The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. Previews Designer John Bartlett’s Menswear

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: BONT) and menswear designer John Bartlett unveiled on April 27, 2011 the inaugural collection from the partnership announced last fall. The media presentation, held in New York City at The Ace Hotel, showcased pieces from the fall collections of John Bartlett Consensus and John Bartlett Statements, menswear brands offering sportswear, furnishings and suiting. The collections will be available in all Bon-Ton stores in August 2011. The collection will be launched with a media and marketing program and personal appearances by John Bartlett.

Bon-Ton Previews Designer John Bartlett Menswear for Fall 2011 (Photo: Business Wire)

Bud Bergren, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Bon-Ton Stores, commented, "We are very excited about our partnership with John. We believe John’s collection, along with our extensive portfolio of exclusive private and national brand offerings, is going to differentiate us from our competition. I think our customers will find John Bartlett Consensus and John Bartlett Statements to be right on trend and offer terrific value.”

"The great thing about these collections is that the pieces are designed for today’s man and for both career and casual lifestyles. The fit is trim, yet relaxed, with engaging details that aren’t over-decorated,” notes John Bartlett. "I paid very close attention to the hand and feel of the fabrics and the washes, and use the best in noble fibers to create the highest quality to price ratio possible.”

Consensus and Statements collections include an extensive variety of separates all cohesively designed incorporating three main trends: University Prep, Rugged Military and Refined Lumberjack. Men will find that the original aesthetic Bartlett displays in his high-end collection is present in the collections for Bon-Ton. Specific pieces include poplin shirts, which will retail for $45, flannels ($45), argyle sweaters ($65), chunky cardigans ($85), jersey knits ($30), Fair Isle sweaters ($85) and corduroy pants ($65) in Consensus. The Statements offerings include suit separates, which will sell for $175 for the jacket and $75 for the pants, as well as neckwear ($32.50), dress shirts ($34 or $52.50), loungewear ($26-$70) and outerwear ($125-$200).

About The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.: The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc., with corporate headquarters in York, Pennsylvania and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operates 275 department stores, which includes 11 furniture galleries, in 23 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers nameplates and, under the Parisian nameplate, stores in the Detroit, Michigan area. The stores offer a broad assortment of national and private brand fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics and home furnishings. For further information, please visit the investor relations section of the Company’s website at http://investors.bonton.com.

About John Bartlett: Born and raised in Ohio, John Bartlett is a graduate of Harvard University and the Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T.) It was at F.I.T. that he met his early mentors Willi Smith and Ronaldus Shamask. Bartlett then worked for both companies before launching his eponymous collection John Bartlett. Bartlett’s signature style embraces a rugged American authenticity that has earned him two Council of Fashion Designers of America (C.F.D.A) awards; the Swarovski Best Newcomer Award and Best Menswear Designer of the Year in 1997. Most recently he was recognized by the American Apparel and Footwear Association (A.A.F.A) as the 2010 Designer of the Year.

Certain information included in this press release contains statements that are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements, which may be identified by words such as "may,” "could,” "will,” "plan,” "expect,” "anticipate,” "estimate,” "project,” "intend” or other similar expressions, involve important risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect results in the future and, accordingly, such results may differ from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the Company. Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, risks related to retail businesses generally; a significant and prolonged deterioration of general economic conditions which could negatively impact the Company, including the potential write-down of the current valuation of intangible assets and deferred taxes; changes in the terms of the Company’s proprietary credit card program; potential increase in pension obligations; consumer spending patterns, debt levels, and the availability and cost of consumer credit; additional competition from existing and new competitors; inflation; deflation; changes in the costs of fuel and other energy and transportation costs; weather conditions that could negatively impact sales; uncertainties associated with expanding or remodeling existing stores; the ability to attract and retain qualified management; the dependence upon relationships with vendors and their factors; a data security breach or system failure; the ability to reduce or control SG&A expenses; the incurrence of unplanned capital expenditures; the ability to obtain financing for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purpose; the impact of new regulatory requirements including the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 and the Health Care Reform Act; and the financial condition of mall operators. Additional factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those contained in these forward-looking statements are discussed in greater detail under Item 1A of the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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