Books-A-Million Offers Last Minute Gift Ideas and Extended Holiday Hours.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 23, 1998--The last hours of the 1998 holiday shopping season are here and customers are searching for that last minute perfect gift.

Books-A-Million, Inc. (Nasdaq/NM:BAMM) announces some of the most popular gift items of the year.

In the category of gifts for adults, best sellers include The Century by Peter Jennings and Todd Brewster, Greatest Generation by Tom Brokaw, A Man in Full by Tom Wolfe, and Nine Steps to Financial Freedom by Suze Orman.

For children, books, plush toys, and activity sets featuring the Teletubbies, Rugrats, and Blue's Clues top the list of most requested gifts. The most popular gift items for teens include Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul II, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, and the N Sync Official Guide Book. Don't Sweat the Small Stuff books and merchandise including mugs, t-shirts, and hats have also been extremely popular among all groups. Additional best selling gift items include Millennium merchandise, children's cash register calculators and "Yo-yo's With A Brain." Although inclement weather has blanketed much of the United States, all Books-A-Million locations are open with associates standing by eager to help customers find the perfect gift.

On December 23, all Books-A-Million locations will be open until Midnight. On Christmas Eve, stores will be open from 9:00 am until 6:00 pm. Whether shoppers are looking for books, keepsake items, music or coffees, Books-A-Million offers one stop holiday shopping. Each superstore offers an incredibly wide selection of books, magazines, newspapers, greeting cards and more at discount prices everyday. There is a complete Hallmark Greeting Card store within each Books-A-Million featuring a full line of greeting cards, gift wrap, ornaments and gift items. All locations also offer Joe Muggs, a coffee bar featuring whole bean gourmet coffees, scrumptious thick home-made cookies, additional baked items, and coffee related gifts. Books-A-Million enhances value through the Millionaire's Club Discount Card program. Members receive an additional 10% off every item in the store for a year with the card. Members also save 40% off Books-A-Million's Top 10 hardback bestsellers and 25% off the Top 10 paperback bestsellers everyday. Books-A-Million, Inc. is one of the nation's leading book retailers and sells on the internet at www.booksamillion.com. The Company presently operates 175 stores in 17 states. The Company operates four distinct store formats, including large superstores under the name Books-A-Million and Books & Co., traditional bookstores and combination book and greeting card stores, both operating under the name Bookland, and Joe Muggs Newsstands.