Cost Plus, Inc. Announces October Same Store Sales Up 5.9%.

OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 1997--Cost Plus, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPWM) announced today that its same store sales for the four-week period ended November 1, 1997 increased 5.9% from the same four-week period in 1996. Same store sales for the third quarter increased 6.2%, while year-to-date same store sales increased 6.9%.

Total sales for the four-week period ended November 1, 1997 were $18.0 million, a 19.2% increase, from $15.1 million for the four-week period ended November 2, 1996. Total sales for the third quarter were $54.7 million, a 21.6% increase, from $45.0 million for the same quarter last year. Year-to-date, total sales for the thirty-nine-week period ended November 1, 1997 were $150.5 million, a 21.2% increase, from $124.2 million for the same period last year.

During October, the Company opened a store in Ann Arbor, Michigan, its third store in the greater Detroit market. As of November 1, 1997, the Company operated 68 stores compared to 57 stores as of November 2, 1996.

Also, today the Company grand opened its sixty-ninth store, located in Valencia, California, the thirteenth store in the Los Angeles market.

Cost Plus, Inc. is a leading specialty retailer of casual home living and entertaining products. The Company operates 69 stores under the name "Cost Plus World Market" in 12 states.

CONTACT: Cost Plus, Inc.

Pat Saucy, 510/893-7300 ext. 3071