserved or
written off against the reserve for uncollected accounts.

     4.25  Brokers.  Except as disclosed on Schedule  4.25,  no finder,  broker,
agent or other  intermediary  has acted for or on behalf of Seller in connection
with the  negotiation  or  consummation  of this  Agreement or the  transactions
contemplated hereby.

     4.26  General  Warranties.  Neither  this  Agreement,  any of the  Exhibits
hereto, any Schedule or any of the other documents  delivered by or on behalf of
Parent,  Seller or any  Affiliate  pursuant  to Article  10,  contain any untrue
statement of a material fact regarding Parent,  Seller or any Affiliate,  or the
Business or any of the other  matters  dealt with in this  Article IV or omit to
state any material fact  necessary to make the  statements  contained  herein or
therein, not misleading.

                                    ARTICLE 5

                   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PURCHASER

     Purchaser hereby represents and warrants to Seller as follows:

     5.1   Organization and Authority.

           (a) Purchaser is a corporation  duly  incorporated,  validly existing
     and in good standing  under the laws of the State of  Minnesota.  Purchaser
     has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this
     Agreement and perform its obligations hereunder.

           (b) The  execution and delivery of this  Agreement by Purchaser,  and
     the performance of its obligations hereunder,  have been duly authorized by
     all necessary corporate action on the part of Purchaser. This Agreement has
     been duly executed and  delivered by Purchaser and  constitutes a valid and
     binding   obligation  of  Purchaser,   enforceable   against  Purchaser  in
     accordance with its terms.

     5.2 Compliance with Other  Instruments.  The execution and delivery of this
Agreement  by Purchaser  and the  performance  by  Purchaser of its  obligations

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                                                                         Page 45

hereunder  will not (a) conflict with or result in any violation of the articles
of  incorporation  or bylaws of Purchaser  or (b)  conflict  with or result in a
breach of any judgment,  decree,  law or order  applicable to Purchaser,  except
that the filing and  expiration of the waiting  period is required under the HSR
Act.

     5.3 Brokers.  Except as disclosed on Schedule 5.3, no finder, broker, agent
or other intermediary has acted for or on behalf of Purchaser in connection with
the  negotiation  and   consummation  of  this  Agreement  or  the  transactions
contemplated hereby.

                                    ARTICLE 6

                               COVENANTS OF SELLER

     Seller covenants and agrees with Purchaser as follows:

     6.1  Conduct of  Business;  Performance.  Between  the date  hereof and the
Closing Date,  Seller shall,  except as otherwise  specifically  consented to in
writing by  Purchaser  conduct  the  operations  of the  Business  in the manner
required pursuant to Section 4.18 hereof.

     6.2 HSR Act Filing.  Seller shall  promptly make any filing  required under
the HSR Act  relating  to this  transaction  and shall use its best  efforts  to
respond promptly to any request for additional information under the HSR Act.

     6.3  Consents.  Seller shall use its  reasonable  efforts  (which shall not
require  payments  of money to third  parties  in  order to  obtain  waivers  or
consents from such third parties  (except as otherwise  required by the relevant
contract)) to obtain any consents  required  under the Contracts to be listed on
Schedule  6.3,  which is to be prepared and delivered by Purchaser to Seller not
later than two weeks from the date hereof. In addition, Seller agrees that:

           (a) With respect to any customer of the Business whose average weekly
     revenues  exceed $500 during the period from and after February 3, 1997 and
     whose customer service contract requires the consent of such customer prior
     to its assignment to Purchaser  (exclusive,  however,  of any Multilocation
     Linen Accounts),  if Seller is unable to obtain such consent on or prior to
     the Closing Date, and at any time during the six month period subsequent to
     the Closing Date, any such customer  terminates  such contract prior to its
     scheduled  expiration  date  because of  Seller's  failure  to obtain  such
     customer's  consent  to  the  contract  assignment  (whether  or  not  such
     termination is valid under the terms of such customer's  contract),  Seller
     will pay Purchaser,  with respect to any such customer of the Linen Plants,
     an amount of money  equal to the product of (X) the  Average  Weekly  Linen
     Revenue of such customer under such customer's service contract during the

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     Linen Measuring Period and (Y) 25, or, with respect to any such customer of
     the Industrial  Plants,  an amount of money equal to the product of (X) the
     Average Weekly  Industrial  Revenue of such customer under such  customer's
     service  contract  during the Industrial  Measuring  Period and (Y) 60. Any
     amounts that become owing  pursuant to this Section 6.3(a) shall be paid by
     Seller as promptly as possible following Seller's receipt of written notice
     from  Purchaser of any such  customer  termination,  and in any event,  not
     later than thirty (30) days thereafter.

           (b) With respect to the consents to  assignment  required  under each
     Real Property Lease covering the Acquired Facilities  identified on Exhibit
     A as Corpus  Christi  Branch #424 and Portland  Branch  #133,  in the event
     Seller is unable to obtain the  respective  landlord's  consent to Seller's
     assignment of any such Real Property Lease on or prior to the Closing Date,
     and if  Seller  is  otherwise  unable or  unwilling  to make such  Acquired
     Facilities  available  to  Purchaser  by any other  commercially  available
     means,  whether  through  valid  sublease,  Seller's  acquisition  of  such
     properties  and  subsequent  sale or lease to Purchaser,  in any such case,
     under terms  substantially  equivalent to the current Real Property  Leases
     for such Acquired Facilities, such Acquired Facilities may be excluded from
     the  transactions  contemplated  by this Agreement in the sole and absolute
     discretion of Purchaser. In the event of any such exclusion, there shall be
     a  corresponding  reduction  in each of the Base Price,  Total Base Revenue
     Value and the Base Amount definitions,  in each case, to the full extent of
     the related  revenue and/or asset values for such Acquired  Facilities,  as
     the same are set forth on Exhibit A hereto.

           (c) With  respect to the Real  Property  Lease  covering the Acquired
     Facility  identified  on Exhibit A as Orlando  Branch  #5110,  Seller  will
     undertake  to  sublease  such  Acquired  Facility  to  Purchaser,  with the
     landlord's  consent,  for the  remainder  of the lease  term.  In the event
     Seller is unable to obtain the consent to any such  sublease on or prior to
     the Closing Date, and Seller is otherwise  unable or unwilling to make such
     Acquired  Facility   available  to  Purchaser  by  any  other  commercially
     available means,  whether through Seller's acquisition of such property and
     subsequent  leasing of it to  Purchaser  through May 1998 (but not longer),
     under terms substantially equivalent to the current Real Property Lease for
     such Acquired Facility,  Seller will provide Purchaser with such reasonable
     assistance as Purchaser may require in  connection  with locating  suitable
     alternative  facilities,  but Seller shall not have any  responsibility for
     any  relocation  costs  incurred  by  Purchaser  in  connection  with  such
     relocation.

           (d) With respect to the consent to assignment required under the Real
     Property  Lease covering the Acquired  Facility  identified on Exhibit A as
     Jonesboro  Branch  #2810,  in the event  Seller  is  unable  to obtain  the
     landlord's consent to Seller's assignment of such Real Property Lease on or
     prior to the Closing Date,  and Seller is otherwise  unable or unwilling to
     make  such   Acquired   Facility   available  to   Purchaser   under  terms
     substantially  equivalent  to the  current  Real  Property  Lease  for such
     Acquired  Facility,  Seller will  provide  Purchaser  with such  reasonable
     assistance as Purchaser may require in  connection  with locating  suitable
     alternative  facilities,  and shall also pay  Purchaser  up to  $100,000 to
     cover expenses incurred in connection with Purchaser's relocation.

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           (e) With respect to the consents to  assignment  required  under each
     Real Property Lease covering the Acquired Facilities  identified on Exhibit
     A as Lakeland Branch #4710 and Portsmouth  Branch #560, in the event Seller
     is  unable  to  obtain  the  respective   landlord's  consent  to  Seller's
     assignment  of such Real  Property  Leases on or prior to the Closing Date,
     Seller shall  exercise its purchase  options with respect to either or both
     such Acquired  Facilities and shall  thereafter  either assign its purchase
     rights  and  obligations  to  Purchaser  in a  valid  assignment  or  shall
     otherwise  consummate  the  purchase  of such  properties  and  thereafter,
     Purchaser  shall be irrevocably  obligated to buy such Acquired  Facilities
     from Seller at the  identical  purchase  price,  and  otherwise on the same
     terms  and  conditions,  as  Seller  shall  have  paid  for  such  Acquired
     Facilities pursuant to its purchase options.

           (f) Seller will comply with all requirements under the National Labor
     Relations Act and the Labor Management Relations Act related to sale of the
     Business  to  Purchaser.  Seller will  notify  Purchaser  in advance of any
     meetings  with any  union  party to the  Collective  Bargaining  Agreements
     relating to the  transactions  contemplated  by this  Agreement and provide
     Purchaser  with an  opportunity to attend and direct any discussion at such
     meetings  related  to  Purchaser's  operation  of the  Business  after  the
     Closing.  Seller will inform any union party to the  Collective  Bargaining
     Agreement  that  it may be  necessary  for  Purchaser  to  replace  certain
     employee benefit plans under the Collective Bargaining  Agreements.  Seller
     will use its  reasonable  best  efforts  prior  to the  Closing  to  obtain
     executed  successorship  agreements  from any union  party to a  Collective
     Bargaining  Agreement  so  as to  secure  such  union  party's  consent  to
     Purchaser succeeding Seller under such Collective Bargaining Agreement.

     6.4 Access and  Information.  Seller shall permit Purchaser and Purchaser's
counsel,  accountants  and other  representatives  full access  upon  reasonable
notice  during  normal  business  hours to all the  properties,  assets,  books,
records,  agreements,  commitments and other documents of Seller  concerning the
Business or the Purchased Assets; provided,  however, that such access shall not
interfere with the operation of the Business.  Seller shall furnish to Purchaser
and its representatives all available  information with respect to the Purchased
Assets as Purchaser may reasonably request, and, in connection therewith,  shall
specifically  cooperate in the exchange of data  processing  information  in the
manner and to the extent contemplated by Schedule 6.4 hereof.

     6.5   Noncompetition; Nonsolicitation; and Confidentiality.

           (a) As used in this Section 6.5, the  following  terms shall have the
     following meanings:

                     (i)  "Person"  means  any  individual,  firm,  partnership,
           association, corporation, limited liability entity, trust, venture or
           other business organization, entity or enterprise;

                                       36
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Page 48


                     (ii) "Industrial Supply Business" means the
           supply for hire and facility-based direct sales of
           Industrial Items;

                     (iii) "Industrial  Items" means industrial  shirts,  pants,
           coveralls,  jumpsuits,  shop coats,  counter  coats,  shop towels and
           printer towels;

                     (iv) "Restricted Period" means the period commencing on the
           Closing Date and ending on the fifth anniversary of the Closing Date;
           provided that, if Seller or  Enterprises  violate the covenant not to
           compete,  the Restricted Period shall be extended for an added period
           equal to the duration of the period of such violation.

                     (v)  "Restricted  Territory"  means the geographic  service
           areas covered by the zip code listings set forth on Schedule 6.5.

                (vi) The term "engage or be interested,  directly or indirectly"
           as used herein, shall include,  without limitation,  giving advice or
           technical  or  financial  assistance  by  loan,   guarantees,   stock
           transactions  or in any other  manner to any Person doing or about to
           engage  in the  Industrial  Supply  Business  within  the  Restricted
           Territory.

           (b) During the  Restricted  Period,  neither  Seller nor  Enterprises
     will,  without  Purchaser's  prior written consent,  (which may be withheld
     with or without reason), directly or indirectly,  for itself or together or
     on behalf of any other  Person,  engage or be  interested  in,  directly or
     indirectly,   the  Industrial  Supply  Business,   as  partner,   investor,
     shareholder,  principal,  agent,  officer,  director,  employee,  technical
     advisor,  lender,  trustee,  beneficiary or otherwise,  anywhere within the
     Restricted Territory. In connection with the foregoing covenant, Seller and
     Enterprises  agree that,  following the Closing Date, they will not use any
     of the trademarks  licensed under the Service Mark License  Agreement dated
     October  1,  1990  from  Williamson-Dickie  Manufacturing  Company  in  the
     Industrial Supply Business or otherwise.  Nothing contained in this Section
     6.5(b) shall prohibit or be construed as prohibiting Seller from selling or
     renting or  soliciting  the sale or rental of any  Industrial  Items to any
     customer  where the net  revenue  attributable  to sales or rental of linen
     items, such as bed linens, table linens, bath and hand towels, aprons, chef
     coats,  cook pants and like items, at any single customer delivery location
     represents  more than fifty  percent  (50%) of the net  revenue  derived by
     Seller from such single  customer  delivery  location in any rolling  three
     month period.

           (c) During the Restricted Period, Seller and Enterprises hereby agree
     that they shall not, without  Purchaser's  prior written consent (which may
     be withheld with or without  reason),  either  directly or indirectly,  for
     themselves or on behalf of any other Person, (except Purchaser) (i) sell or
     rent or solicit  the sale or rental of any items or products or services to
     any Covered Account of a Linen Plant which items, products or services are

                                       37
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                                                                         Page 49

     similar to those  offered for sale or rental by Seller or any  Affiliate in
     the  conduct of the  Business  at any time within the period of twelve (12)
     months  preceding the Closing Date or (ii) sell or rent or solicit the sale
     or rental of any Industrial  Items to any Covered  Account of an Industrial
     Plant.

           (d)  Nothing  contained  in this  Agreement  shall  be  construed  as
     prohibiting  (i) the  activities  of  Seller  pursuant  to the  Subcontract
     Agreement;  (ii)  sales  and the  solicitation  of sales by  Seller  to the
     Covered  Accounts of chemical  products;  (iii)  direct sales in the normal
     course of conducting  Seller's national direct sales business;  or (iv) the
     right of Seller to  continue  to service  any  accounts  which exist on the
     Closing  Date  and  are  not  being  sold  to  Purchaser  pursuant  to this
     Agreement.

           (e) From and after the Closing Date,  neither Seller nor  Enterprises
     shall  disclose  any  confidential   information  to  any  Person,  (except
     Purchaser),  which confidential  information relates to the Business or the
     Purchased Assets,  excluding confidential information related to or used in
     servicing  multilocation  or national  accounts,  but,  including,  without
     limitation,  the identity of,  prices  charged to or business done with any
     Covered Account as of the Closing Date, except (i) in response to a request
     of a governmental  agency, (ii) pursuant to court order, (iii) as otherwise
     provided in Section 1.5 hereof,  or (iv) as  otherwise  required by law. In
     the  event  that  Seller  is  requested  or  required  (by oral  questions,
     interrogatories,   requests   for   information   or   documents  in  legal
     proceedings, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process)
     to  disclose  any  such  confidential  information,  Seller  shall  provide
     Purchaser  with prompt written notice of any such request or requirement so
     that  Purchaser  may seek a protective  order or other  appropriate  remedy
     and/or waive  compliance with the provisions of this Agreement.  If, in the
     absence of a  protective  order or other  remedy or the receipt of a waiver
     from Purchaser,  Seller is  nonetheless,  in the written opinion of outside
     counsel,  legally  compelled  to disclose  such  confidential  information,
     Seller  may,  without  liability  hereunder,   disclose  such  confidential
     information.

           (f) Seller hereby agrees that for a period of five (5) years from and
     after the Closing Date,  without  Purchaser's  prior written consent (which
     may be  withheld  with  or  without  reason),  it  shall  not  directly  or
     indirectly  or acting alone or together with or on behalf of or through any
     other  person,  affiliate or entity:  (i) hire as employee,  consultant  or
     other   independent   contractor;   (ii)  enter  into  any  other  business
     relationship (including,  without limitation, as partners, joint venturers,
     guarantors,  business  associates,   investors,  financiers,  owners  of  a
     corporation or other business organization,  entity or enterprise) with; or
     (iii) request,  induce, advise or encourage a termination of employment by,
     any Hired Employee (so long as such Hired Employee continues as an employee
     of Purchaser).

           (g)  Because  the  breach or  anticipated  breach of the  restrictive
     covenants  set forth in this  Section  6.5 could  result in  immediate  and

                                       38
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Page 50

     irreparable  harm and  injury to  Purchaser,  for which it will not have an
     adequate remedy at law,  Seller and Enterprises  agree that Purchaser shall
     be entitled to relief in equity to enjoin  temporarily  and/or  permanently
     such breach or  anticipated  breach and to seek any and all other legal and
     equitable  remedies to which  Purchaser may be entitled.  In the event that
     the foregoing  restrictive covenants are considered by a court of competent
     jurisdiction  or  arbitrator  to be excessive in its duration or scope,  it
     shall be  considered  modified  and  valid for such  duration  and for such
     business  and area as such court or  arbitrator  may  determine  reasonable
     under the circumstances.

           (h)  Any  provision  to the  contrary  notwithstanding,  specifically
     including Section 14.13 hereof,  Seller and Enterprises  hereby irrevocably
     consent to the  assignment by Purchaser of all or a portion of  Purchaser's
     rights under this  Section 6.5 to any other person or entity in  connection
     with Purchaser's sale of all or substantially  all of the assets and/or any
     portion of the revenue base  attributable to any Acquired Facility and such
     transferee  shall  thereafter have all of Purchaser's  rights hereunder for
     the duration of the Restricted Period.

     6.6  Monthly  Financial  Statements.  From and  after the date  hereof  and
through  the end of each month  prior to the Closing  Date,  within  twenty days
after the end of each such month,  Seller will provide  unaudited  statements of
net assets (i.e.,  Purchased Assets and Assumed  Liabilities) of the Business as
of the month then ended and the  related  unaudited  statements  of revenue  and
operating  expenses of the Business (which will reflect earnings before interest
and taxes) for the period from  February 1, 1997  through the end of such month.
The financial statements delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence (exclusive
of any line items below the line item thereon for adjusted operating income) are
hereinafter  referred  to as the  "Monthly  Statements."  Upon  delivery of each
Monthly Statement,  Seller shall be deemed to have made the same representations
and warranties with respect to such Monthly  Statements as Seller made about the
Interim  Statements,  and the  definition of Interim  Statements for purposes of
this Agreement shall be deemed to include such Monthly Statement.

     6.7   Notification of Certain Matters.

           (a) Seller shall give prompt  written  notice to Purchaser of (i) the
     occurrence,  or failure to occur, of any event which  occurrence or failure
     would be likely  to cause a  Material  Adverse  Effect,  (ii) any  material
     claims,  actions,  proceedings or investigations  commenced or, to Seller's
     knowledge,  threatened,  involving or affecting Seller or any Affiliate and
     any of the  Purchased  Assets and which would be likely to cause a Material
     Adverse  Effect,  and (iii) any material  adverse  change in the  condition
     (financial or other),  properties,  assets, or liabilities of the Business,
     taken as a whole,  which,  so far as reasonably can be foreseen at the time
     of its  occurrence,  would be likely to cause a  Material  Adverse  Effect;
     provided,   however,   that  no  such   notification   shall   affect   the
     representations  or  warranties  of the  parties or the  conditions  to the
     obligations to the parties hereunder.

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           (b) In addition to, and not in lieu of, the  foregoing,  Seller shall
     deliver to Purchaser a true and  complete  schedule of changes (the "Update
     Schedule") to any of the  information  contained in any of the Schedules to
     this  Agreement  (including,  without  limitation,  changes  to  any  other
     representations  or warranties of Seller in Article 4 hereof as to which no
     Schedules  have  been  created  as of the  date  hereof  but as to  which a
     Schedule  would have been  required  hereunder  to have been  created on or
     before the date hereof if such  changes had existed on the date  hereof) in
     writing to Purchaser,  dated within five business days of the Closing Date,
     with a certificate  executed by Seller's Executive Vice President and Chief
     Financial Officer, stating that he has supervised or conducted a reasonable
     investigation  necessary for purposes of this certificate and certifying as
     to the accuracy and completeness of such Update Schedule.

     6.8  Continuation  Obligations.  Seller  shall be  solely  responsible  for
satisfying any employee benefit continuation  obligations Seller may have before
or after the Closing Date relating to "qualifying events" (as defined in Section
603 of ERISA)  occurring  on or prior to the  Closing  Date with  respect to the
Employees  of the  Business,  or  former  Employees  of the  Business  and their
beneficiaries under its Welfare Plans, Sections 601 through 609 of ERISA and any
applicable  state  law,  as a result of the  transactions  contemplated  by this
Agreement or otherwise.

     6.9   Environmental Remediation Obligations of Seller.

           (a) Seller has  heretofore  prepared at its own expense and delivered
     to Purchaser  or will  prepare at its own expense and deliver  prior to the
     Closing Date, full Phase I  environmental  studies for each of the Acquired
     Facilities (collectively,  the "Phase I Reports").  Seller agrees that from
     and  after  the  date  hereof,  it will  either  (i)  pay  the  cost of any
     environmental  remediation  identified on Schedule 6.9, as Schedule 6.9 may
     be updated or  supplemented  pursuant  to Schedule  6.9 and/or  Section 6.7
     hereof (the  "Environmental  Remediation")  or (ii) in Seller's  reasonable
     discretion,   reimburse   Purchaser  the  full  cost  of   completing   the
     Environmental  Remediation,  inclusive  of any and all direct  labor  costs
     reasonably   incurred  by  Purchaser  in  effecting  any  such  remediation
     obligation, as the same may be reasonably demonstrated by Purchaser.

           (b)  Notwithstanding   Purchaser's  assumption  of  those  compliance
     obligations pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof,  Seller shall be solely liable
     for any and all costs and expenses related to any environmental remediation
     obligations  with respect to those  monitoring and  compliance  obligations
     which are reasonably related to conduct,  activities or conditions existing
     on or prior  to the  Closing  Date.  Any such  remediation  obligations  so
     identified  shall  thereafter be treated in the manner  contemplated by the
     provisions of Section 6.9(a).

           (c) From and after the Closing and through the fourth  anniversary of
     the Closing Date (but subject to Schedule 6.9),  Seller and Purchaser agree
     to split  equally  the cost of any  other  environmental  remediation  work
     required under any then existing Environmental Law for unknown and

                                       40
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     contingent environmental liabilities that relate to conduct,  activities or
     conditions  existing  on or prior to the  Closing  Date to the extent  they
     occur  within the legal  property  boundaries  of an Acquired  Facility and
     which  are  not   identified   or   referenced  in  the  Phase  I  Reports.
     Notwithstanding the foregoing,  the maximum amount which Purchaser shall be
     required to pay pursuant to the foregoing  sentence  shall be $250,000,  at
     which time,  Seller shall be solely  responsible  for all amounts in excess
     thereof.  From and  after  the  fourth  anniversary  of the  Closing  Date,
     Purchaser shall  thereafter  have the  obligations  contemplated by Section
     2(g)  hereof.  To  the  extent  that  Seller  receives  reimbursement  from
     governmental  entities for environmental  remediation  contemplated by this
     paragraph  6.9(c),  and  Purchaser  has  previously  made  payment for such
     remediation  as required by this  paragraph  6.9(c),  Seller will  promptly
     reimburse  Purchaser  for any payment so made in an amount equal to (i) the
     amount  of the  reimbursement,  multiplied  by  (ii) a  fraction,  (x)  the
     numerator  of which is the amount paid by  Purchaser  with  respect to such
     remediation,  and (y) the  denominator of which is the total amount paid by
     Seller and Purchaser with respect to such remediation.

           (d)  Purchaser  will  allow  Seller  access  to the  applicable  Real
     Property,  and  will  provide  any  other  third  parties  such  additional
     reasonable  access as may be  reasonably  necessary to perform  remediation
     required  pursuant to this  Agreement,  and Seller will use its  reasonable
     best efforts,  and will use such reasonable best efforts to cause any third
     parties,  not to interfere  with the operation of the Business on such Real
     Property in connection  with the  performance of such  remediation.  In the
     event  Purchaser  sells or  transfers  any Real  Property at any time while
     Seller  remains  liable for  remediation  pursuant to this  Agreement  with
     respect to such Real  Property,  Purchaser  will ensure in its  contract of
     sale  for any  Owned  Real  Property  that  Seller  or such  third  parties
     continues to have such reasonable access as may be reasonably  necessary to
     perform remediation required pursuant to this Agreement,  and, with respect
     to any Leased Real Property,  will undertake its reasonable best efforts to
     ensure  that  Seller or such third  parties  continues  to have  reasonable
     access as may be  reasonably  necessary  to  perform  remediation  required
     pursuant to this Agreement.

     6.10 Subsequent  Assignment of the Transition  Services  Agreement.  Seller
shall, at any time and from time to time at and after the Closing,  upon request
of Purchaser and without  additional  consideration,  provide those  services as
will be provided to Purchaser  under the  Transition  Services  Agreement to any
purchaser  in any  Linen  Plant  Sale;  provided  however,  Seller  shall not be
required to provide any such  transition  services to any  purchaser  of a Linen
Plant(s) for a period of time in excess of six (6) months.

     6.11 Zoning Assurances. Seller shall use reasonable best efforts to provide
Purchaser at its sole cost and expense  with written  evidence (in the form of a
zoning  endorsement  (ALTA Form 3.1) or a letter from the applicable  city) that
the parcels of Owned Real  Property  described in Schedule 6.11 comply as of the
Closing  Date  with all  applicable  laws,  ordinances,  rules  and  regulations
relating  to zoning for such  parcel of Owned Real  Property.  Seller  shall use

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reasonable best efforts to provide such zoning  assurances to Purchaser no later
than one hundred twenty (120) days after the Closing Date.

     6.12 Permitted Encumbrances.  To the extent that Purchaser has not received
the Title Commitment  and/or survey or to the extent issues are marked "open" on
Schedule  4.4 for each  parcel  of Owned  Real  Property  as of the date of this
Agreement,  title to each  parcel of such Owned Real  Property  will be good and
marketable,  free and clear of any security interest,  mortgage,  pledge,  lien,
charge,  encumbrance,  right of way,  easement  or adverse  claim of any kind or
nature  except (i) liens for  current  taxes not yet due and  payable;  and (ii)
those  encumbrances,  rights of way, easements or adverse claims  (collectively,
the   "Restrictions")   of  a  type  and  kind  consistent  with  the  Permitted
Encumbrances  described on Schedule 4.4 as of the date of this  Agreement  which
Restrictions  shall be added to Schedule  4.4 on or prior to the  Closing  Date;
provided,  however,  should  Purchaser  and Seller be unable to agree  whether a
Restriction  shall be a Permitted  Encumbrance,  then such Restriction  shall be
deemed a Permitted  Encumbrance  and Seller shall indemnify and hold a Purchaser
Indemnified Party (as hereinafter defined) harmless from, against and in respect
of any and all loss,  liability,  and  expense  (including  without  limitation,
reasonable  expenses and  attorney's  fees)  suffered or incurred by a Purchaser
Indemnified  Party by reason of such  Restriction  (the "Section 6.12  Losses").
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Seller shall have no liability under this Section
6.12 to  indemnify a  Purchaser  Indemnified  Party for any Section  6.12 Losses
related to an Acquired  Facility until the aggregate costs for such Section 6.12
Losses related to such Acquired Facility exceed $5,000.

     6.13 Real  Property.  Seller  shall  obtain  at its own cost and  expense a
commitment  for an ALTA  Owner's  policy of title  insurance  for each parcel of
Owned  Real   Property   dated   subsequent  to  the  date  hereof  (the  "Title
Commitments") which shall be issued by Lawyers Title Insurance  Corporation (the
"Title Company"), showing all exceptions to title including, but not limited to,
all covenants,  conditions,  restrictions,  reservations,  easements, rights and
rights-of-way,  liens  and  other  matters  of  record,  in  each  case,  as are
reasonably  acceptable  to  Purchaser,  and shall  include  proper  searches for
bankruptcies,  judgments  and state and federal tax liens  affecting  such Owned
Real  Property or Seller or any Affiliate and shall also include a commitment to
endorse the final  policy of title  insurance  to be issued to  Purchaser by the
Title Company (the "Title  Policy") so as to (i) delete the standard  exceptions
(including  exceptions for parties in  possession,  except for tenants under the
Real Property Leases;  unrecorded  instruments;  survey matters;  and mechanic's
liens);  (ii) insure that certain  parcels of real estate  comprising such Owned
Real Property are contiguous, as applicable and available; and (iii) insure that
the Owned Real Property  complies with all existing  covenants,  conditions  and
restrictions of record and that the instruments  creating any such  restrictions
do not  contain any  forfeiture  of title or right of  re-entry  provisions,  as
applicable  and available  (collectively,  the "Title  Endorsements").  All such
endorsements  and  agreements  shall be  customary  and standard and in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to Purchaser.

     6.14 Supply Contracts. Following the Closing, Seller will provide Purchaser
with the  opportunity  to  purchase  under  the  Standard  Agreement  and  Artex

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Page 54

Agreement  during  the terms  thereof at the prices  thereunder,  provided  that
Purchaser  shall have no  obligation  to purchase any amounts  under either such
Agreement.


                                    ARTICLE 7

                             COVENANTS OF PURCHASER

     Purchaser covenants and agrees with Seller as follows:

     7.1 HSR Act Filings.  Purchaser  shall  promptly  make any filing  required
under the HSR Act and shall use its best  efforts  to  promptly  respond  to any
request for additional information under the HSR Act.

     7.2   Employee Matters.

           (a)  Purchaser  shall offer  employment,  on an at-will basis (except
     that any  Employee of the  Business  covered by any  Collective  Bargaining
     Agreement  shall be hired pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in
     that Collective Bargaining Agreement) effective on the Closing Date, to all
     regular full-time and part-time  employees of the Business who are actively
     employed at an Acquired Facility and to those sales representatives who are
     assigned to an Acquired Facility in addition to those employees  identified
     on Schedule 7.2(a), in each case, as of the Closing Date (the "Employees of
     the Business").  Purchaser also may interview any of the individuals  named
     on the list  provided by Seller to Purchaser  prior to the date hereof (the
     "Home Office  Employees") and may hire any such Home Office Employees as it
     shall determine in its sole discretion.  (The Employees of the Business and
     those Home Office  Employees  hired by Purchaser as of the Closing Date are
     referred to collectively herein as the "Hired Employees").  Purchaser shall
     not be required to assume any  compensation,  fringe  benefit or retirement
     plan  heretofore  provided  by  Seller or  retain  for a  certain  time any
     Employees of the Business hired by Purchaser.

           (b) With  respect to  Employees  of the Business who are not actively
     employed in the  Business on the  Closing  Date for any reason  (other than
     routine illness,  vacation or personal days), Purchaser agrees to hire each
     such Employee of the Business at such time as they are medically authorized
     to return to full time  employment,  as evidenced by appropriate  physician
     authorization  or,  in the case of any  leave  of  absence  unrelated  to a
     medical condition,  upon expiration of such leave of absence. In connection
     therewith, from and after the Closing Date, and until such time as any such
     Employee  of the  Business is able to return to full time  employment  with
     Purchaser as contemplated by the preceding sentence,  Seller agrees that it
     will  continue to pay the costs of those  fringe  benefits as to which such
     employee is  otherwise  entitled as of the Closing Date and with respect to
     which Seller is making such payments as of the Closing Date; provided,

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     however,  with  respect to any  Employee of the  Business  who is receiving
     workers'  compensation benefits as of the Closing Date, Seller shall pay or
     reimburse to Purchaser  the full cost of any wage  differential  adjustment
     such employee might  otherwise be entitled to upon his or her  commencement
     of employment with Purchaser, if such return is on any restricted status or
     modified  duty,  with  Seller's  payment  or  reimbursement  obligation  to
     continue  from and after the date that  Purchaser  hires any such  employee
     through  the  date  such   employee  is  able  to  work  without  any  such
     restriction.

           (c) Purchaser  agrees,  with respect to the Hired  Employees only, to
     provide the severance  benefits set forth on Schedule  7.2(c) hereto to any
     salaried,  exempt employees of the Business who are terminated by Purchaser
     within the first year  following  the  Closing,  except with respect to any
     such salaried,  exempt employees of the Business who become employed for at
     least 180 days by another  business entity that has acquired from Purchaser
     the Acquired Facility at which such employees worked.

           (d) To the extent any "withdrawal liability" (as described in Section
     4201 of  ERISA)  would  otherwise  be due from  Seller  as a result  of the
     purchase and sale of the Business and the Purchased  Assets as contemplated
     hereby,  Purchaser and Seller shall comply with the requirements of Section
     4204 of ERISA,  in order that no  "complete  withdrawal"  (as  described in
     Section  4203 of ERISA) or "partial  withdrawal"  (as  described in Section
     4205 of ERISA) by Seller from any of the "multiemployer  plans" (as defined
     in Section  4001(a)(3) of ERISA,  listed on Schedule  4.12) to which Seller
     contributes on behalf of certain of the Employees of the Business  pursuant
     to the  Collective  Bargaining  Agreements,  occurs  as a  result  of  such
     purchase and sale.  After the Closing Date, but only to the extent required
     to comply with Section 4204 of ERISA,  Purchaser shall incur an "obligation
     to  contribute"  (as  described  in Section  4212 of ERISA) to each of such
     multiemployer  plans with respect to the Business and the Purchased Assets,
     for  substantially  the  same  number  of  "contribution  base  units"  (as
     described  in Section  4001(a)(11)  of ERISA) for which  Seller had such an
     obligation  to  contribute  with  respect  thereto on or before the Closing
     Date.  If  Purchaser  decides  to obtain  from the PBGC  and/or any of such
     multiemployer  plans an  exemption  or variance  from the  requirements  of
     Section  4204(a)(1)(B)  of ERISA,  Seller shall use  reasonable  efforts to
     assist  Purchaser,  including  the  timely  delivery  to  Purchaser  of any
     information held by or available to Seller and required by PBGC or any such
     plan in connection with Purchaser's request for such exemption or variance.
     If a satisfactory  exemption or variance is not obtained,  Purchaser  shall
     post a bond,  establish an escrow or provide other  security  acceptable to
     such  multiemployer  plans, and the amount and terms and conditions of such
     security  shall satisfy the  requirements  of Section 4204 of ERISA.  Until
     such a satisfactory exemption or variance is obtained, Purchaser shall post
     a bond,  establish an escrow,  or provide other security  acceptable to the
     multiemployer  plans, if required.  If Purchaser withdraws from any of such
     plans in a complete or partial  withdrawal with respect to the Business and
     the Purchased  Assets during the first five plan years  commencing with the
     first plan year beginning after the Closing and is required, but fails to

                                       44
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Page 56

     make a withdrawal  liability  payment as a result thereof,  Seller shall be
     secondarily  liable to such  multiemployer  plan, to the extent required by
     Section 4204(a)(2) of ERISA, but not to exceed the amount of any withdrawal
     liability  Seller  would have had to such plan with  respect to the sale of
     the Business,  but for Section 4204 of ERISA (the "Withdrawal  Liability").
     However,  as between  Purchaser and Seller,  Purchaser  shall be liable for
     such  Withdrawal  Liability,  and Purchaser  shall also  indemnify and hold
     harmless  Seller  against any payment to any of such  multiemployer  plans,
     either by Seller or  through  any bond or escrow  provided  by  Seller,  of
     Seller's  secondary  withdrawal  liability under Section 4204(a)(2) that is
     caused by Purchaser's  failure to make any withdrawal  liability payment to
     such a plan when due;  provided,  however,  that the  aggregate  amount for
     which  Purchaser  shall be required to indemnify  Seller under this Section
     7.2(d)  shall not exceed  $5,000,000,  and  Seller  shall be liable for any
     Withdrawal  Liability in excess of such amount and shall indemnify and hold
     harmless Purchaser against liability in excess of $5,000,000.

           (e) Effective as of the Closing Date,  Purchaser  will make available
     to the Hired Employees,  health insurance coverage that will provide health
     insurance  to  each  such  Hired   Employee  and,  with  respect  to  their
     dependents,  if so elected,  immediately  upon  employment  with Purchaser,
     without regard to any preexisting condition, exclusion or other limitation,
     but otherwise subject to the terms and conditions of such plan or policy.

     7.3  Financing.  Purchaser  shall use its  reasonable  best efforts to have
finalized  all  documentation   relating  to  its  financing  arrangements  (but
excluding  actual funding) two weeks prior to the Closing Date, on substantially
the terms and subject to the conditions set forth on Exhibit C hereto.

     7.4 Other Matters.  Purchaser  agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to
have any  purchaser  in any Linen  Plant Sale  assume each and every Real Estate
Lease relating to any Acquired Facility included within such transaction.

     7.5 Title Policy. To the extent Purchaser has any claim against Seller with
respect to any parcel of Owned Real  Property  and such claim may  otherwise  be
insured  against  under a Title  Policy,  Purchaser  agrees that it will seek to
recover  such claim  against  Seller  only if, and only to the extent  that such
claim is denied by the Title Company.

                                    ARTICLE 8

                 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO PURCHASER'S OBLIGATIONS

     The obligations of Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by
this  Agreement  are  subject  to the  satisfaction  of  each  of the  following
conditions prior to or at the Closing,  unless specifically waived in writing by
Purchaser in advance: 

                                       45
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                                                                         Page 57


     8.1 Representations  and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of
Seller  contained  in this  Agreement  shall be true and correct in all material
respects as of the date of this  Agreement  and as of the Closing Date as though
the Closing Date had been substituted for the date of this Agreement  throughout
such  representations  and warranties,  except that any such  representation  or
warranty  made as of a specified  date (other than the date hereof) need only be
true as of such date,  Seller  shall have duly  performed  and  complied  in all
material respects with all covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions
required by this Agreement to be performed, complied with or satisfied by Seller
prior to or at the Closing,  including without limitation delivery of the Update
Schedule,  and Seller shall have delivered its  certificate to Purchaser to such
effect.

     8.2 Absence of Litigation.  No order,  writ,  injunction or decree which is
binding on Purchaser  and/or  Seller or the Real  Property  and which  prohibits
Purchaser and/or Seller from consummating the transactions  contemplated  hereby
shall be in effect,  provided  that  Purchaser  shall  have used its  reasonable
efforts to have any such order,  writ,  injunction or decree lifted and the same
shall  not have been  lifted by any such  court or  governmental  or  regulatory
agency.  No claim,  action,  suit or  proceeding  shall be pending or threatened
against  Purchaser  or Seller,  the  Business  or the Real  Property  which,  if
adversely  determined,  would prevent the  consummation  of the  transaction and
other  actions  contemplated  hereby  or result in the  payment  of  substantial
damages as a result of such  action and for which the other party is not willing
to provide indemnification.

     8.3 Consents and  Approvals.  All  governmental  and  regulatory  approvals
requisite or appropriate to the  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated
herein shall have been obtained (or all  applicable  waiting  periods shall have
expired) including,  without limitation, those approvals required under HSR, but
excluding any customer Contract with any governmental agency or entity, and such
consents or approvals shall remain in full force and effect.

     8.4 Opinion of Counsel to Seller. Purchaser shall have received from King &
Spalding,  an opinion,  dated the  Closing  Date,  substantially  in the form of
Exhibit D ("Seller Counsel's Legal Opinion").

     8.5  Absence of  Changes.  During the period  from  January 31, 1997 to and
including  the  Closing  Date,  there  will not have  been (i) any  increase  in
encumbrances  against  the  Owned  Real  Property  (which  is  not  an  Excluded
Liability) or (ii) subject to Section 3.9, change in the condition (financial or
other),  properties,  assets, or liabilities  representing  Assumed Liabilities,
whether or not insured, which increases or changes would have a Material Adverse
Effect. For purposes of the preceding  sentence,  the parties  acknowledge that:
(i) no Material  Adverse Effect shall be deemed to have occurred if any Acquired
Facility  representing  all or part, or otherwise  associated with a Linen Plant
shall be damaged or  destroyed by fire or other  casualty  prior to the Closing;
(ii) there shall be no resulting  violation of Section 4.18 (a) or (f) hereof by
reason of such  fire or  casualty;  and (iii)  with  respect  to such  damage or
destruction  only,  the  condition set forth in this Section 8.5 shall be deemed
satisfied.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  in the  event of any such  fire or

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Page 58

casualty  involving an Acquired Facility  representing all or part, or otherwise
associated with a Linen Plant, Purchaser thereafter have the option, in its sole
and  absolute   discretion,   to  exclude  such  Acquired  Facilities  from  the
transactions  contemplated by this Agreement with a  corresponding  reduction in
each  of  the  Base  Price,  Total  Base  Revenue  Value  and  the  Base  Amount
definitions,  in each case,  to the full  extent of the related  revenue  and/or
total values for such Acquired Facilities, as derived from Schedule 3.7 hereto.

     8.6   Delivery of Financials.

           (a)  Seller  shall  have  prepared  and  delivered   those  financial
     statements  described  on Schedule  8.6(a)  hereof,  and shall also provide
     Purchaser with such additional reasonable detail or supporting  information
     to support any pro forma  adjustments that would be necessary in connection
     with the  presentation  of the Audited  Financial  Statements  and Reviewed
     Financial  Statements  (as such terms are defined on  Schedule  8.6(a)) and
     would further enable Purchaser to make a reasonable  comparison of Seller's
     adjusted operating profit as set forth in the Financial  Statements and the
     Interim Statements.

           (b) The  Statement of Revenue and  Operating  Expenses  included as a
     part of each of the Audited Financial Statements and the Reviewed Financial
     Statements  shall not reflect any  material  adjustments,  restatements  or
     reclassifications as compared to the corresponding Financial Statements and
     the Interim Statements,  except for: accruals for compensation,  commission
     or bonuses  that exceed a twelve  month  period with  respect to any fiscal
     year covered by the Audited Financial Statements,  but only with respect to
     the portion of such accruals in excess of a twelve month period.

     8.7 Real Estate.  Purchaser shall have received special or limited warranty
deeds conveying the Owned Real Property (collectively, the "Deeds") to Purchaser
and such  Deeds  shall  be  customary  and  standard  and in form and  substance
reasonably satisfactory to Purchaser.

     8.8 Financing. Purchaser shall have received financing on substantially the
terms and subject to the conditions set forth on Exhibit C hereto.

                                    ARTICLE 9

                  CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO SELLER'S OBLIGATIONS

     The  obligations of Seller to consummate the  transactions  contemplated by
this  Agreement  are subject to the  satisfaction  prior to or at the Closing of
each of the  following  conditions,  unless  specifically  waived in  writing by
Seller in advance:

     9.1 Representations  and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of
Purchaser contained in this Agreement shall be true and complete in all material

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respects as of the date of this  Agreement  and as of the Closing Date as though
the Closing Date had been substituted for the date of this Agreement  throughout
such  representations  and warranties,  except that any such  representation  or
warranty  made as of a specified  date (other than the date hereof) need only be
true as of such date,  Purchaser  shall have duly  performed and complied in all
material  respects with all  covenants,  agreements and satisfied all conditions
required by this  Agreement to be performed and complied with or satisfied by it
prior to or at the Closing,  and Purchaser  shall have delivered its certificate
to Seller to such effects.

     9.2 Absence of Litigation.  No order,  writ,  injunction or decree which is
binding on Purchaser  and/or Seller and which prohibits  Purchaser and/or Seller
from  consummating  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby  shall be in effect;
provided  that Seller  shall have used its  reasonable  efforts to have any such
order, writ, injunction or decree lifted and the same shall not have been lifted
by any such court or governmental or regulatory agency. No claim,  action,  suit
or proceeding shall be pending or threatened  against Purchaser or Seller which,
if adversely  determined,  would prevent the consummation of the transaction and
other  actions  contemplated  hereby  or result in the  payment  of  substantial
damages as a result of such  action and for which the other party is not willing
to provide indemnification.

     9.3 Consents and  Approvals.  All  governmental  and  regulatory  approvals
requisite or appropriate to the  consummation of the  transactions  contemplated
herein shall have been obtained (or all  applicable  waiting  periods shall have
expired) including,  without limitation, those approvals required under HSR, and
shall remain in full force and effect.

     9.4 Opinion of Counsel to Purchaser. Seller shall have received from Maslon
Edelman Borman & Brand, a Professional Limited Liability Partnership, counsel to
Purchaser,  an  opinion,  dated  the  Closing  Date,  in the form of  Exhibit  E
("Purchaser Counsel's Legal Opinion").

                                   ARTICLE 10

                                     CLOSING

     10.1  Closing.  The  closing  of  the  transactions  contemplated  by  this
Agreement (the "Closing") shall take place at the offices of Seller, NSI Center,
1420 Peachtree Street,  N.E.,  Atlanta,  Georgia, on July 15, 1997 at 9:00 a.m.,
local time, or at such other  location or later date or time as mutually  agreed
upon by the  parties.  The date of the  Closing  is  referred  to  herein as the
"Closing Date."

     10.2  Deliveries  by  Seller.  At  the  Closing,  provided  all  conditions
described in Article 9 have been satisfied,  Seller shall execute and deliver to
Purchaser the following:  (i) the Deeds;  (ii) the Title Commitments in the form
previously delivered to Purchaser with respect to the Owned Real Property,  with
appropriate  changes to conform to the title insurance  practices in each state,
as reasonably required by the Title Company;  (iii) an Assignment and Assumption
of Leases (the  "Assignment  and Assumption of Leases") in the form of Exhibit F
with respect to the Real Property Leases;  (iv) transfer tax forms,  withholding

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forms and similar documents required to be completed and submitted in connection
with the  transfer  of the Owned Real  Property;  (v) a Bill of Sale and General
Assignment  in the form of Exhibit G hereto;  (vi) the  Subcontract  Agreements;
(vii) the Transition Services Agreement;  (viii) Seller Counsel's Legal Opinion;
(ix) the certificate required by Section 8.1 hereof; (x) consents, approvals and
authorizations  obtained  by Seller  pursuant  to Section  6.3 as of the Closing
Date;  and (xi) such other  instruments  of conveyance  reasonably  requested by
Purchaser or the Title Company.

     10.3  Deliveries  by  Purchaser.  At the Closing,  provided all  conditions
described in Article 8 have been satisfied,  Purchaser shall deliver to Seller a
wire transfer of  immediately  available  federal  funds in an aggregate  amount
equal to the Cash  Purchase  Price as  calculated  pursuant  to Section  3.2 and
execute and deliver to Seller (i) an  Assumption  Agreement in the form attached
hereto as  Exhibit  H; (ii) the  Subcontract  Agreements;  (iii) the  Transition
Services Agreement; (iv) transfer tax forms and similar documents required to be
completed  and  submitted  in  connection  with the  transfer  of the Owned Real
Property;  (v) Purchaser Counsel's Legal Opinion;  (vi) the certificate required
by Section 9.1 hereof;  and (vii) such other  instruments or documents as may be
reasonably  requested  by  Seller  to  reflect  the  assumption  of the  Assumed
Liabilities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereunder.

                                   ARTICLE 11

                          TERMINATION PRIOR TO CLOSING

     11.1  Termination of Agreement.  This Agreement may be
terminated at any time prior to the Closing:

           (a)  by the mutual written consent of Seller and
     Purchaser;

           (b) by Seller,  if the  conditions  set forth in Article 9 hereof (to
     the extent  compliance or performance  thereunder is not within the control
     of  Seller)  shall  not  have  been  complied  with or  performed  and such
     noncompliance or nonperformance shall not have been cured or eliminated (or
     by its nature  cannot be cured or  eliminated)  by  Purchaser  on or before
     August 31, 1997 (or such later date as may be  mutually  agreed upon by the
     parties);

           (c) by Purchaser, if the conditions set forth in Article 8 hereof (to
     the extent  compliance or performance  thereunder is not within the control
     of  Purchaser)  shall not have been  complied  with or  performed  and such
     noncompliance or nonperformance shall not have been cured or eliminated (or
     by its nature cannot be cured or  eliminated) by Seller on or before August
     31,  1997  (or  such  later  date  as may be  mutually  agreed  upon by the
     parties);

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           (d) by either Seller or Purchaser, if there shall be any order, writ,
     injunction  or decree of any court or govern  mental or  regulatory  agency
     binding on Purchaser and/or Seller, which prohibits Purchaser and/or Seller
     from  consummating  the  transactions  contemplated  hereby,  provided that
     Purchaser  and Seller shall have used  reasonable  efforts to have any such
     order,  writ,  injunction or decree lifted and the same shall not have been
     lifted  within  ninety  (90)  days  after  entry,  by  any  such  court  or
     governmental or regulatory agency; or

           (e) by either Seller or Purchaser, if the Closing has not occurred on
     or  prior  to  August  31,  1997  for  any  reason   other  than  delay  or
     nonperformance of the party seeking such termination.

     11.2 Termination of Obligations.  Termination of this Agreement pursuant to
this Article 11 shall terminate all obligations of the parties hereunder, except
for the  obligations  under this  Section  11.2 and Section 14.1 and except that
such termination  shall not constitute a waiver of any rights any party may have
by reason of a breach by the other  party of any  agreement  or covenant in this
Agreement which occurs prior to such termination.

                                   ARTICLE 12

                          TRANSITION SERVICES AGREEMENT

     Seller and Purchaser  shall enter into and execute at and as of the Closing
Date, a Transition Services Agreement substantially in accordance with Exhibit I
(the "Transition Services Agreement").  In connection therewith, and because any
breach  or  anticipated  breach  of  the  Transition  Services  Agreement,  when
executed,  could result in immediate and  irreparable  harm and injury to either
Purchaser or Seller, and for which no adequate remedy at law exists,  Seller and
Purchaser  agree that the  non-breaching  party  shall be  entitled to relief in
equity to enjoin  temporarily  and/or  permanently  such  breach or  anticipated
breach and to seek any and all other legal and equitable  remedies to which such
non-breaching party may be entitled.

                                   ARTICLE 13

                                 INDEMNIFICATION

     13.1  Indemnification by Seller.  Seller shall indemnify and hold Purchaser
and each of its successors, assigns and affiliates and each officer and director
thereof (a "Purchaser  Indemnified Party") harmless from, against and in respect
of  any  and  all  loss,  liability,  expense  (including,  without  limitation,
reasonable expenses of investigation and reasonable attorney's fees and expenses
in connection  with any action,  suit or proceeding  brought against a Purchaser
Indemnified Party) or "Damage" (as hereinafter  defined) suffered or incurred by
a Purchaser  Indemnified Party ("Purchaser  Losses") by reason of (i) any breach
of  a  representation   or  warranty  by  Seller  contained  herein  or  in  any
certificate,  list, Exhibit or Schedule or other document delivered to Purchaser

                                       50
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Page 62

under or pursuant to Section 10.2 of this  Agreement;  (ii) failure of Seller to
fulfill or perform any covenant,  agreement or  obligation  of Seller  contained
herein; (iii) any Withdrawal Liability in excess of the limitations set forth in
Section 7.2; or (iv) any Excluded Liability.

     13.2  Indemnification  by  Purchaser.  Purchaser  shall  indemnify and hold
Seller and each of its  successors,  assigns and affiliates and each officer and
director thereof (a "Seller  Indemnified  Party") harmless from,  against and in
respect of any and all loss, liability, expense (including,  without limitation,
reasonable expenses of investigation and reasonable attorney's fees and expenses
in  connection  with any action,  suit or  proceeding  brought  against a Seller
Indemnified  Party) or Damage suffered or incurred by a Seller Indemnified Party
("Seller  Losses") by reason of (i) any material breach of a  representation  or
warranty by Purchaser  contained herein or in any certificate,  list, Exhibit or
Schedule or other document  delivered to Seller pursuant to Section 10.3 of this
Agreement;  (ii)  failure of  Purchaser  to fulfill  or  perform  any  covenant,
agreement  or  obligation  of  Purchaser  contained  herein;  (iii) any  Assumed
Liability;  (iv) any Withdrawal  Liability,  but subject to the  limitations set
forth in Section 7.2; or (v) Purchaser's operation of the Business subsequent to
the Closing Date.

     13.3 Definitions.  As used in this Article 13, the term "Damages" means all
actual damages suffered or incurred by a Purchaser Indemnified Party or a Seller
Indemnified   Party  (as  applicable)   including,   without   limitation,   all
compensatory damages, but excluding any consequential or punitive damages.

           13.4 Third Party Claims.

           (a) In  order  for any  Purchaser  Indemnified  Party  or any  Seller
     Indemnified Party to be entitled to any indemnification  provided for under
     this Article 13 in respect of,  arising out of or involving a claim made by
     any person other than Seller or Purchaser or their  respective  successors,
     assigns or  affiliates  (a "Third Party  Claim")  against such  indemnified
     party, such indemnified party must notify the indemnifying party in writing
     of the Third Party Claim promptly after receipt by such  indemnified  party
     of written notice of the Third Party Claim; provided, however, that failure
     of any  indemnified  party to give notice as provided in this  Section 13.4
     shall not relieve an indemnifying party of its obligations hereunder except
     to the extent that the  indemnifying  party actually has been prejudiced by
     such  failure to give  notice.  Thereafter,  the  indemnified  party  shall
     deliver to the  indemnifying  party, as promptly as practicable and, in any
     event, within ten (10) days after such indemnified party's receipt thereof,
     copies of all  notices  and other  documents  relating  to the Third  Party
     Claim.

           (b) If a Third Party Claim is made against an indemnified  party, the
     indemnifying  party shall be entitled to participate in the defense thereof
     and, if it so chooses  within  thirty (30) days after  receipt of notice of
     the Third Party Claim, to assume or cause the assumption of the defense

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     thereof with counsel  selected by the  indemnifying  party  (provided  such
     counsel is not reasonably objected to by the indemnified party). Should the
     indemnifying  party elect to assume or cause the  assumption of the defense
     of a Third Party Claim,  the  indemnifying  party will not be liable to the
     indemnified  party  for any legal  expenses  subsequently  incurred  by the
     indemnified  party  in  connection  with the  defense  thereof  unless  the
     indemnifying  party has agreed in writing to pay such fees and expenses or,
     in the reasonable judgment of the indemnified party, a conflict of interest
     between  the  indemnified  party and the  indemnifying  party  exists  with
     respect to such claim. If the  indemnifying  party elects so to participate
     in or assume the defense of a Third Party Claim, the indemnified party will
     fully  cooperate  with the  indemnifying  party  in  connection  with  such
     defense.

           (c) If the  indemnifying  party  assumes the defense of a Third Party
     Claim,  then, as long as the  indemnifying  party is reasonably  contesting
     such  claim in good  faith,  the  indemnified  party  shall  not  admit any
     liability  with respect to, or settle,  compromise or discharge,  any Third
     Party Claim without the indemnifying party's prior written consent, and the
     indemnified party will agree to any settlement,  compromise or discharge of
     the Third Party Claim the  indemnifying  party may recommend which releases
     the  indemnified  party  unconditionally  and completely in connection with
     such Third Party Claim and which does not materially  adversely  affect the
     indemnified  party.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing,  the indemnified party
     shall have the right to pay or settle any such claim, provided that in such
     event it shall waive any right to  indemnity  therefor by the  indemnifying
     party.  If the  indemnifying  party  assumes  the  defense of a Third Party
     Claim,  then the  indemnifying  party shall not,  without  the  indemnified
     party's prior written  consent,  settle or compromise any Third Party Claim
     or  consent  to the entry of any  judgment  which  does not  include  as an
     unconditional term thereof the delivery by the claimant or plaintiff to the
     indemnified  party of a written  release  from all  liability in respect of
     such Third Party Claim.

           (d) If the indemnifying party does not assume the defense of any such
     Third Party Claim, the indemnified party may defend the same in such manner
     as it may  reasonably  deem  appropriate,  including,  but not  limited to,
     settling  such claim or  litigation  after giving five (5)  business  days'
     prior written notice to the indemnifying  party setting forth the terms and
     conditions of settlement.

           (e) The indemnifying  party shall in no case settle or compromise any
     Third Party Claim or consent to the entry of any  judgment,  in either case
     for other than solely money damages, without the consent of the indemnified
     party if such settlement, compromise or judgment would adversely affect the
     rights of the indemnified party in any continuing manner.

           (f) The amount  that an  indemnifying  party  shall be  obligated  to
     reimburse an  indemnified  party in  connection  with any Third Party Claim
     shall be reduced by the amount of the insurance benefits,  if any, obtained
     by the indemnified party by reason of the matter giving rise to such claim.

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Page 64


     13.5 Deductible for Seller's  Obligations;  Maximum  Liability.  Subject to
adjustment as provided in Section 3.3 hereof, Seller's obligations under Section
13.1 shall not be payable by Seller unless and until the amount thereof  exceeds
$3,000,000  Dollars   ($3,000,000)  (the  "Deductible")  in  the  aggregate  and
thereafter only to the extent of such excess,  provided however that there shall
be no  Deductible  and Seller  shall be liable in full with respect to Purchaser
Losses as a result  of (a)  intentional  misrepresentation  (b)  fraud,  (c) any
breach of Seller's representation in Section 4.12(a)(iv) and 4.10(d) hereof, (d)
any  Withdrawal  Liability  in excess of the  limitations  set forth in  Section
7.2(d); (e) Seller's failure to comply with Section 7.2(b); and (e) the Excluded
Liabilities. In no event shall the liability of Seller under Section 13.1 exceed
One Hundred Forty-Five Million Dollars ($145,000,000).

     13.6 Claims Period. For purposes of this Agreement, a "Claims Period" shall
be the period  during which a claim for  indemnification  may be asserted  under
this  Agreement  by an  indemnified  party,  which period shall (i) begin on the
earlier of the Closing  Date or the date of any  termination  of this  Agreement
pursuant to Article 11, and (ii) terminate as follows:

           (a) with respect to Purchaser Losses arising under Section 13.1(i) or
     13.1(ii),  the Claims Period shall  terminate on the second  anniversary of
     the Closing Date;

           (b) with respect to Purchaser Losses arising under Section  13.1(iii)
     or (iv) or as a result of intentional misrepresentation or fraud by Seller,
     the Claims Period shall remain open indefinitely;

           (c) with respect to Seller  Losses  arising under Section 13.2 (i) or
     13.2(ii),  the Claims Period shall  terminate on the second  anniversary of
     the Closing Date;

           (d) with respect to Seller  Losses  arising under Section 13.2 (iii),
     13.2 (iv) or 13.2 (v) or as a result of  intentional  misrepresentation  or
     fraud by Purchaser, the Claims Period shall remain open indefinitely.

     Any claims for indemnification  pursuant to this Article 13 must be made in
writing by the indemnified  party to the  indemnifying  party on or prior to the
termination of the applicable Claims Period. All claims for  indemnification for
which proper  notification of the indemnifying party shall have been made by the
indemnified  party  prior  to the  close  of  business  on the  last  day of the
applicable  Claims Period shall continue to survive and shall remain a basis for
indemnity  hereunder  until such claim is finally  resolved  or  disposed  of in
accordance with the terms hereof.

                                   ARTICLE 14

                                  MISCELLANEOUS

     14.1  Publicity.  Seller  and  Purchaser  agree that they will not make any
press  releases or other  announcements  prior to or at the time of Closing with

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respect  to  the  transactions   contemplated  hereby,  except  as  required  by
applicable  law,  without the prior approval of the other party,  which approval
will not be unreasonably withheld.

     14.2  Bulk Sales Laws.  Purchaser hereby waives compliance by  Seller  with
the provisions of any  bulk  sales  or  similar  transfer laws,  to  the  extent
applicable.

     14.3 Best  Efforts.  Each party hereto  agrees to use best efforts to cause
the conditions to its  obligations  hereunder to be satisfied on or prior to the
Closing Date and otherwise to consummate the  transactions  contemplated  by the
Agreement.

     14.4 Further Acts and  Assurances.  Seller shall, at any time and from time
to time at and  after  the  Closing,  upon  request  of  Purchaser  and  without
additional  consideration,  take any and all steps reasonably necessary to place
Purchaser in possession  and  operating  control of the  Purchased  Assets,  and
Seller will do,  execute,  acknowledge  and  deliver,  or will cause to be done,
executed, acknowledged and delivered, all such further acts, deeds, assignments,
transfers,  conveyances and assurances as may be reasonably required for (i) the
more effective  transferring  and confirming to Purchaser or for reducing to its
possession,  any or all of the Purchased  Assets or (ii) in connection  with any
Linen  Plant  Sale,  including  by way of  illustration,  the  execution  of any
document  evidencing  any  sublicense  under  Section  1.3,  the  assignment  of
Purchaser's  rights under Section 6.5 hereof or any assignment of the Transition
Services Agreement as contemplated  under Section 6.10.  Purchaser shall, at any
time and from time to time at and after the Closing,  upon request of Seller and
without additional consideration, take any and all steps reasonably necessary to
evidence completely the assumption of the Assumed Liabilities and the Withdrawal
Liability,  and Purchaser will do,  execute,  acknowledge  and deliver,  or will
cause  to be done,  executed,  acknowledged  and  delivered,  all  such  further
assumption  agreements and documents as may be reasonably necessary or desirable
to evidence more  effectively the assumption of the Assumed  Liabilities and the
Withdrawal Liability by Purchaser.  In addition to the foregoing,  Seller shall,
without additional  consideration,  provide access to information and such other
reasonable  assistance and  cooperation  as will assist  Purchaser in connection
with any Linen Plant Sale.

      Purchaser  shall,  at any time and from  time to time,  at and  after  the
Closing, upon request of Seller and without additional consideration execute and
deliver all such documents as may be reasonably  necessary to terminate Seller's
liability for any unemployment  compensation payments required to be made to any
state (or a fund  maintained  by it) after the Closing  Date with respect to any
Hired Employees.

     14.5  Notices.  Any notice or other  document to be given  hereunder by any
party  hereto to any other party  hereto  shall be in writing and  delivered  by
courier or by facsimile transmission,  receipt confirmed, or sent by any express
mail service, postage or fees prepaid,

           If to Seller:

           National Service Industries, Inc.

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Page 66

           NSI Center
           1420 Peachtree Street, N.E.
           Atlanta, Georgia 30309
           Attention:  Brock Hattox
                       Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
           Facsimile No:  (404) 853-1272

           With a copy to:

           National Service Industries, Inc.
           NSI Center
           1420 Peachtree Street, N.E.
           Atlanta, Georgia 30309
           Attention:  Mr. David Levy
                       Executive Vice President, Administration and Counsel
           Facsimile No:  (404) 853-1015

           If to Purchaser:

           G&K Services, Inc.
           5995 Opus Parkway, Suite 500
           Minnetonka, Minnesota  55343
           Attention:  Mr. William Hope,
                       President and Chief Executive Officer
           Facsimile No: (612) 912-5900

                With a copy to:

           Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand,
           a Professional Limited Liability Partnership
           3300 Norwest Center
           90 South Seventh Street
           Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
           Attention:  Neil I. Sell, Esq.
           Facsimile No:  (612) 672-8397

or at such other  address or number  for a party as shall be  specified  by like
notice.  Any notice which is delivered  in the manner  provided  herein shall be
deemed to have been duly given to the party to whom it is  directed  upon actual
receipt by such party or its agent.

     14.6 Construction. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and
governed by the laws of the State of Minnesota.  No provision of this  Agreement
shall be  construed  against or  interpreted  to the  disadvantage  of any party
hereto by any court or other  governmental or judicial authority or by any board

                                       55
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of  arbitrators by reason of such party or its counsel having or being deemed to
have structured or drafted such  provision.  All references in this Agreement to
Article(s),  Section(s),  Schedule(s)  or Exhibit(s)  shall refer to Article(s),
Section(s),  Schedule(s)  or  Exhibit(s)  of this  Agreement.  The parties  have
participated  jointly in the negotiation and drafting of this Agreement.  In the
event an  ambiguity  or  question  of  intent  or  interpretation  arises,  this
Agreement  shall be  construed  as if  drafted  jointly by the  parties,  and no
presumption or burden of proof shall arise favoring or disfavoring  any party by
virtue of the authorship of any of the provisions of this Agreement.

     14.7 Knowledge.  Whenever used herein, the term "knowledge" with respect to
any subject  matter  shall mean the actual  knowledge  of any one of the persons
identified on Schedule 14.7,  after due and diligent  inquiry which included (i)
appropriate  review of Seller or an Affiliate's  physical  operation and records
and (ii) making  inquiry of any  employees  who had or would have been likely to
have  information  with  respect  to such  subject  matter,  including,  without
limitation,  inquiry of  regional  vice  presidents  of Seller  and each  branch
manager of any Acquired Facility.

     14.8 Attachments.  Every Schedule and Exhibit referred to in this Agreement
is  incorporated  in  this  Agreement  by  this  reference.  List 1  immediately
following  the table of contents  hereto  contains a list of such  Schedules and
Exhibits.

     14.9 Dispute  Resolution.  Any dispute among the parties  hereto before the
Closing,  other than any dispute  arising  under  Sections  3.3 (which  shall be
resolved in accordance  with Section 3.6), may be resolved by application to any
court of competent jurisdiction. Any dispute among the parties hereto arising on
or after the Closing Date,  other than any dispute  arising under  Sections 3.3,
3.5 and 3.7 which shall be resolved in  accordance  with Section  3.6,  shall be
resolved in accordance with the arbitration provisions of this Section 14.9.

           (a) The  parties  shall  attempt in good faith to resolve any dispute
     arising out of or relating to this  Agreement,  the breach,  termination or
     validity  thereof  promptly  by  negotiation  between  executives  who have
     authority to settle the  controversy.  Any party may give the other written
     notice that a dispute exists (a "Notice of Dispute"). The Notice of Dispute
     shall  include a statement of such  party's  position.  Within  twenty (20)
     business days of the delivery of the Notice of Dispute,  executives of both
     parties shall meet at a mutually  acceptable time and place, and thereafter
     as long as they  both  reasonably  deem  necessary,  to  exchange  relevant
     information and attempt to resolve the dispute.  If the matter has not been
     resolved within 45 days of the disputing  party's Notice of Dispute,  or if
     the  parties  fail to meet  within  20  days,  either  party  may  initiate
     arbitration of the controversy or claim as provided hereinafter.

           If a  negotiator  intends  to  be  accompanied  at a  meeting  by  an
     attorney,  the other negotiator shall be given at least three working days'
     notice of such intention and may also be  accompanied  by an attorney.  All
     negotiations pursuant to this clause are confidential and shall be treated

                                       56
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Page 68

     as compromise and settlement negotiations for purposes of the Federal Rules
     of Evidence and state rules of evidence.

           (b) Any  controversy  or claim  arising  out of or  relating  to this
     Agreement, the breach, termination or validity thereof, or the transactions
     contemplated herein, if not settled by negotiation as provided in paragraph
     (a) of this  Section  14.9,  shall be settled by  arbitration  in  Chicago,
     Illinois,   in  accordance  with  the  CPR  Rules  for  Non-   Administered
     Arbitration of Business Disputes,  by three  arbitrators.  Each party shall
     choose one  arbitrator  and the two  arbitrators  so chosen  shall choose a
     third arbitrator who must be a retired judge of a state or federal court of
     the United States.  The  arbitrators  shall be appointed as provided by CPR
     Rule 5, Selection of Arbitrators by the parties. The arbitration  procedure
     shall be governed by the United States  Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. 1-16, and
     the award  rendered  by the  arbitrators  shall be final and binding on the
     parties and may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof.

           (c) Each party shall have discovery rights as provided by the Federal
     Rules of Civil  Procedure  within  the limits  imposed by the  arbitrators;
     provided, however, that all such discovery shall be commenced and concluded
     within ninety (90) days of the selection of the third arbitrator.

           (d) It is the intent of the  parties  that any  arbitration  shall be
     concluded  as  quickly  as  reasonably  practicable.   Unless  the  parties
     otherwise agree, once commenced,  the hearing on the disputed matters shall
     be held four days a week until  concluded,  with each hearing date to begin
     at 9:00 a.m.  and to conclude  at 5:00 p.m.  The  arbitrator  shall use all
     reasonable  efforts to issue the final  award or awards  within a period of
     five (5) business  days after  closure of the  proceedings.  Failure of the
     arbitrator  to meet the time limits of this Section  14.9(d) shall not be a
     basis for challenging the award.

           (e) The arbitrators shall instruct the non-prevailing  parties to pay
     all  costs of the  proceedings,  including  the fees  and  expenses  of the
     arbitrators  and  the  reasonable  attorneys'  fees  and  expenses  of  the
     prevailing  parties.  If the  arbitrators  determine  that  there  is not a
     prevailing  party, each party shall be instructed to bear its own costs and
     to pay one-half of the fees and expenses of the arbitrators.

     14.10 No Reliance.  Except for  the  parties  hereto  and  their  assignees
 permitted under Section 14.13:

           (a) no third party is entitled to rely on any of the representations,
     warranties and agreements of Seller contained in this Agreement;

           (b) Seller  assumes no  liability  to any third party  because of any
     reliance on the  representations,  warranties  and agreements of any of the
     parties contained in this Agreement; and

                                       57
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 69


           (c) no other  person or entity  shall  acquire any legal or equitable
     rights or remedies under this Agreement.

     14.11  Saturdays,  Sundays and Legal Holidays.  If the time period by which
any acts or payments  required  hereunder must be performed or paid expires on a
Saturday,  Sunday or legal holiday, then such time period shall be automatically
extended to the close of business on the next regularly scheduled business day.

     14.12  Confidentiality.  The  provisions  of that  certain  Confidentiality
Agreement  between Seller and Purchaser dated January 15, 1997,  shall remain in
full force and effect; provided, however, that upon consummation of the Closing,
the Confidentiality Agreement shall be terminated.

     14.13 Parties Bound by Agreement.  The terms, conditions and obligations of
this  Agreement  shall inure to the  benefit of and be binding  upon the parties
hereto  and their  respective  successors  and  assigns.  Except as  hereinafter
provided,  without the prior written consent of the other party, no party hereto
may assign such  party's  rights,  duties or  obligations  hereunder or any part
thereof to any other  person or entity prior to Closing,  except that  Purchaser
may assign any or all of its rights, duties or obligations hereunder or any part
thereof  to any wholly  owned  subsidiary,  including  without  limitation,  G&K
Services Co.  Notwithstanding  the  foregoing,  Purchaser  shall  continue to be
primarily  responsible  for  the  performance  of  any  obligations  under  this
Agreement irrespective of any such permitted assignment.

     14.14  Counterparts.  This  Agreement  may  be  executed  in  one  or  more
counterparts,  each of which shall for all  purposes be deemed to be an original
and all of which shall constitute the same instrument.

     14.15 Headings. The headings of the Articles and Sections of this Agreement
are inserted for convenience  only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of
this Agreement or to affect the construction hereof.

     14.16  Modification  and  Waiver.  Any of the terms or  conditions  of this
Agreement may be waived in writing at any time by the party which is entitled to
the benefits thereof. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall
be deemed to or shall  constitute  a waiver of any other  provision  hereof.  No
delay or failure on the part of any party hereto to exercise any right, power or
privilege  hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof;  nor shall any waiver on
the part of any party hereto of any right, power or privilege  hereunder operate
as a waiver of any other  right,  power or  privilege  hereunder;  nor shall any
single or partial exercise of any right,  power, or privilege hereunder preclude
any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right,  power
or privilege hereunder.

     14.17   Severability.   Any   provision   hereof  which  is  prohibited  or
unenforceable in any jurisdiction will, as to such jurisdiction,  be ineffective

                                       58
<PAGE>
Page 70

to the extent of such prohibition or unenforceability  without  invalidating the
remaining provisions hereof, and any such prohibition or unenforceability in any
jurisdiction will not invalidate or render  unenforceable  such provision in any
other jurisdiction. To the extent permitted by law, the parties hereto waive any
provision of law which renders any such provision prohibited or unenforceable in
any respect.

     14.18  Agreement as to Certain  Matters.  The parties  understand and agree
that,  for purposes of the  attorney-client  privilege and attorney work product
doctrine, the parties have a common legal interest in the review of the proposed
transaction  by the  Department  of Justice  and in  matters in which  Seller is
involved in litigation or in which Seller  anticipates  litigation  with a third
party. Specifically, each party expects that there will be (A) communications to
or  discussions  with or under the direction of the attorneys of the other party
in connection with the preparation of material to be submitted to the Department
of  Justice  or  other  governmental  agency  in  response  to any  request  for
information   by  said   Department  or  other   governmental   agency  ,  which
communications  or discussions  are for the purpose of obtaining legal advice in
connection  therewith,  and (B)  communications  between Seller's  attorneys and
Purchaser or its  attorneys,  concerning  matters in which Seller is involved in
litigation  or in which Seller  anticipates  litigation  with a third party,  in
connection with due diligence investigations conducted by Purchaser's attorneys.
No such activity shall constitute a waiver of the  attorney-client  privilege or
attorney work product  doctrine with respect to information  disclosed  thereby,
and such information shall not be disclosed to any third party unless authorized
by the parties hereto or required by law.

     14.19  Access to  Records.  For a period of six (6) years after the Closing
Date,  Seller and its attorneys,  accountants and  representatives  shall,  upon
reasonable  advance notice to Purchaser during normal business hours and without
disruption of the business of Purchaser,  have  reasonable  access to all books,
accounts,  records, documents and information relating to Seller for any periods
prior  to the  Closing  Date in the  possession  or  custody  of  Purchaser  (or
Purchaser's agents) for the purpose of examining and making copies of all or any
portion of such  properties  relating  to Seller.  In  addition,  Seller and its
attorneys  and   representatives   shall,  upon  reasonable  advance  notice  to
Purchaser,  during normal business hours and without  disruption to the business
of Purchaser,  have reasonable access to the Hired Employees with respect to the
defense  of  any  on-going   litigation  or  future  claim  against  Seller.   A
representative  of Purchaser  may be present at all times during such access and
investigation by Seller or its attorneys, accountants and representatives.

     14.20 Entire  Agreement.  This  Agreement  and the  Schedules  and Exhibits
hereto,  together with the documents and instruments  delivered pursuant hereto,
constitute the entire  agreement  between the parties  hereto  pertaining to the
subject  matter hereof and supersede all prior and  contemporaneous  agreements,
understandings,  negotiations and  discussions,  whether written or oral, of the
parties  hereto;  provided,  however,  that this  provision  is not  intended to
abrogate any other written  agreement between the parties executed with or after
this Agreement or any written agreement pertaining to another subject matter. No
supplement,  modification or waiver of the terms or conditions of this Agreement

                                       59
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 71

shall be binding unless executed in writing by authorized representatives of the
parties hereto.

     14.21  No   Express  or  Implied   Warranties.   Except  for  the   express
representations   or  warranties   set  forth  in  this   Agreement,   Purchaser
acknowledges  and  agrees  that the  Purchased  Assets  are  being  conveyed  to
Purchaser  hereunder  "AS IS, WHERE IS AND WITH ALL  FAULTS,"  without any other
representation or warranty by Seller.


     [THE BALANCE OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

                                       60
<PAGE>
Page 72

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly
executed and delivered, all on and as of the date first written above.

                               NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.
                               a Delaware corporation


                               By: s/ Brock Hattox
                               Name:     Brock Hattox
                               Title     Executive Vice President and
                                         Chief Financial Officer

                               NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.
                               a Georgia corporation


                               By: s/ Brock Hattox
                               Name:     Brock Hattox
                               Title     Executive Vice President and
                                         Chief Financial Officer


                               NSI ENTERPRISES, INC.
                               a California corporation


                               By: s/ Brock Hattox
                               Name:     Brock Hattox
                               Title     Executive Vice President and
                                         Chief Financial Officer


                               G&K SERVICES, INC.
                               a Minnesota corporation

                               By: s/ William Hope
                               Name:      William Hope
                               Title:     President


                                       61
<PAGE>

                                                                         Page 73



                                    Exhibit A
                               Acquired Facilities

Industrial Plants:

Plant                       Plant #           Service Centers
Abilene, TX                 706               Brownwood, TX (drop point)
                                              San Angelo, TX
Atlanta, GA                 105               Columbus, GA
                                              Macon, GA
Atlanta, GA                 615               Cartersville, GA
                                              Chattanooga, TN
                                              Oakwood (Gainesville), GA
Augusta, GA                 209               Lexington (Columbia), SC
                                              Washington, GA (drop point)
Birmingham, AL              620               Huntsville, AL
                                              Birmingham, AL (8 13th Street)
Fort Myers, FL              4810
Fort Myers, FL              323
Fort Worth, TX              701               Henderson, TX
                                              Temple, TX
Graham, NC                  357
Huntington, WV              2610              Charleston, WV
Jonesboro, AR               2810
Lakeland, FL                4710              Lakeland, FL (4345 US 92)
Louisville, KY              3010              Cookeville, TN
                                              Lexington, KY
                                              Nashville, TN
Memphis, TN                 791
Mobile, AL                  614               Laurel, MS
Monroe, NC                  6510
Montgomery, AL              618               *Headland (Dothan), AL
                                              Montgomery, AL (Coosa St.)
                                              Opelika, AL
Odessa, TX                  711               Hobbs, NM
Opa Locka, FL               5910
Orlando, FL                 5110
Portsmouth, VA              560

<PAGE>
Page 74

Linen Plants:

Plant                       Plant #           Service Centers
Austin, TX                  167               Byran, TX (drop point)
                                              Houston, TX
                                              San Antonio, TX
Columbus, IN                135               Indianapolis, IN
Corpus Christi, TX          424               McAllen, TX
Fort Myers, FL              196
Houston, TX                 461
Portland, ME                133               2 Portland, ME locations
                                              (35 & 34 Diamond)
                                              Hampden (Bangor), ME
                                              Tewksbury (Lowell), MA
Utica, NY                   107               DeWitt (Syracuse), NY
                                              Elmira, NY
                                              Oneonta, NY
                                              Schenectady, NY
Warsaw, IN                  855               Lake Station, IN
Youngstown, OH              3910              Brooklin Heights (Cleveland), OH
                                              Canton, OH
                                              Columbus, OH 
                                              DuBois, PA
                                              Erie, PA     
                                              Pittsburgh, PA
                                              Zanesville, OH 
                                              *Ebensburg, PA






     * "Excluded Asset" unless Purchaser provides notice to Seller in accordance
with Section 1.2(g) of its intention to include in the "Purchased Assets."


                                       2

                                                                         Page 75

National Service Industries, Inc.
As of July 14, 1997







                               As of July 14, 1997


National Service Industries, Inc.
NSI Center
1420 Peachtree Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30309

Gentlemen:

     Reference  is hereby  made to the  Asset  Purchase  Agreement  by and among
National  Service  Industries,  Inc., a Delaware  corporation,  National Service
Industries,  Inc., a Georgia  corporation,  NSI Enterprises,  Inc., a California
corporation and G&K Services,  Inc., dated as of May 30, 1997 (the "Agreement").
Capitalized terms used in this letter without definition shall have the meanings
set forth in the Agreement. The parties hereby agree as follows:

     1. Reduction of Base Price.  Section 3.1 of the Agreement is hereby amended
to  provide  that  the  Base  Price  shall  be  reduced  from   $263,500,000  to
$262,850,000.

     2. Certain Obsolete Inventory.  New Inventory in excess of a six (6) months
supply,  as measured by the Business'  usage history,  may be shipped out of any
Acquired  Facility  by  Seller  on or  prior  to the  Closing  Date to a  Seller
distribution center, provided that such New Inventory quantities will not exceed
the  quantities  identified  in Schedule  4.23(c) as obsolete.  Purchaser or its
assignee  shall  have all rights  until  August 15,  1997 to  purchase  such New
Inventory as are contemplated by Section 3.4 of the Agreement.  Seller will keep
a written  record of such obsolete New Inventory and make such record  available
to Purchaser for review.

     3. Consent for Lakeland Branch #4710. Seller shall have until July 31, 1997
to obtain the consent of the  landlord  with respect to  assignment  of the Real
Property  Lease  covering  the  Acquired  Facility  identified  on  Exhibit A as
Lakeland  Branch #4710 and that assignment of such Real Property Lease under the
Agreement is  conditioned  on receipt of such consent.  In the event Seller does
not obtain the  landlord's  consent  with  respect  to  assignment  of such Real
Property Lease by July 31, 1997, then unless  otherwise  agreed to in writing by
Purchaser in its sole discretion,  Seller shall be required to exercise promptly
its purchase  option with respect  thereto and  thereafter,  promptly assign its
<PAGE> 
Page 76

purchase rights to Purchaser or its designated assignee,  as required by Section
6.3(e) of the Agreement.

     4. Assignable Special Industrial Accounts.  Notwithstanding anything in the
Asset  Purchase  Agreement  to the  contrary,  all revenue  attributed  to those
Assignable Special  Industrial  Accounts or portions thereof to be subcontracted
to Seller  by  Purchaser  pursuant  to  Section  1.5(c)(ii)(2)  of the  Purchase
Agreement will be included as part of the Average Weekly Industrial Revenue. The
subcontract  agreement which Seller will enter into with Purchaser,  pursuant to
which Seller will provide service to such Assignable Special Industrial Accounts
or portions thereof, will be on substantially the same terms as are set forth in
the  Subcontract  Agreement  attached to the Purchase  Agreement as Exhibit "B",
except that the  respective  roles of Seller and Purchaser  will be reversed and
except  that  Purchaser  will  have the  right  to  terminate  such  subcontract
agreement  with respect to any such  Assignable  Special  Industrial  Account or
portion thereof upon thirty (30) days' prior written notice to Seller.

     5.  Clarification  of Section 7.2.  Section 7.2 of the  Agreement  shall be
clarified as follows:

     (a) Buyer shall not be required to hire any  Employee of the Business if as
a result of such hire Buyer would be in violation of law.

     (b) The words "salaried,  exempt employees of the Business" as set forth in
Section 7.2(c) shall not include any employee who is paid in whole or in part on
a commission  basis (with the  exception of the  following  employees:  regional
sales managers;  managers of the service centers located in Utica, NY, Syracuse,
NY, Elmira, NY, Oneonta,  NY, and Schenectady,  NY; and the distribution manager
and client relations manager of the service center located in Utica, NY).

     6. Wages,  Commissions and Bonuses. All wages, sales commission and bonuses
earned by an  Employee  of the  Business  prior to the  Closing  Date will be an
Excluded  Liability,  the sole  responsibility  of Seller,  and paid directly by
Seller.  In addition  any sales  commission  and  bonuses  relating to a Covered
Account  where service was installed by Seller prior to the Closing Date will be
an Excluded  Liability,  the sole responsibility of Seller, and paid directly by
Seller,  except  that  such  commissions  and  bonuses  payable  to route  sales
representatives  and route drivers shall be paid by Purchaser and  reimbursed by
Seller to Purchaser.

     7. Vacation  Days.  Any vacation days earned by an Employee of the Business
(not covered by a Collective  Bargaining Agreement) which have been carried over
by such Employee  from any prior period to such  Employee's  current  employment
period  (the  "CarryOver  Days")  shall  be  an  Excluded  Liability,  the  sole
responsibility of Seller,  not included in the Accrued Employee Credit, and paid
directly by Seller. All  earned/vested,  or accrued vacation days of an Employee
of the Business relating to such Employee's current employment period (excluding
any CarryOver Days) shall be included in the Accrued Employee Credit.

                                       2
<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 77

     8. Vested Sick Pay. All vested sick pay for  Employees of the Business (not
covered by a Collective  Bargaining  Agreement) shall be an Excluded  Liability,
the sole  responsibility of Seller, not included in the Accrued Employee Credit,
and paid directly by Seller.

     9. No Hiring or Firing  Freeze.  Seller  confirms  that since May 30,  1997
Seller has not authorized a hiring or firing freeze with respect to Employees of
the Business.

     10. Non-Exclusive License. Section 1.3(b) of the Agreement shall be amended
to add the  following  sentence:  "For the one (1)  year  period  following  the
Closing Date,  Seller hereby grants Purchaser a non-exclusive  license and right
to operate the  Business  under the names used by Seller to operate the Business
as of the Closing  Date and to use the marks,  names,  logos or other  rights of
Seller or an Affiliate in a manner consistent with and to the extent such marks,
names,  logos or other  rights were used  within the last  twelve  months in the
Business conducted by the Acquired  Facilities  identified on Exhibit "A" to the
Agreement  as Portland  #133,  Utica #107,  Youngstown  #3910,  Fort Myers #196,
Houston #461, Austin #167 and Corpus Christi #424."

     11. Richmond Volume.  The definition of Covered Accounts shall also include
Richmond Volume which shall be defined as all of the industrial  volume which on
the Closing Date is delivered out of Seller's  facility  known as Richmond #268.
Section  3.3(d)(iv)  of the  Agreement  shall be  amended  to add the words "and
Richmond  Volume"  immediately  after the words  "Jacksonville  Volume"  in such
section.  The first  sentence of Section  4.16 shall be amended to add the words
"in  addition to the  Richmond  Volume"  immediately  after the words "as of the
Closing Date" in such sentence. 

                                       3
<PAGE> 
Page 78


     Please indicate your acknowledgment and agreement with the foregoing in the
space provided below.

                                  Yours truly,

                                  G&K SERVICES, INC.


                                  s/ William Hope
                                  William Hope, President and
                                  Chief Executive Officer


Acknowledged and Agreed to:

NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.
  a Delaware corporation

By:   s/ Brock Hattox
Its:  E.V.P.


NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES, INC.
a Georgia corporation

By:   s/ Brock Hattox
Its:  E.V.P.


NSI ENTERPRISES, INC.
a California corporation

By:   s/ Brock Hattox
Its:  E.V.P.

138948-7
                                       4


                                                                         Page 79



                                                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
                                                 Company contacts:
  July 14, 1997                                  Brock A. Hattox, CFO
                                                 (404) 853-1215
                                                 Chester J. Popkowski, Treasurer
                                                 (404) 853-1405
 

                           NATIONAL SERVICE INDUSTRIES
                                                        
          NSI RECEIVES $280 MILLION; SELLS 29 TEXTILE RENTAL FACILITIES
                                                          

     Atlanta, GA -- National Service Industries (NYSE: NSI) announced today that
it closed the  previously  announced  sale of 29 uniform and linen plants in its
National  Linen unit to G&K  Services,  Inc.  for $280  million in cash plus the
assumption  of  certain  liabilities,  subject  to  a  post-closing  adjustment.
National Linen will continue to be the leading  textile  rental  provider to the
dining,  healthcare  and  lodging  industries.  The  final  accounting  for this
transaction  will be included in NSI's  fiscal  fourth  quarter  results. 

                                      * * *

     National  Service  Industries,  Inc.,  with  fiscal year 1996 sales of $2.0
billion,  has four  business  segments -- lighting  equipment,  textile  rental,
chemicals  and  envelopes.  NSI has reported  increased  income and earnings per
share  in 33 of  the  last  35  years.  Dividends  have  been  increased  for 35
consecutive years and paid for the past 61 years without a decrease.










Page 80

               UNAUDITED PRO FORMA COMBINED FINANCIAL INFORMATION


The  accompanying  unaudited  pro forma  balance  sheet as of February 28, 1997,
gives effect to the sale by National Service  Industries,  Inc. (NSI) of certain
assets of National  Linen  Service  (NLS) to G&K  Services,  Inc.  (G&K) and the
assumption  of  certain  liabilities of NLS by  G&K as if  the  transaction  had
occurred  on that date.  The  accompanying  unaudited  pro forma  statements  of
operations  for the year ended August 31, 1996 and the six months ended February
28, 1997 have been prepared to reflect  adjustments to the company's  historical
results of  operations  to give effect to the sale of the NLS branches as if the
transaction  had occurred at the beginning of the  respective  periods.  The pro
forma adjustments are based upon available  information and certain  assumptions
that  management  believes is reasonable.  Final purchase price  adjustments may
differ from the pro forma adjustments herein.

The  accompanying  pro forma  statements are not  necessarily  indicative of the
results of operations  which would have been attained had the  divestiture  been
consummated on the dates indicated or which may be attained in the future. These
pro forma statements should be read in conjunction with the historical financial
statements of the company and related notes thereto.

<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 81
                        Unaudited Pro Forma Balance Sheet
                             As of February 28, 1997
<TABLE>

                                                                   NSI      NLS Branches    Pro Forma           Pro Forma
(In thousands, except share data)                           Consolidated(A)   Divested(B)   Adjustments Notes  As Adjusted
<S>                                                             <C>          <C>          <C>              <C> <C>

Assets
Current Assets:
  Cash and cash equivalents .................................   $   30,648   $ 287,500    $                    $   318,148
  Short-term investments    .................................          551                                             551
   Receivables, less reserves for doubtful accounts .........      239,789     (17,704)                            222,085
   Inventories, at the lower of cost (on a first-in,
    first-out basis) or market ..............................      164,903      (2,579)                            162,324
   Linens in service, net of amortization ...................       96,390     (35,525)                             60,865
  Deferred income taxes .....................................       10,030     (44,448)       3,756        (1)     (30,662)
  Prepayments ...............................................       11,318      (1,106)                             10,212
     Total Current Assets ...................................      553,629     186,138        3,756                743,523
 Property, Plant, and Equipment, at cost:
  Land ......................................................       27,591      (6,116)                             21,475
  Buildings and leasehold improvements ......................      184,425     (43,326)                            141,099
  Machinery and equipment ...................................      523,391     (83,123)                            440,268
      Total Property, Plant, and Equipment ..................      735,407    (132,565)        --                  602,842
  Less - Accumulated depreciation and amortization ..........      391,020     (45,691)                            345,329
     Property, Plant, and Equipment - net ...................      344,387     (86,874)        --                  257,513
Other Assets:
  Goodwill and other intangibles ............................       85,538     (34,241)      (9,632)       (1)      41,665
  Other .....................................................       35,733                                          35,733
     Total Other Assets .....................................      121,271     (34,241)      (9,632)                77,398
           Total Assets .....................................   $1,019,287   $  65,023    $  (5,876)           $ 1,078,434
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Current Liabilities:
  Current maturities of long-term debt ......................   $    5,566   $            $                    $     5,566
  Notes payable .............................................        5,657                                           5,657
  Accounts payable ..........................................       85,522                                          85,522
   Accrued salaries, commissions, and bonuses ...............       29,944      (2,320)                             27,624
  Current portion of self insurance reserves ................       18,118                                          18,118
  Other accrued liabilities .................................       40,054      (2,178)                             37,876
     Total Current Liabilities ..............................      184,861      (4,498)        --                  180,363
 Long-Term Debt, less current maturities ....................       26,262                                          26,262
Deferred Income Taxes .......................................       56,630                                          56,630
 Self Insurance Reserves, less current portion ..............       60,228                                          60,228
Other Long-Term Liabilities .................................       28,437                                          28,437
Commitments and Contingencies
Stockholders' Equity:
   Series A participating preferred stock, $.05 stated value,
    500,000 shares authorized, none issued ..................                                                          --
   Preferred stock, no par value, 500,000 shares authorized,
    none issued .............................................                                                          --
   Common stock, $1 par value, 80,000,000 shares authorized,
    57,918,978 shares issued  ...............................       57,919                                          57,919
  Paid-in capital ...........................................       11,976                                          11,976
  Retained earnings .........................................      807,318      69,521       (5,876)       (1)     870,963
                                                                   877,213      69,521       (5,876)               940,858
   Less - Treasury stock, at cost (13,364,809 shares in 1997)      214,344                                         214,344
      Total Stockholders' Equity ............................      662,869      69,521       (5,876)               726,514
        Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity ..........   $1,019,287   $  65,023    $  (5,876)           $ 1,078,434

</TABLE>
<PAGE>
Page 82

(A) Derived from the February 28, 1997  unaudited  financial  statements  of the
company.

(B)  Derived  from the  February  28, 1997  unaudited  financial  statements  of
NLS on a basis consistent with the unaudited  National Linen  Service  financial
statements of certain branches as of April 30, 1997.

                 Notes to the Unaudited Pro Forma Balance Sheet
                            As of February 28, 1997

(1) Reflects pro forma adjustment and related tax effects to write off remaining
trademark  related to the divested  uniform branches which will  have no ongoing
value to the remaining business.


<PAGE>
                                                                         Page 83

                  Unaudited Pro Forma Statement of Operations
                   For the Six Months Ended February 28, 1997

<TABLE>
                                                  NSI          NLS Brances   Pro Forma              Pro Forma
(In thousands, except share data)          Consolidated (A)    Divested (B)  Adjustments  Notes    As Adjusted
<S>                                              <C>         <C>           <C>             <C>      <C>

Sales and Service Revenues:
  Net sales of products .....................    $   753,147 $             $                           753,147
  Service revenues  .........................        257,982    (102,708)                              155,274
    Total Revenues  .........................      1,011,129    (102,708)                              908,421
Costs and Expenses:
  Cost of products sold .....................        471,917                                           471,917
  Cost of services  .........................        150,775     (57,530)                               93,245
  Selling and administrative expenses .......        313,530     (37,756)       4,386      (1)         280,160
  Interest expense, net  ....................          1,600                   (7,760)     (2)          (6,160)
  Other expense (income), net ...............          1,780      (3,004)                               (1,224)
    Total Costs and Expenses ................        939,602     (98,290)      (3,374)                 837,938
Income before Provision for Income Taxes ....         71,527      (4,418)       3,374                   70,483
Provision for Income Taxes ..................         26,348      (1,635)       1,316      (3)          26,029
Income before gain on disposal ..............    $    45,179   $  (2,783)    $  2,058                $  44,454
Earnings per Share (in dollars) .............    $      0.99                                         $    0.98
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding         45,468                                            45,468
</TABLE>

(A) Derived from the February 28, 1997  unaudited  financial  statements  of the
company.

(B)  Derived  from the  February  28, 1997  unaudited  financial  statements  of
NLS on a basis consistent with the unaudited  National Linen  Service  financial
statements of certain branches as of April 30, 1997.

            Notes to the Unaudited Pro Forma Statement of Operations
                   For the Six Months Ended February 28, 1997



(1)  Reflects indirect corporate expenses incurred by NLS, primarily relating to
     officer and  corporate  administration  salaries and benefits and occupancy
     expense for corporate headquarters,  that would not have been eliminated as
     a result of the transaction.

(2)  Reflects  interest that would have been earned on the net cash increase due
     to the transaction.

(3)  Reflects  provision  for  income  taxes  for the tax  effect  of pro  forma
     adjustments.

(4)  The pro forma  impact of the  transaction  gain on net  income  for the six
     months ended February 28, 1997 would have been as follows:

       Pretax gain on transaction                       $113,969
       Income taxes                                       44,448
       After tax gain on transaction                    $ 69,521

<PAGE>
Page 84


                   Unaudited Pro Forma Statement of Operations
                       For the Year Ended August 31, 1996

<TABLE>
                                                         NSI          NLS Branches   Pro Forma               Pro Forma
(In thousands, except share data)                    Consolidated(A)   Divested(B)  Adjustments   Notes     As Adjusted
<S>                                                   <C>            <C>          <C>              <C>      <C>

Sales and Service Revenues:
  Net sales of products ........................      $  1,482,937                $                         $ 1,482,937
  Service revenues  ............................           530,625     (210,528)                                320,097
    Total Revenues  ............................         2,013,562     (210,528)                              1,803,034
Costs and Expenses:
  Cost of products sold ........................           933,405                                              933,405
  Cost of services .............................           304,381     (114,387)                                189,994
  Selling and administrative expenses ..........           616,513      (79,713)        8,794      (1)          545,594
  Interest expense, net ........................             1,565                    (14,082)     (2)          (12,517)
  Other expense (income), net ..................            (4,150)      (3,866)                                 (8,016)
    Total Costs and Expenses ...................         1,851,714     (197,966)       (5,288)                1,648,460
Income before Provision for Income Taxes .......           161,848      (12,562)        5,288                   154,574
Provision for Income Taxes .....................            60,700       (4,774)        2,062      (3)           57,988
Income before gain on disposal .................      $    101,148   $   (7,788)  $     3,226               $    96,586
Earnings per Share (in dollars) ................      $       2.11                                          $      2.01
Weighted Average Number of Shares Outstanding ..            47,951                                               47,951

</TABLE>
(A) Derived   from  the  August 31, 1996  audited  financial  statements  of the
company.

(B)  Derived  from the audited National Linen Service  financial  statements  of
certain branches as of August 31, 1996.

            Notes to the Unaudited Pro Forma Statement of Operations
                       For the Year Ended August 31, 1996



(1)  Reflects indirect corporate expenses incurred by NLS, primarily relating to
     officer and  corporate  administration  salaries and benefits and occupancy
     expense for corporate headquarters,  that would not have been eliminated as
     a result of the transaction.

(2)  Reflects  interest that would have been earned on the net cash increase due
     to the transaction.

(3)  Reflects  provision  for  income  taxes  for the tax  effect  of pro  forma
     adjustments.

(4)  The pro forma  impact of the  transaction  gain on net  income for the year
     ended August 31, 1996 would have been as follows:

       Pretax gain on transaction                       $102,277
       Income taxes                                       39,888
       After tax gain on transaction                    $ 62,389




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