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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1



FINANCIAL CONTACT: JAMES S. GULMI (615) 367-8325
MEDIA CONTACT:     CLAIRE S. MCCALL (615) 367-8283


                 GENESCO TO BROADCAST PRESENTATION TO NASHVILLE
                 SOCIETY OF SECURITY ANALYSTS OVER THE INTERNET

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 4, 2000 -- Genesco Inc. (NYSE: GCO) announced that the
Company will broadcast its investor presentation and commentary to the Nashville
Society of Security Analysts live over the internet on Wednesday, December 6,
2000, at 12:30 p.m. (central time). Genesco management expected to participate
include: Ben T. Harris, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Hal Pennington,
President and Chief Operating Officer; and James S. Gulmi, Senior Vice President
- Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

            The call may be accessed through the Company's internet website,
http://www.genesco.com, or through V-Call's website at http://www.vcall.com.
To listen live, please go to either website at least 15 minutes early to
register, download and install any necessary software. A replay will be
available shortly after the call for 15 days.

            Genesco, based in Nashville, sells footwear and accessories in 759
retail stores in the U.S., principally under the names Journeys, Johnston &
Murphy, Jarman and Underground Station, and on internet websites
http://www.journeys.com and http://www.johnstonmurphy.com. The Company also
sells footwear at wholesale under its Johnston & Murphy brand and under the
licensed Dockers and Nautica brands. Additional information on Genesco and its
operating divisions may be accessed at its website http://www.genesco.com.





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