STANDARD BRANDS PAINT CO
8-K, 1995-02-24
BUILDING MATERIALS, HARDWARE, GARDEN SUPPLY
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<PAGE>

                       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:  February 15, 1995
                        (Date of earliest event reported)



                          STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


  Delaware                        1-4505                           95-6029682
(State or other                 (Commission                     (IRS employer
jurisdiction of                 file number)                 identification no.)
incorporation)


             4300 West 190th Street, Torrance, California 90509-2956
               (Address of principal executive offices)     (Zip Code)


                                 (310) 214-2411
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
<PAGE>

ITEM 5.   Other Events

     On February 15, 1995 Standard Brands Paint Company (the "Company") entered
into an investment agreement ("Investment Agreement") for a financial
restructure of the Company ("Restructuring") with Corimon, S.A.C.A., a
Venezuelan corporation with multinational operations in paint and related
products industries, its United States subsidiary Corimon Corporation
(collectively, "CRM"), Fidelity Capital & Income Fund ("FCI"), Kodak Retirement
Income Plan Trust Fund ("KRI"), and the Company's insurance company lenders
("Insurance Company Lenders").  The Restructuring will become effective
following a special stockholders meeting to be held to approve the Restructuring
(the "Effective Date").

THE PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS OF THE RESTRUCTURING

     A.   Amendment to the Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation to
increase the amount of authorized capital stock of the Company, and to effect a
1-for-10 reverse stock split ("Reverse Stock Split") pursuant to which each
stockholder will hold one share of the Company's post-split shares for every ten
shares presently held;

     B.   Sale to CRM of 15,700,496 newly issued shares of the Company's common
stock ("Common Stock"), which will constitute approximately 76.1% of the
Company's outstanding common stock, for $14 million (such issuance is priced at
$0.89 per share post-Reverse Stock Split or $0.089 per share pre-Reverse Stock
Split, and the $14 million to be paid by CRM was previously advanced in the form
of an interim loan);

     C.   Exchange of $16 million of the Company's outstanding debt (including
certain debt held by CRM) into 2,242,928 newly issued shares of Common Stock (at
the same price per share as the CRM shares under B above) and 1,570,049 newly
issued shares of 8% cumulative convertible redeemable preferred stock of the
Company ("Preferred Stock") (priced at $8.92 per share of the Preferred Stock
and including a conversion price for the Common Stock of $1.11 per share).

     D.   Transfer of 15 of the Company's real estate properties to the real
estate liquidating trust established on July 12, 1994 ("Liquidating Property
Trust"), in which the Company currently has a residual interest; release of
related long-term debt; and the sale of the Company's residual interest in the
Liquidating Property Trust to CRM and to FCI, KRI and the Insurance Company
Lenders, for an additional $2 million payable in cash by CRM and in
consideration of their participation in the Restructuring; in the aggregate as a
result of the Restructuring, properties or property interests having a book
value as of October 31, 1994 of


                                        2
<PAGE>

approximately $95 million will be disposed of and consolidated long term debt of
approximately $77 million will be released.  The Company will recognize a loss
of $16.9 million for the year ending January 29, 1995, representing the excess
of the net book value as of the Effective Date of real properties transferred to
the Liquidating Property Trust in 1994 and on the Effective Date to the
Liquidating Property Trust over the indebtedness assumed and outstanding on the
Effective Date and the proceeds from the sale of the Company's residual interest
in the Liquidating Property Trust.  The Company will continue to retain 11
properties (2 warehouse properties for its paint manufacturing operations, 6
operating stores, 1 store currently leased to a third party and 2 vacant
properties) and approximately $16 million of the indebtedness initially incurred
under the Company's Loan Agreement with the Insurance Company Lenders ("Retained
Company Debt").  The new properties transferred to the Liquidating Property
Trust will be leased back to the Company for an aggregate rent of approximately
$2.8 million per year (on a triple net basis), adjusted every 30 months.  The
properties will be leased for 10 years subject to 2 renewal options of 5 years
each.  Renewal rent will be at 95% of market, but not less than the prior rent.
The Retained Company Debt will be modified with a maturity of 10 years from the
Effective Date and interest payable at 10% per annum, compounded monthly.
Interest only will be due in years one and two with principal and interest due
in years three through 10 based on a 15 year amortization schedule.  The
indebtedness will be secured by the existing first trust deeds on 8 of the
retained properties and a security interest on all of the Company's personal
property and equipment (excluding cash, inventory, trademarks, accounts
receivable and rolling stock).

     To finance the Restructuring, CRM sold FCI 516,129 shares of Corimon
Corporation Series A Exchangeable Preferred Stock at $15.50 per share and
$9,939,175 of Corimon Corporation Put Notes due 2000 for an aggregate purchase
price of approximately $17 million.  On or after the Effective Date, it is
contemplated that FCI or an affiliate will purchase $5 million of working
capital notes from the Company.  The notes will be secured by a second lien on
Company's inventory and receivables and two warehouse properties that comprise
the paint facility of the Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Major Paint
Company.  The notes have an interest rate equal to prime rate plus 5.5%.  The
notes mature in 24 months, but the Company has an option to extend the maturity
for two consecutive six month periods upon payment of a 2% fee for each
extension.  The proceeds from the sale of any such notes will be used by the
Company for working capital.

CHANGE IN CONTROL

     The consummation of the Restructuring will result in a change in control of
the Company.  Immediately upon consummation of the Restructuring, CRM will

                                        3
<PAGE>

own beneficially approximately 77% of the outstanding shares of the Company's
Common Stock, and pursuant to a stockholders' agreement between CRM and the
Company, will have the power to designate seven of the ten directors of the
Company.  CRM will have the power to control the affairs of the Company and
direct all fundamental corporate transactions.  The Company has been informed by
CRM that it has no current intentions with respect to effecting any such
corporate transactions or any other material transactions with respect to the
Company.  However, there can be no assurances such transactions may not be
effected in the future.

BOARD APPROVAL AND FAIRNESS OPINION

     The Board of Directors of the Company has unanimously approved the
Restructuring.  The Argosy Group L.P. ("Argosy") was engaged by the Company in
connection with the Restructuring, and has rendered its written opinion dated
February 15, 1995, to the Company's Board of Directors, that, based upon and
subject to the matters stated therein, as of the date of such opinion, the
Restructuring is fair, from a financial point of view, to the public
stockholders of the Company.  The public stockholders include the stockholders
of the Company other than FCI, KRI, and the Insurance Company Lenders.

STOCKHOLDER APPROVAL

     The Restructuring is subject to the approval of the Company's stockholders.
Approval of the Restructuring will require the affirmative vote of a majority of
the shares of Common Stock of the Company issued and outstanding.  FCI, KRI, and
the Insurance Company Lenders presently own, in the aggregate, in excess of 50%
of the Company's voting stock and have granted irrevocable proxies to CRM as
part of the Restructuring to vote in favor of the Restructuring and against any
proposals that would impede or delay the Restructuring.  A stockholders meeting
to consider the Restructuring has been scheduled for April, 1995.


                                        4
<PAGE>

INTERIM FINANCING

     Pursuant to the Investment Agreement, CRM loaned $14 million to the Company
at the signing of the Investment Agreement as of February 15, 1995 (the "Interim
Financing").  The loan made as part of the Interim Financing will be exchanged
on the Effective Date for Common Stock.  The Interim Financing permitted the
Company to have access to the funds constituting the purchase price for the
Common Stock to be issued to CRM pursuant to the Investment Agreement during the
period prior to the approval of the Restructuring by the Company's stockholders
and the Effective Date.

EFFECT OF RESTRUCTURING

     As a result of the Restructuring, the Company's financial position will be
improved by (1) $16 million of new capital comprised of $14 million of new
Common Stock and $2.0 million representing the purchase price from CRM for a 49%
residual interest in the liquidating Property Trust, (2) $5.0 million in working
capital through sale of working capital notes to FCI and (3) a reduction in the
Company's consolidated indebtedness by an aggregate of approximately $87.8
million (in part paid for by the issuance of additional shares of Common Stock
and the Preferred Stock).  Current stockholders (other than parties to the
Restructuring) will be immediately diluted by the new issuances of Common Stock
from their current 44% shareholding to approximately 5% of the outstanding
Common Stock, and upon conversion of the Preferred Stock into Common Stock,
would be further diluted to approximately 3%.

AMENDMENT TO THE COMPANY BYLAWS

     At the consummation of the Interim Financing, the Company's Bylaws were
amended to, among other things, (i) provide for a board of directors of not less
than eight (8) nor more than twelve (12) and to initially fix the number at
eight (8) thereby eliminating one of the vacancies that previously existed on
the board of directors, and (ii) eliminate "staggered" terms whereby directors
were elected in different years.

BOARD COMPOSITION

     As of February 15, 1995, pursuant to the terms of the Investment Agreement,
Fletcher L. Byrom and Blandina Cardenas Ramirez resigned from the Company's
board of directors, and three representatives of CRM, Roland F. Breault, Thomas
A. White and Juan Gramage, were elected to the Company's board of directors, by
the other directors.  Additionally, at the closing of the Restructuring which is
anticipated to occur promptly after the stockholders


                                        5
<PAGE>

meeting, the board of directors will be increased to 10 persons and two other
representatives of CRM, Arthur W. Broslat and Charles Codrea, are expected to be
elected to the Company's board of directors, by the other directors.  None of
Messrs. Breault, Gramage, White, Broslat or Codrea own any common stock or other
securities of the Company.  In addition, Deborah Hicks Midanek was elected
chairman of the board and Ronald I. Scharman was elected interim chief executive
officer.

NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE:

     The New York Stock Exchange has approved for listing the Common Stock to be
issued in the Restructuring.

ITEM 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits

     1.   Investment Agreement

     2.   Interim Loan Agreement

     3.   Amended and Restated By-Laws


                                        6
<PAGE>


                                    SIGNATURE



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


Dated:  February 24, 1995          STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY
                                   A Delaware Corporation



                              By: /s/ Howard S. Schwartz
                                  -----------------------------------------
                                   Howard S. Schwartz
                                   Senior Vice President &
                                   Chief Financial Officer


                                        7
<PAGE>
                         PRO FORMA FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

    Set  forth below  are the  unaudited pro  forma financial  statements of the
Company as of and for the period ended October 30, 1994. The unaudited pro forma
condensed consolidated balance sheet is  not necessarily indicative of what  the
actual  financial position  would have  been at  October 30,  1994, nor  does it
purport to represent the total financial  position of the Company. In  addition,
the  Company  has incurred  significant losses  since October  30, 1994  and has
incurred $14  million of  indebtedness pursuant  to the  Interim Financing.  See
"TERMS OF RESTRUCTURING".

                 STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
           PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                       NINE MONTHS ENDED OCTOBER 30, 1994
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA)
                                  (UNAUDITED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                        PRO FORMA      PRO FORMA
                                                                            ACTUAL     ADJUSTMENTS    AS ADJUSTED
                                                                          ----------  --------------  -----------
<S>                                                                       <C>         <C>             <C>
Net sales...............................................................  $   91,869                   $  91,869
Cost of sales...........................................................      55,268                      55,268
                                                                          ----------                  -----------
Gross margin............................................................      36,601                      36,601
Other costs and expenses:
  Operating and general and administrative expenses.....................      37,883       3,666(A)       41,549
  Loss on real properties transferred to the Liquidating Property
   Trust................................................................                  16,887(E)       16,887
  Depreciation and amortization.........................................       2,521      (1,447)(B)       1,074
  Interest (income).....................................................        (113)                       (113)
  Interest expense......................................................       8,578      (6,878)(C)       1,700
  Other expense (income), net...........................................        (421)      3,883(D)        3,462
                                                                          ----------                  -----------
Loss from operations before reorganization items and income taxes.......     (11,847)                    (27,958)
Reorganization items:
  Loss on transfer of business units and real properties to a grantor
   trust................................................................         (65)                        (65)
                                                                          ----------                  -----------
Loss before income taxes................................................     (11,912)                    (28,023)
Provision for income taxes..............................................          --                          --
                                                                          ----------                  -----------
Net (loss)..............................................................  $  (11,912)                  $ (28,023)
                                                                          ----------                  -----------
                                                                          ----------                  -----------
<FN>
- ------------------------
Proforma adjustments:
(A)  Represents  additional rent  payments on  13 retail  paint stores currently
     being leased from the Liquidating Property Trust and 15 retail paint stores
     and a warehouse facility to be leased from the Liquidating Property Trust.
(B)  Represents the  elimination of  depreciation  and amortization  expense  on
     properties transferred to the Liquidating Property Trust.
(C)  Represents  the elimination of interest  expense on indebtedness assumed by
     the Liquidating Property Trust and indebtedness exchanged for Common  Stock
     and Preferred Stock.
(D)  Includes  estimated transaction costs of $2.6  million and the write off of
     the unamortized portion of the costs incurred to establish the  Liquidating
     Property Trust of $1.283 million.
(E)  Represents  the excess of the net book value of real properties transferred
     to the  Liquidating  Property  Trust  over  the  indebtedness  assumed  and
     proceeds   from  the  sale  of  the  Company's  residual  interest  in  the
     Liquidating Property Trust.
</TABLE>


                                       8
<PAGE>

                 STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
           PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
                       NINE MONTHS ENDED OCTOBER 30, 1994
                                  (UNAUDITED)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                       PRO FORMA
                                                                                         ACTUAL       AS ADJUSTED
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
<S>                                                                                   <C>            <C>
Per common share:
Net loss per share
  Loss from operations before reorganization items..................................          $(.53)        $(1.36)
Reorganization Items................................................................
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
Net (loss)..........................................................................          $(.53)        $(1.36)
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
Weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares outstanding..........     22,347,000     20,635,000
                                                                                      -------------  -------------
</TABLE>


                                       9
<PAGE>

                 STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
                 PRO FORMA CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET
                             AS OF OCTOBER 30, 1994
                     (IN THOUSANDS, EXCEPT PER SHARE DATA*)
                                  (UNAUDITED)

                                     ASSETS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                       PRO FORMA
                                      ACTUAL           PRO FORMA ADJUSTMENTS          AS ADJUSTED
                                     --------   -----------------------------------   -----------
<S>                                  <C>        <C>               <C>                 <C>
Cash...............................  $  1,715   $21,000(A)(B)                         $   22,715
Accounts and notes receivable,
 net...............................     3,511                                              3,511
Inventories........................    21,454                                             21,454
Prepaid expenses...................     3,813                     $ (1,283)(I)             2,530
Deferred income taxes..............     4,082                         (756)(K)             3,326
                                     --------                                         -----------
    Total current assets...........    34,575                                             53,536
Net property, plant and equipment:
  Retained properties..............    39,384                      (20,937)(C)            18,447
  Liquidating trust properties.....    74,512   20,937(C)          (95,449)(E)
                                     --------                                         -----------
                                      113,896                                             18,447
Other assets.......................     1,600                                              1,600
                                     --------                                         -----------
    Total assets...................  $150,071                                         $   73,583
                                     --------                                         -----------
                                     --------                                         -----------

                         LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)

Short-term borrowings..............  $  4,488                                         $    4,488
Accounts payable...................     9,722                         (237)(J)             9,959
Accrued expenses...................     9,819                       (2,200)(H)            12,019
Income taxes payable...............                                   (543)(K)               543
                                     --------                                         -----------
    Total current liabilities......    24,029                                             27,009
Senior notes, secured, payable to
 related parties...................    30,501   14,488(D)(J)                              16,013
Notes payable to FCI...............                                 (5,000)(B)             5,000
Liquidating Property Trust notes...    62,311   76,562(E)          (14,257)(D)
Notes payable to related parties...    10,000   10,000(F)
Grantor Trust note payable.........     6,000    6,000(F)
Deferred income taxes..............     7,013    1,299(K)                                  5,714
Other long-term liabilities........     7,554                                              7,554
Preferred stock subject to
 mandatory redemption, $.01 par
 value per share, authorized
 5,000,000 [5,000,000] shares; 8%
 cumulative convertible redeemable
 preferred stock, issued and
 outstanding [1,570,049] shares....                                (14,000)(F)            14,000
Common stock, $.01 par value per
 share, authorized 30,000,000
 [100,000,000] shares; issued and
 outstanding 22,429,275
 [20,634,936] shares...............       224       18(A)(F)(H)                              206
Additional paid-in capital.........    35,577                      (16,418)(A)(F)(H)      51,995
Deficit............................   (32,323)  20,770(G)(H)(I)                          (53,093)
Less: treasury stock, at cost,
 28,231 [2,823] shares.............      (815)                                              (815)
                                     --------                                         -----------
    Total common stockholders'
     equity........................     2,663                                             (1,707)
                                     --------   ---------------   -----------------   -----------
    Total liabilities and
     stockholders equity
     (deficit).....................  $150,071   $171,074          $(171,074)          $   73,583
                                     --------   ---------------   -----------------   -----------
<FN>
- ----------------------------------
Proforma adjustments:
 *    Note: Share amounts shown in [brackets] represent pro forma shares.
(A)   Represents the investment  by CRM  of $14 million  to purchase  15,700,496
      newly issued shares of Common Stock at $.89 per share, and the purchase by
      CRM  of the  the Company's residual  interest in  the Liquidating Property
      Trust for $2 million.
(B)   Represents the purchase by  FCI or an affiliate  of $5 million of  working
      capital notes. (24 month maturity).
(C)   Represents  the transfer by the  Company of 15 retail  paint stores to the
      Liquidating Property Trust.
(D)   Represents the  assumption  of debt  on  15  retail paint  stores  by  the
      Liquidating Property Trust.
(E)   Represents  the elimination of the assets  and related debt and guarantees
      in connection  with the  sale and  disposition of  the Company's  residual
      interest in the Liquidating Property Trust.
</TABLE>


                                       10
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<S>   <C>
(F)   Represents  the exchange of  $2 million of  the Company's indebtedness for
      2,242,928 newly issued shares  of Common Stock at  $.89 per share and  $14
      million of the Company's indebtedness for 1,570,049 newly issued shares of
      Preferred Stock at $8.92 per share.
(G)   Represents  the loss  on sale  and disposition  of the  Company's residual
      interest in the Liquidating Property Trust ($16.887 million).
(H)   Represents  the  estimated  transaction  costs  ($2.6  million)  of  which
      $400,000 is being paid with newly issued Common Stock.
(I)   Represents  the write off the unamortized portion of the costs incurred to
      establish the Liquidating Property Trust ($1.283 million).
(J)   Represents a prepayment of Retained Indebtedness ($237,000).
(K)   Represents the  reclassification  of  deferred  income  taxes  to  reflect
      estimated current liability regarding alternative minimum taxes.
</TABLE>


                                       11
<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT 1
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                              INVESTMENT AGREEMENT

                                     AMONG

                               CORIMON, S.A.C.A.,
                            A VENEZUELAN CORPORATION

                              CORIMON CORPORATION,
                             A DELAWARE CORPORATION

          FIDELITY CAPITAL & INCOME FUND, KODAK RETIREMENT INCOME PLAN
            TRUST FUND, TRANSAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE AND ANNUITY CO.,
         TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE INSURANCE CO., SUN LIFE INSURANCE
          COMPANY OF AMERICA, ANCHOR NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY,

                     STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COLLATERAL TRUST

                                      AND

                         STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY,
                             A DELAWARE CORPORATION

                         DATED AS OF FEBRUARY 15, 1995

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


                                       12
<PAGE>
                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                 PAGE
                                                                                                               ---------
<S>        <C>                                                                                                 <C>
                                                       ARTICLE I
                                                      DEFINITIONS
    1.1.   Definitions.......................................................................................         15
    1.2.   Interpretation....................................................................................         21

                                                       ARTICLE II
                                                    INTERIM FUNDING
    2.1.   Note Purchase Agreement...........................................................................         22
    2.2.   Grantor Trust Transactions........................................................................         22
    2.3.   Investment Agreement and Ancillary Funding Agreements.............................................         22
    2.4.   Directors and By-Laws.............................................................................         22
    2.5.   Funding...........................................................................................         22

                                                      ARTICLE III
                                              PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES
    3.1.   Company Action....................................................................................         23
    3.2.   Exchange of Debt and Issuance of Shares...........................................................         23
    3.3.   Advisor Fees......................................................................................         23
    3.4.   Fidelity Note Purchase Agreement..................................................................         23
    3.5.   Property Transfer.................................................................................         23
    3.6.   Leases and Other Ancillary Agreements.............................................................         23
    3.7.   Closing...........................................................................................         23

                                                       ARTICLE IV
                                           CONDITIONS TO FUNDING AND CLOSING
    4.1.   Conditions of Parent and Holdings with Respect to the Funding and Closing.........................         23
    4.2.   Conditions of Company with Respect to the Funding and Closing.....................................         25
    4.3.   Conditions of the Other Investors and Grantor Trust with Respect to the Funding and Closing.......         26

                                                       ARTICLE V
                                             REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES
    5.1.   Representations and Warranties of Company.........................................................         27
    5.2.   Representations and Warranties of Parent and Holdings.............................................         37
    5.3.   Representations and Warranties of the Other Investors.............................................         38

                                                       ARTICLE VI
                                  COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS OF COMPANY
    6.1.   Conduct of Business...............................................................................         39

                                                      ARTICLE VII
                                                 ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS
    7.1.   Preparation of the Proxy Statement; Stockholders Meeting..........................................         41
    7.2.   Access to Information; Confidentiality............................................................         41
    7.3.   Reasonable Efforts; Notification; Consent.........................................................         42
    7.4.   Fees and Expenses.................................................................................         43
    7.5.   Public Announcements..............................................................................         43
    7.6.   Stockholder Litigation............................................................................         43
    7.7.   Employment Arrangements...........................................................................         43
    7.8.   Reporting Company.................................................................................         43
</TABLE>


                                       13
<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                                                 PAGE
                                                                                                               ---------
<S>        <C>                                                                                                 <C>
    7.9.   NYSE Listing......................................................................................         43
    7.10.  Liquidating Property Trust Leases and Property Transfer...........................................         43
    7.11.  Agreement to Vote Shares..........................................................................         43
    7.12.  No Voting Trusts..................................................................................         43
    7.13.  No Proxy Solicitations............................................................................         44
    7.14.  Transfer and Encumbrance..........................................................................         44
    7.15.  Additional Purchases..............................................................................         44
    7.16.  Covenants Relating to Post-Funding Tax Matters....................................................         44
    7.17.  Environmental Indemnity, Etc......................................................................         46

                                                      ARTICLE VIII
                                           TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER
    8.1.   Termination.......................................................................................         46
    8.2.   Effect of Termination.............................................................................         47
    8.3.   Amendment.........................................................................................         47
    8.4.   Extension; Waiver.................................................................................         47
    8.5.   Procedure for Termination, Amendment, Extension or Waiver.........................................         47

                                                       ARTICLE IX
                                                   GENERAL PROVISIONS
    9.1.   Survival of Warranties and Certain Agreements.....................................................         47
    9.2.   Notices...........................................................................................         47
    9.3.   Counterparts......................................................................................         49
    9.4.   Entire Agreement; No Third-Party Beneficiaries....................................................         49
    9.5.   Assignment........................................................................................         49
    9.6.   Severability......................................................................................         50
    9.7.   GOVERNING LAW.....................................................................................         50
    9.8.   Enforcement.......................................................................................         50
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<S>                 <C>
                                          SCHEDULES
Schedule 1.1        Financial Information
Schedule 3.2        Debt Exchange
Schedule 5.1(b)     Subsidiaries
Schedule 5.1(c)     Stock Equivalents
Schedule 5.1(d)     Consents
Schedule 5.1(e)     Balance Sheet
Schedule 5.1(g)     Certain Changes
Schedule 5.1(h)     Mortgaged Property
Schedule 5.1(i)     Litigation
Schedule 5.1(k)     Taxes
Schedule 5.1(m)     Disqualified Individual Payments
Schedule 5.1(q)     Material Contracts
Schedule 5.1(t)     Affiliates
Schedule 5.1(aa)    Grantor Trust Subsidiaries
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<S>         <C>
                                          EXHIBITS
Exhibit A   Amendment to Certificate of Incorporation
Exhibit B   Certificate of Designations
Exhibit C   Form of Proxy
Exhibit D   Closing Memorandum
Exhibit E   Allocation Schedule
Exhibit F   Amended Liquidating Property Trust Agreement
Exhibit G   Third Amended Agreement
Exhibit H   Second Amended and Restated Trust Loan Agreement
</TABLE>


                                       14
<PAGE>

    INVESTMENT AGREEMENT dated as of February 15, 1995 (this "Agreement"), among
Corimon,  S.A.C.A., a Venezuelan corporation  ("Parent"), Corimon Corporation, a
Delaware corporation  and  a wholly  owned  Subsidiary of  Parent  ("Holdings"),
Fidelity  Capital  & Income  Fund, ("Investor1"),  Kodak Retirement  Income Plan
Trust Fund, ("Investor2"), Transamerica Life Insurance and Annuity Co., a  North
Carolina  corporation ("Investor3"), Transamerica Occidental Life Insurance Co.,
a California corporation ("Investor4"), Sun  Life Insurance Company of  America,
an  Arizona corporation ("Investor5"), Anchor National Life Insurance Company, a
California corporation  ("Investor6" and,  together with  Investor1,  Investor2,
Investor3,  Investor4  and Investor5,  the  "Other Investors"),  Standard Brands
Paint Collateral  Trust,  a California  trust  ("Grantor Trust"),  and  Standard
Brands Paint Company, a Delaware corporation ("Company").

                                    RECITALS

    WHEREAS  Parent, Holdings,  the Other  Investors, Grantor  Trust and Company
desire to make the respective  investments in, and recapitalization of,  Company
on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement;

    WHEREAS  Parent, Holdings,  the Other  Investors, Grantor  Trust and Company
desire to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements and
also to  prescribe  various  conditions  in  connection  with  the  Transactions
contemplated hereby; and

    WHEREAS,  simultaneously with the execution  and delivery of this Agreement,
each of Parent,  Holdings, the Other  Investors, Grantor Trust  and Company  has
entered into the Ancillary Funding Agreements to which it is a party.

    NOW,   THEREFORE,  in  consideration  of  the  representations,  warranties,
covenants and  agreements  contained in  this  Agreement and  in  the  Ancillary
Agreements,  and  for other  good and  valuable  consideration, the  receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto hereby agree as
follows:

                                   ARTICLE I
                                  DEFINITIONS

    1.1.  DEFINITIONS.  For purposes of this Agreement:

    "ADVISOR SHARES" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.3.

    "AFFILIATE" has the  same meaning  as in  Rule 12b-2  promulgated under  the
Exchange Act.

    "ALLONGES"  means  the Allonges  delivered by  Borrowers to  Servicing Agent
pursuant to subsection 3.1A of the Second Amended Agreement and substantially in
the form of Exhibit II to the Second Amended Agreement.

    "AMENDED  LIQUIDATING  PROPERTY  TRUST  AGREEMENT"  means  the  Amended  and
Restated  Liquidating Property Trust Agreement to be entered into among Company,
Borrowers, Holdings, Newco,  the Insurance Company  Lenders or their  Affiliates
and  Bankers Trust Company of California,  as Trustee, in substantially the form
of Exhibit F hereto.

    "AMENDMENTS" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(b).

    "ANCILLARY AGREEMENTS"  means  the  Ancillary  Funding  Agreements  and  the
Ancillary Closing Agreements.

    "ANCILLARY  CLOSING AGREEMENTS"  means (i) the  Beneficial Interest Purchase
Agreement, (ii) the  Liquidating Property Trust  Note Purchase Agreement,  (iii)
the  Liquidating  Property Trust  Amendment  Documents, (iv)  the  Third Amended
Agreement, (v) the Liquidating Property Trust Lease Documents and (vi) the South
Warehouse Lease.


                                       15
<PAGE>

    "ANCILLARY FUNDING AGREEMENTS"  means (i) the  Stockholders Agreement,  (ii)
the  Registration Rights Agreement,  (iii) the Proxies,  (iv) the Put Agreement,
(v) the Interim Loan  Agreement and (vi)  the Intercreditor Agreement.  "Argosy"
has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(f).

    "BANKRUPTCY  CODE"  means  the  United States  Code,  the  Federal  Rules of
Bankruptcy Procedure promulgated thereunder, and the local Bankruptcy Rules  for
the Central District of California.

    "BANKRUPTCY  COURT" means the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Central
District of California.

    "BASE AMOUNT" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(m).

    "BENEFICIAL INTEREST PURCHASE AGREEMENT"  has the meaning  set forth in  the
Liquidating Property Trust Amendment Documents.

    "BOARD  OF DIRECTORS" means  the Board of Directors  of Company except where
the context requires otherwise.

    "BORROWER NOTES" means the promissory notes of Borrowers issued pursuant  to
subsection  2.1D  of the  Original Agreement  and substantially  in the  form of
Exhibit II to the Original Agreement, as modified pursuant to the Allonges,  and
as  such notes may be  amended, supplemented or otherwise  modified from time to
time.

    "BORROWERS" means Standard  Brands Paint  Co., Standard  Brands Realty  Co.,
Inc. and The Art Store.

    "BUSINESS  DAY" means any day excluding Saturday, Sunday and any day that is
a legal holiday under the laws  of the State of California  or New York or is  a
day on which banking institutions located in the State of California or New York
are authorized by law or other governmental action to close.

    "CAPITAL  LEASE", as applied to any Person,  means any lease of any property
(whether real,  personal, or  mixed) by  that Person  as lessee  that would,  in
conformity  with GAAP, be required to be accounted for as a capital lease on the
balance sheet of that Person.

    "CERTIFICATE OF  DESIGNATIONS"  means  the certificate  of  designations  of
Company, in the form of Exhibit B hereto.

    "CERTIFICATE  OF INCORPORATION"  means the  certificate of  incorporation of
Company, and as amended in the form of Exhibit A hereto.

    "CLOSING" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.7.

    "CLOSING DATE" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.7.

    "CLOSING DOCUMENTS"  means  the documents  agreed  to be  delivered  at  the
Closing as set forth in the Closing memorandum attached as Exhibit D hereto.

    "COMMON  STOCK" means the common stock of Company, par value $.01 per share,
and as converted pursuant to the Stock Split.

    "COMPANY" has the meaning set forth above.

    "CONTINGENT OBLIGATION",  as applied  to  any Person,  means any  direct  or
indirect  liability, contingent or otherwise, of that Person with respect to any
indebtedness, lease, dividend, letter of  credit, or other obligation of  itself
or  another, including,  without limitation,  any obligation  under any interest
rate swap  agreement or  currency  swap agreement,  any obligation  directly  or
indirectly guaranteed, endorsed (otherwise than for collection or deposit in the
ordinary  course of business),  co-made, or discounted or  sold with recourse by
that Person,  or  in respect  of  which that  Person  is otherwise  directly  or
indirectly  liable, including, without limitation, any such obligation for which
that Person is in effect liable through any agreement (contingent or  otherwise)
to  purchase, repurchase, or  otherwise acquire such  obligation or any security
therefor,   or   to    provide   funds    for   the    payment   or    discharge


                                       16
<PAGE>

of  such obligation  (whether in the  form of loans,  advances, stock purchases,
capital contributions, or otherwise), or to maintain the solvency or any balance
sheet, income or other financial condition of the obligor of such obligation, or
to  make  payment  for  any  products,   materials,  or  supplies  or  for   any
transportation,   services,  or   lease  regardless   of  the   non-delivery  or
non-furnishing thereof,  in any  such case  if  the purpose  or intent  of  such
agreement  is  to  provide  assurance  that  such  obligation  will  be  paid or
discharged, or that any  agreements relating thereto will  be complied with,  or
that  the holders  of such obligation  will be  protected (in whole  or in part)
against loss in respect thereof. The  amount of any Contingent Obligation  shall
be equal to the amount of the obligation so guaranteed or otherwise supported.

    "DGCL" means the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware.

    "DIRECTOR" means a member of the Board of Directors.

    "DISQUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(m).

    "DOLLARS" means the lawful money of the United States of America.

    "EFFECTIVE DATE" means the effective date of the Plan, as provided therein.

    "ERISA"  means  the  Employee Retirement  Income  Security Act  of  1974, as
amended from time to time and any successor statute.

    "ERISA AFFILIATE", as  applied to any  Person, means any  trade or  business
(whether  or not incorporated) that is a member  of a group of which that Person
is also a  member and that  is under common  control within the  meaning of  the
regulations promulgated under Section 414 of the Internal Revenue Code.

    "EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(c).

    "EXCESS PARACHUTE PAYMENT" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(m).

    "EXCHANGE  ACT" means the Securities Exchange Act  of 1934 and the rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended.

    "EXISTING GRANTOR  TRUST  INDEBTEDNESS"  means Indebtedness  of  Company  or
Borrowers  to the Grantor Trust  in an aggregate principal  amount not to exceed
$6,000,000 pursuant to the Existing Grantor Trust Loan Agreements.

    "EXISTING GRANTOR  TRUST  LOAN AGREEMENTS"  means  the documents  listed  on
Schedule 9 to the New Loan Agreement and the Loan Agreement dated March 16, 1994
among Company, the New Loan Borrowers and the Grantor Trust.

    "EXISTING  INSURANCE COMPANY INDEBTEDNESS" means indebtedness of Company and
Interim Borrowers  to the  Insurance Company  Lenders pursuant  to the  Existing
Insurance Company Loan Agreement.

    "EXISTING  INSURANCE COMPANY LOAN AGREEMENT"  means the Amended and Restated
Loan Agreement dated  as of June  14, 1993 among  Company, Borrowers,  Insurance
Company  Lenders and Servicing Agent, as such Agreement may be amended, modified
or supplemented  from time  to time,  including pursuant  to the  Third  Amended
Agreement.

    "FIDELITY  LIMITED GUARANTY" means the  limited recourse guaranty by Company
of up to $10,000,000 of the obligations  of the Grantor Trust under the  Secured
Fidelity  Note pursuant to the Plan, which amount has been reduced in accordance
with its terms to  $2,500,000, as it may  be amended, supplemented or  otherwise
modified pursuant to Section 6.14 of the New Loan Agreement.

    "FIDELITY  NOTE  PURCHASE AGREEMENT"  means  a Note  Purchase  Agreement for
$5,000,000 or more of notes between Company and one or more entities  affiliated
with Investor1 and Investor2.

    "FILED SEC DOCUMENTS" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(g).


                                       17
<PAGE>

    "FUNDING" AND "FUNDING DATE" have the meanings set forth in Section 2.5.

    "GAAP"  means  generally accepted  accounting  principles set  forth  in the
opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the  American
Institute  of  Certified  Public  Accountants,  including,  without limitations,
adjustments prescribed in accordance  with SOP 90-7 if  elected by the  Company,
and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or
in  such  other  statements  by  such  other entity  as  may  be  approved  by a
significant segment of  the accounting  profession, that are  applicable to  the
circumstances as of the date of determination.

    "GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(b).

    "GRANTOR TRUST" has the meaning set forth above.

    "GRANTOR  TRUST DOCUMENTS" means the  Grantor Trust Asset Purchase Agreement
(as defined  in the  Plan),  the Existing  Grantor  Trust Loan  Agreements,  the
Secured  Fidelity Notes,  the Fidelity Limited  Guaranty and  the "Grantor Trust
Documents" as defined in the Plan.

    "GRANTOR TRUST SUBSIDIARIES" means  The Art Store  Holding Company, The  Art
Store and SBP Properties Holding Company.

    "HOLDINGS" has the meaning set forth above.

    "HSR ACT" means the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and
the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended.

    "INDEBTEDNESS",  as applied  to any Person,  means (i)  all indebtedness for
borrowed money, (ii) that portion of obligations with respect to Capital  Leases
that  is capitalized  on a  balance sheet in  conformity with  GAAP, (iii) notes
payable and drafts  accepted representing  extensions of credit  whether or  not
representing obligations for borrowed money, (iv) any obligation owed for all or
any  part of the deferred purchase price  of property or services which purchase
price is  (y) due  more than  six  months from  the date  of incurrence  of  the
obligation  in respect thereof,  or (z) evidenced  by a note  or similar written
instrument, and  (v) all  indebtedness secured  by any  mortgage, pledge,  Lien,
security  interest, or  vendor's interest  under any  conditional sale  or other
title retention agreement  existing on any  property or asset  owned or held  by
that  Person regardless whether the indebtedness secured thereby shall have been
assumed by that Person or is non-recourse to the credit of that Person; PROVIDED
that, applied to  Borrowers, "Indebtedness"  shall not  include the  Liquidating
Property Trust Obligations.

    "INSURANCE  COMPANY  LENDERS"  means  Investor3,  Investor4,  Investor5  and
Investor6.

    "INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT" means the Intercreditor Agreement, dated as of the
date hereof, among Holdings, the Other Investors, Interim Borrowers and Company,
in the form of Exhibit C to the Interim Loan Agreement.

    "INTERIM BORROWERS"  means Standard  Brands Paint  Co. and  Standard  Brands
Realty Co., Inc.

    "INTERIM  LOAN AGREEMENT" means the Interim  Loan Agreement, dated as of the
date hereof, among Company, Interim Borrowers and Holdings.

    "INTERIM NOTES"  means  the promissory  notes  of Interim  Borrowers  issued
pursuant  to the Interim Loan Agreement and substantially in the form of Exhibit
A thereto, and as such Interim Notes may be amended, supplemented, or  otherwise
modified from time to time.

    "INTERNAL  REVENUE CODE" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
to the  date hereof  and  from time  to time  hereafter.  For purposes  of  this
Agreement,  all reference to Sections of the Internal Revenue Code shall include
any applicable predecessor provisions to such Sections.

    "LENDER" AND  "LENDERS"  have  the  meanings  set  forth  in  the  New  Loan
Agreement.

    "LIEN"  means  any lien,  mortgage,  pledge, security  interest,  charge, or
encumbrance of any kind (including any conditional sale or other title retention
agreement, any  lease in  the nature  thereof,  and any  agreement to  give  any
security interest).


                                       18
<PAGE>

    "LIQUIDATING   PROPERTY   TRUST"  means   the  liquidating   property  trust
established pursuant to the Liquidating Property Trust Documents.

    "LIQUIDATING PROPERTY TRUST AGREEMENT" means the Trust Agreement dated as of
July 12, 1994 among Company, Standard  Brands Paint Co., Standard Brands  Realty
Co.  Inc.,  as Depositors,  and Bankers  Trust Company  of California,  N.A., as
Trustee.

    "LIQUIDATING  PROPERTY  TRUST   AMENDMENT  DOCUMENTS"   means  the   Amended
Liquidating  Property Trust Agreement and the  Second Amended and Restated Trust
Loan Agreement.

    "LIQUIDATING PROPERTY TRUST DOCUMENTS" means the Liquidating Property  Trust
Agreement and the Amended and Restated Trust Loan Agreement dated as of July 12,
1994  among  the  Liquidating  Property  Trust,  Insurance  Company  Lenders and
Servicing Agent, as each such agreement may be amended, supplemented or modified
from time  to  time,  including  by the  Liquidating  Property  Trust  Amendment
Documents.

    "LIQUIDATING  PROPERTY  TRUST  LEASE  DOCUMENTS"  has  the  same  meaning as
Depositors Leases in the Liquidating Property Trust Amendment Documents.

    "LIQUIDATING PROPERTY TRUST  LEASES" has  the meaning set  forth in  Section
4.1(k).

    "LIQUIDATING PROPERTY TRUST NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT" means the Note Purchase
Agreement among Holdings, an entity organized by Investor1 and Investor2 and the
Insurance Company Lenders.

    "LIQUIDATING PROPERTY TRUST OBLIGATIONS" means all of the obligations of the
Liquidating  Property  Trust to  Insurance Company  Lenders and  Servicing Agent
under the Liquidating Property Trust Documents.

    "MATERIAL ADVERSE CHANGE" or "MATERIAL  ADVERSE EFFECT" means any change  or
effect  (or any development that is reasonably likely to result in any change or
effect)  that  is  materially  adverse  to  the  business,  properties,  assets,
condition  (financial  or  otherwise),  results of  operations  or  prospects of
Company and its Subsidiaries in each case taken  as a whole, or to the value  of
the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock. By way of background, Schedule 1.1 sets
forth the most recent financial information of the Company.

    "MATERIAL CONTRACTS" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(q).

    "MORTGAGE"  or  "MORTGAGES" have  the  meanings set  forth  in the  New Loan
Agreement and the Interim Loan Agreement.

    "MORTGAGED PROPERTY" means real and personal property subject to the lien of
a  Mortgage;  but  shall  not  include  the  Mortgaged  Properties  which   were
transferred  to  the  Liquidating  Property Trust  pursuant  to  the Liquidating
Property Trust Documents.

    "MULTIEMPLOYER PLAN"  means a  "MULTIEMPLOYER PLAN"  as defined  in  Section
4001(a)(3)  of ERISA in which any employees of Company or any ERISA Affiliate of
Company participate or from which any such employees may derive a benefit.

    "NEW BORROWER NOTES" means the promissory notes of New Loan Borrowers issued
pursuant to subsection 2.1(D) of the New Loan Agreement and substantially in the
form of Exhibit II annexed to the New Loan Agreement.

    "NEW LOAN AGREEMENT" means that certain Loan Agreement dated as of March 16,
1994 by and among  Company, the New Loan  Borrowers, the lenders named  therein,
Transamerica  Occidental  Life Insurance  Company,  as servicing  and collateral
agent for  lenders,  as  such  New Loan  Agreement  may  be  amended,  restated,
supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time.

    "NEW  LOAN BORROWERS"  means Standard Brands  Paint Co.  and Standard Brands
Realty Co., Inc.

    "NEW SHARES" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.


                                       19
<PAGE>

    "NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT" means the Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of the
date hereof, between Holdings and Grantor Trust.

    "OBLIGATIONS" means all obligations of every nature of Company from time  to
time owed to Holdings under the Interim Loan Agreement and the Interim Notes.

    "ORIGINAL  AGREEMENT" means  the Loan  Agreement, dated  as of  November 30,
1987, among Company, Borrowers, Insurance  Company Lenders and Servicing  Agent,
as amended to the date hereof.

    "OTHER INVESTORS" has the meaning set forth above.

    "PARTY" means a Party to this Agreement.

    "PENSION  PLAN" means any employee plan that is subject to the provisions of
Title IV of ERISA in  which any employees of Company  or any ERISA Affiliate  of
Company participate or from which any such employees may derive a benefit, other
than a Multiemployer Plan.

    "PERSON"   means  and   includes  natural   persons,  corporations,  limited
partnerships, general  partnerships,  joint  stock  companies,  joint  ventures,
associations,  companies, trusts, banks, trust  companies, land trusts, business
trusts, or other organizations, whether  or not legal entities, and  governments
and agencies and political subdivisions thereof.

    "PLAN"  means  Debtors' Fourth  Amended Joint  Plan of  Reorganization filed
March 1993, filed by Company in the Reorganization Cases on March 1993 and as it
was amended thereafter, was  confirmed on May 14,  1993 and became effective  on
June 14, 1993.

    "PREFERRED SHARES" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.2.

    "PREFERRED  STOCK" means the  preferred stock of  Company issued pursuant to
the Certificate of Designations.

    "PROPERTY TRANSFER" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(j).

    "PROPOSALS" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(i).

    "PROXY" means a Proxy contemplated by Section 2.3(d), in the form of Exhibit
C hereto.

    "PROXY STATEMENT" has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(a).

    "PUT AGREEMENT"  means  the Put  Agreement,  dated the  date  hereof,  among
Parent, Grantor Trust, the Other Investors and Company.

    "REGISTRATION  RIGHTS  AGREEMENT" means  the Registration  Rights Agreement,
dated the date hereof, among Holdings, the Other Investors and Company.

    "REORGANIZATION CASES" means  Company's and Borrowers'  (other than The  Art
Store) jointly administered cases under the Bankruptcy Code.

    "SARS" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(c)

    "SEC" means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    "SEC DOCUMENTS" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(e).

    "SECOND  AMENDED AGREEMENT" means  the Second Amended  and Restated Existing
Loan Agreement, dated as of July  12, 1994, among Company, Borrowers,  Insurance
Company Lenders and Servicing Agent.

    "SECOND  AMENDED AND RESTATED TRUST LOAN AGREEMENT" means the Second Amended
and Restated  Trust Loan  Agreement to  be entered  into among  the  Liquidating
Property  Trust, Insurance Company Lenders and Servicing Agent, in substantially
the form of Exhibit H hereto.


                                       20
<PAGE>

    "SECURED FIDELITY NOTES" means the Fixed Rate and Floating Rate Senior Notes
issued by the Grantor Trust to Investor1 and Investor2.

    "SECURITIES ACT"  means  the  Securities  Act of  1933  and  the  rules  and
regulations promulgated thereunder, as amended.

    "SERVICING  AGENT" means Transamerica Occidental  Life Insurance Company, as
servicing and collateral agent for Lenders and Insurance Company Lenders.

    "SHARE" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a).

    "SHARE ISSUANCES" shall mean the issuances of the New Shares, the  Preferred
Shares and the Advisor Shares pursuant to Sections 3.2 and 3.3.

    "SOUTH  WAREHOUSE" means the South Warehouse located in Torrance, California
and owned by the Liquidating Property Trust.

    "SOUTH WAREHOUSE LEASE" has the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(l).

    "STOCK EQUIVALENTS" has the meaning set forth in Section 5.1(c).

    "STOCK SPLIT" has the meaning set forth in Section 3.1(a).

    "STOCKHOLDERS AGREEMENT" means the Stockholders  Agreement, dated as of  the
date hereof, between Holdings and Company.

    "STOCKHOLDERS MEETING" has the meaning set forth in Section 7.1(b).

    "SUBSIDIARY"  has the  same meaning as  in Rule 12b-2  promulgated under the
Exchange Act.

    "TAX" or "TAXES"  shall mean  all federal,  state, local  or foreign  taxes,
including  but  not  limited  to,  income,  gross  receipts,  windfall  profits,
alternative minimum, value added,  severance, property, production, sales,  use,
license,  excise, franchise, employment, withholding  or similar taxes, together
with and interest, additions or penalties with respect thereto and any  interest
in respect of such additions or penalties.

    "TAX  RETURN" shall mean all  reports and returns required  to be filed with
respect to Taxes.

    "THE ART STORE NOTE" means the note  dated May 31, 1993, from The Art  Store
to  Standard Brands Paint Co.  in the principal amount  of $5,000,000, such note
having been endorsed to  Lewis C. Leighton  as Trustee of  the Grantor Trust  on
June 14, 1993.

    "THIRD  AMENDED  AGREEMENT" means  the Third  Amended and  Restated Existing
Agreement, among  Company, Borrowers,  Insurance Company  Lenders and  Servicing
Agent, in the form of Exhibit G hereto.

    "TRANSACTIONS" means the Transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the
Ancillary Agreements.

    "WORKING CAPITAL NOTES" means the notes issued pursuant to the Fidelity Note
Purchase Agreement and purchased by Investor1.

    1.2.   INTERPRETATION.   When  a reference  is made  in this  Agreement to a
Section, Exhibit or Schedule,  such reference shall  be to a  Section of, or  an
Exhibit  or Schedule to, this Agreement unless otherwise indicated. The table of
contents and headings  contained in  this Agreement are  for reference  purposes
only  and shall  not affect  in any  way the  meaning or  interpretation of this
Agreement. Whenever the words "include",  "includes" or "including" are used  in
this  Agreement,  they shall  be deemed  to  be followed  by the  words "without
limitation". For purposes of  this Agreement, the knowledge  of any Party  shall
mean the knowledge of such Party and its Subsidiaries after due inquiry.


                                       21
<PAGE>

                                   ARTICLE II
                                INTERIM FUNDING

    2.1.   NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT.  Prior to the execution and delivery of this
Agreement,  the  Parties  thereto  executed  and  delivered  the  Note  Purchase
Agreement and the closing occurred thereunder.

    2.2.   GRANTOR  TRUST TRANSACTIONS.   The  Transactions in  this Section 2.2
shall precede the Transactions in Sections 2.3 and 2.4; and the Transactions  in
this  Section  2.2 shall  occur in  the  order stated.  Grantor Trust  shall pay
$1,518,351 of  Existing Insurance  Company Indebtedness  and Company  shall  pay
$237,374  of Existing Insurance Company  Indebtedness. Insurance Company Lenders
shall release the cross-collateralization and the guarantees with respect to the
Existing Insurance Company Indebtedness owed to Insurance Company Lenders by The
Art Store  and  discharge  any  deed  of  trust  or  other  security  instrument
encumbering  real or  personal property  owned by  The Art  Store. Grantor Trust
shall contribute the Art Store  Note to The Art  Store Holding Company. The  Art
Store  Holding Company shall contribute the Art Store Note to The Art Store. The
Art Store  shall  cancel the  Art  Store  Note. Investor1  and  Investor2  shall
exchange  the Secured Fidelity  Notes with the Grantor  Trust for (i) $5,050,200
principal  amount  of  Existing  Grantor  Trust  Indebtedness,  (ii)  $5,260,625
principal amount of New Borrower Notes, (iii) the stock of The Art Store Holding
Company,  a  Delaware  corporation, (iv)  the  stock of  SBP  Properties Holding
Company, a California corporation  and (v) $594,824 in  cash, all in  accordance
with  Exhibit  E  hereto. Investor1  and  Investor2 shall  deliver  the Fidelity
Limited Guaranty to Company for cancellation.

    2.3.  INVESTMENT AGREEMENT AND  ANCILLARY FUNDING AGREEMENTS.   Concurrently
with the execution and delivery of this Agreement,

    (a)  The Parties  thereto shall  execute and  deliver each  of the Ancillary
       Funding Agreements;

    (b) Holdings shall loan $14,000,000  to Interim Borrowers, by wire  transfer
       to  Company for their benefit, for a  like amount of Interim Notes issued
       under the  Interim  Loan Agreement  and  all filings  and  recordings  in
       connection with the Interim Loan Agreement shall be made;

    (c) All outstanding options, SARs and warrants for the Common Stock shall be
       cancelled  as of  or prior  to the Funding  Date and  the Other Investors
       shall cancel and return all options,  SARs and warrants for Common  Stock
       held by them; and

    (d)  The Other Investors shall grant  their irrevocable proxies, each in the
       form of Exhibit  C hereto,  to Holdings  or its  designees. Such  proxies
       shall  be irrevocable  during the  term of  this Agreement  to the extent
       permitted under Delaware law  and coupled with  an interest. Company  and
       Borrowers shall simultaneously pay all accrued and unpaid payments to the
       Other  Investors and  all accrued  and unpaid  rent due  under the Master
       Lease (as  defined  in the  Liquidating  Property Trust  Agreement).  Any
       defects  in  such proxies  shall be  corrected  by the  Other Investor(s)
       concerned promptly after the Funding according to the reasonable  request
       of Holdings.

    2.4.   DIRECTORS AND BY-LAWS.   Concurrently with the execution and delivery
of this  Agreement  and  the  Stockholders  Agreement,  Company  will  take  all
necessary  action to appoint to its Board of Directors the individuals set forth
in Schedule 2.1 to the  Stockholders Agreement and to  adopt the By-Laws as  set
forth in Schedule 2.6 to the Stockholders Agreement.

    2.5.    FUNDING.   The interim  funding which  consists of  the Transactions
referred to in Sections  2.1 through 2.4  (the "Funding") shall  be held at  the
offices of Sullivan & Cromwell, 444 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California
90071 (provided that certain of the actions contemplated by Section 2.1 may take
place  in New York or Boston)  as of the date of  execution and delivery of this
Agreement (the  "Funding  Date"). At  the  Funding, Company,  Parent,  Holdings,
Grantor  Trust and the Other Investors shall deliver such opinions, certificates
and documents as may be reasonably requested to evidence such Funding.


                                       22
<PAGE>

                                  ARTICLE III
                          PURCHASE AND SALE OF SHARES

    3.1.  COMPANY ACTION.  (a)  Prior to Closing, Company will effect a 1 for 10
reverse stock split of its Common  Stock, pursuant to which each 10  outstanding
shares of its Common Stock, par value $.01 per share, will be converted into one
share  (a "Share") of its new Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Stock
Split"). The Company may, at its option,  pay cash for any fractional shares  or
round such fractional shares up to the nearest whole number of Shares.

    (b)   Prior  to  or  concurrently  with  Closing,  Company  will  amend  its
Certificate of Incorporation as set forth in Exhibit A hereto (the "Amendments")
and take  all  necessary  action  to  appoint to  its  Board  of  Directors  the
individuals set forth in Schedule 2.1 to the Stockholders Agreement.

    3.2.   EXCHANGE OF  DEBT AND ISSUANCE OF  SHARES.  Subject  to the terms and
conditions  set  forth  herein,   Holdings,  Investor1,  Investor2,   Investor3,
Investor4,  Investor5 and Investor6 shall exchange $14,000,000 of Interim Notes,
$6,000,000 of  Existing  Grantor  Trust  Indebtedness  and  $10,000,000  of  New
Borrower Notes (collectively, the "Exchange Debt") held by them with the Company
for  17,943,422 newly  issued Shares  (the "New Shares")  of Common  Stock at an
exchange price of $0.89 (based on the principal amount of the Exchange Debt) per
New Share  and  1,570,049  newly  issued  shares  (the  "Preferred  Shares")  of
Preferred  Stock at an exchange price of $8.92 (based on the principal amount of
the Exchange Debt) per  Preferred Share, as set  forth on Schedule 3.2.  Company
shall  simultaneously pay to the holders thereof all interest accrued and unpaid
on the Exchange Debt. Each Party shall take all actions necessary to release any
Liens, security interests or guarantees in connection with the Exchange Debt and
discharge any deed  of trust or  other security instrument  encumbering real  or
personal property securing such Exchange Debt.

    3.3.   ADVISOR FEES.  As partial payment to Libra Investments, Inc., Company
shall issue to Libra Investments, Inc. 448,586 newly issued Shares (the "Advisor
Shares"). Such partial  payment of their  advisory fees shall  be credited at  a
price of $0.89 per Share.

    3.4.   FIDELITY NOTE PURCHASE AGREEMENT.  It is presently contemplated that,
concurrently or  shortly  after the  Closing,  a  closing shall  occur  under  a
Fidelity Note Purchase Agreement.

    3.5.  PROPERTY TRANSFER.  Concurrently with the Closing, the Parties thereto
shall execute and deliver the Liquidating Property Trust Amendment Documents and
the  Third Amended  Agreement and  the Property  Transfer shall  occur under the
Liquidating Property Trust Amendment Documents.

    3.6.  LEASES AND OTHER ANCILLARY AGREEMENTS.  Concurrently with the Closing,
the Parties thereto  shall execute  and deliver the  Liquidating Property  Trust
Lease  Documents  and  to  the  extent not  already  done,  the  other Ancillary
Agreements.

    3.7.  CLOSING.  The Closing of the Transactions contemplated in Sections 3.2
through 3.6 (the "Closing") shall be held at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell,
444 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California 90071 (provided that certain of
the actions  may  take  place  in  New York  or  Boston)  on  the  Business  Day
immediately  following  the Stockholders  Meeting  or such  other  date mutually
agreed upon  by the  Parties.  The date  on which  the  Closing shall  occur  is
hereinafter  referred to as the "Closing Date". At the Closing, Company, Parent,
Holdings, and the Other Investors shall deliver the Closing Documents.

                                   ARTICLE IV
                       CONDITIONS TO FUNDING AND CLOSING

    4.1.  CONDITIONS  OF PARENT  AND HOLDINGS WITH  RESPECT TO  THE FUNDING  AND
CLOSING.   The obligations of Parent and Holdings to consummate the Transactions
contemplated to occur at the Funding


                                       23
<PAGE>

and the  Closing  are subject  to  the satisfaction  (or  waiver by  Parent  and
Holdings)  as of the Funding and the  Closing of the following conditions (it is
understood that the  execution and delivery  of this Agreement  and the  Funding
shall occur at the same time):

        (a) The representations and warranties of Company, Grantor Trust and the
    Other  Investors set forth in this Agreement and in the Ancillary Agreements
    qualified as to  materiality shall  be true and  correct, and  those not  so
    qualified shall be true and correct in all material respects, as of the date
    hereof  and as of the time of the  Funding and the Closing as though made as
    of such  time, except  to  the extent  such representations  and  warranties
    expressly  relate to an earlier date (in which case such representations and
    warranties qualified as to materiality shall be true and correct, and  those
    not  so qualified shall be true and correct in all material respects, on and
    as of  such earlier  date). Each  of Company,  Grantor Trust  and the  Other
    Investors shall have performed or complied in all material respects with all
    obligations  and  covenants required  by  this Agreement  and  the Ancillary
    Agreements to be performed  or complied with by  Company, the Grantor  Trust
    and the Other Investors by the time of the Funding and the Closing.

        (b)  No statute,  rule, regulation,  executive order,  decree, temporary
    restraining order,  preliminary  or  permanent  injunction  or  other  order
    enacted,  entered, promulgated,  enforced or  issued by  any Federal, state,
    local  or  foreign  government  or  any  court  of  competent  jurisdiction,
    administrative  agency  or  commission or  other  governmental  authority or
    instrumentality, domestic  or foreign  (a  "Governmental Entity")  or  other
    legal  restraint  or prohibition  preventing  the Transactions  shall  be in
    effect.

        (c) Each of Company,  Grantor Trust and the  Other Investors shall  have
    executed  and delivered to Parent and Holdings as applicable, each Ancillary
    Funding Agreement. Each Ancillary Funding  Agreement shall be in full  force
    and  effect, subject to the conditions contained herein or therein, and none
    of Company,  Grantor Trust  or  the Other  Investors  shall be  in  material
    default  thereunder.  The  conditions  contained  in  the  Ancillary Funding
    Agreements shall have been satisfied or waived.

        (d) The waiting  periods under the  HSR Act shall  have expired or  been
    terminated    and   the   consents,   approvals,   orders,   authorizations,
    registrations, declarations and filings set  forth on Schedule 5.1(d)  shall
    have been obtained or made.

        (e)  The New Shares  shall have been  approved for quotation  on the New
    York Stock Exchange.

        (f) The Board  of Directors of  the Company (i)  shall have received  an
    opinion  of  The  Argosy  Group  L.P.  ("Argosy")  to  the  effect  that the
    Transactions contemplated hereby are fair from a financial point of view  to
    the   stockholders  of  the  Company  and   (ii)  shall  have  approved  the
    Transactions and the Proposals.

        (g) The Proxy Statement shall have been filed, or be in a form ready  to
    file, with the SEC.

        (h)  The form of the Liquidating  Property Trust Amendment Documents and
    the form of the Liquidating Property  Trust Leases shall be satisfactory  in
    form and substance to Parent and Holdings.

        The  conditions  set  forth  in subsections  (i)  through  (l)  shall be
    applicable at Closing (but not at Funding).

        (i) Proposals approving (i) this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements,
    (ii) the Stock Split, (iii) the Amendments, (iv) the Property Transfer,  (v)
    the  Share  Issuances and  (vi) the  appointment of  directors set  forth in
    Schedule 2.1 to  the Stockholders Agreement,  as well as  any other  matters
    that  the Company and the Parent may reasonably consider advisable to effect
    the Transactions (the "Proposals") shall have been approved, in person or by
    proxy, by  the  stockholders of  Company  at the  Stockholders  Meeting,  in
    accordance with applicable law, the rules of The New York Stock Exchange and
    the Certificate and By-Laws of Company.


                                       24
<PAGE>

        (j)   Company shall  have transferred to  the Liquidating Property Trust
    the  properties  identified  in  the  Amended  Liquidating  Property   Trust
    Agreement,  together with  related Existing  Insurance Company Indebtedness,
    and the closing shall  have occurred under the  Third Amended Agreement  and
    the   Liquidating   Property  Trust   Amendment  Documents   (the  "Property
    Transfer").

        (k) The  Liquidating Property  Trust shall  have leased  to Company  the
    stores  owned by the Liquidating Property  Trust pursuant to leases that are
    satisfactory in form and substance to Parent and Holdings (the  "Liquidating
    Property Trust Leases").

        (l)  The Liquidating  Property Trust  shall have  leased to  Company the
    South Warehouse on terms that are  satisfactory to Parent and Holdings  (the
    "South Warehouse Lease").

    4.2.   CONDITIONS OF COMPANY  WITH RESPECT TO THE  FUNDING AND CLOSING.  The
obligation of Company to  consummate the Transactions  contemplated to occur  at
the  Funding  and the  Closing are  subject  to the  satisfaction (or  waiver by
Company) as of the Funding  and the Closing of  the following conditions (it  is
understood  that the  execution and delivery  of this Agreement  and the Funding
shall occur at the same time):

        (a) The  representations and  warranties  of Parent,  Holdings,  Grantor
    Trust  and  the Other  Investors  set forth  in  this Agreement  and  in the
    Ancillary Agreements qualified as to materiality shall be true and  correct,
    and  those  not so  qualified  shall be  true  and correct  in  all material
    respects, as of the date hereof and as of the time of the Closing as  though
    made  as  of  such  time,  except to  the  extent  such  representations and
    warranties  expressly  relate  to  an  earlier  date  (in  which  case  such
    representations and warranties qualified as to materiality shall be true and
    correct,  and  those not  so  qualified shall  be  true and  correct  in all
    material respects,  on  and  as  of such  earlier  date).  Each  of  Parent,
    Holdings,  Grantor Trust  and the  Other Investors  shall have  performed or
    complied in  all  material  respects  with  all  obligations  and  covenants
    required  by this Agreement and the  Ancillary Agreements to be performed or
    complied with by Parent, Holdings, Grantor Trust and the Other Investors  by
    the time of the Funding and the Closing.

        (b)  No statute,  rule, regulation,  executive order,  decree, temporary
    restraining order,  preliminary  or  permanent  injunction  or  other  order
    enacted, entered, promulgated, enforced or issued by any Governmental Entity
    or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the Transactions shall be
    in effect.

        (c)  Each of  Parent, Holdings,  Grantor Trust  and the  Other Investors
    shall  have  executed  and  delivered  to  Company  each  Ancillary  Funding
    Agreement  to which it is a party. Each Ancillary Funding Agreement shall be
    in full force  and effect,  subject to  the conditions  contained herein  or
    therein,  and  none of  the  Parent, Holdings,  Grantor  Trust or  the Other
    Investors shall be in material default thereunder. The conditions  contained
    in the Ancillary Funding Agreements shall have been satisfied or waived.

        (d)  The waiting periods  under the HSR  Act shall have  expired or been
    terminated   and   the   consents,   approvals,   orders,    authorizations,
    registrations,  declarations and filings set forth on Schedule 5.1(d) (other
    than those within the control of Company) shall have been obtained or made.

        (e) The Board of Directors of the Company shall have received an opinion
    of Argosy to the effect that  the Transactions contemplated hereby are  fair
    from a financial point of view to the stockholders of the Company.

        The  conditions  set  forth  in subsections  (f)  through  (i)  shall be
    applicable at Closing (but not at Funding).

        (f) The  Proposals  shall have  been  approved by  the  stockholders  of
    Company  at the Stockholders Meeting, in accordance with applicable law, the
    rules of the  New York  Stock Exchange and  the Certificate  and By-Laws  of
    Company.


                                       25
<PAGE>

        (g) The Property Transfer shall have occurred.

        (h)  The Liquidating  Property Trust Leases  shall be in  full force and
    effect.

        (i) The South Warehouse Lease shall be in full force and effect.

    4.3.  CONDITIONS OF  THE OTHER INVESTORS AND  GRANTOR TRUST WITH RESPECT  TO
THE  FUNDING AND CLOSING.   The obligation  of the Other  Investors, and Grantor
Trust  in  the  case  of  the  Funding  only,  to  consummate  the  Transactions
contemplated  to  occur  at the  Funding  and  the Closing  are  subject  to the
satisfaction (or waiver  by the  Other Investors and  Grantor Trust)  as of  the
Funding  and the Closing of the following  conditions (it is understood that the
execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Funding shall occur at the same
time):

        (a) The representations and warranties  of Parent, Holdings and  Company
    set  forth in this Agreement and in the Ancillary Agreements qualified as to
    materiality shall be true and correct,  and those not so qualified shall  be
    true  and correct in all material respects, as  of the date hereof and as of
    the time of  the Funding and  the Closing as  though made as  of such  time,
    except to the extent such representations and warranties expressly relate to
    an earlier date (in which case such representations and warranties qualified
    as  to materiality  shall be  true and correct,  and those  not so qualified
    shall be  true and  correct in  all material  respects, on  and as  of  such
    earlier  date). Each of Parent, Holdings and Company shall have performed or
    complied in  all  material  respects  with  all  obligations  and  covenants
    required  by this Agreement and the  Ancillary Agreements to be performed or
    complied with by Parent, Holdings, Investor  and Company by the time of  the
    Funding and the Closing.

        (b)  No statute,  rule, regulation,  executive order,  decree, temporary
    restraining order,  preliminary  or  permanent  injunction  or  other  order
    enacted, entered, promulgated, enforced or issued by any Governmental Entity
    or other legal restraint or prohibition preventing the Transactions shall be
    in effect.

        (c)  Each of  the Parent, Holdings  and Company shall  have executed and
    delivered to  Grantor Trust  and the  Other Investors,  as applicable,  each
    Ancillary  Funding Agreement. Each  Ancillary Funding Agreement  shall be in
    full force  and  effect, subject  to  the conditions  contained  herein  and
    therein,  and  none of  Parent,  Holdings or  Company  shall be  in material
    default thereunder.  The  conditions  contained  in  the  Ancillary  Funding
    Agreements shall have been satisfied or waived.

        (d)  The waiting periods  under the HSR  Act shall have  expired or been
    terminated   and   the   consents,   approvals,   orders,    authorizations,
    registrations,  declarations and filings set  forth on Schedule 5.1(d) shall
    have been obtained or made.

        (e) The New  Shares shall have  been approved for  quotation on the  New
    York Stock Exchange.

        (f)  The Board of  Directors of the  Company (i) shall  have received an
    opinion of Argosy to  the effect that  the Transactions contemplated  hereby
    are  fair from a financial point of  view to the stockholders of the Company
    and (ii) shall have approved the Transactions and the Proposals.

        (g) The Proxy Statement shall have been filed, or be in a form ready  to
    file, with the SEC.

        (h) The form of the Liquidating Property Trust Amendment Documents shall
    be satisfactory in form and substance to Investor1 and Investor2.

        The  conditions  set  forth  in subsections  (i)  through  (l)  shall be
    applicable at Closing (but not at Funding).

        (i) The Proposals shall have been approved in person or by proxy, by the
    stockholders of  Company at  the Stockholders  Meeting, in  accordance  with
    applicable law, the rules of the New York Stock Exchange and the Certificate
    and By-Laws of Company.


                                       26
<PAGE>

        (j)  The Property Transfer shall have occurred.

        (k)  The Liquidating  Property Trust Leases  shall be in  full force and
    effect.

        (l) The South Warehouse Lease shall be in full force and effect.

                                   ARTICLE V
                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

    5.1.  REPRESENTATIONS  AND WARRANTIES  OF COMPANY.   Company represents  and
warrants to Parent, Holdings, Grantor Trust and the Other Investors as follows:

    (a)   ORGANIZATION, STANDING AND  CORPORATE POWER.  Company  and each of its
Subsidiaries is  a corporation  duly  organized, validly  existing and  in  good
standing  under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is incorporated and has
the requisite corporate  power and  authority to carry  on its  business as  now
being  conducted.  Company and  each of  its Subsidiaries  is duly  qualified or
licensed to do business and  is in good standing  in each jurisdiction in  which
the  nature of its business or the  ownership or leasing of its properties makes
such qualification  or licensing  necessary, other  than in  such  jurisdictions
where  the  failure to  be  so qualified  or  licensed (individually  or  in the
aggregate) would not  have a  material adverse  effect on  Company. Company  has
delivered   to  Parent  complete  and  correct  copies  of  its  Certificate  of
Incorporation and By-Laws and the  certificates of incorporation and by-laws  or
other constitutive documents of its Subsidiaries, in each case as amended to the
date  of  this  Agreement. Grantor  Trust  is  a trust  duly  organized, validly
existing and in good standing under the laws of the State of California and  has
the requisite power and authority to enter into this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements and to consummate the Transactions. The Liquidating Property Trust is
a  trust duly  organized and  validly existing  under the  laws of  the State of
California and  has  all  requisite  power  and  authority  to  enter  into  the
Liquidating   Property  Trust  Documents  and  to  carry  out  the  Transactions
contemplated thereby.

    (b)  SUBSIDIARIES.   Schedule 5.1(b) lists each  Subsidiary of Company.  All
the outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary that is a corporation
have  been validly issued  and are fully  paid and nonassessable.  Except as set
forth in  Schedule 5.1(b),  the entire  equity interest  in each  Subsidiary  of
Company  is owned by Company, by another Subsidiary of Company or by Company and
another such Subsidiary, free and clear of all Liens. Except as permitted  under
Section  6.3  of  the  New  Loan  Agreement,  neither  Company  nor  any  of its
Subsidiaries owns or holds, directly or indirectly, any capital stock or  equity
security  of, or any equity interest in,  any corporation or business other than
Subsidiaries of Company.

    (c)   CAPITAL  STRUCTURE; NEW  SHARES;  PREFERRED SHARES.    The  authorized
capital  stock of  Company consists  of 30,000,000  shares of  Common Stock, par
value $0.01 per share, and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value  $0.01
per  share. At  the date hereof,  (i) 22,429,275  shares of Common  Stock and no
shares of preferred stock  of Company were issued  and outstanding, (ii)  28,231
shares  of Common Stock were held by Company in its treasury, (iii) there are no
outstanding employee stock options to purchase shares of Common Stock ("Employee
Stock Options") and  no shares reserved  for issuance pursuant  to any  Employee
Stock  Option  (although  1,500,000 shares  of  Common Stock  are  authorized in
connection with the  relevant plans), and  (iv) 750,000 shares  of Common  Stock
were  reserved for  issuance upon the  exercise of outstanding  warrants, all of
which warrants are held by  one or more Parties. Except  as set forth above,  at
the  date  hereof, no  shares of  capital  stock or  other voting  securities of
Company were issued,  reserved for  issuance or  outstanding and  except as  set
forth  on Schedule 5.1(c), there are not  any phantom stock or other contractual
rights the value of which is determined in whole or in part by the value of  any
capital  stock of Company ("Stock Equivalents").  There are no outstanding stock
appreciation rights  ("SARs")  with respect  to  Common Stock.  Except  for  the
approval of the Proposals as contemplated by Section 4.1(i), no further approval
of  the stockholders or the  directors of Company or  of any Governmental Entity
will be required by Company for the issuance and sale of the New Shares and  the
Preferred Shares as contemplated by this


                                       27
<PAGE>

Agreement.  When  issued  and  sold  to  Holdings  or  the  Other  Investors, as
applicable, the New  Shares and the  Preferred Shares will  be duly  authorized,
validly  issued, fully paid and nonassessable and  will be free and clear of all
claims, liens,  encumbrances,  security  interests and  charges  of  any  nature
(arising  from actions  of the  Company) and are  not subject  to any preemptive
right of any stockholder of Company. Other than this Agreement and the Ancillary
Agreements, the  New Shares  and the  Preferred Shares  are not  subject to  any
voting  trust agreement or other contract, agreement, arrangement, commitment or
understanding to which  the Company is  a party, including  any such  agreement,
arrangement,  commitment or  understanding restricting or  otherwise relating to
the voting  or  disposition of  the  New Shares  or  the Preferred  Shares.  All
outstanding  shares of capital stock of Company  are, and all shares that may be
issued pursuant  to the  Employee Stock  Options and  the other  agreements  and
instruments  listed above will be, when issued, duly authorized, validly issued,
fully paid and nonassessable and not subject to preemptive rights. There are not
any outstanding bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness of Company having
the right to vote (or convertible  into, or exchangeable for, securities  having
the  right to vote)  on any matters  on which stockholders  of Company may vote.
Except as set forth above, as of the  date of this Agreement, there are not  any
securities,  options,  warrants,  calls,  rights,  convertible  or  exchangeable
securities or commitments, agreements, arrangements or undertakings of any  kind
to  which Company or any of its Subsidiaries is  a party or by which any of them
is bound obligating Company or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, deliver or sell
or create,  or cause  to be  issued, delivered  or sold  or created,  additional
shares  of  capital stock  or other  voting securities  or Stock  Equivalents of
Company or  of any  of its  Subsidiaries or  obligating Company  or any  of  its
Subsidiaries  to issue, grant,  extend or enter into  any such security, option,
warrant, call, right, commitment, agreement,  arrangement or undertaking. As  of
the   date  of  this  Agreement,  there  are  not  any  outstanding  contractual
obligations of  Company or  any of  its Subsidiaries  to repurchase,  redeem  or
otherwise  acquire  any  shares  of  capital stock  of  Company  or  any  of its
Subsidiaries. Except in agreements to which  any Party is also a party,  neither
the  Company  nor any  of its  Subsidiaries  has entered  into any  agreement to
register its equity or debt securities  under the Securities Act. Grantor  Trust
is  the  record  and beneficial  owner  of  $6,250,000 principal  amount  of New
Borrower  Notes,  $6,000,000   principal  amount  of   Existing  Grantor   Trust
Indebtedness  and all of  the capital stock  of SBP Holding  Company and The Art
Store Holding Company, to the best of Company's knowledge, is free and clear  of
all Liens.

    (d)   AUTHORITY; NONCONTRAVENTION.   (i) Company,  each Interim Borrower and
Grantor Trust has  the requisite  corporate (or  other) power  and authority  to
enter  into  this Agreement  and the  Ancillary Agreements  and, subject  to the
Proposals  having  been  approved  by   the  stockholders  of  Company  at   the
Stockholders Meeting, to consummate the Transactions. The execution and delivery
by  the Company and each  Interim Borrower of this  Agreement and each Ancillary
Agreement by Company, each Interim Borrower and  Grantor Trust to which it is  a
party  and the consummation by Company,  each Interim Borrower and Grantor Trust
of the Transactions  have been duly  authorized by all  necessary corporate  (or
other)  action on the part of Company,  each Interim Borrower and Grantor Trust,
subject, in the case  of this Agreement,  to adoption of  this Agreement by  the
holders  of a majority of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. This Agreement
and the Ancillary Agreements to which it is a party have been duly executed  and
delivered  by Company,  each Interim Borrower  and Grantor  Trust and constitute
valid and  legally binding  agreements  of Company,  each Interim  Borrower  and
Grantor  Trust enforceable  against Company,  each Interim  Borrower and Grantor
Trust  in  accordance  with  their  respective  terms,  subject  to  bankruptcy,
insolvency,  fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of
general applicability relating to or affecting creditors' rights and to  general
equity principles.

    (ii) The execution and delivery by Company and each Interim Borrower of this
Agreement  and the  Ancillary Agreements  did not,  and the  consummation of the
Transactions and  compliance  with the  provisions  of this  Agreement  and  the
Ancillary  Agreements without obtaining the consent of any third party will not,
conflict with, or result in any violation of, or default (with or without notice
or lapse  of time,  or both)  under, or  give rise  to a  right of  termination,
cancellation  or acceleration of any obligation or  to loss by Company or any of
its   Subsidiaries   of   a   material   benefit   under,   or   the    creation


                                       28
<PAGE>

of  any material additional benefit  to any third party  under, or result in the
creation of any Lien upon any of the  properties or assets of Company or any  of
its  Subsidiaries  under, (i)  the Certificate  of  Incorporation or  By-Laws of
Company or the  comparable charter  or organizational  documents of  any of  its
Subsidiaries,   (ii)  any  loan  or  credit  agreement,  note,  bond,  mortgage,
indenture, lease or other  agreement, instrument, permit, concession,  franchise
or  license applicable to Company or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective
properties or assets  or (iii)  subject to  the governmental  filings and  other
matters  referred to  in the  following sentence,  any judgment,  order, decree,
statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation applicable to Company or any of  its
Subsidiaries  or their respective properties or  assets, other than, in the case
of clauses (ii) and (iii), any  such conflicts, violations, defaults, rights  or
Liens  that individually or in the aggregate could not reasonably be expected to
(x) have a material adverse effect on Company, (y) impair the ability of Company
and each Interim Borrower to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement to which it  is a party or  (z) prevent the consummation  of
any  of the  Transactions. No consent,  approval, order or  authorization of, or
registration, declaration or filing with,  any Governmental Entity or any  party
to  a Material Contract is required by or  with respect to Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and
the Ancillary Agreements  or the  consummation by Company  of the  Transactions,
except for (i) the filing of a premerger notification and report form by Company
under  the  HSR  Act and  any  filings  required pursuant  to  the  statutes and
regulations listed on Schedule  5.1(d), (ii) the  filing with the  SEC of (x)  a
proxy  statement relating to the approval by Company's stockholders of the Share
Issuances and the other Proposals (as amended or supplemented from time to time,
the "Proxy Statement") and (y) such reports  under Sections 12 and 13(a) of  the
Exchange Act as may be required in connection with this Agreement, the Ancillary
Agreements  and  the  Transactions  and (iii)  such  other  consents, approvals,
orders, authorizations, registrations, declarations and filings as are set forth
on Schedule 5.1(d), which have been obtained prior to the date hereof.

    (e)  SEC DOCUMENTS; UNDISCLOSED LIABILITIES.  Company has filed all required
reports, schedules, forms,  statements and  other documents with  the SEC  since
January  31, 1993 (the "SEC  Documents"). As of their  respective dates, the SEC
Documents complied  in  all  material  respects with  the  requirements  of  the
Securities  Act or the  Exchange Act, as  the case may  be, and none  of the SEC
Documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to  state
a  material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the
statements therein, in light  of the circumstances under  which they were  made,
not  misleading.  Except to  the extent  that information  contained in  any SEC
Document has been revised or superseded by  a later Filed SEC Document, none  of
the  SEC Documents contains any untrue statement  of a material fact or omits to
state any material fact required to be  stated therein or necessary in order  to
make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were
made,  not misleading. The  financial statements of Company  included in the SEC
Documents comply as to form in all material respects with applicable  accounting
requirements  and the  published rules and  regulations of the  SEC with respect
thereto, have been  prepared in  accordance with  generally accepted  accounting
principles  (except, in the  case of unaudited statements,  as permitted by Form
10-Q of  the SEC)  applied on  a consistent  basis during  the periods  involved
(except  as  may be  indicated  in the  notes  thereto) and  fairly  present the
consolidated financial position of Company and its Subsidiaries as of the  dates
thereof and their consolidated statements of operations, stockholders equity and
cash  flows  for the  periods  then ended  (subject,  in the  case  of unaudited
statements, to normal year-end  audit adjustments). Except as  set forth in  the
Filed  SEC  Documents,  neither Company  nor  any  of its  Subsidiaries  has any
liabilities or obligations of any nature (whether accrued, absolute,  contingent
or  otherwise) required  by generally accepted  accounting principles  to be set
forth on a consolidated balance sheet of Company and its Subsidiaries or in  the
notes  thereto, other than liabilities and  obligations incurred in the ordinary
course of business consistent with  prior practice and experience since  October
31,  1994. Schedule 5.1(e) sets forth a balance sheet of The Art Store as of the
balance sheet date indicated on such  Schedule. Such balance sheet has not  been
prepared  in  accordance with  generally  accepted accounting  principles, among
other


                                       29
<PAGE>

things  the  footnotes  are  omitted,  but  was  rather  prepared  for  internal
management   purposes.  Nevertheless,   such  balance   sheet  makes  reasonable
disclosure of the financial condition of the subject company as of such  balance
sheet  date. Since such  balance sheet date,  to the best  knowledge of Company,
there has been no material adverse change in The Art Store.

    (f)  PROXY STATEMENT.  The Proxy Statement will not, at the date it is first
mailed to Company's  stockholders or  at the time  of the  meeting of  Company's
stockholders  held  to vote  on approval  of the  Proposals, contain  any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit  to state any material fact required to  be
stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of
the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading. The Proxy Statement
will  comply as to  form in all  material respects with  the requirements of the
Exchange Act. No representation  is made by Company  with respect to  statements
made  or incorporated by  reference in the Proxy  Statement based on information
supplied  by  Parent,  Holdings  or   the  Other  Investors  for  inclusion   or
incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement.

    (g)   ABSENCE OF CERTAIN CHANGES OR EVENTS.   Except as disclosed in the SEC
Documents filed and publicly available prior to the date of this Agreement  (the
"Filed  SEC Documents") or in Schedule 1.1,  since January 31, 1994, Company has
conducted its business only in the ordinary  course, and there has not been  (i)
any  material adverse change in Company,  (ii) any declaration, setting aside or
payment of  any  dividend or  other  distribution  (whether in  cash,  stock  or
property)  with  respect to  any of  Company's capital  stock, (iii)  any split,
combination or reclassification of any of  its capital stock or any issuance  or
the authorization of any issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu
of  or in substitution for  shares of its capital  stock (other than pursuant to
the Stock Split), (iv) except as set  forth on Schedule 5.1(g) (x) any  granting
by Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any executive officer of Company or any
of  its Subsidiaries  of any  increase in  compensation, except  in the ordinary
course of  business consistent  with prior  practice or  as was  required  under
employment agreements in effect on January 31, 1994, (y) any granting by Company
or  any of  its Subsidiaries to  any such  executive officer of  any increase in
severance or  termination pay,  except  as was  required under  any  employment,
severance  or termination agreements in  effect on January 31,  1994, or (z) any
entry by Company or  any of its Subsidiaries  into any employment, severance  or
termination   agreement  with  any  such  executive  officer,  (v)  any  damage,
destruction or loss, whether or not covered by insurance, that has had or  could
reasonably  be expected to have a material adverse effect on Company or (vi) any
change in  accounting methods,  principles or  practices by  Company  materially
affecting  its assets, liabilities or business,  except insofar as may have been
required by a change in generally accepted accounting principles.

    (h)  TITLE TO PROPERTIES AND ASSETS; LIENS.

    (i) Except as contemplated by  this Agreement and the Ancillary  Agreements,
Company  and its Subsidiaries have  good, sufficient and legal  title to all the
properties and assets reflected in the consolidated balance sheet as of  October
31, 1994 included in Form 10-Q of Company except for assets acquired or disposed
of  in  the ordinary  course of  business  since the  date of  such consolidated
balance sheet.  All such  properties are  free  and clear  of Liens,  except  as
permitted under Section 6.2 of the New Loan Agreement.

    (ii)  Schedule 5.1(h) hereto correctly  sets forth the following information
with respect to each  Mortgaged Property: (a) store  number (if applicable)  and
(b)  street address. Each Subsidiary  has good and marketable  fee title to each
Mortgaged Property  identified  in  Schedule  5.1(h)  as  being  owned  by  such
Subsidiary  and each Mortgaged  Property is free  and clear of  Liens, except as
permitted under Section 6.2 of the New Loan Agreement.

   (iii) Company has previously furnished  to Parent true, correct and  complete
copies  of  all ground  leases,  space leases,  subleases,  easement agreements,
reciprocal  easement  agreements,  two-party  supplemental  agreements,   option
agreements, license agreements, and other agreements, instruments, and documents
(whether  or not  recorded) that encumber,  or otherwise affect  in any material
respect, its  fee  interest in  or  to any  Mortgaged  Property or  any  portion
thereof.



                                       30
<PAGE>

   (iv)  No condemnation proceeding involving  any Mortgaged Property or portion
of any thereof or  parking facility used in  connection therewith has  commenced
or,  to  the knowledge  of any  Subsidiary  or Company,  is contemplated  by any
governmental authority.

    (v) The  operation  of the  Company,  its Subsidiaries,  the  Grantor  Trust
Subsidiaries and each Mortgaged Property does not involve a violation of (i) any
statutes, laws, regulations, rules, ordinances, or orders of any kind whatsoever
(including,  without limitation, zoning and building laws, ordinances, codes, or
approvals and environmental protection orders,  laws or regulations) other  than
violations  that  would  not result  in  any  material change  in  the business,
operations, properties,  assets or  condition (financial  or otherwise)  of  any
Subsidiary,  Grantor  Trust  Subsidiary  or  Company  and  would  not materially
adversely affect such Mortgaged Property or the ability of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or the  Grantor Trust  to perform their  respective Obligations  or
consummate  the Transactions, (ii) any building permits, restrictions of record,
or any agreement affecting any such Mortgaged Property or portion thereof  other
than  violations that would not  result in any material  change in the business,
operations, properties,  assets or  condition (financial  or otherwise)  of  any
Subsidiary,  Grantor  Trust  Subsidiary  or  Company  and  would  not materially
adversely affect such Mortgaged Property or the ability of Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or the  Grantor Trust  to perform their  respective Obligations  or
consummate the Transactions.

   (vi)  Each Mortgaged Property has  adequate water, gas, telephone, electrical
supply, storm and sanitary  sewage facilities, and means  of access to and  from
public  highways,  and has  fire  and police  protection  to the  fullest extent
available in the jurisdiction in which such Mortgaged Property is located.

   (vii) Except as disclosed  in writing to Parent  on Schedule 5.1(h), (x)  the
operations  of  Company  and each  of  its  Subsidiaries and  the  Grantor Trust
Subsidiaries comply  with  all  applicable  environmental,  health,  and  safety
statutes  and  regulations except  to the  extent  that noncompliance  would not
result in any material change  in the business, operations, properties,  assets,
or   condition  (financial  or  otherwise)  of  any  Subsidiary,  Grantor  Trust
Subsidiary or  Company,  and that  would  not materially  adversely  affect  any
Mortgaged  Property or  the ability  of Company  or any  of its  Subsidiaries to
perform their respective Obligations or consummate the Transactions; (y) none of
the Mortgaged  Properties  or  the operations  to  the  Company or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries  or the  Grantor Trust Subsidiaries  is the subject  of any private
claims or any  federal or  state investigation evaluating  whether any  remedial
action  is needed in response to a release  of any hazardous waste (as such term
is  defined  in  any  applicable  state  or  federal  or  environmental  law  or
regulations)  or other  hazardous material  into the  environment except  to the
extent that such  claims or  remedial action would  not result  in any  material
change  in the business, operations, properties, assets, or condition (financial
or otherwise) of  any Subsidiary, Grantor  Trust Subsidiary or  the Company  and
that would not materially adversely affect any Mortgaged Property or the ability
of Company or any of its Subsidiaries to perform their respective Obligations or
consummate the Transactions; and (z) neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries
nor  any  Grantor  Trust Subsidiary  has  any material  contingent  liability in
connection with any release  of any hazardous waste  or hazardous material  into
the  environment including, without limitation, any contingent liability arising
in  connection  with  a  failure,  or  alleged  failure,  to  comply  with   the
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as
amended  (42  U.S.C.  SectionSection 9601,  ET  SEQ.), or  the  Federal Resource
Conservation and  Recovery Act,  as amended  (42 U.S.C.  SectionSection 6901  ET
SEQ.),  except  for  such contingent  liabilities  that  would not  result  in a
material change in  the business, operations,  properties, assets, or  condition
(financial  or otherwise) of any Subsidiary, Grantor Trust Subsidiary or Company
and that would  not materially adversely  affect any Mortgaged  Property or  the
ability  of  Company or  any  of its  Subsidiaries  to perform  their respective
Obligations or consummate the Transactions.

    (i)  LITIGATION;  ADVERSE FACTS.   There is no  action, suit, proceeding  or
arbitration  (whether or  not purportedly  on behalf  of Company  or any  of its
Subsidiaries or the Liquidating Property Trust or the Grantor Trust Subsidiaries
at law or  in equity  or before  or by any  federal, state,  municipal or  other
government  department, commission,  board, bureau,  agency, or instrumentality,
domestic or foreign)


                                       31
<PAGE>

pending (except as  otherwise disclosed on  Schedule 5.1(i) hereto)  or, to  the
knowledge  of Company or any Subsidiary, threatened against or affecting Company
or any of  its Subsidiaries  or the Liquidating  Property Trust  or the  Grantor
Trust  Subsidiaries or any of Company's  or such Subsidiary's or the Liquidating
Property Trust's or the Grantor Trust Subsidiaries' properties not provided  for
in  the  Plan  that would  (i)  result in  any  material adverse  change  in the
business, operations, properties, assets, or condition (financial or  otherwise)
of  Company and its Subsidiaries,  taken as a whole,  or the Grantor Trust, (ii)
materially adversely affect any Mortgaged Property, (iii) impair the ability  of
Company  or Grantor Trust to perform its obligations under this Agreement or any
Ancillary Agreement or (iv) prevent the consummation of any of the Transactions,
and there is no basis known to Company for any such action, suit or  proceeding.
Neither  Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries nor the Liquidating Property Trust
nor the Grantor  Trust Subsidiaries is  (i) in violation  of any applicable  law
that  materially  adversely  affects  or  may  materially  adversely  affect any
Mortgaged Property, the  business, operations, properties,  assets or  condition
(financial  or otherwise) of Company and its  Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or
the Grantor Trust, or the  ability of Company, the Grantor  Trust or any of  its
Subsidiaries   to  perform  their  respective   Obligations  or  consummate  the
Transactions, or  (ii)  subject to  or  in default  with  respect to  any  final
judgment,  writ,  injunction, decree,  rule or  regulation of  any court  or any
federal, state, municipal, or other governmental department, commission,  board,
bureau,  agency,  or instrumentality,  domestic or  foreign,  that would  have a
material adverse  affect  any  Mortgaged  Property,  the  business,  operations,
properties,  assets or  condition (financial  or otherwise)  of Company  and its
Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or the Grantor Trust, or the ability of  Company
or  any of  its Subsidiaries  or the Grantor  Trust to  perform their respective
Obligations  or  consummate  the  Transactions.   There  is  no  action,   suit,
proceeding,  or  investigation  pending or,  to  the knowledge  of  Company, the
Grantor Trust or any Subsidiary, threatened against or affecting Company or  any
of  its  Subsidiaries or  the Liquidating  Property Trust  or the  Grantor Trust
Subsidiaries that questions the validity or enforceability of this Agreement  or
any of the Ancillary Agreements or challenges the Transactions.

    (j)  ABSENCE OF CHANGES IN BENEFIT PLANS.

    (i)  Company  and each  of  its ERISA  Affiliates  is in  compliance  in all
material respects with any  applicable provisions of  ERISA and the  regulations
and  published interpretations thereunder with respect  to all Pension Plans and
Multiemployer Plans, except  to the  extent that all  such noncompliances  would
result  in the loss of the deductibility of contributions to any Pension Plan or
Multiemployer Plan, or would result in  the incurrence by Company and its  ERISA
Affiliates  of any civil penalty assessed pursuant to Section 502(i) of ERISA or
a tax imposed by Section  4975 of Internal Revenue  Code in an aggregate  amount
not in excess of $100,000.

    (ii)  Except for the  termination of Company's LESOP  and PAYSOP, as defined
and described in  the Plan and  the contemplated "freezing"  of Company's  three
Pension  Plans by ceasing the  accrual of benefits under  such Pension Plans, no
event or condition  which presents a  material risk of  plan termination or  any
other event that may cause the Company or any ERISA Affiliate to incur liability
or  have a lien imposed on its assets under title IV of ERISA has occurred or is
reasonably expected to occur with respect to  any Pension Plan; and none of  the
events  described above might result in the imposition of any lien or incurrence
by Company or any  of its ERISA  Affiliates of any  liability under any  Pension
Plan  or to the Pension Benefit  Guaranty Corporation (or any successor thereto)
or any other party under Sections 4062, 4063, and 4064 of ERISA or any other law
in excess of $100,000.

   (iii) Vested liabilities  (as defined in  Section 3(25) of  ERISA) under  all
Pension  Plans (with assets less than vested liabilities only) do not exceed the
assets thereunder by more than $100,000.

   (iv) Neither  Company  nor  any  of its  ERISA  Affiliates  has  incurred  or
reasonably  expects  to  incur  any  withdrawal  liability  under  ERISA  to any
Multiemployer Plan in excess of $100,000.

    (k)  PAYMENT OF TAXES.   Except as set forth  in Schedule 5.1(k), as of  the
date  of this agreement  and on the Closing  Date, (i) all  Tax Returns that are
required to  be  filed by  or  with  respect to  the  Company and  each  of  its
Subsidiaries  have  been duly  filed, (ii)  all  Taxes due  with respect  to the
periods


                                       32
<PAGE>

covered by the  Tax Returns referred  to in  clause (i) have  been timely  paid,
(iii)  no adjustments or deficiencies relating to the Tax Returns referred to in
clause (i) have  been proposed,  asserted or  assessed by  the Internal  Revenue
Service  or the  appropriate state, local  or foreign taxing  authority, (iv) no
extension of time with respect to any date on which a Tax Return was or is to be
filed by the Company or any Subsidiary is in force, and there are no pending  or
threatened  actions or  proceedings for  the assessment  or collection  of Taxes
against the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (v) each adjustment, deficiency,
action or proceeding set forth in Schedule 5.1(k) is being contested or  handled
in good faith, (vi) there are no outstanding waivers or agreements extending the
applicable  statute of limitations for  any period with respect  to any Taxes of
the  Company  or  any  of  its   Subsidiaries,  (vii)  the  Company's  and   the
Subsidiaries'  income Tax  Returns have  been examined  by the  Internal Revenue
Service or the  appropriate state,  local or  foreign tax  authority, (viii)  no
closing  agreement pursuant  to Section  7121 of  the Internal  Revenue Code, or
similar provision of any state, local, or foreign law, has been entered into  by
or with respect to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ix) there are no tax
sharing  agreements or similar contracts or arrangements to which the Company or
any of its Subsidiaries is a party,  (x) the Company or any of its  Subsidiaries
has not been a member of an affiliated group (within the meaning of Section 1504
of  the Internal Revenue Code) filing  a consolidated federal income Tax Return,
other than a group the common parent of which is the Company, (xi) no powers  of
attorney with respect to Taxes granted by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
are  in  effect,  (xii)  no claim  has  ever  been  made by  an  authority  in a
jurisdiction where the Company or any Subsidiary does not file Tax Returns  that
the  Company  or  such Subsidiary  is  or may  be  subject to  taxation  by that
jurisdiction, (xiii) no  audit of any  Tax Return  filed by the  Company or  any
Subsidiary  is in progress, and neither the  Company nor any Subsidiary has been
notified by any tax  authority that any such  audit is contemplated or  pending,
and (xiv) there are no security interests on any of the assets of the Company or
any Subsidiary that arose in connection with any failure (or alleged failure) to
pay any Taxes.

    (l)    OFFICERS.   Except  as set  forth on  Schedule  5.1(g), there  are no
severance  or  other  payment   obligations  triggered  as   a  result  of   the
Transactions. No action, suit, proceeding or arbitration relating to any officer
of the Company is pending or threatened against the Company.

    (m)    NO EXCESS  PARACHUTE  PAYMENTS.   No  amount that  could  be received
(whether in cash or property or the vesting  of property) as a result of any  of
the  Transactions by any employee, officer or  director of Company or any of its
affiliates who  is a  "disqualified  individual" (as  such  term is  defined  in
proposed  Treasury Regulation Section 1.280G-1)  under any employment, severance
or  termination  agreement,  other  compensation  arrangement  or  Benefit  Plan
currently  in effect would be characterized as an "excess parachute payment" (as
such term is defined  in Section 280G(b)(1) of  the Internal Revenue Code).  Set
forth  in Schedule 5.1(m) is  (i) the maximum amount that  could be paid to each
such  disqualified  individual  as  a  result  of  the  Transactions  under  all
employment,   severance   and   termination   agreements,   other   compensation
arrangements and Benefit Plans  currently in effect and  (ii) the "base  amount"
(as such term is defined in Section 280G(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code) for
each such disqualified individual calculated as of the date of this Agreement.

    (n)    VOTING REQUIREMENTS.    The affirmative  vote  of a  majority  of the
Company's issued and outstanding stock with respect to the Proposals is the only
vote of the holders of any class or series of Company's capital stock  necessary
to  approve this Agreement, the Ancillary  Agreements and the Transactions. This
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements  and the Transactions have been  approved
by a vote of the directors as required by Company's Certificate of Incorporation
and By-Laws.

    (o)   STATE  TAKEOVER STATUTES.   The Board  of Directors  has approved this
Agreement and  the Ancillary  Agreements,  and such  approval is  sufficient  to
render  inapplicable  to  this  Agreement,  the  Ancillary  Agreements  and  the
Transactions the provisions of Section 203 of the DGCL. To the best of Company's
knowledge, no  other state  takeover statute  or similar  statute or  regulation
applies  or purports to apply to this  Agreement, any Ancillary Agreement or any
of the Transactions.


                                       33
<PAGE>

    (p)  BROKERS.   No  broker, investment  banker, financial  advisor or  other
person,  other than Libra  Investments, Inc., Pinnacle  Partners and Argosy, the
fees and expenses of which will be paid by Company, is entitled to any broker's,
finder's, financial advisor's or other  similar fee or commission in  connection
with the Transactions based upon arrangements made by or on behalf of Company. A
complete   and  correct  copy   of  Company's  engagement   letters  with  Libra
Investments, Inc., Pinnacle  Partners and  Argosy has been  delivered to  Parent
prior  to  the execution  of  this Agreement.  Company  has not,  and  will not,
increase any such fees and expenses prior to Closing.

    (q)  MATERIAL  CONTRACTS.   All contracts,  leases and  other agreements  to
which Company or any of its Subsidiaries is a party and that are material to the
business,  properties, assets,  condition (financial  or otherwise),  results of
operations or prospects of Company and  its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole  (the
"Material  Contracts") have been filed  as exhibits to the  SEC Documents or are
listed on Schedule 5.1(q). Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.1(q), each Material
Contract is  in  full  force  and effect;  Company  and  its  Subsidiaries  have
performed  in all material respects all the obligations required to be performed
thereby  under  each  Material  Contract;   neither  Company  nor  any  of   its
Subsidiaries  has received any  written assertion of  default under any Material
Contract; neither Company nor any of its Subsidiaries expects any termination or
material change  to, or  receipt  of a  proposal with  respect  to, any  of  the
Material  Contracts as a result of the Transactions; and neither Company nor any
of its Subsidiaries has knowledge of any material breach or anticipated material
breach by any  other party to  any Material  Contract. Company has  filed as  an
exhibit  to an  SEC Document  or has  furnished Parent  with true,  complete and
unredacted copies  of  each Material  Contract,  together with  all  amendments,
waivers or other changes thereto. Company does not have any Material Contract or
any other contract or agreement with the United States Department of Energy, the
United  States Department of  Defense or any  of the armed  forces of the United
States.

    (r)  GOVERNMENTAL REGULATION.  Neither  Company nor any of its  Subsidiaries
is  subject to regulation under the Public  Utility Holding Company Act of 1935,
the Federal Power Act,  the Interstate Commerce Act,  or the Investment  Company
Act  of 1940  or to  any federal  or state  statute or  regulation, limiting its
ability to  (i)  issue  the New  Shares  or  the Preferred  Shares,  (ii)  incur
Indebtedness  for money borrowed, (iii) to create Liens on any of its properties
to secure such Indebtedness  or (iv) otherwise  to consummate the  Transactions.
SBP  Transportation  Co.,  Inc., a  California  corporation, is  subject  to the
Interstate Commerce  Act, but  such act  does not  limit the  actions  described
above.

    (s)  DISCLOSURE.  No representation or warranty of Company or any Subsidiary
contained  in this Agreement or any  Ancillary Agreement, or any other document,
certificate, or written  statement furnished  to Parent, Holdings  or the  Other
Investors by or on behalf of the Company or any Subsidiary for use in connection
with  the Transactions contains any untrue statement of a material fact or omits
to state a material fact (known to Company or any Subsidiary in the case of  any
document  not  furnished  by it)  necessary  in  order the  make  the statements
contained herein or therein not misleading. The term "material" in the preceding
sentence shall be interpreted in accordance  with Section 10(b) of the  Exchange
Act.  There is no fact known to Company or any Subsidiary (other than matters of
general  economic  nature)  that  materially  adversely  affects  any  Mortgaged
Property, the business, operations, property, assets, or condition (financial or
otherwise)  of Company and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or the ability of
Company or any Subsidiary to perform their respective obligations that have  not
been  disclosed herein or  in such other  documents, certificates and statements
furnished to Parent, Holdings, Grantor Trust and the Other Investors for use  in
connection with the Transactions.

    (t)   AFFILIATES.   Company  hereby certifies  to Fidelity  Management Trust
Company ("Fidelity")  both in  its individual  capacity and  its capacity  as  a
fiduciary  (as defined  in Section  3(21)(A) of  the Employee  Retirement Income
Security Act  of 1974,  as amended)  of the  Kodak Retirement  Income Plan  (the
"Plan"),  that, to the  best of its  knowledge, Company is  not an affiliate (as
defined in  Section  V(C)  of  the U.S  Department  of  Labor  Prohibited  Class
Exemption  84-14, 49 Fed. Reg. 9494 (March 13, 1984) ("PTCE 84-14")), and during
the one-year period ending on the Closing Date was


                                       34
<PAGE>

not such  an affiliate,  of any  person identified  on Schedule  5.1(t)  hereto.
Company  hereby acknowledges and agrees that the foregoing certification will be
relied upon  by Fidelity  in causing  the Plan  to enter  into the  Transactions
contemplated by this Agreement.

    (u)  LICENSES.  The Company and its Subsidiaries hold all material licenses,
franchises,  permits, consents, registrations,  certificates and other approvals
(including, without limitation, those relating to environmental matters,  public
and  worker health and  safety, buildings, highways  or zoning) (individually, a
"License" and collectively, "Licenses") required for the conduct of its business
as now being conducted,  and is operating  in substantial compliance  therewith,
except  where the failure to  hold any such License  or to operate in compliance
therewith would  not have  a material  adverse  effect on  the Company  and  its
Subsidiaries.

    (v)    PRIVATE  OFFERINGS.    No form  of  general  solicitation  or general
advertising was used by  the Company or  any of its Subsidiaries  or any of  the
Company's  or such  Subsidiary's representatives,  or, to  the knowledge  of the
Company, any  other  Person acting  on  behalf of  the  Company or  any  of  its
Subsidiaries,  in connection with the offering of the securities being purchased
under this Agreement or  under any other document.  Neither the Company, any  of
its  Subsidiaries nor  any person acting  on the Company's  or such Subsidiary's
behalf has  directly or  indirectly offered  the Interim  Notes, New  Shares  or
Preferred  Shares, or any  part thereof or  any other similar  securities or the
securities being purchased  under any other  document, for sale  to, or sold  or
solicited  any offer  to buy any  of the  same from, or  otherwise approached or
negotiated in respect thereof with any Person or Persons other than the Parties.
Assuming the accuracy  of the  representations of the  Parties as  set forth  in
Sections  5.2 and  5.3, neither  the Company,  any of  its Subsidiaries  nor any
person acting on  the Company's or  such Subsidiary's behalf  has taken or  will
take  any action which would subject the  issue and sale of the securities being
purchased under this Agreement to the provisions of Section 5 of the  Securities
Act.

    (w)   FOREIGN ASSETS CONTROL REGULATION, ETC.  Neither the issue and sale of
the Interim Notes, the New Shares or the Preferred Shares by the Company nor its
use of the proceeds thereof as  contemplated by this Agreement will violate  the
Foreign  Assets Control Regulations,  the Control Regulations,  the Cuban Assets
Control Regulations, the Foreign Funds  Control Regulations, the Iranian  Assets
Control Regulations, the Nicaraguan Trade Control Regulations, the South African
Transactions  Control Regulations, the Libyan  Sanctions Regulations, the Soviet
Gold Coin  Regulations, the  Panamanian  Transactions Regulations,  the  Haitian
Transactions Regulations or the Iraqi Sanctions Regulations of the United States
Treasury  Department (31 C.F.R., Subtitle B, Chapter V, as amended) or Executive
Orders 12722 and 12724 (Transactions with Iraq).

    (x)  FEDERAL RESERVE REGULATIONS AND OTHER MATTERS.  Neither the Company nor
any of its Subsidiaries  will, directly or indirectly,  use any of the  proceeds
from  the  sale  of  the  Interim  Notes  for  the  purpose,  whether immediate,
incidental or  ultimate,  of  buying  any "margin  stock,"  or  of  maintaining,
reducing  or retiring any indebtedness originally incurred to purchase any stock
that is  currently  a "margin  stock,"  or for  any  other purpose  which  might
constitute  the Transactions a "purpose credit," in each case within the meaning
of Regulation G or U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (12
C.F.R. 207 and 221, as amended, respectively), or otherwise take or permit to be
taken any  action  which would  involve  a violation  of  such Regulation  G  or
Regulation  U or of Regulations T or X  of the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System (12 C.F.R.  220 and 224, as  amended, respectively) or any  other
regulation  of such  Board. No indebtedness  that may be  maintained, reduced or
retired with the proceeds from  the sale of the  Interim Notes was incurred  for
the purpose of purchasing or carrying any "margin stock" and neither the Company
nor  any of  its Subsidiaries own  any such  "margin stock" or  have any present
intention of acquiring, directly or indirectly any such "margin stock."

    (y)  INSURANCE.  After the Funding Date, Company will provide to each Party,
if so requested in writing, a list of all insurance policies and fidelity  bonds
covering  the  assets, business,  equipment, properties,  operations, employees,
officers and directors under  which the Company or  any of its Subsidiaries  may
derive  any material benefit, the term and  deductible for each such policy, the
agency


                                       35
<PAGE>

and company providing such  insurance and the name  of each person scheduled  as
having  an interest  therein as  loss payee, pledgee  or otherwise.  There is no
claim by  the Company  or any  of its  Subsidiaries pending  under any  of  such
policies  or bonds as to which coverage has been questioned, reserved, denied or
disputed by the  underwriters of such  policies or bonds  or their agents  where
such  question,  reservation, denial  or  dispute, in  each  case, would  have a
material adverse effect on  the Company and its  Subsidiaries on a  consolidated
basis.  All premiums due and payable under all such policies and bonds have been
paid, and the Company and its Subsidiaries are otherwise in full compliance with
the terms and conditions  of all such  policies and bonds,  except in each  case
where  the failure would not  have a material adverse  effect on the Company and
its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.  Such policies of insurance and  bonds
(or other policies and bonds providing substantially similar insurance coverage)
are  and have been in full force and effect  for at least the last year or since
the inception of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, and
remain in full force and effect. Such policies of insurance and bonds are of the
type and in amounts customarily  carried by persons conducting business  similar
to  that presently  conducted by the  Company and its  Subsidiaries. The Company
knows of no threatened termination of any  such policies or bonds that would  be
material to the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole.

    (z)  INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.  The Company and its Subsidiaries have ownership
of,  or license to use, all patent, copyright, trade secret, trademark, or other
proprietary rights used or to be used in  the business of the Company or any  of
its Subsidiaries and which are material to the Company and its Subsidiaries on a
consolidated  basis (collectively, "Intellectual Property"). There are no claims
or demands of any other person  pertaining to any of such Intellectual  Property
and  no proceedings have been instituted, or are pending or, to the knowledge of
the Company, threatened, which challenge the rights of the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries in respect  thereof, except those  that would not  have a  material
adverse  effect on the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. The
Company and its Subsidiaries have the right to use all customer lists,  designs,
manufacturing or other processes, computer software, systems, data compilations,
research  results and other information required for or incident to its products
or their business as presently conducted or contemplated and which are  material
to the Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

    (aa)    GRANTOR  TRUST  SUBSIDIARIES.    (i)  The  Art  Store,  a California
corporation has  good, sufficient  and legal  fee title  to all  the  properties
listed  on Schedule  5.1(h) as being  owned by The  Art Store free  and clear of
Liens, except as disclosed on Schedule 5.1(h) or as permitted under Section  6.2
of the New Loan Agreement.

    (ii)  The Art Store has  a good, sufficient and  legal leasehold interest in
all of the properties listed on Schedule 5.1(h) as being leased by The Art Store
and such leasehold interest is free and clear of all Liens, except as  disclosed
on Schedule 5.1(h).

   (iii)  Schedule 5.1(aa) sets forth the  following information with respect to
each of the Grantor  Trust Subsidiaries as of  the most recent practicable  date
through  the  Funding: (A)  the basis  of  the Grantor  Trust Subsidiary  in its
assets; (B) the basis of The Art Store  Holding Company in the Stock of The  Art
Store;  and (C) the amount  of any net operating  loss, net capital loss, unused
investment  or  other   credit,  unused  foreign   tax,  or  excess   charitable
contribution allocable to such Grantor Trust Subsidiary.

   (iv)  As of the Funding, the adjusted  basis of The Art Store Holding Company
in the stock of  The Art Store will  be at least $7,000,000;  the excess of  the
adjusted  basis of The Art  Store in its assets over  its liabilities will be at
least $7,000,000; and the excess of the adjusted basis of SBP Properties Holding
Company in its assets over its liabilities will be at least $1,500,000.

    (v) Except  as disclosed  on Schedule  5.1(aa), none  of the  Grantor  Trust
Subsidiaries has any liability for the Taxes of any other Person (other than the
Grantor  Trust Subsidiaries and other than  Taxes of the consolidated group, the
common parent  of  which is  Company)  (A) under  Treasury  Regulations  Section
1.1502-6  (or any similar  provision of state,  local or foreign  law), (B) as a
transferee or successor, (C) by contract or (D) otherwise.


                                       36
<PAGE>

    5.2.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND HOLDINGS.  Each of Parent
and Holdings  represents and  warrants to  Company and  the Other  Investors  as
follows:

        (a)  AUTHORITY.  Each of Parent and Holdings has the requisite power and
    authority  to enter into this Agreement  and the Ancillary Agreements and to
    consummate the Transactions.

        (b)  VALIDITY.   This Agreement and the  Ancillary Agreements have  been
    duly   authorized,  executed  and  delivered  by  Parent  and  Holdings  and
    constitute valid  and  legally binding  agreements  of Parent  and  Holdings
    enforceable  against such Party  in accordance with  their respective terms,
    subject to  bankruptcy,  insolvency,  fraudulent  transfer,  reorganization,
    moratorium  and  similar  laws  of  general  applicability  relating  to  or
    affecting creditors' rights and to general equity principles.

        (c)  INFORMATION SUPPLIED.   None of the  information supplied or to  be
    supplied  by  Parent or  Holdings about  Parent or  Holdings in  writing for
    inclusion or incorporation by reference in the Proxy Statement will, at  the
    date the Proxy Statement is first mailed to the Company's stockholders or at
    the  time  of the  meeting of  the  Company's stockholders  held to  vote on
    adoption of this Agreement, contain any untrue statement of a material  fact
    or  omit  to  state any  material  fact  required to  be  stated  therein or
    necessary in  order  to  make  the  statements  therein,  in  light  of  the
    circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.

        (d)   BROKERS.  No broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other
    person is entitled to any  broker's, finder's, financial advisor's or  other
    similar  fee or  commission in connection  with the  Transactions based upon
    arrangements made by or on behalf of Parent or Holdings, except as described
    in Section 5.1(p), which would be or become the responsibility of any  other
    Party.

        (e)   OWNERSHIP OF  COMPANY SECURITIES.  Neither  Parent nor Holdings is
    the record or  beneficial owner  of any  shares of  Common Stock,  principal
    amount  of New Borrower  Notes or Grantor Trust  Notes, warrants to purchase
    shares of  Common  Stock or  any  other equity  or  debt securities  of  the
    Company,   except  as  contemplated  by  this  Agreement  or  the  Ancillary
    Agreements.

        (f)  INVESTMENT  INTENT.  Holdings  is purchasing or  acquiring the  New
    Shares  and Preferred Shares for its own account for investment and not with
    a present view to, or for sale in connection with, any distribution  thereof
    in  violation of  the Securities Act.  Holdings does not  have any contract,
    undertaking, agreement or arrangement with  any person to sell, transfer  or
    grant  participations to such person or to any third person, with respect to
    any of  the New  Shares or  Preferred  Shares. Holdings  is aware  that  the
    certificates  evidencing  the New  Shares  and Preferred  Shares  shall bear
    substantially the following legend relating to restrictions on resale  under
    the Securities Act:

       "THESE  SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN  REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT
       OF 1933, AS  AMENDED, OR  ANY STATE SECURITIES  LAWS AND  MAY NOT  BE
       SOLD,  OFFERED FOR SALE, PLEDGED OR HYPOTHECATED EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE
       THEREWITH."

        (G)   ACQUISITION  FOR INVESTMENT  AND  RULE  144.   Holdings  has  such
    knowledge  and  experience  in financial  and  business matters  that  it is
    capable of evaluating the  merits and risks  of the prospective  investment.
    Holdings  understands that the  New Shares and Preferred  Shares will not be
    registered under the Securities Act in reliance on a specific exemption from
    the registration provision of the  Securities Act which depends upon,  among
    other  things,  the  bona  fide nature  of  Holdings'  investment  intent as
    expressed herein. Holdings  acknowledges that the  New Shares and  Preferred
    Shares  must be  held indefinitely  unless they  are subsequently registered
    under  the  Securities  Act  or  an  exemption  from  such  registration  is
    available.  Holdings has been advised or is  aware of the provisions of Rule
    144 and Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act which permits limited
    resale  of  shares  purchased  in   a  private  placement  subject  to   the
    satisfaction of certain conditions.


                                       37
<PAGE>

        (h)  CONSENTS.  All material consents, approvals, orders, authorizations
    of  or registrations, declarations  or filings in  connection with the valid
    execution and delivery  of this  Agreement and the  Ancillary Agreements  by
    Parent  and Holdings  or the  purchase of the  New Shares  and the Preferred
    Shares by Holdings have been obtained or  made, or will be obtained or  made
    prior to the Closing Date.

    5.3.   REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES  OF THE OTHER INVESTORS.   Each of the
Other Investors and Grantor Trust represents and warrants, with respect to  such
Person only, severally and jointly, to Company, Parent and Holdings as follows:

        (a)   AUTHORITY.   Investor1  has the  requisite power  and authority to
    enter into this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements and to consummate the
    Transactions. Investor2 has the requisite power and authority to enter  into
    this   Agreement  and  the  Ancillary   Agreements  and  to  consummate  the
    Transactions. Each of  Investor3, Investor4,  Investor5 and  Investor6 is  a
    corporation  duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the
    laws of its respective jurisdiction  of incorporation and has the  requisite
    power  and  authority  to  enter  into  this  Agreement  and  the  Ancillary
    Agreements and to consummate the Transactions.

        (b)  VALIDITY.   This Agreement and the  Ancillary Agreements have  been
    duly  authorized, executed and delivered by such Person and constitute valid
    and legally binding agreements of such Person enforceable against such Party
    in  accordance  with   their  respective  terms,   subject  to   bankruptcy,
    insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws
    of  general applicability relating to or  affecting creditors' rights and to
    general equity principles.

        (c)  INFORMATION SUPPLIED.   None of the  information supplied or to  be
    supplied  by  such Person  about  such Person  in  writing for  inclusion or
    incorporation by reference  in the  Proxy Statement  will, at  the date  the
    Proxy  Statement is first mailed to Company's stockholders or at the time of
    the Stockholders Meeting, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
    omit to state any material fact  required to be stated therein or  necessary
    in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under
    which they are made, not misleading.

        (d)   BROKERS.  No broker, investment banker, financial advisor or other
    person is entitled to any  broker's, finder's, financial advisor's or  other
    similar  fee or  commission in connection  with the  Transactions based upon
    arrangements made by or  on behalf of  such Person, except  as set forth  in
    Section  5.1(p), which  would be or  become the responsibility  of any other
    Party.

        (e)  OWNERSHIP OF COMPANY SECURITIES.  Investor1 is the beneficial owner
    of 7,630,307 shares of Common Stock and warrants to purchase 394,547  shares
    of  Common Stock. Investor2  is the beneficial owner  of 1,433,413 shares of
    Common Stock  and  warrants  to  purchase 74,203  shares  of  Common  Stock.
    Investor3  is the  beneficial owner of  no shares of  Common Stock, $937,500
    principal amount  of New  Borrower  Notes and  warrants to  purchase  70,312
    shares  of  Common Stock.  Investor4 is  the  beneficial owner  of 2,139,940
    shares of Common Stock, $937,500 principal amount of New Borrower Notes  and
    warrants  to  purchase  70,312  shares of  Common  Stock.  Investor5  is the
    beneficial owner of  1,305,700 shares  of Common  Stock, $937,500  principal
    amount  of  New Borrower  Notes and  warrants to  purchase 70,312  shares of
    Common Stock.  Investor6 is  the beneficial  owner of  no shares  of  Common
    Stock,  $937,500  principal amount  of New  Borrower  Notes and  warrants to
    purchase 70,312 shares of Common Stock. Except for such ownership, as of the
    date of this Agreement, such Person does not beneficially own any shares  of
    Common  Stock,  principal  amount of  Existing  Grantor  Trust Indebtedness,
    Borrower Notes or New Borrower Notes, warrants to purchase shares of  Common
    Stock  or  any  other  equity  or  debt  securities  of  Company,  except as
    contemplated by this  Agreement, the  Ancillary Agreements  or the  Existing
    Loan Agreement.

        (f)   INVESTMENT INTENT.  Such Person is purchasing or acquiring the New
    Shares and the Preferred Shares for  its own account for investment and  not
    with a present view to, or for sale in


                                       38
<PAGE>

    connection  with, any  distribution thereof  in violation  of the Securities
    Act, provided that disposition of such Person's property shall at all  times
    be  within its control. Such Person does not have any contract, undertaking,
    agreement or  arrangement  with  any  person  to  sell,  transfer  or  grant
    participations to such person or to any third person, with respect to any of
    the  New  Shares  or  Preferred  Shares.  Such  Person  is  aware  that  the
    certificates representing the New Shares and the Preferred Shares will  bear
    such  legends relating to restrictions on resale under the Securities Act as
    provided in Section 5.2(f).

        (g)  ACQUISITION  FOR INVESTMENT  AND RULE 144.   Such  Person has  such
    knowledge  and  experience  in financial  and  business matters  that  it is
    capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the proposed Investment.  Such
    Person  understands that the New Shares and the Preferred Shares will not be
    registered under the Securities Act in reliance on a specific exemption from
    the registration provision of the  Securities Act which depends upon,  among
    other  things, the  bona fide nature  of such Person's  investment intent as
    expressed herein.  Such Person  acknowledges  that the  New Shares  and  the
    Preferred  Shares  must be  held indefinitely  unless they  are subsequently
    registered under the Securities Act  or an exemption from such  registration
    is  available. Such Person has been advised or is aware of the provisions of
    Rule 144 and Rule  144A promulgated under the  Securities Act which  permits
    limited  resale of  shares purchased in  a private placement  subject to the
    satisfaction of certain conditions.

        (h)  LEGAL INVESTMENT; CONSENTS.  The purchase of the New Shares and the
    Preferred Shares  by  such Person  hereunder  is legally  permitted  in  all
    material  respects  by all  laws  and regulations  to  which such  Person is
    subject and all material consents,  approvals, orders, authorizations of  or
    registrations,   declarations  or  filings  in  connection  with  the  valid
    execution and delivery  of this  Agreement and the  Ancillary Agreements  by
    such  Person or the purchase  of the New Shares  and the Preferred Shares by
    such Person have been obtained or made, or will be obtained or made prior to
    the Closing Date.

                                   ARTICLE VI
              COVENANTS RELATING TO CONDUCT OF BUSINESS OF COMPANY

    6.1.  CONDUCT OF BUSINESS.   (a) Conduct of  Business by Company. Except  as
otherwise  contemplated by this  Agreement and the  Ancillary Agreements, during
the period from the date of this Agreement to the earlier of (x) the Closing and
(y) the  first day  on which  each of  the five  persons designated  as  Holding
Directors  on  Schedule  2.1 of  the  Stockholders Agreement  shall  have become
Directors of Company, Company shall, and shall cause its Subsidiaries to,  carry
on  their respective  businesses in  the usual,  regular and  ordinary course in
substantially the  same  manner  as  heretofore conducted  and,  to  the  extent
consistent  therewith, use  its best  efforts to  preserve intact  their current
business organizations, keep  available the services  of their current  officers
and  other employees and preserve their relationships with customers, suppliers,
licensors, licensees,  distributors and  others  having business  dealings  with
them.  By way of background,  Schedule 1.1 sets forth  the most recent financial
information of  Company.  Without  limiting the  generality  of  the  foregoing,
without  the prior written consent of Parent, during the period from the date of
this Agreement to the Closing,  Company shall not, and  shall not permit any  of
its Subsidiaries to:

        (i) take any action in violation of the covenants contained in Company's
    loan  agreements  (except to  the extent  such  covenants have  already been
    violated and no waivers have been obtained);

        (ii) (x) split, combine or reclassify any of its capital stock or  issue
    or  authorize the issuance of any other securities in respect of, in lieu of
    or in substitution for shares of  its capital stock or (y) purchase,  redeem
    or  otherwise acquire any shares  of capital stock of  Company or any of its


                                       39
<PAGE>

    Subsidiaries or  any other  securities thereof  or any  rights, warrants  or
    options  to  acquire any  such  shares or  other  securities (other  than in
    accordance with  the Stock  Split) or  (z)  declare, set  aside or  pay  any
    dividend (whether in cash, capital stock or property);

       (iii)  issue, deliver, sell,  pledge or otherwise  encumber any shares of
    its capital stock, any other voting securities or any securities convertible
    into, or any rights, warrants or options to acquire, any such shares, voting
    securities or convertible securities (other than (x) the issuance of  Common
    Stock  upon the exercise or conversion of Employee Stock Options outstanding
    on the date of this Agreement and in accordance with their present terms and
    (y) the  issuance  and  sale of  the  New  Shares and  Preferred  Shares  in
    accordance with the terms hereof);

       (iv)  amend its Certificate of Incorporation, By-Laws or other comparable
    charter or  organizational  documents (other  than  in accordance  with  the
    Amendments);

        (v) acquire or agree to acquire any assets in excess of $100,000;

       (vi)  sell, lease, license, mortgage or  otherwise encumber or subject to
    any Lien or otherwise dispose of any  of its properties or assets in  excess
    of $10,000, or waive or release any rights, or compromise, release or assign
    any indebtedness owed to it or any claims held by it;

       (vii) (x) incur any indebtedness for borrowed money or guarantee any such
    indebtedness  of  another  person,  issue or  sell  any  debt  securities or
    warrants or other rights to acquire any debt securities of Company or any of
    its Subsidiaries, guarantee  any debt  securities of  another person,  enter
    into  any "keep well" or other agreement to maintain any financial statement
    condition of  another  person  or  enter into  any  arrangement  having  the
    economic  effect of any  of the foregoing,  (y) make any  loans, advances or
    capital contributions to, or investments in, any other person, other than to
    Company or any direct or indirect wholly owned Subsidiary of Company or  (z)
    incur  any other debt, liability or  obligation, direct or indirect, whether
    accrued, absolute, contingent or  otherwise, other than current  liabilities
    incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice;

      (viii)  make or agree to make  any new capital expenditure or expenditures
    which, individually or in the aggregate, are in excess of $10,000;

       (ix) pay, discharge  or satisfy  any claims,  liabilities or  obligations
    (absolute,  accrued,  contingent  or  otherwise),  other  than  the payment,
    discharge or satisfaction,  in the  ordinary course  of business  consistent
    with  past  practice  or  in accordance  with  their  terms,  of liabilities
    reflected or  reserved  against in,  or  contemplated by,  the  most  recent
    consolidated financial statements (or the notes thereto) of Company included
    in  the Filed SEC Documents  or incurred in the  ordinary course of business
    consistent with past practice;

        (x) provide any  discounts on  sales of inventory  other than  discounts
    consistent with past practice;

       (xi)  enter  into, terminate  or  substantially amend  or  supplement any
    contract, lease or other agreement unless  the same is done in the  ordinary
    and  usual course of business and the  contract, lease or other agreement in
    question does not provide for any  party thereto to make payment or  deliver
    goods or services (or any combination thereof) aggregating more than $10,000
    over the term thereof;

       (xii)  increase in any manner the  compensation or fringe benefits of any
    of its  officers,  directors  or  employees  or pay  or  agree  to  pay  any
    severance,  pension,  retirement  allowance  or  other  similar  benefit not
    required by any previously existing plan or agreement to any such  officers,
    directors  or  employees,  or  commit  itself  to  any  severance,  pension,
    retirement or profit-sharing loan or agreement or employment agreement  with
    or for the benefit of any officer, director, employee or other person;


                                       40
<PAGE>

      (xiii) permit any insurance policy (excluding, however, those policies for
    which  no replacement is available at a cost comparable to that currently in
    effect) naming it as a beneficiary or  a loss payable payee to be  cancelled
    or   terminated  or  any  of  the   coverage  thereunder  to  lapse,  unless
    simultaneously with  such  termination, cancellation  or  lapse  replacement
    policies  providing substantially  the same coverage  are in  full force and
    effect;

      (xiv) change any accounting policy or procedure; or

       (xv) authorize any of, or commit or  agree to take any of, the  foregoing
    actions.

    (b)   OTHER ACTIONS.  Except as required by law, regulation, or contemplated
by this Agreement or  the Ancillary Agreements,  the Company, Parent,  Holdings,
the  Grantor Trust and the Other Investors  shall use all reasonable efforts not
to, and shall use all reasonable efforts  not to permit any of their  respective
Subsidiaries  to,  take  any action  that  would,  or that  could  reasonably be
expected to, result  in (i) any  of the representations  and warranties of  such
Party set forth in this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements that are qualified
as  to  materiality  becoming  untrue,  (ii)  any  of  such  representations and
warranties that are not so qualified becoming untrue in any material respect  or
(iii) any of the conditions set forth in Article IV not being satisfied.

    Company,  Parent, Holdings and the Other Investors shall promptly notify the
other Parties of any change or event causing, or that, insofar as can reasonably
be foreseen, would cause, any of the conditions with respect to such Person  set
forth in Article IV not being satisfied.

                                  ARTICLE VII
                             ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS

    7.1.  PREPARATION OF THE PROXY STATEMENT; STOCKHOLDERS MEETING.  (a) Company
shall  have prepared  and given  Parent, Holdings,  Grantor Trust  and the Other
Investors a reasonable opportunity to comment on the Proxy Statement to be filed
by Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Proxy  Statement").
If  the Proxy Statement has not been filed with the SEC, Company shall file with
the SEC the Proxy Statement  within 7 days after  the date hereof. After  giving
Parent, Holdings, Grantor Trust and the Other Investors a reasonable opportunity
to comment, Company shall file with the SEC any amendments or supplements to the
Proxy  Statement that may be necessary in response to SEC comments or otherwise.
Company shall use reasonable efforts to  cause the Proxy Statement to be  mailed
to  the Company's stockholders as promptly as practicable. Company shall provide
to Parent,  Holdings and  the Other  Investors promptly  any comments  or  other
correspondence  it  receives  from  the  SEC staff  with  respect  to  the Proxy
Statement.

    (b) Company  shall,  as soon  as  practicable  following the  date  of  this
Agreement,  duly  call,  give notice  of,  convene  and hold  a  meeting  of its
stockholders (the  "Stockholders  Meeting") for  the  purpose of  approving  the
Proposals   and  shall,  through  its  Board  of  Directors,  recommend  to  its
stockholders approval of the Proposals.  The obligations of Company pursuant  to
Section  7.1(a)  and the  first sentence  of  this Section  7.1(b) shall  not be
affected  by   the  commencement,   public   proposal,  public   disclosure   or
communication to Company of any takeover proposal by any third party.

    7.2.   ACCESS  TO INFORMATION;  CONFIDENTIALITY.   Company shall,  and shall
cause each  of  its Subsidiaries  to,  afford to  Parent  and to  the  officers,
employees, accountants, counsel, financial advisors and other representatives of
the  Parent, reasonable  access during normal  business hours  during the period
prior to  the Closing  to  all their  respective properties,  books,  contracts,
commitments,  personnel and records and, during  such period, Company shall, and
shall cause each of its  Subsidiaries to, furnish promptly  to the Parent (a)  a
copy  of each report, schedule, registration  statement and other document filed
by it  during such  period pursuant  to  the requirements  of Federal  or  state
securities   laws  and  (b)  all  other  information  concerning  its  business,
properties and personnel as such other Party may reasonably request.


                                       41
<PAGE>

    7.3.  REASONABLE  EFFORTS; NOTIFICATION; CONSENT.   (a) Upon  the terms  and
subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, each of the Parties shall
use  all reasonable efforts (in the case  of Investor1 and Investor2, within the
context  of  its  fiduciary  obligations,  if  any,  and  applicable  regulatory
restrictions) to take, or cause to be taken, all actions, and to do, or cause to
be done, and to assist and cooperate with the other Parties in doing, all things
necessary,  proper or  advisable to consummate  and make effective,  in the most
expeditious manner practicable, the Transactions, including (i) the obtaining of
all necessary  actions  or  nonactions, waivers,  consents  and  approvals  from
Governmental  Entities and the making of all necessary registrations and filings
(including filings with  Governmental Entities, if  any) and the  taking of  all
reasonable steps as may be necessary to obtain an approval or waiver from, or to
avoid  an action or proceeding by,  any Governmental Entity, including those set
forth on Schedule 5.1(d), to the extent necessary to consummate its  obligations
as  part of the  Transactions, (ii) the  obtaining or granting  of all necessary
consents, approvals or waivers  from third parties  or Parties, including  those
set  forth  on  Schedule  5.1(d),  to the  extent  necessary  to  consummate its
obligations as part of the Transactions, (iii) the defending of any lawsuits  or
other  legal  proceedings, whether  judicial or  administrative, against  it and
challenging  this  Agreement  or  any   of  the  Ancillary  Agreements  or   the
consummation  of  the  Transactions,  including  seeking  to  have  any  stay or
temporary restraining order entered  by any court  or other Governmental  Entity
vacated  or  reversed, and  (iv) the  execution and  delivery of  any additional
instruments necessary to  consummate the  Transactions contemplated  by, and  to
fully  carry out the  purposes of, this Agreement  and the Ancillary Agreements,
including the  satisfaction  of all  conditions  set  forth in  Article  IV  and
completion  of the  Funding and  the Closing  on a  timely basis,  provided that
nothing in this Article VII shall be construed to require any Party to waive any
right or condition to any obligation it  may have pursuant to this Agreement  or
any  Ancillary Agreement. In connection with and without limiting the foregoing,
Company and its Board of Directors shall (i) take all action necessary to ensure
that no state takeover  statute or similar statute  or regulation is or  becomes
applicable   to  this  Agreement,   the  Ancillary  Agreements   or  any  future
transactions between or among the Parties solely as a result of the Transactions
and (ii) if any state takeover statute or similar statute or regulation  becomes
applicable  to this  Agreement, any Ancillary  Agreement or  any contemplated by
this Agreement or any Ancillary Agreement,  take all action necessary to  ensure
that the Transactions may be consummated as promptly as practicable on the terms
contemplated  by this  Agreement and the  Ancillary Agreements  and otherwise to
minimize the effect of such statute or regulation on the Transactions.

    (b) Each Party  shall give prompt  notice to  the other Parties  of (i)  any
representation  or  warranty  made by  it  contained  in this  Agreement  or any
Ancillary Agreement  becoming  untrue or  inaccurate  in any  respect  (ii)  the
failure  by it to comply  with or satisfy in  any material respect any covenant,
condition or  agreement  to be  complied  with or  satisfied  by it  under  this
Agreement   or  any  Ancillary  Agreement;   provided,  however,  that  no  such
notification  shall  affect  the   representations,  warranties,  covenants   or
agreements  of the Parties or  the conditions to the  obligations of the Parties
under this Agreement or the Ancillary Agreements.

    (c) In order to induce each of  the Parties to enter into the  Transactions,
and  anything in the agreements with the Company  to which such Party is a Party
to the contrary notwithstanding, each Party hereby consents to the  Transactions
and,  subject  to  satisfaction of  the  conditions  to Funding  or  Closing, as
applicable, hereby waives  all defaults and  events of default  relating to  any
existing  agreement  between  or among  any  of  the Parties  and  which include
Company, any of its Subsidiaries, any of the Grantor Trust Subsidiaries, Interim
Borrowers or Grantor Trust as a Party or Parties thereto, that, to such  Party's
knowledge, occurred prior to and are continuing as of the date hereof; provided,
that  if Closing does not occur by December 31, 1995 or the Investment Agreement
terminates prior to  Closing, the Parties  will have the  right to rescind  such
waiver  except with respect to  actions and events that  are taken in connection
with the Transactions. All terms,  conditions and provisions of such  agreements
are  and  shall  remain in  effect  (except  as otherwise  contemplated  by this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements) and, except as set forth above,  nothing
herein shall operate as a consent to or waiver of any other or further matter or
any other right, power or remedy of such Party under such agreements.


                                       42
<PAGE>

    7.4.   FEES AND EXPENSES.   (a) Except as provided  below or in the Existing
Insurance Company Loan Agreement, all  fees and expenses incurred in  connection
with  this Agreement and the  Transactions shall be paid  by the Party incurring
such fees  or expenses,  whether  or not  the  sale of  the  New Shares  or  the
Preferred Shares on the terms contemplated hereby is consummated. Company agrees
to reimburse Investor1 and Investor2 for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses
in connection with this Agreement, the Ancillary Agreements and the Transactions
in an amount not to exceed $100,000.

    (b)  If a  direct or  indirect acquisition of,  or merger  or other business
combination with, Company or  any substantial portion  of Company's business  or
assets,  or the sale or other disposition of  a majority of the capital stock of
Company (any of such  transactions, a "Disposition")  is consummated by  Company
with  any  person  other  than  Parent after  the  date  hereof,  then  upon the
consummation of such Company shall pay to Parent in immediately available funds,
an amount  equal to  Parent's  and Holdings'  out-of-pocket costs  and  expenses
(including  legal fees and expenses). This Section 7.4(b) shall not apply to any
Disposition undertaken through an involuntary bankruptcy of Company.

    7.5.   PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENTS.   Parent,  Holdings, Grantor  Trust, the  Other
Investors  and Company shall consult with each other before issuing, and provide
each other the  opportunity to  review and comment  upon, any  press release  or
other public statements with respect to the Transactions and shall not issue any
such press release or make any such public statement prior to such consultation,
except as may be required by applicable law, court process, regulatory authority
or by obligations pursuant to any listing agreement with any national securities
exchange.

    7.6.   STOCKHOLDER LITIGATION.  Company shall give Parent the opportunity to
participate in the defense or  settlement of any stockholder litigation  against
the  Company and its directors relating  to the Transactions; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
that no  such settlement  shall be  agreed to  without Parent's  consent,  which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.

    7.7.    EMPLOYMENT  ARRANGEMENTS.   The  Company  shall not  enter  into any
employment agreement or implement any severance arrangement with or with respect
to any employee of the Company.

    7.8.  REPORTING COMPANY.   Company shall  use its best  efforts to remain  a
reporting  company under the Exchange Act prior  to and upon consummation of the
Transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.

    7.9.   NYSE LISTING.    Company shall  use its  best  efforts to  cause  the
outstanding  shares of Common Stock  and the New Shares  to remain listed on the
New York  Stock Exchange  prior to  and upon  consummation of  the  Transactions
contemplated by this Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements.

    7.10.   LIQUIDATING  PROPERTY TRUST LEASES  AND PROPERTY  TRANSFER.  Company
shall use its  best efforts to  obtain from the  Liquidating Property Trust  the
Liquidating Property Trust Leases and cause the Property Transfer to occur.

    7.11.  AGREEMENT TO VOTE SHARES.  Each of the Parties agrees that during the
term of this Agreement to vote such Party's shares of Common Stock, and to cause
any  holder of record of such  shares to vote (a) in  favor of the Proposals and
the Transactions, (b) against any action  or agreement that would compete  with,
impede,   interfere  with  or  attempt  to  discourage  or  inhibit  the  timely
consummation of the Transactions, (c)  except for the Transactions, against  any
merger,  consolidation, business  combination, reorganization, recapitalization,
liquidation or sale or transfer of any material assets or securities of  Company
or  its Subsidiaries that would be inconsistent with the Transactions and (d) as
to any matter related to  the election or removal  of directors, as directed  by
Holdings.

    7.12.  NO VOTING TRUSTS.  Each of the Parties agrees that they will not, nor
will  they permit any entity under their control to, deposit any of their shares
of Common Stock in a voting trust or subject any of their shares of Common Stock
to any  arrangement  with  respect to  the  voting  of such  Shares  other  than
agreements entered into with Holdings.


                                       43
<PAGE>

    7.13.   NO PROXY SOLICITATIONS.  Each  of the Parties agrees that such Party
will not, nor will such Party permit  any entity under such Party's control  to,
(a) solicit proxies or become a "participant" in a "solicitation" (as such terms
are  defined  in Regulation  14A under  the  Exchange Act)  in opposition  to or
competition with the consummation of the Transactions or otherwise encourage  or
assist  any party  in taking  or planning any  action which  would compete with,
impede,  interfere  with  or  attempt  to  discourage  or  inhibit  the   timely
consummation of the Transactions, (b) directly or indirectly encourage, initiate
or  cooperate in  a stockholders'  vote or  action by  consent of  the Company's
stockholders in opposition  to or in  competition with the  consummation of  the
Transactions,  or (c)  become a  member of a  "group" (as  such term  is used in
Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) with respect to any voting securities of  the
Company  for the purpose of  opposing or competing with  the consummation of the
Transactions.

    7.14.  TRANSFER AND ENCUMBRANCE.  On or after the date hereof and during the
term of this Agreement until the Closing, except pursuant to this Agreement  and
the  Ancillary Agreements,  each of  the Parties  agrees not  to transfer, sell,
offer, exchange, pledge or otherwise dispose of or encumber any of such  Party's
shares of Common Stock or any Interim Notes, Existing Grantor Trust Indebtedness
or New Borrower Notes, without the prior written consent of Company and Holdings
and  prior notice  to the  Other Parties,  except that  (i) each  of the Parties
(other than  Company) may  make such  a transfer  to any  Affiliate (other  than
Company)  of such Party who agrees  in writing to be bound  by the terms of this
Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, but no such transfer shall relieve  such
Party  of  any  of  its  obligations  under  this  Agreement  and  the Ancillary
Agreements (except that such relief will be granted in the case of Investor1  or
Investor2  upon any transfer by them to a  fund or account managed or advised by
Fidelity Management and Research Co. or Fidelity Management Trust Co.).  Company
and  Holdings will not  unreasonably withhold such  consent to limited transfers
(for example up to 5% of each Party's  holdings on a pro rata basis) so long  as
their material interests are not adversely affected thereby.

    7.15.   ADDITIONAL PURCHASES.   Each of  the Parties agrees  that such Party
will not purchase  or otherwise acquire  beneficial ownership of  any shares  of
Common  Stock  after  the  execution  of  this  Agreement,  nor  will  any Party
voluntarily acquire the right to  vote or share in the  voting of any shares  of
Common  Stock, unless such Party agrees to deliver to Holdings immediately after
such purchase  or acquisition  an irrevocable  proxy substantially  in the  form
attached  hereto  as Exhibit  C with  respect to  such new  shares. Each  of the
Parties also severally agrees that any  new shares acquired or purchased by  him
or  her shall be subject to the terms of this Agreement to the same extent as if
they constituted shares  of Common  Stock held  by such  Party as  set forth  in
Article V hereof.

    7.16.  COVENANTS RELATING TO POST-FUNDING TAX MATTERS.

    (a)   TAX SHARING AGREEMENTS.  Any Tax sharing agreement between the Company
and any of the Grantor  Trust Subsidiaries is terminated  as of the Funding  and
will  have no further  effect for any  taxable year, whether  current, future or
past.

    (b)  TAX  RETURNS.  Company  will include  the income of  the Grantor  Trust
Subsidiaries  on the Company's  consolidated income Tax  Returns for all periods
through the Funding and  pay income Taxes attributable  to such income.  Grantor
Trust  Subsidiaries will pay  income Taxes attributable to  their income for all
periods  following  the   Funding.  Upon  reasonable   request,  Grantor   Trust
Subsidiaries  and Company  will provide  tax information  to each  other for the
purpose of preparing Tax Returns. Company will take no position that relates  to
Grantor  Trust Subsidiaries on  its consolidated income  Tax Returns for periods
through the Funding that  is not in accordance  with past practice, without  the
prior  written consent  of Investor1  and Investor2,  which consent  will not be
unreasonably withheld. The Grantor Trust Subsidiaries will take no position that
relates to Company on their  Tax Returns for periods  after the Funding that  is
not  in  accordance with  past practice,  without the  prior written  consent of
Company, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.

    (c)  AUDITS.  Company on the  one hand and Investor1, Investor2 and  Grantor
Trust Subsidiaries on the other will each provide reasonable notice to the other
party regarding audits of any Tax


                                       44
<PAGE>

Returns,  to the extent that such audits  may affect the other party's liability
for Taxes. Company and the Grantor Trust Subsidiaries will permit each other and
their respective counsel to participate in  any such audits. None of Company  or
the  Grantor Trust  Subsidiaries will  settle any audit  in a  manner that would
adversely affect the Tax liability of the other party, without the prior written
consent of Investor1 and Investor2 or Company, respectively.

    (d)  SALE  OF STOCK.   Company, Investor1, Investor2  and the Grantor  Trust
Subsidiaries  shall, upon Company  request, make a  joint election under Section
338(h)(10) of the Internal  Revenue Code and  any corresponding elections  under
state  and local  tax laws (the  "Election") with  respect to the  stock of each
Grantor Trust Subsidiary, and as  promptly as practicable following the  Funding
Date,  cooperate with each  other to take all  actions necessary and appropriate
(including filing such forms, returns, elections, schedules and other  documents
as  may be required) to effect and preserve a timely Election in accordance with
Section 338(h)(10) of  the Internal  Revenue Code and  the Treasury  Regulations
thereunder or any successor provisions and the corresponding provisions of state
and  local  tax laws.  However, the  agreement  in this  subsection (d)  is made
subject to  the condition  that  the making  of the  Election  will not  have  a
material  adverse  effect on  Investor1, Investor2  or  their investment  in the
Grantor Trust Subsidiaries, as such material adverse effect is defined in a side
letter between Investor1 and  Investor2, on the one  hand, and Holdings and  the
Company, on the other hand, which side letter such parties agree to negotiate in
good faith.

    (e)   REFUNDS.  The Grantor Trust  Subsidiaries will promptly pay to Company
any net Tax refund (or  net reduction in Tax liability  ) with respect to  Taxes
for  periods through the Funding when such  refund is received or such reduction
is realized, by the Grantor Trust  Subsidiaries or any of their Affiliates.  The
Grantor Trust Subsidiaries will cooperate with Company, at Company's expense, in
obtaining such refunds or reductions. Company will indemnify each of the Grantor
Trust  Subsidiaries for any Taxes resulting  from the subsequent disallowance of
any such refund or reduction.

    (f)  INDEMNIFICATIONS BY COMPANY.  Company agrees subsequent to the  Funding
to  indemnify  and  hold the  Grantor  Trust Subsidiaries  and  their respective
Subsidiaries and Affiliates and persons serving as officers, directors, partners
or employees thereof (the "Grantor Trust Indemnified Parties") harmless from and
against any liability  of the Grantor  Trust Indemnified Parties  for Taxes  (i)
arising  with respect to periods which end on or prior to the Funding Date or as
a result of the Funding, or (ii) arising out of or based upon any breach of  the
representations   and  warranties  contained  in  Sections  5.1(k)  or  5.1(aa),
including without limitation any liability for Taxes of Company or any member of
its consolidated  group other  than  the Grantor  Trust Subsidiaries  (A)  under
Treasury  Regulation Section 1.1502-6 (or any  similar provision of state, local
or foreign  law), (B)  as a  transferee or  successor, (C)  by contract  or  (D)
otherwise.  For purpose  of this  subsection and  subsection (g)  below, "Taxes"
includes any related costs, fines, penalties, interest and expenses with respect
thereto (including, without limitation, reasonable fees of counsel) of any  kind
and  nature whatsoever  (whether or  not arising  out of  third-party claims and
including any reasonable amounts paid in investigation, defense or settlement of
the foregoing) which will be sustained or suffered by the Indemnified Parties.

    (g)   INDEMNIFICATION BY  GRANTOR  TRUST SUBSIDIARIES.   The  Grantor  Trust
Subsidiaries  agree subsequent to the Funding  to indemnify and hold Company and
its Subsidiaries  and Affiliates  and persons  serving as  officers,  directors,
partners  or employees thereof (the "Company Indemnified Parties") harmless from
and against any liability of the  Company Indemnified Parties for Taxes  imposed
with respect to the Grantor Trust Subsidiaries for periods, or portions thereof,
beginning  after the Funding Date  (other than Taxes imposed  as a result of the
Funding). For purposes of this subsection  "Taxes" has the meaning set forth  in
subsection (f) above.

    (h)   SOLE REMEDY.  The indemnification  provided in Section 7.16(e) and (f)
above shall be the sole and  exclusive remedy of the Grantor Trust  Subsidiaries
with  respect  to  the  matters  set  forth  in  Section  7.16(e)  and  (f). The
indemnification provided  in  Section  7.16(g)  above  shall  be  the  sole  and
exclusive remedy of the Company with respect to the matters set forth in Section
7.16(g).


                                       45
<PAGE>

    7.17.   ENVIRONMENTAL INDEMNITY, ETC.   (a) Company agrees subsequent to the
Funding to  indemnify  and  hold  Investor1, Investor2  and  the  Grantor  Trust
Subsidiaries  ("Indemnitees")  harmless from  and  against any  losses, damages,
liabilities or expenses (including reasonable  expenses of counsel) that  result
from  any breach of the representations  and warranties of the Company contained
in Section 5.1(h)(vii) to the extent, but  only to the extent, that such  breach
relates  to the Grantor  Trust Subsidiaries, and subject  to a maximum aggregate
indemnification liability of Company under this provision of $2.5 million.

    (b) Promptly after becoming aware of or receiving notice of any such breach,
each Indemnitee  shall, if  the Indemnitee  believes that  indemnification  with
respect  thereto may be sought from Company under this Agreement, notify Company
in writing and specify with reasonable particularity the circumstances  thereof.
The  right to indemnification  shall terminate as  to any matter  for which such
notice has not been given  within two years from  the date hereof. In  addition,
Indemnitee  shall  give  Company  such information  and  cooperation  as  it may
reasonably require and as shall be within Indemnitee's power. Any delay in  such
notification,  if within such two year period, will not relieve Company from any
such liability unless the  delay in notice  materially prejudiced Company.  This
right of indemnification is not transferrable.

    (c)  If the Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification on some claims, issues
or matters, but not on others, involved in a legal or administrative proceeding,
the Company shall indemnify the Indemnitee against an appropriate proportion  of
the overall losses, damages, liabilities or expenses (and no more), based on the
matters  for which  the Indemnitee  is entitled  to be  indemnified hereunder in
relation to any other matters involved therein.

    (d) The  expenses incurred  by Indemnitee  in investigating,  defending,  or
appealing any legal or administrative proceeding covered by this indemnity shall
be  paid by Company in advance, with the understanding and agreement hereby made
by Indemnitee, or made by  its acceptance of any  such advancement, that in  the
event  it shall ultimately be determined that  Indemnitee was not entitled to be
indemnified, or was not  entitled to be fully  indemnified, that the  Indemnitee
shall  repay to Company such amount, or the appropriate portion thereof, so paid
or advanced.

    (e) Company  shall  be  entitled to  assume  the  defense of  any  legal  or
administrative  proceeding for which indemnification is owing under this Section
7.17. Company will not be liable  for any settlement effected without its  prior
written consent, which will not be unreasonably withheld.

                                  ARTICLE VIII
                       TERMINATION, AMENDMENT AND WAIVER

    8.1.     TERMINATION.    (a)  Anything  contained  herein  to  the  contrary
notwithstanding,  this  Agreement  may   be  terminated  and  the   Transactions
contemplated hereby abandoned at any time prior to the Closing Date:

    (i) by  mutual written consent of Parent,  Holdings, the Other Investors and
        the Company;

    (ii) by Parent and Holdings  if any of the  conditions set forth in  Section
         4.1 shall have become incapable of fulfillment, and shall not have been
         waived by Parent and Holdings;

   (iii) by Company if any of the conditions set forth in Section 4.2 shall have
         become  incapable of fulfillment, and shall not have been waived by the
         Company;

   (iv) by the Other Investors if any of the conditions set forth in Section 4.3
        shall have  become incapable  of fulfillment,  and shall  not have  been
        waived by the Other Investors; or

    (v) by  any Party if Closing shall not have occurred on or prior to December
        31, 1995;

PROVIDED, HOWEVER, that the Party  seeking termination pursuant to clause  (ii),
(iii)  or  (iv)  is  not  in material  breach  of  any  of  its representations,
warranties, covenants or agreements contained in this Agreement.


                                       46
<PAGE>

    (b) In the event of termination pursuant to this Section 8.1, written notice
thereof shall forthwith be given to the other Parties and the Transactions shall
be terminated, without further action by any Party.

    8.2.  EFFECT OF TERMINATION.  In the event of termination of this  Agreement
as  provided  in Section  8.1,  the Parties  shall  no longer  have  any further
liabilities or  obligations  under this  Agreement,  except under  Section  7.4,
Section  7.5  (which  shall terminate  one  year  from the  termination  of this
Agreement), this Section 8.2 and Article IX  and except to the extent that  such
termination results from the wilful and material breach by a Party of any of its
representations, warranties, covenants or agreements set forth in this Agreement
or  any of the Ancillary Agreements. Upon  such termination the warrants held by
the Parties that were cancelled pursuant to Section 2.3(c) shall be reissued and
a proportionate amount  of warrants  shall be issued  to Holdings  based on  the
amount  of  Interim  Notes,  New  Borrower  Notes  and  Existing  Grantor  Trust
Indebtedness then outstanding.

    8.3.  AMENDMENT.  This Agreement may  be amended by the Parties at any  time
before  or after any  required approval of matters  presented in connection with
this Agreement  by the  stockholders of  the Company;  PROVIDED, HOWEVER,  that,
after  any such approval, there shall be  made no amendment that by law requires
further approval  by such  stockholders  without the  further approval  of  such
stockholders.  This  Agreement may  not be  amended except  by an  instrument in
writing signed on behalf of each of the parties.

    8.4.  EXTENSION; WAIVER.  At any time prior to the Closing, the Parties  may
(a)  extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts
of the other  Parties, (b)  waive any  inaccuracies in  the representations  and
warranties  contained in this Agreement or in any document delivered pursuant to
this Agreement or (c)  subject to the proviso  of Section 8.3, waive  compliance
with  any  of the  agreements  or conditions  contained  in this  Agreement. Any
agreement on the part of a Party to any such extension or waiver shall be  valid
only  if set forth in  an instrument in writing signed  on behalf of such Party.
The failure of any  Party to assert  any of its rights  under this Agreement  or
otherwise shall not constitute a waiver of such rights.

    8.5.    PROCEDURE  FOR  TERMINATION,  AMENDMENT,  EXTENSION  OR  WAIVER.   A
termination of this  Agreement pursuant  to Section  8.1, an  amendment of  this
Agreement  pursuant to Section 8.3 or an extension or waiver pursuant to Section
8.4 shall, in order to  be effective, require in  the case of Parent,  Holdings,
Grantor Trust or the Other Investors, action by its board of directors, trustees
or  authorized  officers  or  the  duly  authorized  designee  of  its  board of
directors, trustees  or authorized  officers or,  in the  case of  the  Company,
action by a majority of its entire Board of Directors.

                                   ARTICLE IX
                               GENERAL PROVISIONS

    9.1.   SURVIVAL OF  WARRANTIES AND CERTAIN AGREEMENTS.   (a) All agreements,
representations, and  warranties made  herein shall  survive the  execution  and
delivery of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions.

    (b)  Notwithstanding anything  in this  Agreement or  implied by  law to the
contrary, the agreements of the parties set forth in Sections 7.4 shall  survive
the consummation of the Transactions and the termination of this Agreement.

    9.2.     NOTICES.    All  notices,   requests,  claims,  demands  and  other
communications hereunder shall be  in writing and shall  be given (and shall  be
deemed  to have been duly  given upon receipt) by  delivery in person, by cable,
facsimile transmission, telegram  or telex  or by registered  or certified  mail


                                       47
<PAGE>

(postage  prepaid, return  receipt requested) to  the respective  parties at the
following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be  specified
in a notice given in accordance with this Section 9.2):

    (i)    If to Parent or Holdings, to:

           Corimon, S.A.C.A.
           Calle Hans Neumann
           Edificio Corimon
           Los Cortijos de Lourdes
           Apartado 3654
           Caracas 1010-A, Venezuela
           Attention: Arthur W. Broslat
           Facsimile: (582) 203-5757

           with a copy to:

           Sullivan & Cromwell
           444 South Flower Street
           Los Angeles, California 90071
           Attention: Frank H. Golay, Jr.
           Facsimile: (213) 683-0457

    (ii)   If to Grantor Trust, to:

           Standard Brands Paint Collateral Trust
           c/o Karl Savryn, Trustee
           Dornbush, Mensch, Mandelstam & Schaeffer
           74 Third Avenue, 11th Floor
           New York, New York 10017
           Facsimile: (212) 753-7673

   (iii)   If to Investor1, to:

           Fidelity Capital & Income Fund
           c/o Fidelity Management and Research Co.
           82 Devonshire Street - F7E and F7D
           Boston, Massachusetts 02109
           Attention: Portfolio Manager and
                      Robert M. Gervis, Esq.
           Facsimile: (617) 476-3316 and 476-7774

           If to Investor2, to:

           Kodak Retirement Income Plan Trust Fund
           c/o Fidelity Management Trust Company
           82 Devonshire Street - F7E and F7D
           Boston, Massachusetts 02109
           Attention: Portfolio Manager and
                      Robert M. Gervis, Esq.
           Facsimile: (617) 476-3316 and 476-7774

           with a copy to:

           Goodwin Procter & Hoar
           Exchange Place
           53 State Street


                                       48
<PAGE>

           Boston, Massachusetts 02109
           Attention: Laura Hodges Taylor
           Facsimile: (617) 523-1231

   (iv)    If to Investor3, to:

           Transamerica Life Insurance and Annuity Co.
           c/o Transamerica Realty Services, Inc.
           1150 South Olive Street, Suite 2200
           Los Angeles, CA 90015
           Attention: Lyman Lokken
           Facsimile: (213) 741-6917

    (v)     If to Investor4, to:

            Transamerica Occidental Insurance Co.
            c/o Transamerica Realty Services, Inc.
            1150 South Olive Street, Suite 2200
            Los Angeles, CA 90015
            Attention: Lyman Lokken
            Facsimile: (213) 741-6917

   (vi)     If to Investor5, to:

            Sun Life Insurance Co.
            1 Sun America Center
            Century City, CA 90067
            Attention: Robert Sydow
            Facsimile: (310) 772-6150

   (vii)    If to Investor6, to:

            Anchor National Life Insurance Co.
            1 Sun America Center
            Century City, CA 90067
            Attention: Robert Sydow
            Facsimile: (310) 772-6150

  (viii)    If to the Company, to:

            Standard Brands Paint Company
            4300 West 190th Street
            Torrance, CA 90509-2956
            Attention: Ronald I. Scharman
            Facsimile: (310) 371-8770

    9.3.    COUNTERPARTS.    This  Agreement may  be  executed  in  one  or more
counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement.

    9.4.  ENTIRE AGREEMENT;  NO THIRD-PARTY BENEFICIARIES.   This Agreement  and
the  Ancillary Agreements, and the other  agreements and instruments referred to
herein and therein, (a) constitute the entire agreement, and supersede all prior
agreements and understandings, both written  and oral, among the parties  hereto
with  respect  to  the  subject  matter  of  this  Agreement  and  the Ancillary
Agreements and (b) are  not intended to  confer upon any  person other than  the
parties and their permitted successors and assigns any rights or remedies.

    9.5.  ASSIGNMENT.  None of the Parties shall assign this Agreement or any of
its  rights, interests or obligations hereunder,  in whole or in part (including
by operation of law in  connection with a merger,  or sale of substantially  all
the   assets,   of   Company,   Parent,  Holdings,   the   Other   Investors  or


                                       49
<PAGE>

otherwise), without the prior written consent of the other Parties, except  that
each of the Parties (other than Company) may assign, in its sole discretion, any
or  all of  its rights,  interests and obligations  under this  Agreement to any
Affiliate (other than Company) of such Party  who agrees in writing to be  bound
by  the  terms of  this  Agreement and  the  Ancillary Agreements,  but  no such
assignment shall  relieve  such Party  of  any  of its  obligations  under  this
Agreement  and except  that each of  Investor1, Investor2 and  the Grantor Trust
Subsidiaries may  assign, in  its sole  discretion, any  or all  of its  rights,
interests  and  obligations  under this  Agreement  as they  relate  to Sections
5.1(k), 5.1(aa) and 7.16, but no such assignment shall relieve any of Investor1,
Investor2 or the Grantor  Trust Subsidiaries of any  of their obligations  under
this  Agreement.  Subject  to the  preceding  sentence, this  Agreement  will be
binding upon, inure to the  benefit of, and be  enforceable by, the parties  and
their  respective successors and assigns.  Any attempted assignment in violation
of this Section 9.5 shall be void.

    9.6.  SEVERABILITY.   If  any term  or provision  of this  Agreement or  the
application  thereof  to  any  party  or  set  of  circumstances  shall,  in any
jurisdiction and to any extent, be  finally held invalid or unenforceable,  such
term or provision shall only be ineffective as to such jurisdiction, and only to
the  extent  of such  invalidity  or unenforceability,  without  invalidating or
rendering unenforceable any other terms or provisions of this Agreement or under
any other  circumstances,  and the  parties  shall  negotiate in  good  faith  a
substitute  provision which  comes as  close as  possible to  the invalidated or
unenforceable term or  provision, and  which puts each  party in  a position  as
nearly  comparable as possible to the position it would have been in but for the
finding  of   invalidity  or   unenforceability,  while   remaining  valid   and
enforceable.

    9.7.   GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REGARDLESS OF THE LAWS  THAT
MIGHT OTHERWISE GOVERN UNDER APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS THEREOF.

    9.8.  ENFORCEMENT.  The Parties agree that irreparable damage would occur in
the  event that any of the provisions of  this Agreement or any of the Ancillary
Agreements were not performed  in accordance with their  specific terms or  were
otherwise  breached. It is accordingly agreed that the Parties shall be entitled
to an injunction or  injunctions to prevent breaches  of this Agreement and  the
Ancillary  Agreements and  to enforce specifically  the terms  and provisions of
this Agreement  and the  Ancillary  Agreements in  any  Federal or  state  court
located  in the State of New York, this being in addition to any other remedy to
which they are entitled at  law or in equity. In  addition, each of the  parties
hereto (a) consents to submit itself to the personal jurisdiction of any Federal
or  state court located in the State of New York in the event any dispute arises
out  of  this  Agreement,  any  of  the  Ancillary  Agreements  or  any  of  the
Transactions,  (b)  agrees that  it  will not  attempt  to deny  or  defeat such
personal jurisdiction by motion or other  request for leave from any such  court
and (c) agrees that it will not bring any action relating to this Agreement, any
of the Ancillary Agreements or any of the Transactions in any court other than a
Federal  or state court sitting  in the State of New  York. The Parties agree to
accept service of process  in connection with any  such action or proceeding  in
any manner permitted for a notice hereunder.

    However,  anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, in the
case of  any legal  proceeding specifically  relating to  one of  the  Ancillary
Agreements,  which itself  contains specific choice  of law,  forum selection or
jurisdiction provisions, which  is or  would be inconsistent  with this  Section
9.8,  then in  such case  the provisions  contained in  such Ancillary Agreement
shall control, and this Section 9.8 shall not be applicable thereto.


                                       50
<PAGE>

                              INVESTMENT AGREEMENT

    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the day and year first above written.

                                          STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY
                                          By /s/ STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:

                                          CORIMON, S.A.C.A.
                                          By /s/ CORIMON, S.A.C.A.
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:

                                          CORIMON CORPORATION
                                             /s/ CORIMON CORPORATION
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:

                                          TRANSAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE AND
                                           ANNUITY CO.
                                          By /s/ TRANSAMERICA LIFE INSURANCE
                                                 AND ANNUITY CO.
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:

                                          TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE
                                           INSURANCE COMPANY
                                          By /s/ TRANSAMERICA OCCIDENTAL LIFE
                                                 INSURANCE COMPANY
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:

                                          SUN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
                                          By /s/ SUN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
                                                 OF AMERICA
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:


                                       51
<PAGE>

                                          ANCHOR NATIONAL LIFE
                                           INSURANCE COMPANY
                                          By /s/ ANCHOR NATIONAL LIFE INSURANCE
                                                 COMPANY
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:

                                          STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COLLATERAL
                                           TRUST
                                          By /s/ STANDARD BRANDS PAINT
                                                 COLLATERAL TRUST
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:

                                          KODAK RETIREMENT INCOME PLAN  TRUST
                                          FUND
                                          By /s/ KODAK RETIREMENT INCOME PLAN
                                                 TRUST FUND
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:

                                          FIDELITY CAPITAL & INCOME FUND
                                          By /s/ FIDELITY CAPITAL & INCOME
                                                 FUND
                                             ---------------------------------
                                             Name:
                                             Title:


                                       52
<PAGE>

    Investor1 is  a portfolio  of  a Massachusetts  business  trust. A  copy  of
Investor1's  Declaration  of  Trust  is  on  file  with  the  Secretary  of  the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Each of the Parties acknowledges and agrees  that
this agreement is not executed on behalf of or binding upon any of the trustees,
officers,  directors or shareholders of Investor1 or Investor2 individually, but
is binding only upon  the assets and property  of Investor1 and Investor2.  With
respect  to all obligations of Investor1 arising  out of this Agreement, each of
the Parties shall look for  payment or satisfaction of  any claim solely to  the
assets  and  property  of  Investor1  and Investor2.  Each  of  the  Parties are
expressly put on notice that the rights and obligations of each series of shares
of each of Investor1 and Investor2  under its Declaration of Trust are  separate
and distinct from those of any and all other series.


                                       53

<PAGE>

                                                                       EXHIBIT 2
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------



                             INTERIM LOAN AGREEMENT

                                      Among

                              CORIMON CORPORATION,
                             a Delaware corporation


                            STANDARD BRANDS PAINT CO.
                            a California corporation


                        STANDARD BRANDS REALTY CO., INC.
                            a California corporation

                                       and

                         STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY,
                             a Delaware Corporation




                          Dated as of February 15, 1995



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


                                       54
<PAGE>

                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


Section                                                                     Page
- -------                                                                     ----

                                    ARTICLE I

                                   DEFINITIONS

  1.1.    Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  57
  1.2.    Accounting Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  59
  1.3.    Other Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  59
  1.4.    Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  59


                                   ARTICLE II

                AMOUNT AND TERMS OF INTERIM LOANS; INTERIM NOTES

  2.1.    Interim Loans and Interim Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  59
  2.2.    Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  60
  2.3.    Payments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  60


                                   ARTICLE III

                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

  3.1.    Representations and Warranties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  60


                                   ARTICLE IV

                                    COVENANTS

  4.1.    Loan Covenants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  61
  4.2.    Agreement Covenants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  61
  4.3.    Equal Security for Interim Loans
            and Interim Notes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  61
  4.4.    Independence of Covenants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  62


                                    ARTICLE V

                                EVENTS OF DEFAULT

  5.1.    Breach of Certain Covenants. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  62
  5.2.    Default in Loan Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  62
  5.3.    Defaults in Investment Agreement
            and Ancillary Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  62


                                       55
<PAGE>

Section                                                                     Page
- -------                                                                     ----

  5.4.    Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  62
  5.5.    Investment Agreement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  62

                                   ARTICLE VI

                               General Provisions

  6.1.    Expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  63
  6.2.    Indemnity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  64
  6.3.    Amendment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  66
  6.4.    Waiver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  66
  6.5.    Survival of Warranties and Certain
            Agreements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  67
  6.6.    Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  67
  6.7.    Counterparts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  68
  6.8.    Severability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  68
  6.9.    GOVERNING LAW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  68
  6.10.   Assignment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  68
  6.11.   Consent to Jurisdiction; Waiver of
            Jury Trial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  69



                                    EXHIBITS

Exhibit A Interim Note
Exhibit B Form of Opinion of Company Counsel
Exhibit C Intercreditor Agreement
Exhibit D Mortgage
Exhibit E Company Guaranty


                                       56
<PAGE>

          INTERIM LOAN AGREEMENT dated as of February 15, 1995 (this
"Agreement"), among Corimon Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Holdings"),
Standard Brands Paint Company, a Delaware corporation ("Company"), Standard
Brands Paint Co., a California corporation and Standard Brands Realty Co., Inc.,
a California corporation (individually referred to herein as "Interim Borrower"
and collectively as "Interim Borrowers").


                                    RECITALS

          WHEREAS simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this
Agreement, Holdings, Company, Interim Borrowers and certain other parties have
entered into the Investment Agreement, dated as of the date hereof (the
"Investment Agreement"); and

          WHEREAS, in connection with the transactions contemplated by the
Investment Agreement, Holdings desires to make a loan to Interim Borrowers
pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth herein.

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the representations, warranties,
covenants and agreements contained herein, and for other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the
parties hereto hereby agree as follows:


                                    ARTICLE I

                                   DEFINITIONS

          1.1.  DEFINITIONS.  For purposes of this Agreement:

          "COLLATERAL" means all monies, accounts, instruments and other
property (including all rent, revenue, issues, proceeds, profits, security and
other monies payable or receivable thereunder or with respect thereto) described
as Collateral in the Mortgages.

          "COMPANY GUARANTY" means the Guaranty executed and delivered by
Company pursuant to subsection 2.1(d), substantially in the form of Exhibit E
annexed hereto, as such Guaranty may be amended, supplemented, or otherwise
modified from time to time.

          "EVENT OF DEFAULT" means each of the events set forth in Article V.


                                       57
<PAGE>

          "EXISTING GRANTOR TRUST INDEBTEDNESS" means Indebtedness of Company to
the Grantor Trust in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $6,000,000
pursuant to the Existing Grantor Trust Loan Agreements.

          "EXISTING GRANTOR TRUST LOAN AGREEMENTS" means the documents listed on
Schedule 9 to the New Loan Agreement and the Loan Agreement dated March 16, 1994
among Company, SBPCO, Standard Brands Realty Co., Inc. and the Grantor Trust.

          "INTERCREDITOR AGREEMENT" means the Intercreditor Agreement, dated the
date hereof, among Holdings, the Other Investors, Grantor Trust, Borrowers and
Company, in the form of Exhibit C.

          "INTERIM LOAN" means the Loan made to Interim Borrowers by Holdings
pursuant to Section 2.1 of this Agreement.

          "INTERIM LOAN DOCUMENTS" means, collectively, this Agreement, the
Mortgages, the Interim Notes and the Intercreditor Agreement.

          "INTERIM NOTES" means the promissory notes of Interim Borrowers issued
pursuant to subsection 2.1(b) of this Agreement and substantially in the form of
Exhibit A hereto, and as such Notes may be amended, supplemented, or otherwise
modified from time to time.

          "LENDER PARTIES" has the meaning set forth in the Intercreditor
Agreement.

          "MORTGAGED PROPERTY" means real and personal property subject to the
Lien of a Mortgage.

          "MORTGAGES" means one or more of the Deeds of Trust and Assignments of
Rents executed, acknowledged and filed for the benefit of Holdings pursuant to
Section 2.1(c).

          "OBLIGATIONS" means all obligations of every nature of Company and the
Interim Borrowers from time to time owed to the Lenders under the Interim Loan
Documents and the Notes.

          "POTENTIAL EVENT OF DEFAULT" means a condition or event that, after
notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default if that
condition or event were not cured or removed within any applicable grace or cure
period.


                                       58
<PAGE>

          "TERMINATION DATE" means the date the Investment Agreement is
terminated in accordance with its terms.

          1.2.  ACCOUNTING TERMS.  For purposes of this Agreement, all
accounting terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned
to them in conformity with GAAP.

          1.3.  OTHER DEFINITIONS.  For purposes of this Agreement, terms used
herein but not otherwise defined shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.1
of the Investment Agreement.

          1.4.  INTERPRETATION.  The rules of interpretation set forth in
Section 1.2 of the Investment Agreement shall apply to this Agreement, and the
provisions thereof shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference herein.


                                   ARTICLE II

                AMOUNT AND TERMS OF INTERIM LOANS; INTERIM NOTES

          2.1.  INTERIM LOANS AND INTERIM NOTES.

          (a)  INTERIM LOANS.  In accordance with the terms of the Investment
Agreement and the transactions contemplated therein, and subject to the terms
and conditions of this Agreement and in reliance upon the representations and
warranties of Company and Interim Borrowers herein and in the Investment
Agreement and the Lender Parties in the Intercreditor Agreement, Holdings agrees
to loan $14,000,000 to Company and Interim Borrowers.

          (b)  INTERIM NOTES.  Each Interim Borrower shall execute and deliver
to Holdings on the Funding Date an Interim Note substantially in the form of
Exhibit A annexed hereto, with appropriate insertions, to evidence Holdings'
Interim Loan to such Borrower contemplated herein.

          (c)  MORTGAGES.  Interim Borrowers shall execute and file the
Mortgages.

          (d)  COMPANY GUARANTY.  The Company shall execute and deliver to
Holdings on the Funding Date the Company Guaranty substantially in the form of
Exhibit E attached hereto, as such Guaranty may be amended, supplemented or
otherwise modified from time to time.


                                       59
<PAGE>

          2.2.  INTEREST.

          (a)  ACCRUAL OF INTEREST.  The Interim Loan shall accrue interest on
the unpaid principal amount thereof from the date made through maturity (whether
by acceleration or otherwise) at a rate of .7973% per month (which rate shall
yield an effective rate of 10% per annum), compounded monthly and payable as
provided in subsection 2.3(a).

          (b)  POST-MATURITY INTEREST.  Any principal payments on the Interim
Loan not paid when due and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, any
interest payments on the Interim Loan not paid when due, in each case whether at
stated maturity, by notice of prepayment, by acceleration or otherwise, shall
thereafter bear interest payable upon demand at a rate that is 14% per annum.

          (c)  COMPUTATION OF INTEREST.  Interest on the Interim Loan shall be
computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of 12 months of 30 days each.

          2.3.  PAYMENTS.

          (a)  Interim Borrowers shall pay the outstanding principal amount of
the Interim Loan and accrued and unpaid interest thereon on the Termination Date
or, if earlier, on December 31, 1995.  It is contemplated that on the Closing
Date the Interim Note will be exchanged pursuant to the Investment Agreement.

          (b)  MANNER AND TIME OF PAYMENT.  If not exchanged pursuant to
Section 2.3(a), all payments of principal, interest and other amounts payable
hereunder and under the Interim Note shall be in same day funds and delivered to
Holdings not later than 10:00 A.M. (Los Angeles time) or 11:00 A.M. if payment
is made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to an account designated
by Holdings on the date due.

         (c)  JOINT AND SEVERAL LIABILITY.  Each Interim Borrower shall be
jointly and severally liable for all payments of principal, interest and other
amounts payable hereunder and under the Interim Note.


                                   ARTICLE III

                         REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

          3.1.  REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.  Company and each Interim
Borrower hereby make the same representations


                                       60
<PAGE>

and warranties to Holdings as Company made in the Investment Agreement, all of
which representations and warranties are incorporated in this Agreement by this
reference with the same effect as if set forth in their entirety herein.


                                   ARTICLE IV

                                    COVENANTS

          Each Interim Borrower and Company jointly and severally covenant and
agree that, until payment in full of all of the Interim Loan, and the Interim
Note, unless Holdings shall otherwise give prior written consent, each Interim
Borrower and Company shall perform or cause to be performed all covenants in
this Article IV.

          4.1.  LOAN COVENANTS.  Each Interim Borrower and Company will comply
with all of the covenants contained in the Existing Grantor Trust Loan
Agreements and the New Loan Agreement, all of which covenants are incorporated
in this Agreement by this reference with the same effect as though set forth in
their entirety herein and all notices to be delivered to parties thereunder
shall also be delivered to Holdings hereunder.

          4.2.  AGREEMENT COVENANTS.  Each Interim Borrower and Company will
comply with all of the covenants contained in the Investment Agreement and the
Ancillary Agreements, all of which covenants are incorporated in this Agreement
by this reference with the same effect as though set forth in their entirety
herein.

          4.3.  EQUAL SECURITY FOR INTERIM LOANS AND INTERIM NOTES.  If Company
or either Interim Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries shall create or assume
any Lien upon any of their property or assets, whether now owned or hereafter
acquired, other than Liens excepted by the provisions of Section 5.3 of the New
Loan Agreement (unless prior written consent to the creation or assumption
thereof shall have been obtained from Holdings), they shall make or cause to be
made effective provision whereby the Interim Loan and the Interim Note will be
secured by such Lien equally and ratably with any and all other Indebtedness
thereby secured as long as any such other Indebtedness shall be so secured;
PROVIDED that this covenant shall not be construed as consent by Holdings to any
violation by Company or either Interim Borrower or any of their Subsidiaries of
the provisions of Section 5.3 of the New Loan Agreement.


                                       61
<PAGE>

          4.4.  INDEPENDENCE OF COVENANTS.  All covenants hereunder shall be
given independent effect so that if a particular action or condition is not
permitted by any of such covenants, the fact that it would be permitted by an
exception to, or be otherwise within the limitations of, another covenant shall
not avoid the occurrence of an Event of Default or Event of Default if such
action is taken or condition exists.


                                    ARTICLE V

                                EVENTS OF DEFAULT

          If any of the following conditions or events ("Events of Default")
shall occur:

          5.1.  BREACH OF CERTAIN COVENANTS.  Failure of Company or either
Interim Borrower to perform or comply with any term or condition contained in
this Agreement or any Loan Document; or

          5.2.  DEFAULT IN LOAN AGREEMENTS.  Company or either Interim Borrower
or any of their Subsidiaries shall fail to pay or default in the payment of any
principal or interest on any other Indebtedness or in the payment of any
Contingent Obligations beyond any period of grace provided; or there shall occur
a breach, default or event of default with respect to any other term of any
evidence of any other Indebtedness or of any loan agreement, mortgage,
indenture, or other agreement relating thereto, including the Existing Grantor
Trust Loan Agreements or the New Loan Agreement; or

          5.3.  DEFAULTS IN INVESTMENT AGREEMENT AND ANCILLARY AGREEMENTS.
Company or either Interim Borrower shall default in the performance of or
compliance with any term contained in the Investment Agreement or any Ancillary
Agreement; or

          5.4.  DIRECTORS.  Any person nominated or designated by Holdings to
serve on Company's Board of Directors in accordance with the provisions of the
Investment Agreement and the Ancillary Agreements, having legal capacity to so
serve, is not appointed to serve as a director of Company; or

          5.5.  INVESTMENT AGREEMENT.  The Closing under the Investment
Agreement shall not have occurred by December 31, 1995.


                                       62
<PAGE>

          THEN, (i) upon the occurrence of any Event of Default described in
Section 7.5 or 7.6 of the New Loan Agreement the unpaid principal amount of and
accrued interest on the Interim Loans shall automatically become immediately due
and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other requirements of any
kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by Company and each Interim
Borrower, and (ii) upon the occurrence of any other Event of Default, Holdings
may, by written notice to Company, declare all of the Interim Loan to be, and
the same shall forthwith become due and payable, together with accrued interest
thereon.  Nevertheless, if at any time after acceleration of the maturity of any
Interim Loan, either Interim Borrower shall pay all arrears of interest and all
payments on account of the principal which shall have become due otherwise than
by acceleration (with interest on principal and, to the extent permitted by law,
on overdue interest, at the rates specified in this Agreement or the Interim
Notes) and all Events of Default and Potential Events of Default (other than
non-payment of principal of and accrued interest on the Interim Loan and the
Interim Note, due and payable solely by virtue of acceleration) shall be
remedied or waived pursuant to Section 6.4, then Holdings by written notice to
Company may, but except as otherwise expressly required by applicable law shall
have no obligation to, rescind and annul the acceleration and its consequences;
but such action shall not affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any
right consequent thereon.


                                   ARTICLE VI

                               GENERAL PROVISIONS

          6.1.  EXPENSES.  Company and each Interim Borrower jointly and
severally agree to pay all of the costs and expenses in connection with the
transactions contemplated by this Agreement, including (i) all the actual and
reasonable costs of furnishing all opinions by counsel for Company and each
Interim Borrower (including, without limitation, any opinions requested by
Holdings as to any legal matters arising hereunder), and of Company's and each
Interim Borrower's performance of and compliance with all agreements and
conditions contained herein on their part to be performed or complied with;
(ii) all the costs of Company's and each Interim Borrower's performance of and
compliance with all agreements and conditions contained herein on its part to be
performed or complied with; (iii) all the actual costs and expenses incurred in
connection with the delivery of documents, reports and other materials required
thereunder; and (iv) after the occurrence of an Event of


                                       63
<PAGE>

Default, all costs and expenses, including attorneys' fees and costs of
settlement, incurred by Holdings in enforcing any obligations of or in
collecting any payments due from Company or such Interim Borrower hereunder or
under any other Loan Document or under the Interim Note by reason of such Event
of Default.

          6.2.  INDEMNITY.

          (a)  In addition to the payment of expenses pursuant to Section 6.1,
whether or not the Closing Date occurs, Company and each Interim Borrower
jointly and severally agrees to indemnify, pay, and hold Holdings and the
officers, directors, employees, and agents of Holdings (collectively called the
"Indemnitees") harmless from and against, any and all other liabilities,
obligations, losses, damages, penalties, actions, judgments, suits, claims,
costs, expenses, and disbursements of any kind or nature whatsoever (including,
without limitation, fees and disbursements of counsel for such Indemnitees in
connection with any investigative, administrative, or judicial proceeding,
whether or not such Indemnitee shall be designated a party thereto), that may be
imposed on, incurred by, or asserted against such Indemnitee, in any manner
relating to or arising out of the actions of Company or any Interim Borrower in
connection with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, from the use by
Company or any Interim Borrower or its agents of any materials furnished by
Holdings or from any of the statements contained in any Loan Document, or from
the use or intended use of the proceeds of Interim Loans (the "indemnified
liabilities"); PROVIDED that neither Company nor any Interim Borrower shall have
any obligation hereunder to a particular indemnitee with respect to indemnified
liabilities arising from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such
person.  To the extent that the undertaking to indemnify, pay, and hold harmless
set forth in the preceding sentence or in subsection 6.2(b) or 6.2(c) may be
unenforceable because it is violative of any law or public policy, Company and
each Interim Borrower shall contribute the maximum portion that it is permitted
to pay and satisfy under applicable law, to the payment and satisfaction of all
indemnified liabilities incurred by the Indemnitees or any of them.

          (b)  Company and each Interim Borrower hereby agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless Holdings, and the directors, officers, employees, and agents of
Holdings, from and against any and all claims, losses, damages, liabilities,
fines, penalties, charges, administrative, and judicial proceedings and orders,
judgments, remedial action requirements, enforcement actions of any kind, and
all costs


                                       64
<PAGE>

and expenses incurred in connection therewith (including, but not limited to,
attorneys' fees and expenses), arising directly or indirectly, in whole or in
part, out of (i) the presence on or under any Mortgaged Property of any
Hazardous Substances (as defined in any of the Mortgages), or any releases or
discharges of any such Hazardous Substances on, under or from such properties,
or (ii) any activity carried on or undertaken on or off such Mortgaged
Properties, whether prior to or during the term of this Agreement, and whether
by Company, Interim Borrowers or any predecessor in title or any employees,
agents, contractors or subcontractors of Company, Interim Borrowers or any
predecessor in title, or any third persons at any time occupying or present on
such Mortgaged Properties, in connection with the handling, treatment, removal,
storage, decontamination, clean-up, transport, or disposal of any such Hazardous
Substances at any time located or present on or under such Mortgaged Properties.
The foregoing indemnity shall further apply to any residual contamination on or
under such properties, or affecting any natural resources arising in connection
with the generation, use, handling, storage, transport, or disposal of any such
Hazardous Substances, and irrespective of whether any of such activities were or
will be undertaken in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, codes, and
ordinances.

          (c)  Company and each Interim Borrower hereby agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless each of the Surviving Indemnitees (as defined below) from and
against any and all losses, claims, damages, penalties, liabilities, response
costs, and expenses (including, without limitation, all out-of-pocket litigation
costs and attorneys' fees and expenses) arising out of any lawsuit brought or
threatened, settlement reached, or governmental order, relating to the presence,
disposal, release, or threatened release of any such Hazardous Substance on,
from, or under any of such properties, (i) if such presence, disposal, release,
or threatened release of any such Hazardous Substance is or was attributable to
Company's or Interim Borrower's activities, the activities of Company's or
Interim Borrower's agents or contractors, or to activities of third parties
(regardless of whether Company or any Interim Borrower was aware or unaware of
such activities), during the period of Company's or Interim Borrower's ownership
of such Mortgaged Properties or, (ii) if such presence, disposal, release, or
threatened release of any such Hazardous Substance occurred prior to the time of
Company's or Interim Borrower's ownership of any of such Mortgaged Properties
and Company or any Interim Borrower had knowledge of this fact and did not
disclose such to Holdings in writing prior to January 31, 1995.  This agreement
to indemnify and hold harmless shall be in


                                       65
<PAGE>

addition to any other obligations or liabilities Company or any Interim Borrower
may have at common law or otherwise, and shall survive any transfer of title to
any of such Mortgaged Properties in any manner described in the definition below
of the term "Surviving Indemnitees".  Company and each Interim Borrower
expressly agrees that the indemnities stated herein are not personal to
Holdings, and, so long as Company is given written notice thereof by a Surviving
Indemnitee, the benefits hereunder may be assigned to subsequent Surviving
Indemnitees, which subsequent Surviving Indemnitees may proceed directly against
Company and each Interim Borrower to recover pursuant to this indemnity.  For
the purposes of this Section 6.2, "Surviving Indemnitees", shall mean
(i) Holdings, their directors, officers, employees, and agents if, and to the
extent that, Holdings acquires any or all of the Collateral (as defined in the
Mortgages) whether through foreclosure, deed-in-lieu thereof or otherwise and
(ii) any successors to any interest of Company or Holdings in the chain of title
to such Collateral (and the directors, officers, employees, and agents of such
successor), if, and to the extent that, such successor acquired title to such
collateral (1) through a foreclosure of any lien or security interest held by
Holdings or any of them or their agents as security for the Obligations,
(2) from Holdings after Holdings acquired title to such Collateral from Company
or Interim Borrowers, whether through foreclosure, deed-in-lieu thereof, or
otherwise, or (3) from any person who acquired title either directly, or
indirectly by mesne conveyances, from a person who acquired title in the manner
described in the immediately preceding clauses (1) and (2).  Notwithstanding any
provision to the contrary of the Mortgages or any other security instrument
securing all or any portion of the Obligations, Company's and each Interim
Borrower's Obligations under this subsection 6.2(c) shall not be secured by the
Mortgages or any such security instruments.

          6.3.  AMENDMENT.  This Agreement may not be amended except by an
instrument in writing signed on behalf of each of the parties.

          6.4.  WAIVER.  Any agreement on the part of a party to any waiver
shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on behalf of
such party.  The failure of any party to this Agreement to assert any of its
rights under this Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute a waiver of such
rights.


                                       66
<PAGE>

          6.5.  SURVIVAL OF WARRANTIES AND CERTAIN AGREEMENTS.

          (a)  All agreements, representations, and warranties made herein shall
survive the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the making of the Interim
Loan hereunder and the execution and delivery of the Interim Note.

          (b)  Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement or implied by law to
the contrary, the agreements of Company and each Interim Borrower set forth in
Sections 6.1 and 6.2 shall survive the payment or exchange of the Interim Loan
and the Interim Note and the termination of this Agreement.

          6.6.  NOTICES.  All notices, requests, claims, demands and other
communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given (and shall be
deemed to have been duly given upon receipt) by delivery in person, by cable,
facsimile transmission, telegram or telex or by registered or certified mail
(postage prepaid, return receipt requested) to the respective parties at the
following addresses (or at such other address for a party as shall be  specified
in a notice given in accordance with this Section 6.6):

  (i)  If to Company or Interim Borrowers, to:

     Standard Brands Paint Company
     4300 West 190th Street
     Torrance, CA  90509-2956
     Attention:  Ronald I. Scharman
     Facsimile:  (310) 371-8770

 (ii)  If to Holdings, to:

     Corimon, S.A.C.A.
     Calle Hans Neumann
     Edificio Corimon
     Los Cortijos de Lourdes
     Apartado 3154
     Caracas 1010-A, Venezuela
     Attention:  Arthur W. Broslat
     Facsimile:  (582) 203-5757


                                       67
<PAGE>

     with a copy to:

     Sullivan & Cromwell
     444 South Flower Street
     Los Angeles, California  90071
     Attention:  Frank H. Golay, Jr.
     Facsimile:  (213) 683-0457

          6.7.  COUNTERPARTS.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement.

          6.8.  SEVERABILITY.  If any term or provision of this Agreement or the
application thereof to any party or set of circumstances shall, in any
jurisdiction and to any extent, be finally held invalid or unenforceable, such
term or provision shall only be ineffective as to such jurisdiction, and only to
the extent of such invalidity or unenforceability, without invalidating or
rendering unenforceable any other terms or provisions of this Agreement or under
any other circumstances, and the parties shall negotiate in good faith a
substitute provision which comes as close as possible to the invalidated or
unenforceable term or provision, and which puts each party in a position as
nearly comparable as possible to the position it would have been in but for the
finding of invalidity or unenforceability, while remaining valid and
enforceable.

          6.9.  GOVERNING LAW.  THIS AGREEMENT, THE NOTES AND THE LEGAL
RELATIONS AMONG THE PARTIES SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN
ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REGARDLESS OF THE LAWS THAT
MIGHT OTHERWISE GOVERN UNDER APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS THEREOF.

          6.10.  ASSIGNMENT.  Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights,
interests or obligations under this Agreement shall be assigned or transferred,
in whole or in part (including by operation of law in connection with a merger,
or sale of substantially all the assets, of Company, Holdings or otherwise), by
any of the parties without the prior written consent of the other parties,
except that Holdings may assign, in its sole discretion, any or all of its
rights, interests and obligations under this Agreement to any direct or indirect
wholly owned Subsidiary of Parent or Holdings but no such assignment shall
relieve Holdings of any of its obligations under this Agreement.  Subject to the
preceding sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit
of, and be enforceable by, the parties


                                       68
<PAGE>

and its successors and assigns.  Any attempted assignment in violation of this
Section 6.10 shall be void.

          6.11.  CONSENT TO JURISDICTION; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL.  Except as
otherwise provided in the Mortgages, all judicial proceedings brought against
either Interim Borrower with respect to this Agreement, any other Loan Document
or any Note may be brought in any state or federal court of competent
jurisdiction in the State of California, and by execution and delivery of this
Agreement, each Interim Borrower accepts for itself and in connection with its
properties, generally and unconditionally, the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the
aforesaid courts, and irrevocably agrees to be bound by any judgment rendered
thereby in connection with this Agreement.  All parties to this Agreement hereby
irrevocably waive any and all right to trial by jury in any judicial proceeding
arising out of or relating to this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any
Note or other Obligation.


                                       69
<PAGE>

                             INTERIM LOAN AGREEMENT


          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as
of the date first above written.


                              CORIMON CORPORATION


                              By /s/ CORIMON CORPORATION
                                 ---------------------------------
                                 Name:
                                 Title:


                              STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY


                              By /s/ STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY
                                 ---------------------------------
                                 Name:
                                 Title:


                                       70
<PAGE>

                             INTERIM LOAN AGREEMENT



                              STANDARD BRANDS PAINT CO.


                              By /s/ STANDARD BRANDS PAINT CO.
                                 ------------------------------------
                                 Name:
                                 Title:


                              STANDARD BRANDS REALTY
                                CO., INC.


                              By /s/ STANDARD BRANDS REALTY CO., INC.
                                 ------------------------------------
                                 Name:
                                 Title:


                                       71
<PAGE>
                                                                       EXHIBIT 3

                              AMENDED AND RESTATED
                                    BY-LAWS
                                       OF
                         STANDARD BRANDS PAINT COMPANY
                                   ARTICLE I
                                    OFFICES

SECTION 1.  REGISTERED OFFICE.

    The  registered office of Standard  Brands Paint Company (hereinafter called
the "Corporation") in  the State  of Delaware shall  be at  1209 Orange  Street,
Wilmington, Delaware 19801, and the name of the registered agent at that address
shall be The Corporation Trust Company.

SECTION 2.  PRINCIPAL OFFICES.

    The  board of directors of the  Corporation (the "Board of Directors") shall
fix the location  of the principal  executive office of  the Corporation at  any
place  within  or  without the  State  of  Delaware as  the  Board  of Directors
determines from time to time or as the business of the Corporation may require.

SECTION 3.  OTHER OFFICES.

    The Corporation may also have  an office or offices  at such other place  or
places,  either  within  or without  the  State  of Delaware,  as  the  Board of
Directors may from time to time determine or as the business of the  Corporation
may require.

                                   ARTICLE II
                            MEETINGS OF STOCKHOLDERS

SECTION 1.  PLACE OF MEETINGS.

    Meetings  of the stockholders  of the Corporation  ("Stockholders") shall be
held at any  place within or  without the  State of Delaware  designated by  the
Board  of Directors. In  the absence of any  such designation, the Stockholders'
meetings shall be held at the principal executive office of the Corporation.

SECTION 2.  ANNUAL MEETINGS.

    The annual meetings of the Stockholders of the Corporation may be called  at
any  time by the Chairman of the Board,  if any, the Vice Chairman of the Board,
if any, the President or the Board of  Directors, to be held at such date,  time
and place either within or without the State of Delaware as may be stated in the
notice of the meeting.

SECTION 3.  SPECIAL MEETINGS.

    Special meetings of the Stockholders may be called by the Board of Directors
pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the directors then in office.

SECTION 4.  NOTICE OF STOCKHOLDERS' MEETINGS.

    Except  as otherwise required or permitted by law, whenever the Stockholders
are required  or permitted  to take  any  action at  a meeting,  written  notice
thereof shall be given, stating the place, date and time of the meeting, and, in
the  case of a special meeting, the purpose or purposes for which the meeting is
called. The notice shall also designate the place where the Stockholders list is
available for  examination, unless  the list  is  kept at  the place  where  the
meeting  is to be held. A  copy of the notice of  any meeting shall be delivered
personally or shall be  mailed, not less  than ten (10) and  no more than  sixty
(60) days before the date of the meeting, to each Stockholder of record entitled
to vote at such meeting. If mailed, such notice shall be deemed to be given when
deposited  in the United States mail, postage pre-paid, and shall be directed to
each  Stockholder   at  its   address   as  it   appears   on  the   record   of


                                       72
<PAGE>

Stockholders, unless it shall have filed with the Secretary of the Corporation a
written  request that notices be mailed to  some other address, in which case it
shall be  directed to  the Stockholder  at  such other  address. Notice  of  any
meeting of Stockholders shall not be required to be given to any Stockholder who
shall  attend  the meeting,  except  if such  Stockholder  shall attend  for the
express purpose of objecting at the beginning thereof to the transaction of  any
business   because  the  meeting  is  not  lawfully  called  or  convened,  such
Stockholder shall submit, either before or after the meeting, a signed waiver of
notice. Unless the Board  of Directors, after the  adjournment, shall fix a  new
record  date for an adjourned meeting or unless the adjournment is for more than
thirty (30) days, notice of an adjourned meeting need not be given if the place,
date and  time to  which the  meeting shall  be adjourned  is announced  at  the
meeting at which the adjournment is taken.

SECTION 5.  QUORUM.

    Except  as otherwise provided by law  or by the certificate of incorporation
of the Corporation (the "Certificate of Incorporation"), the presence in  person
or  by proxy of the holders of a majority  of the shares entitled to vote at the
meeting of  Stockholders  shall  constitute  a quorum  for  the  transaction  of
business.  The Stockholders present at a duly  called or held meeting at which a
quorum is present may continue to do business until adjournment, notwithstanding
the withdrawal of enough Stockholders to leave less than a quorum, if any action
taken (other than adjournment) is approved by at least a majority of the  shares
required to constitute a quorum.

SECTION 6.  VOTING.

    A  Stockholder may vote in person or  by proxy. Except as otherwise provided
by law, the Certificate of Incorporation  or these Bylaws, any corporate  action
to  be taken by  a vote of  Stockholders shall be  authorized by the affirmative
vote of the majority of shares present in person or represented by proxy at  the
meeting and entitled to vote thereon.

    Directors  shall be elected as provided in Section 3 of Article III of these
Bylaws. Written ballots shall not be  required for voting on any matter,  unless
otherwise provided by the Certificate of Incorporation.

SECTION 7.  PROXIES.

    Each Stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of Stockholders or to express
consent  or  dissent  to  corporate  action in  writing  without  a  meeting may
authorize another person or persons to act for such Stockholder by proxy, but no
such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date,  unless
the  proxy  provides  for  a  longer period.  A  duly  executed  proxy  shall be
irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as,  it
is  coupled with an interest sufficient in  law to support an irrevocable power,
regardless of whether the interest  with which it is  coupled is an interest  in
the  stock itself or an interest in the Corporation generally. A Stockholder may
revoke any proxy which is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in
person or by filing an instrument in writing revoking the proxy or another  duly
executed  proxy  bearing a  later date  with the  Secretary of  the Corporation.
Voting at meetings of Stockholders need not be by written ballot and need not be
conducted by inspectors  unless the  holders of  a majority  of the  outstanding
shares  of all classes  of stock entitled  to vote thereon  present in person or
represented by proxy at such meeting shall so determine.

SECTION 8.  INSPECTORS OF ELECTION.

    Before any meeting of Stockholders, the  Board of Directors may appoint  any
persons  other than nominees for office to  act as inspectors of election at the
meeting or its  adjournment. If  no inspectors  of election  are appointed,  the
chairman  of the meeting may,  and on the request of  the holders of ten percent
(10%) of the stock entitled to  vote at such election shall, appoint  inspectors
of  election at the  meeting. No candidate  for the office  of Director shall be
appointed inspector. The number of inspectors  shall either be one (1) or  three
(3).  If inspectors  are appointed at  a meeting  on the request  of ten percent
(10%) of the Stockholders  or proxies, the  holders of a  majority of shares  or
their proxies


                                       73
<PAGE>

present  at the meeting shall determine whether  one (1) or three (3) inspectors
are to be appointed.  If any person  appointed as inspector  fails to appear  or
fails  or refuses to act, the vacancy may  be filled by appointment by the Board
of Directors before the meeting, or by the chairman at the meeting.

    The duties of these inspectors shall be as follows:

        (i) Determine the number of shares  outstanding and the voting power  of
    each,  the shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, and
    the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies;

        (ii) Receive votes, ballots or consents;

       (iii) Hear and determine all challenges and questions in any way  arising
    in connection with the right to vote;

       (iv) Count and tabulate all votes or consents;

        (v) Determine the election result; and

       (vi) Do any other acts that may be proper to conduct the election or vote
    with fairness to all Stockholders.

SECTION 9.  ACTION WITHOUT MEETING.

    Unless  otherwise  provided  in  the  Certificate  of  Incorporation  of the
Corporation, any action which may be taken  at any annual or special meeting  of
Stockholders  may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a
vote, if a consent or  consents in writing, setting  forth the action so  taken,
shall  be signed,  in person or  by proxy,  by the holders  of outstanding stock
having not less  than the minimum  number of  votes that would  be necessary  to
authorize  or take the action at a meeting  at which all shares entitled to vote
thereon were present  and voted  in person  or by  proxy. Prompt  notice of  the
taking  of the corporate action without a meeting by less than unanimous written
consent shall be given to those Stockholders who have not consented in  writing,
but who were entitled to vote on the matter.

                                  ARTICLE III
                               BOARD OF DIRECTORS

SECTION 1.  POWERS.

    Subject  to the provisions  of the Delaware General  Corporation Law and any
limitations in the  Certificate of  Incorporation and these  Bylaws relating  to
action required to be approved by the Stockholders or by the outstanding shares,
the  business and affairs of the Corporation  shall be managed and all corporate
powers shall be exercised by or under the direction of the Board of Directors.

    Without  prejudice  to  such  general  powers,  but  subject  to  the   same
limitations,  it is hereby expressly declared  that the Board of Directors shall
have the power and authority to:

        (i) Select  and  remove  all  officers,  agents  and  employees  of  the
    Corporation  and prescribe  such powers  and duties for  them as  may not be
    inconsistent with  law,  with  the Certificate  of  Incorporation  or  these
    Bylaws.

        (ii)  Change the  principal executive  office or  the principal business
    office in or outside of the State of Delaware from one location to  another;
    cause  the Corporation to  be qualified to  do business in  any other state,
    territory, dependency  or foreign  country and  conduct business  within  or
    without  the State; designate any place within  or without the State for the
    holding of any Stockholders' meeting or meetings, including annual meetings;
    adopt,  make  and  use  a  corporate  seal,  and  prescribe  the  forms   of
    certificates  of  stock,  and  alter  the form  of  such  seal  and  of such
    certificates from time  to time  as in their  judgment they  may deem  best,
    provided  that  such forms  shall at  all times  comply with  the applicable
    provisions of law.


                                       74
<PAGE>

       (iii) Authorize the issuance of shares  of stock of the Corporation  from
    time to time, upon such terms as may be lawful.

       (iv)  Borrow  money  and  incur  indebtedness  for  the  purpose  of  the
    Corporation, and  cause  to  be  executed and  delivered  therefor,  in  the
    corporate  name,  promissory  notes,  bonds,  debentures,  deeds  of  trust,
    mortgages,  pledges,  hypothecations  and   other  evidences  of  debt   and
    securities therefor.

SECTION 2.  NUMBER OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

    The  Board of Directors  shall consist of  not less than  eight (8) nor more
than twelve (12) members. Until such  time as the Board of Directors  determines
otherwise,  the number of directors shall be  eight (8). The number of Directors
of the Board  of Directors  may be  reduced or increased  from time  to time  by
action of a majority of the Board of Directors, but no such decrease may shorten
the term of an incumbent Director. When used in these Bylaws, the phrase "entire
Board  of Directors" means  the total number of  directors which the Corporation
would have in office if there were no vacancies.

SECTION 3.  ELECTION AND TERM OF OFFICE OF DIRECTORS.

    The Directors shall be elected by  the Stockholders of the Corporation,  and
at  each election the persons receiving the  greatest number of votes, up to the
number of Directors then to be elected,  shall be the persons then elected.  The
election  of Directors is subject to  any provision contained in the Certificate
of Incorporation relating thereto. Nominations of persons to serve as  Directors
must  be submitted to the Secretary of  the Corporation not less than forty-five
(45) days prior to the meeting of  the Stockholders at which Directors shall  be
elected.  At each  annual meeting  of the  Stockholders of  the Corporation, the
successors of the Directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be  elected
to  hold office for a term expiring  at the next annual meeting of Stockholders.
Subject to his earlier death, resignation  or removal, each Director shall  hold
office  until  his  successor  shall  have  been  duly  elected  and  shall have
qualified.

SECTION 4.  REMOVAL.

    Subject to  the limitations  set  forth in  Section  141(k) of  the  General
Corporation Law of Delaware, the Board of Directors, or any individual Director,
may  be  removed from  office,  with or  without cause,  and  a new  Director or
Directors  elected  by  a  vote  of  Stockholders  holding  a  majority  of  the
outstanding shares entitled to vote at an election of Directors.

SECTION 5.  RESIGNATIONS.

    Any Director may resign effective upon giving written notice to the Chairman
of  the  Board  of Directors,  the  President,  the Secretary  or  the  Board of
Directors, unless the  notice specifies a  later time for  the effectiveness  of
such  resignation, in which case such resignation shall be effective at the time
specified. Unless such  resignation specifies otherwise,  its acceptance by  the
Corporation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

SECTION 6.  VACANCIES.

    Any vacancy in the Board of Directors arising from an increase in the number
of  Directors  or otherwise  may be  filled by  a  vote of  the majority  of the
Directors then in  office, though less  than a  quorum, or by  a sole  remaining
Director.  Subject to the  earlier death, resignation or  removal of a Director,
each Director so elected shall hold office until the next election of the  class
for which such Director shall have been chosen, and until his successor shall be
elected and qualified.

    A  vacancy in the Board of Directors exists as to any authorized position of
Director which is not then filled by a duly elected Director, whether caused  by
death, resignation, removal or increase in the authorized number of Directors or
otherwise.

SECTION 7.  PLACE OF MEETINGS.

    Meetings  of the Board of Directors of  the Corporation shall be held at any
place within  or  without the  State  of Delaware  designated  by the  Board  of
Directors.


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SECTION 8.  ANNUAL MEETING.

    The  annual  meeting of  the Board  of Directors  shall be  held as  soon as
practicable after the annual  meeting of Stockholders on  such date and at  such
time and place as the Board of Directors determines.

SECTION 9.  REGULAR MEETINGS.

    Regular  meetings of the Board of Directors  shall be held on such dates and
at such places and times as the Board of Directors determines. In the absence of
such determination, regular meetings  shall be held  at the principal  executive
office  of the Corporation. Notice  of such regular meetings  need not be given,
except as otherwise required by law. If any  day fixed for a meeting shall be  a
legal  holiday at the  place where the meeting  is to be  held, then the meeting
shall be held at the same hour and place on the next succeeding business day not
a legal holiday.

SECTION 10.  SPECIAL MEETINGS.

    Special meetings of the Board of  Directors for any purpose or purposes  may
be  called  at any  time by  the Chairman  of the  Board or  the President  or a
majority of  the  Directors,  to  be  held  at  the  principal  offices  of  the
Corporation  or at such  other place or  places, within or  without the State of
Delaware, as the person or persons calling the meeting may designate.

    Notice of  the  time  and  place of  special  meetings  shall  be  delivered
personally  or by  telephone to  each Director  or sent  by first-class  mail or
telegram, charges prepaid, addressed  to each Director at  his address as it  is
shown  upon the records  of the Corporation.  In case such  notice is mailed, it
shall be deposited in the United States mail at least two (2) days prior to  the
time of the holding of the meeting. In case such notice is delivered personally,
or by telephone or telegram, it shall be delivered personally or by telephone or
to the telegraph office at least forty-eight (48) hours prior to the time of the
holding  of the meeting. Any oral notice given personally or by telephone may be
communicated to either the Director or to a person at the office of the Director
whom  the  person  giving  the  notice  has  reason  to  believe  will  promptly
communicate  it to the Director. The notice  need not specify the purpose of the
meeting nor the place if  the meeting is to be  held at the principal  executive
office of the Corporation.

SECTION 11.  QUORUM.

    Except  as otherwise  provided by law,  the Certificate  of Incorporation or
these Bylaws, at all meetings of the Board of Directors, six (6) of the  elected
Directors  shall constitute  a quorum for  the transaction of  business, and the
vote of a majority of  the Directors present at a  meeting at which a quorum  is
present  shall be  the act  of the  Board of  Directors, except  as specifically
provided by the law of the State of Delaware, the Certificate of  Incorporation,
these  Bylaws or any contract or agreement  to which the Corporation is a party.
Notice of any adjourned meeting need not be given.

SECTION 12.  CONDUCT OF MEETINGS.

    Meetings of the Board of Directors shall be presided over by the Chairman of
the Board, if any, or in  the absence of the Chairman  of the Board by the  Vice
Chairman  of the Board,  if any, or in  the absence of the  Vice Chairman of the
Board by the President, or in their absence by a chairman chosen at the meeting.
The Secretary, or in the absence of the Secretary an Assistant Secretary,  shall
act  as secretary of  the meeting, but in  the absence of  the Secretary and any
Assistant Secretary the chairman of the meeting may appoint any person to act as
secretary of the meeting.

SECTION 13.  WAIVER OF NOTICE.

    The transactions of any  meeting of the Board  of Directors, however  called
and  noticed or wherever  held, shall be as  valid as though  taken at a meeting
duly held after regular call  and notice if a quorum  is present and if,  either
before  or after the meeting, each of  the Directors not present signs a written
waiver of notice, a consent to holding the meeting or an approval of the minutes
thereof. The waiver of  notice or consent  need not specify  the purpose of  the
meeting.  All  such waivers,  consents  and approvals  shall  be filed  with the
corporate records or  made a part  of the minutes  of the meeting.  Notice of  a
meeting  shall also  be deemed  given to  any Director  who attends  the meeting
without protesting, prior thereto or at its commencement, the lack of notice  to
such Director.

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SECTION 14.  ADJOURNMENT.

    A  majority of the Directors present,  whether or not constituting a quorum,
may adjourn any meeting to another time and place.

SECTION 15.  NOTICE OF ADJOURNMENT.

    Notice of the time  and place of  holding an adjourned  meeting need not  be
given,  unless the meeting is adjourned for more than twenty-four (24) hours, in
which case notice of such time and place shall be given prior to the time of the
adjourned meeting, in the manner specified in Section 10 of this Article III, to
the Directors who were not present at the time of the adjournment.

SECTION 16.  ACTION WITHOUT MEETING.

    Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board  of
Directors,  or of any committee  thereof, may be taken  without a meeting if all
members of the Board or of such  committee, as the case may be, consent  thereto
in  writing,  and  the  writing  or  writings  are  filed  with  the  minutes of
proceedings of the Board or committee.

SECTION 17.  FEES AND COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS.

    Directors and members of committees  may receive such compensation, if  any,
for  their  services and  such reimbursement  of  expenses, as  may be  fixed or
determined by resolution  of the  Board of Directors.  Nothing herein  contained
shall  be construed to preclude any Director from serving the Corporation in any
other capacity  as  an  officer,  agent, employee  or  otherwise  and  receiving
compensation for such services.

SECTION 18.  COMMITTEES OF DIRECTORS.

    The  Board of  Directors may,  by these  Bylaws or  resolutions passed  by a
majority of the whole Board of Directors, designate one or more committees, each
consisting of one or more  Directors, to serve at the  pleasure of the Board  of
Directors.  The  Board  of Directors  may  designate  one or  more  Directors as
alternate members of any committee, who  may replace any absent or  disqualified
member  at any meeting of the committee. In the absence or disqualification of a
member of a committee, the member or members thereof present at any meeting  and
not disqualified from voting, whether or not he or they constitute a quorum, may
unanimously  appoint another  member of  the Board  of Directors  to act  at the
meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member. Any such  committee,
to  the  extent provided  in these  Bylaws or  the resolutions  of the  Board of
Directors, shall have and may  exercise all of the  powers and authority of  the
Board  of  Directors  in the  management  of  the business  and  affairs  of the
Corporation and may authorize the seal of  the Corporation to be affixed to  all
papers  which may require such seal; but  no such committee shall have the power
or authority in reference to amending the Certificate of Incorporation, adopting
an agreement of merger  or consolidation, recommending  to the Stockholders  the
sale,  lease  or  exchange of  all  or  substantially all  of  the Corporation's
property and  assets, recommending  to  the Stockholders  a dissolution  of  the
Corporation  or  revocation of  a  dissolution, or  amending  the Bylaws  of the
Corporation; and, unless a resolution of the Board of Directors, these Bylaws or
the Certificate of  Incorporate expressly  so provide, no  such committee  shall
have  the power or  authority to declare  a dividend, to  adopt a certificate of
ownership and merger pursuant to Section 253 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law, or  to authorize  the issuance  of  stock. Any  such committee  shall  keep
written minutes of its meetings and report the same to the Board of Directors at
the next regular meeting of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 19.  MEETINGS AND ACTION OF COMMITTEES.

    Meetings  and action of committees shall be  governed by, and held and taken
in accordance with, the provisions of this Article III with such changes in  the
context  of these Bylaws  as are necessary  to substitute the  committee and its
members for the  Board of Directors  and its  members, except that  the time  of
regular  meetings of committees may be determined  by resolution of the Board of
Directors as well as the committee,  special meetings of committees may also  be
called by resolutions of the Board of


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<PAGE>

Directors  and notice of special  meetings of committees shall  also be given to
all alternate members, who shall  have the right to  attend all meetings of  the
committee.  The Board  of Directors  may adopt rules  for the  governance of any
committee not inconsistent with the provisions of these Bylaws.

SECTION 20.  EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

    The Board of  Directors may,  in each  year, by  the affirmative  vote of  a
majority of the entire Board of Directors, elect from the Directors an executive
committee  (the "Executive  Committee") to consist  of such  number of Directors
(not less than three) as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine.
The chairman  of  the Executive  Committee  shall be  elected  by the  Board  of
Directors.  The Board of Directors by such  affirmative vote shall have power at
any time to change the members of the Executive Committee and may fill vacancies
in the Executive  Committee by election  from the Directors.  When the Board  of
Directors  is  not  in  session,  the Executive  Committee  shall  have  and may
exercise, subject to  the powers,  duties and responsibilities  vested by  these
Bylaws  in the Finance Committee of the  Board of Directors of this Corporation,
any or all  of the powers  of the Board  of Directors in  the management of  the
business  and affairs of  the Corporation (including the  power to authorize the
seal of the  Corporation to  be affixed  to all  papers which  may require  it),
except  as provided by law or any contract or agreement to which the Corporation
is a party and  except the power to  increase or decrease the  size of, or  fill
vacancies on, the Board of Directors, to remove or appoint executive officers or
to  dissolve or change the permanent  membership of the Executive Committee, and
the power to make or amend these Bylaws. The Executive Committee may fix its own
rules of  procedure,  and  may meet  when  and  as provided  by  such  rules  or
resolutions  of the  Board of Directors,  but in  every case, the  presence of a
majority shall be necessary to constitute a quorum. In the absence of any member
of the Executive Committee, the members thereof present at any meeting,  whether
or  not they constitute a quorum, may appoint a member of the Board of Directors
to act in the place of such absent member.

SECTION 21.  FINANCE COMMITTEE.

    The Board of  Directors may,  in each  year, by  the affirmative  vote of  a
majority  of the entire Board  of Directors, elect from  the Directors a finance
committee (the "Finance Committee") to consist of such number of Directors  (not
less  than three) as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. The
chairman of the Finance  Committee shall be elected  by the Board of  Directors.
The Board of Directors by such affirmative vote shall have the power at any time
to  change the members  of the Finance  Committee and may  fill vacancies in the
Finance Committee  by election  from the  Directors. The  powers, functions  and
duties  of the Finance Committee  shall include (i) the  review, on a continuing
basis, of the Corporation's  financial policies and  the implementation of  such
policies and the making of appropriate recommendations to the Board of Directors
for   the  modification  or  continuation  thereof,   (ii)  the  review  of  the
Corporation's basic financial plans prior to submission thereof to the Board  of
Directors,  (iii) the review of  possible or proposed acquisitions, divestitures
and capital  expenditures  and the  authority  to approve  capital  expenditures
within  the  financial limits  from time  to  time established  by the  Board of
Directors, (iv) the review of  the Corporation's asset and liability  management
programs  and (v) such other  powers, functions and duties  as may, from time to
time, be delegated to the Finance Committee by the Board of Directors. From time
to time, various executives  and counsel to the  Corporation may be selected  by
the  chairman of the Finance Committee in  consultation with the Chairman of the
Board of Directors and President of  the Corporation to serve as consultants  to
the  Finance Committee  on a permanent  or temporary basis,  as appropriate. The
Finance Committee may fix its own rules  of procedure, and may meet when and  as
provided  by such rules or  resolutions of the Board  of Directors, but in every
case, the presence of a majority shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.

SECTION 22.  COMPENSATION COMMITTEE.

    The Board of  Directors may,  in each  year, by  the affirmative  vote of  a
majority  of  the  entire  Board  of  Directors,  elect  from  the  Directors  a
compensation committee (the "Compensation Committee") to consist of such  number
of  Directors (not less than  three) as the Board of  Directors may from time to
time determine. The chairman of the  Compensation Committee shall be elected  by
the Board of


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Directors.  The Board of Directors by such affirmative vote shall have the power
at any time to  change the members  of the Compensation  Committee and may  fill
vacancies  in the  Compensation Committee  by election  from the  Directors. The
powers, functions and duties of the Compensation Committee shall include (i) the
review of and the making of recommendations to the Board regarding compensation,
both direct and indirect,  of the chief executive  officer and other members  of
executive  management  of the  Corporation, (ii)  the  review and  submission of
recommendations regarding new executive compensation plans to the full Board  of
Directors,  (iii)  the establishment  and periodic  review of  the Corporation's
policies relating to executive perquisites, (iv) the administration of executive
incentive compensation plans and (v) such other powers, functions and duties  as
may,  from time to time, be delegated to the Compensation Committee by the Board
of Directors.  From  time  to  time,  various  executives  and  counsel  to  the
Corporation  may be  selected by the  chairman of the  Compensation Committee in
consultation with the Chairman  of the Board of  Directors and President of  the
Corporation to serve as consultants to the Compensation Committee on a permanent
or  temporary basis, as appropriate. The  Compensation Committee may fix its own
rules of  procedure,  and  may meet  when  and  as provided  by  such  rules  or
resolutions  of the  Board of Directors,  but in  every case, the  presence of a
majority shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.

SECTION 23.  AUDIT COMMITTEE.

    The Board of  Directors may,  in each  year, by  the affirmative  vote of  a
majority  of the entire  Board of Directors,  elect from the  Directors an audit
committee (the "Audit Committee")  to consist of such  number of Directors  (not
less  than three) as the Board of Directors may from time to time determine. The
chairman of the Audit Committee shall be elected by the Board of Directors.  The
Board  of Directors by such affirmative vote shall have the power at any time to
change the members of the  Audit Committee and may  fill vacancies in the  Audit
Committee  by election from  the Directors. The powers,  functions and duties of
the Audit Committee shall include (i) recommendations regarding the  appointment
of  independent  auditors  of  the  Corporation,  (ii)  consultation  with  such
independent auditors regarding the plan of any audits, (iii) review of the audit
report and management letter, (iv)  consultations with the independent  auditors
regarding  the adequacy  of the Corporation's  system of  internal controls, (v)
meeting with the internal  auditors to review the  results of the  Corporation's
internal  audits and (vi) such  other powers, functions and  duties as may, from
time to time, be  delegated to the  Audit Committee by  the Board of  Directors.
From  time to  time, various  executives and counsel  to the  Corporation may be
selected by  the  chairman of  the  Audit  Committee in  consultation  with  the
Chairman  of the Board of Directors and President of the Corporation to serve as
consultants to  the  Audit Committee  on  a  permanent or  temporary  basis,  as
appropriate.  The Audit Committee  may fix its  own rules of  procedure, and may
meet when  and as  provided by  such  rules or  by resolution  of the  Board  of
Directors,  but in  every case,  presence of  a majority  shall be  necessary to
constitute a quorum.

SECTION 24.  MEETINGS HELD OTHER THAN IN PERSON.

    Members of the  Board of  Directors or any  committee may  participate in  a
meeting  of the Board of Directors or committee, as the case may be, by means of
conference telephone or similar communications  equipment by means of which  all
persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, and such participation
shall constitute presence in person at the meeting.

SECTION 25.  REMUNERATION.

    The  Directors shall  be paid  such remuneration,  if any,  as the  Board of
Directors may from  time to  time determine. Any  remuneration so  payable to  a
Director who is also an officer or employee of the Corporation or who is counsel
or  solicitor  to  the Corporation  or  otherwise  serves it  in  a professional
capacity shall, unless the Board of  Directors shall otherwise determine, be  in
addition  to his salary as such officer  or employee or to his professional fees
as the case may be. In addition,  the Board of Directors may by resolution  from
time  to time award special remuneration out  of the funds of the Corporation to
any Director who  performs any  special work or  service for  or undertakes  any
special  mission on behalf  of the Corporation  outside of the  work or services
ordinarily required of a Director of a Corporation. The Directors shall also  be
paid    such    sums    in    respect    of    their    out-of-pocket   expenses


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<PAGE>

incurred in attending meetings of the Board of Directors or otherwise in respect
of the performance by them  of their duties as the  Board of Directors may  from
time   to  time  determine.  Confirmation  by   the  Stockholders  of  any  such
remuneration or payment shall not be required.

SECTION 26.  MANDATORY RETIREMENT.

    All Directors  upon  reaching  the  age  of  seventy-two  (72)  years  shall
thereupon  be ineligible to stand for reelection  to the Board of Directors, and
such directorship  shall automatically  terminate effective  upon the  first  to
occur  of (i) the resignation of such  Director pursuant to call therefor by the
Chairman of the  Board of  Directors; (ii) the  nomination and  election to  the
Board  of Directors of a  successor replacement for such  Director; or (iii) the
attainment of  such Director's  73rd birthday.  The provisions  of this  Section
shall  apply only to members  of the Board of  Directors of this Corporation who
are first elected on July 1, 1987  or thereafter and shall not apply to  persons
who are members of the Board of Directors as of June 30, 1987.

                                   ARTICLE IV
                                    OFFICERS

SECTION 1.  EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.

    The executive officers of the Corporation shall be the Chairman of the Board
of  Directors, the President, one  or more Vice-Presidents (the  number of to be
determined by the Board of Directors), the Secretary and the Treasurer and  such
other  officers as may be appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section
3 of this Article IV.

SECTION 2.  ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

    The officers of this Corporation, except  such officers as may be  appointed
in  accordance with the provisions of Section 3 or Section 5 of this Article IV,
shall be chosen by the  Board of Directors, and each  shall serve for one  year,
subject to the rights, if any, of an officer under any contract of employment.

    Any  two offices, except those of  President and Vice-President, may be held
by the same  person, but  no officer shall  execute, acknowledge  or verify  any
instrument  in more than one  capacity if such instrument  is required by law or
these Bylaws to be executed, acknowledged or verified by two or more officers.

SECTION 3.  SUBORDINATE OFFICERS.

    The Board  of Directors  or  the Executive  Committee  may appoint  and  may
empower  the  Chairman of  the Board  and  the President  to appoint  such other
officers as the business of the Corporation may require, each of whom shall hold
office for  such period,  have such  authority and  perform such  duties as  are
provided  in these  Bylaws or as  the Board of  Directors may from  time to time
determine.

SECTION 4.  REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF OFFICERS.

    Subject to  the  rights,  if  any,  of an  officer  under  any  contract  of
employment,  any officer may  be removed, either  with or without  cause, by the
Board of Directors, at any regular or special meeting thereof, or, except in the
case of an officer chosen  by the Board of Directors,  by any officer upon  whom
such power of removal may be conferred by the Board of Directors.

    Any  officer  may  resign  at  any time  by  giving  written  notice  to the
Corporation. Any such resignation  shall take effect on  the date of receipt  of
such  notice  or at  any  later time  specified  therein; and,  unless otherwise
specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary  to
make  it effective. Any such resignation is  without prejudice to the rights, if
any, of the Corporation under any contract to which the officer is a party.

SECTION 5.  VACANCIES IN OFFICES.

    A  vacancy  in   any  office   because  of   death,  resignation,   removal,
disqualification  or any other cause shall be filled in the manner prescribed in
these Bylaws for regular appointments to such office.


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<PAGE>

SECTION 6.  CHAIRMAN.

    The Chairman of the Board of Directors shall be the chief executive  officer
of  the Corporation (provided that the Chairman may appoint any other officer of
the Corporation to serve as chief executive officer for any reasonable period of
time); shall, if present,  preside at all meetings  of the Stockholders and  the
Board  of Directors; shall,  subject to the  control of the  Board of Directors,
have general supervision, direction and control of the business and officers  of
the  Corporation; and shall exercise and perform such other powers and duties as
may from time to time be assigned to him by the Board of Directors or prescribed
by these Bylaws.

SECTION 7.  PRESIDENT.

    Subject to such supervisory powers, if any, as may be given by these  Bylaws
or the Board of Directors to the Chairman of the Board of Directors, if there be
such  an officer,  the President  shall be  the chief  operating officer  of the
Corporation. He shall,  subject to  the control of  the Board  of Directors  and
Chairman  of the  Board of  Directors, have  general supervision,  direction and
control of the  operations of  the Corporation, and  he shall  have the  general
powers  usually vested in the  chief operating officer of  a corporation. In the
absence or disability of the Chairman  of the Board of Directors, the  President
shall  perform all of the duties of the  Chairman of the Board of Directors, and
when so acting  shall have  all the  powers of,  and be  subject to  all of  the
restrictions  upon, the Chairman of the  Board of Directors. The President shall
have such other duties or powers as may be prescribed by the Board of  Directors
or these Bylaws.

SECTION 8.  VICE PRESIDENTS.

    In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice-Presidents, in order
of  their  rank as  fixed  by the  Board  of Directors,  or  if not  ranked, the
Vice-President designated  by the  Board  of Directors,  shall perform  all  the
duties of the President, and when so acting shall have all the powers of, and be
subject  to all the restrictions upon,  the President. The Vice-Presidents shall
have such other powers and perform such other duties as from time to time may be
prescribed for them respectively by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws.

SECTION 9.  SECRETARY.

    The Secretary shall  keep or cause  to be kept,  at the principal  executive
office  of the  Corporation or such  other place  as the Board  of Directors may
order, a book of minutes of  all meetings of Directors, committees of  Directors
and  Stockholders,  with  the time  and  place  of holding,  whether  regular or
special, and, if special, how authorized, the notice thereof given, the names of
those present at Directors' and committee meetings, the number of shares present
and represented at Stockholders' meetings and the proceeding thereof.

    The Secretary shall keep,  or cause to be  kept, at the principal  executive
office  of the Corporation or at the  office of the Corporation's transfer agent
or registrar, as  determined by resolution  of the Board  of Directors, a  share
register,  or a duplicate share register,  showing the names of all Stockholders
and their addresses, the  number and class of  shares held by each  Stockholder,
the number and date of certificates issued for the same, and the number and date
of cancellation of every certificate surrendered for cancellation.

    The  Secretary shall give, or  cause to be given,  notice of all meetings of
the Stockholders and of  the Board of  Directors required to  be given by  these
ByLaws, and he shall keep the seal of the Corporation in safe custody, as may be
prescribed by the Board of Directors or these Bylaws.

SECTION 10.  TREASURER.

    The  Treasurer shall have the powers and  duties customary to the office and
as the Board of Directors may from time to time provide.


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                                   ARTICLE V
       INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND OTHER AGENTS

SECTION 1.  AGENTS, PROCEEDINGS AND EXPENSES.

    For the purposes of this Article, "agent"  means any person who is or was  a
director,  officer, employee, or other  agent of this Corporation,  or is or was
serving at the request of this Corporation as a director, officer, employee,  or
agent  of another foreign  or domestic corporation,  partnership, joint venture,
trust or other enterprise, or was a  director, officer, employee, or agent of  a
foreign  or domestic  corporation, which was  a predecessor  corporation of this
Corporation or  of  another  enterprise  at  the  request  of  such  predecessor
corporation;  "proceeding" means any threatened,  pending or completed action or
proceeding, whether  civil,  criminal,  administrative,  or  investigative;  and
"expenses"  includes, without  limitation, attorneys'  fees and  any expenses of
establishing a right to indemnification under this Article.

SECTION 2.  ACTIONS OTHER THAN BY THE CORPORATION.

    This Corporation shall  indemnify any person  who was  or is a  party or  is
threatened  to be made a party to any  proceeding (other than an action by or in
the right of the Corporation) by reason of  the fact that such person is or  was
an  agent  of this  Corporation  against expenses  (including  attorneys' fees);
judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlements and other amounts actually  and
reasonably  incurred in connection with such  proceeding if such person acted in
good faith and in a manner that such person reasonably believed to be in or  not
opposed  to the  best interests  of the  Corporation, and,  with respect  to any
criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct of
such person was unlawful. The termination of any proceeding by judgment,  order,
settlement,  conviction, or  upon a plea  of nolo contendere  or its equivalent,
shall not, of itself, create a presumption  that the person did not act in  good
faith  and in a  manner which the person  reasonably believed to  be in the best
interests of  this Corporation,  or  that the  person  had reasonable  cause  to
believe that the person's conduct was unlawful.

SECTION 3.  ACTIONS BY THE CORPORATION.

    This  Corporation shall  indemnify any person  who was  or is a  party or is
threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action  by
or in the right of this Corporation to procure a judgment in its favor by reason
of  the fact  that such person  is or was  an agent of  this Corporation against
expenses (including attorneys'  fees) actually and  reasonably incurred by  such
person  in connection with the  defense or settlement of  that action or suit if
such person acted  in good faith  and in  a manner that  such person  reasonably
believed  to be  in or not  opposed to  the best interests  of this Corporation,
except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any proceeding as  to
which  such  person shall  have been  adjudged  to be  liable for  negligence or
misconduct in the performance of his duty to the Corporation unless and only  to
the  extent that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit
was brought shall determine upon  application that, despite the adjudication  of
liability  but in view of  all circumstances of the  case, such person is fairly
and reasonably  entitled to  indemnity  for such  expenses  which the  Court  of
Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

SECTION 4.  INDEMNIFICATION AGAINST EXPENSES OF SUCCESSFUL PARTY.

    Notwithstanding  the other provisions of this Article, to the extent that an
agent of this Corporation has been successful on the merits or otherwise in  the
defense of any suit or proceeding referred to in Section 2 or 3 of this Article,
or  in  defense  of any  claim,  issue or  matter  therein, the  agent  shall be
indemnified against expenses actually  and reasonably incurred  by the agent  in
connection therewith.

SECTION 5.  DETERMINATION OF RIGHT OF INDEMNIFICATION.

    Any indemnification under Sections 2 or 3 of this Article (unless ordered by
a  court) shall be  made by the  Corporation only as  authorized in the specific
case upon a  determination that indemnification  of the agent  is proper in  the
circumstances  because the agent  has met the applicable  standard of conduct as
set forth in Sections 2 or 3  of this Article. Such determination shall be  made
(i) by the Board


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of  Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Directors who are not
parties to such proceeding, (ii) if such a quorum is not obtainable, or even  if
obtainable, a quorum of disinterested Directors so directs, by independent legal
counsel in a written opinion or (iii) by the Stockholders.

SECTION 6.  ADVANCES OF EXPENSES.

    Expenses incurred by an officer or Director in defending a proceeding may be
paid  by the Corporation in advance of  the final disposition of such proceeding
as authorized by the Board of Directors in the specific case upon receipt of  an
undertaking  by or on  behalf of such  Director or officer  to repay such amount
unless it shall ultimately be determined  that he is entitled to be  indemnified
by  the Corporation  as authorized  in this  Article. Such  expenses incurred by
other employees and agents  may be so  paid upon such  terms and conditions,  if
any, as the Board of Directors deems appropriate.

SECTION 7.  OTHER RIGHTS AND REMEDIES.

    The  indemnification provided by this Article  shall not be deemed exclusive
of any other rights to which  one seeking indemnification may be entitled  under
any  Bylaw,  agreement,  vote  of Stockholders  or  disinterested  directors, or
otherwise.

SECTION 8.  INSURANCE.

    The Corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any  person
who  is or was a Director, officer, employee  or agent of the Corporation, or is
or was  serving  at the  request  of, or  to  represent the  interests  of,  the
Corporation  as  a  subsidiary officer  of  any affiliated  entity,  against any
liability asserted against such person in  any such capacity, or arising out  of
such  person's status  as such,  whether or not  the Corporation  would have the
power to indemnify such  person against such liability  under the provisions  of
this Article or applicable law.

                                   ARTICLE VI
                              RECORDS AND REPORTS

SECTION 1.  MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF SHARE REGISTER.

    The  Secretary of  the Corporation  shall prepare and  make, or  cause to be
made, at least ten  (10) days before every  meeting of Stockholders, a  complete
list  of  the  Stockholders  entitled  to  vote  at  the  meeting,  arranged  in
alphabetical order and showing the address of each Stockholder and the number of
shares registered in the name  of each Stockholder. Such  list shall be open  to
the  examination of  any Stockholder,  for any  purpose germane  to the meeting,
during ordinary business hours, for a period of at least ten (10) days prior  to
the  meeting, either at a place within the city where the meeting is to be held,
which place  shall be  specified in  the notice  of the  meeting, or  if not  so
specified,  at the place where the meeting is to be held. The list shall also be
produced and kept at  the time and  place of the meeting  during the whole  time
thereof,  and may be  inspected by any  Stockholder who is  present. The willful
neglect or refusal of the  Directors to produce such a  list at any meeting  for
the  election of Directors, shall make such Directors ineligible for election to
any office at such meeting.

    The stock ledger shall be the only  evidence as to who are the  Stockholders
entitled  to examine the  stock ledger, the list  of Stockholders required under
this Section 1 or the books of the Corporation, or to vote in person or by proxy
at any meeting of Stockholders.

    Any Stockholder, in person or by  attorney or other agent, shall, upon  five
(5)  days written demand under oath stating  the purpose thereof, have the right
during the  usual hours  for business  to  inspect for  any proper  purpose  the
Corporation's  stock ledger, a list of its Stockholders, and its other books and
records, and to make copies or extracts therefrom. A proper purpose shall mean a
purpose reasonably related to such person's interests as a Stockholder. In every
instance where an  attorney or other  agent shall  be the person  who seeks  the
right  to inspection, the demand  under oath shall be  accompanied by a power of
attorney or such other writing which  authorizes the attorney or other agent  to
so  act on behalf of the Stockholder. The demand under oath shall be directed to
the Corporation at its registered office in this State or at its principal place
of business.


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    If the  Corporation or  an officer  or agent  thereof refuses  to permit  an
inspection  sought by a  Stockholder or attorney  or other agent  acting for the
Stockholder pursuant to this Section  1 or does not  reply to the demand  within
five (5) business days after the demand has been made, the Stockholder may apply
to the Court of Chancery for an order to compel such inspection.

    Any Director shall have the right to examine the Corporation's stock ledger,
a  list  of its  Stockholders  and its  other books  and  records for  a purpose
reasonably related  to his  position as  a Director.  The Court  of Chancery  is
hereby vested with the exclusive jurisdiction to determine whether a Director is
entitled to the inspection sought.

SECTION 2.  MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF BYLAWS.

    The  Corporation shall  keep at  its principal  executive office,  or if its
principal executive office is not in this State at its principal business office
in this State, the original  or a copy of the  Bylaws as amended to date,  which
shall  be open to inspection by the  Stockholders at all reasonable times during
office hours. If the  principal executive office of  the Corporation is  outside
this  State and the Corporation has no  principal business office in this State,
the Secretary shall,  upon the written  request of any  Stockholder, furnish  to
such Stockholder a copy of the Bylaws as amended to date.

SECTION 3.  MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF OTHER CORPORATE RECORDS.

    The  minutes of proceedings  of the Stockholders and  the Board of Directors
and any committee or committees of the Board of Directors shall be kept at  such
place or places designated by the Board of Directors, or, in the absence of such
designation,  at the principal executive office  of the Corporation. The minutes
shall be kept in written form. Such minutes shall be open to inspection upon the
written demand of any Stockholder or holder of a voting trust certificate at any
reasonable time during usual business hours for a purpose reasonably related  to
such  holder's interests  as a Stockholder  or as  the holder of  a voting trust
certificate. Such inspection may be  made in person or  by an agent or  attorney
and shall include the right to copy and make extracts.

    Every  Director  shall have  the absolute  right at  any reasonable  time to
inspect and copy all books, records and  documents of every kind and to  inspect
the  physical  properties  of  this  Corporation  and  any  subsidiary  of  this
Corporation. Such inspection by a Director may be made in person or by agent  or
attorney  and  the right  of  inspection includes  the  right to  copy  and make
extracts.

    The foregoing  rights of  inspection shall  extend to  the records  of  each
subsidiary of the Corporation.

SECTION 4.  ANNUAL REPORT TO STOCKHOLDERS.

    The  Board  of Directors  shall cause  an annual  report to  be sent  to the
Stockholders not later than one hundred twenty (120) days after the close of the
fiscal year adopted by the Corporation. Such  report shall be sent at least  ten
(10) days prior to the annual meeting of Stockholders to be held during the next
fiscal  year and  in the manner  specified in Section  4 of Article  II of these
Bylaws for giving notice to Stockholders  of the Corporation. The annual  report
shall  contain a balance sheet as  of the end of such  fiscal year and an income
statement and statement of  changes in financial position  of such fiscal  year,
accompanied  by a report thereon  of independent accountants or,  if there is no
such report, the certificate  of an authorized officer  of the Corporation  that
such  statements were prepared without  audit from the books  and records of the
Corporation.

                                  ARTICLE VII
                             DIVIDENDS AND RESERVES

    Subject  always  to   the  provisions   of  law  and   the  Certificate   of
Incorporation, the Board of Directors shall have full power to determine whether
any  and, if any,  what part of any  funds legally available  for the payment of
dividends shall  be declared  as dividends  and paid  to the  Stockholders;  the
division  of the whole or  any part of such funds  of the Corporation shall rest
wholly within the lawful discretion of the Board of Directors, and it shall  not
be   required   at   any   time,  against   such   discretion,   to   divide  or


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pay any  part  of such  funds  among or  to  the Stockholders  as  dividends  or
otherwise, and before payment of any dividend, there may be set aside out of any
funds  of the Corporation available for dividends  such sum or sums as the Board
of Directors from time to time, in  its absolute discretion, thinks proper as  a
reserve  or reserves to meet contingencies,  or for equalizing dividends, or for
repairing or maintaining  any property  of the  Corporation, or  for such  other
purpose  as the Board of Directors shall think conducive to the interests of the
Corporation, and the Board of Directors  may modify or abolish any such  reserve
in the manner in which it was created.

                                  ARTICLE VIII
                           GENERAL CORPORATE MATTERS

SECTION 1.  RECORD DATE.

    For  purposes of  determining the Stockholders  entitled to notice  of or to
vote at any meeting of Stockholders  or any adjournment thereof, or entitled  to
receive  payment  of any  dividends or  other distribution  or allotment  of any
rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change,  conversion
or  exchange of  stock or  for the purpose  of any  lawful action,  the Board of
Directors may fix, in advance, a record date, which shall not be more than sixty
(60) nor less than ten (10) days prior to the date of any such meeting, nor more
than sixty  (60)  days  prior  to  any other  action.  A  determination  of  the
Stockholders  of record  entitled to notice  of or to  vote at a  meeting of the
Stockholders shall apply to any  adjournment of the meeting; provided,  however,
that  the  Board of  Directors may  fix a  new record  date for  the adjournment
meeting.

    If the Board of Directors does not so fix a record date; then

        (1) The record date for determining the Stockholders entitled to  notice
    of  or to vote  at a meeting  of the Stockholders  shall be at  the close of
    business on the date next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if
    notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day
    on which the meeting is held.

        (2) The  record date  for  determining the  Stockholders for  any  other
    purpose  shall be at the close of business  on the day on which the Board of
    Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

SECTION 2.  CHECKS, DRAFTS AND EVIDENCES OF INDEBTEDNESS.

    All checks, drafts  or other  orders for payment  of money,  notes or  other
evidence  of indebtedness, issued in  the name of or  payable to the Corporation
shall be signed or  endorsed by such  person or persons and  in such manner  as,
from time to time, shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors.

SECTION 3.  CORPORATE CONTRACTS AND INSTRUMENTS: MANNER OF EXECUTION.

    The  Board of  Directors, except  as otherwise  provided in  the Bylaws, may
authorize any officer or officers or agent or agents, to enter into any contract
or execute any instrument in the name  of and on behalf of the Corporation,  and
such  authority may be general or confined to specific instances; and, unless so
authorized or ratified by the Board of  Directors or within the agency power  of
an  officer, no officer, agent or employee  shall have any power or authority to
bind the Corporation by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to
render it liable for any purpose or to any amount.

SECTION 4.  STOCK CERTIFICATES.

    Every holder  of  stock of  the  Corporation shall  be  entitled to  have  a
certificate  signed by or in the name of the Corporation by the Chairman or Vice
Chairman of  the Board  of  Directors, if  any, or  the  President or  any  Vice
President,  and by the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer, or the Secretary or
any Assistant Secretary, of the Corporation  certifying the number of shares  of
stock  in the Corporation owned by such holder in the Corporation. Any or all of
the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. In case that any  officer,
transfer agent or registrar who has signed or whose facsimile signature has been
placed  upon a certificate shall have ceased  to be such officer, transfer agent
or


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registrar before such certificate is issued, it may be issued by the Corporation
with the same  effect as if  such person  were such officer,  transfer agent  or
registrar  at the date of issue. The Corporation may issue the whole or any part
of its  shares as  partly paid  and subject  to call  for the  remainder of  the
consideration  to  be  paid  therefor.  Upon the  face  or  back  of  each stock
certificate issued to represent any such partly paid shares, the total amount of
the consideration  to be  paid therefor  and the  amount paid  thereon shall  be
stated.  Upon  the  declaration  of  any  dividend  on  fully  paid  shares, the
Corporation shall declare a dividend upon partly paid shares of the same  class,
but  only upon the  basis of the  percentage of the  consideration actually paid
thereon.

    Any stock certificate shall also contain  such legend or other statement  as
may  be required  by law  or by  any agreement  between the  Corporation and the
issuee thereof.

SECTION 5.  LOST CERTIFICATES.

    No new certificate for  shares shall be issued  in place of any  certificate
theretofore  issued unless the  latter is surrendered and  cancelled at the same
time; provided,  however, that  a  new certificate  may  be issued  without  the
surrender and cancellation of the old certificate if the certificate theretofore
issued  is alleged to have  been lost, stolen or destroyed.  In case of any such
allegedly lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, the Corporation may require the
owner thereof or the legal representative of such owner to give the  Corporation
a  bond sufficient to indemnify it against any claim that may be made against it
(including any expense or  liability) on account of  the alleged loss, theft  or
destruction of any such certificate or the issuance of such new certificate.

SECTION 6.  REPRESENTATION OF SHARES OF OTHER CORPORATIONS.

    The  Chairman of the Board of Directors, the President, the Secretary or any
Vice President or any person authorized by resolution of the Board of  Directors
or  by any of the foregoing designated officers, is authorized to vote on behalf
of the Corporation any and all shares of any other corporation or  corporations,
foreign  or domestic,  standing in  the name  of the  Corporation. The authority
herein granted  to  said  officers  to  vote  or  represent  on  behalf  of  the
Corporation  any and all shares held by the Corporation in any other corporation
or corporations may be exercised by any such officer in person or by any  person
authorized to do so by a proxy duly executed by said officer.

SECTION 7.  CONSTRUCTION AND DEFINITIONS.

    Unless  the  context requires  otherwise, the  general provisions,  rules of
construction and  definitions  in the  Delaware  General Corporation  Law  shall
govern  the construction of these Bylaws. Without limiting the generality of the
foregoing, the  singular number  includes the  plural, the  plural includes  the
singular and the term "person" includes both a corporation and a natural person.

SECTION 8.  SEAL.

    The Corporation's seal shall be in such form as is required by law and shall
be approved by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 9.  FISCAL YEAR.

    The  fiscal year  of the  Corporation shall  be determined  by the  Board of
Directors.

                                   ARTICLE IX
                                   AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1.  AMENDMENT BY STOCKHOLDERS.

    Subject to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, these  Bylaws
may  be altered, amended or repealed at  any regular meeting of the Stockholders
(or at a special meeting  duly called for that purpose)  by the approval of  not
less  than a majority of  all shares of the Corporation  entitled to vote in the
election of Directors considered for the  purposes of this Article IX as  voting
as  one class; provided,  however, that in  the notice of  such special meeting,
notice of such purpose shall be given.


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SECTION 2.  AMENDMENT BY DIRECTORS.

    Subject  to  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Delaware,  the  Certificate   of
Incorporation  and these Bylaws, the Board of Directors may by the majority vote
of those Directors present at any meeting  of the Board of Directors at which  a
quorum  is present  amend these Bylaws  or enact  such other Bylaws  as in their
judgment may be advisable for  the regulation of the  conduct of the affairs  of
the Corporation.


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