NATURE OF OPERATIONS

12 Months Ended

Feb. 02, 2013

NATURE OF OPERATIONS

NATURE OF OPERATIONS

1. NATURE OF OPERATIONS

        The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is a Pennsylvania corporation incorporated on January 31, 1996 as the successor of a company incorporated on January 31, 1929. As of February 2, 2013, The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. operated, through its subsidiaries, 271 stores in 24 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner's, Boston Store, Carson's, Elder-Beerman, Herberger's and Younkers nameplates.

        References to "the Company" refer to The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (the "Parent") and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

        The Company's fiscal year ends on the Saturday nearer January 31, and consisted of 53 weeks for 2012 and 52 weeks for each of 2011 and 2010. References to "2012," "2011" and "2010" represent the Company's fiscal 2012 year ended February 2, 2013, fiscal 2011 year ended January 28, 2012 and fiscal 2010 year ended January 29, 2011, respectively. References to "2013" represent the Company's fiscal 2013 year ending February 1, 2014.