Exhibit 99.1




                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints each of Shelley Boxer, Charles Boehlke and Frank Nardolillo, signing
singly, the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity
as an officer and/or director of MSC Industrial Direct Co., Inc. (the
"Company"), Forms 4 and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules thereunder;

(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which
may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 4 or 5,
complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and file such form
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange
or similar authority; and

(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to,
in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the
undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall
contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such
attorney-in-fact's discretion.

         The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power
and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever
requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights
and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the
undersigned might or could do if personally present, with full power of
substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall
lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the
rights and powers herein granted. The undersigned acknowledges that the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the
undersigned, are not assuming any of the undersigned's responsibilities to
comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

         This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 4 and 5 with respect to the
undersigned's holdings of, and transactions in, Company securities, unless
earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 19th day of November, 2003.

         /s/ Ross Anker
- ---------------------------------------
                  Signature


             Ross Anker
- ---------------------------------------
                  Print Name