Best Buy Teams with New Horizon to Provide On-Site Child Care at New Best Buy Headquarters.

Business Editors

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 19, 2001

Best Buy Co., Inc. will work with New Horizon Child Care to provide on-site child care at its new corporate campus in Richfield. Twice as big as its average site, the 20,000-square-foot New Horizon Child Care at Best Buy offices will have room for over 250 children, including infants, toddlers, preschool, and children from kindergarten to 12 years old.

The Best Buy campus New Horizon Child Care will be New Horizon's flagship Minnesota location with over 40 trained early childhood professionals, a full-service kitchen, and a mother's room. Every aspect of this center will be designed to ensure a safe, secure environment for the children. A few of the safety precautions include a secure front entrance with keypad access, security monitors in each classroom, cabinets with rounded corners, and safety shields on all doors to prevent pinched fingers.

"We're pleased and excited to work with a leading child care provider, New Horizon, to incorporate a facility in our new campus that provides parents an easier and more enjoyable child care option that is within walking distance of their office," said Della Kolpin, director of the Best Buy campus project.

The center's spacious indoor playroom (approximately 2,000 square feet) will have an outdoor park feel to it including clouds painted on the ceiling. The center will also include four infant rooms, four toddler rooms, six preschool rooms, one kindergarten room, and one school age room.. Each classroom offers age-appropriate interest areas including art, computers, dramatic play, library, math and science, music and movement, sensory, and woodworking. The outdoor play area will be approximately 10,000 square feet.

This center will provide early care and education programs for children ages 6 weeks to 12 years. This center will be open weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Best Buy will begin its relationship with New Horizon by offering employees an immediate discount and emergency back-up care throughout the 54 locations in Minnesota and other locations throughout the country. Best Buy employees will also receive a discount at the center when it opens in the spring of 2003.

"This state-of-the-art facility will incorporate the newest advances in educational toys and learning materials as well as an exceptional curriculum that is designed to foster self-esteem and learning potential in each individual child," said Chad Dunkley, vice president of New Horizon, "New Horizon is excited to work with Best Buy to provide on-site child care for employees and their families. Busy families appreciate having child care at their workplace because it is a timesaving convenience and it gives parents more opportunity to interact with their children. On-site child care provides peace of mind."

The new Best Buy corporate campus in Richfield, just north of I-494 between 35W and Penn Avenue, broke ground in July 2001 and is currently under construction. The first of four corporate campus buildings is expected to be complete in November 2002, and employees will move to the new location in late 2002 and as the remaining buildings are completed in early 2003. The site was chosen because it is more centrally located in the metropolitan area for employees and offers freeway access and more transit options.

The 1.5 million square foot campus is planned for a maximum of 7,500 employees. Four buildings will include a commons area containing the Best Buy University, New Horizon Child Care center, fitness center, transit stop, parking facilities, and employee cafeteria. The 42.5-acre campus will be surrounded by a one-mile walking/biking path, ponds, and natural landscaping.

About New Horizon Child Care, Inc.

New Horizon Child Care has been serving families for more than 30 years. Started in 1971 by Susan and William Dunkley in a local church, New Horizon Child Care was founded on the principle of developing self-esteem in children. New Horizon has grown to a family of companies providing care for more than 5,400 Minnesota children each day, as well as providing child care services to communities throughout the country.

About Best Buy Co., Inc.

Minneapolis-based Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE: BBY) is North America's number one specialty retailer of consumer electronics, personal computers, entertainment software and appliances. The Company operates retail stores and commercial web sites under the names: Best Buy (BestBuy.com), Future Shop (FutureShop.ca); Magnolia Hi-Fi (MagnoliaHiFi.com), Media Play (MediaPlay.com), On Cue (OnCue.com), Sam Goody (SamGoody.com), and Suncoast (Suncoast.com). The Company reaches consumers through more than 1,800 retail stores in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.