LURIA'S PLANS 40,000-SQUARE-FOOT SUPERSTORE AT REBUILT CUTLER RIDGE MALL

    MIAMI, April 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Luria's (AMEX: LUR), one of the first major South Dade retailers to rebuild after Hurricane Andrew, plans to open a 40,000-square-foot superstore at the Cutler Ridge Mall, which is being rebuilt in the wake of Hurricane Andrew.  Luria's new Cutler Ridge store will be the specialty discount retailer's first full- size superstore in Dade County.  The first concept store, a smaller prototype, was premiered in the Suniland shopping center in late November, less than 90 days after the hurricane severely damaged the store.
    "We have reached an agreement with the Edward J. DeBartolo Corporation to enlarge and relocate our store to a prominent position within the mall," Luria's President Peter Luria said during a press conference announcing rebuilding plans for Cutler Ridge Mall. "We are planning a March 1994 grand opening of our exciting prototype store."
    The superstores differ radically from Luria's traditional catalog showroom format, Luria said.  Warehouse space has been reduced and much of the merchandise has been moved onto the selling floor to increase customer convenience and impulse purchases.  Instead of waiting for an item to be delivered to a package pick-up area, customers can select products directly from well-stocked shelves, drop them into a shopping cart and move quickly through check-out counters.
    In addition to the Cutler Ridge Mall store, Luria's plans to open similar-size superstores in St. Petersburg and in the highly successful Sawgrass Mills shopping mall in Broward County this fall, and in Hollywood, Fla. in fall 1994.
    Based in Miami Lakes, L. Luria & Son, Inc. sells a broad line of diamond and gold jewelry, giftware, housewares, home furnishings, and consumer electronics in 50 locations throughout Florida.
    -0-                       4/19/93
    /CONTACT:  Peter Luria, president of Luria's, 305-557-9000, ext. 306/
    (LUR)

CO: L. Luria & Son ST: Florida IN: REA SU:

JJ-JB -- FL014 -- 7556 04/19/93 15:52 EDT