UNITED STATES
               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                     Washington, D.C. 20549

                           FORM 12b-25

NOTIFICATION OF LATE FILING                           SEC FILE
        (AMENDED)                                      NUMBER
                                                      001-14035
                                                    CUSIP NUMBER
                                                     85254C 10 7

(Check One)
   Form 10-k
   Form 20-F
   Form 11-K
 X Form 10-Q
   Form N-SAR

          For Period Ended: April 29, 2000
          [  ] Transition Report on Form 10-K
          [  ] Transition Report on Form 20-F
          [  ] Transition Report on Form 11-K
          [  ] Transition Report on Form 10-Q
          [  ] Transition Report on Form N-SAR
          For the Transition Period Ended:
          _____________________________________
 Read Instruction (on back page) Before Preparing Form.  Please
                         Print or Type.
    Nothing in this form shall be construed to imply that the
    Commission has verified any information contained herein.

If the notification relates to a portion of the filing checked
above, identify the Item(s) to which the notification relates:


PART I - REGISTRANT INFORMATION
Stage Stores, Inc.
Full Name of Registrant
Not Applicable
Former Name if Applicable
10201 N. Main Street
Address of Principal Executive Office (Street and Number)
Houston, Tx, 77025
City, State and Zip Code

PART II - RULES 12b-25(b) AND (c)

If  the  subject  report could not be filed without  unreasonable
effort  or  expense and the registrant seeks relief  pursuant  to
Rule 12b-25(b), the following should be completed.  (Check box if
appropriate)

     (a)  The  reasons described in reasonable detail in Part III
          of   this   form   could  not  be  eliminated   without
          unreasonable effort or expense.
     (b)  The   subject   annual   report,  semi-annual   report,
          transition  report  on Form 10-K, Form  20-F,  11-F  or
          Form  N-SAR,  or portion thereof, will be filed  on  or
          before   the  fifteenth  calendar  day  following   the
          prescribed due date, or the subject quarterly report of
          transition report on Form 10-Q, or portion thereof will
          be  filed on or before the fifth calendar day following
          the prescribed due date; and
          (c)    The  accountant's  statement  or  other  exhibit
          required  by  Rule  12b-25(c)  has  been  attached   if
          applicable.

PART III - NARRATIVE

State below in reasonable detail the reasons why Forms 10-K,
20-F, 11-K, 10-Q, N-SAR, or the transition report or portion
thereof, could not be filed within the prescribed time period.

          On June 13, 2000 the Registrant filed Form 12b- 25
          indicating that they intended to rely on Rule 12b-
          25(b)  permitting  an extension of  five  calendar
          days  to  file  Form  10Q.   The  Registrant   has
          subsequently learned that its independent auditors
          have  been  unable  to complete  their  review  of
          interim  financial information to be  included  in
          the  Form 10Q for the period ended April 29, 2000,
          because  all the information necessary to complete
          the review was not available on a timely basis.

          On  June  1, 2000, Stage Stores, Inc., and certain
          of   its  wholly-owned  subsidiaries,  filed   for
          protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code
          in  the  United  States Bankruptcy Court  for  the
          Southern  District of Texas.  Shortly  after  that
          date, the Registrant's stock was delisted from the
          New  York  Stock Exchange.  Because of  these  and
          related    subsequent   events,   including    the
          accounting issues which have arisen as a result of
          the   Registrant's  filing  for  bankruptcy,   the
          Registrant's independent auditors have been unable
          to  complete their review of the interim financial
          information to be included in the Form 10Q for the
          period   ended  April  29,  2000.  The  Registrant
          intends   to  file  Form  10Q  as  soon   as   its
          independent auditors have completed their  review.
          However at this time, the Registrant is unable  to
          determine when it will make this filing.

PART IV - OTHER INFORMATION

(1)  Name and telephone number of person to contact in regard  to
     this notification.

    Charles M. Sledge           713               669-2652
         (Name)             (Area Code)      (Telephone Number)

(2)  Have all other periodic reports required under Section 13 or
     15(d)  of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section  30
     of  the  Investment Company Act of 1940 during the preceding
     12 months or for such shorter period that the registrant was
     required  to file such report(s) been filed?  If  answer  is
     no, identify report(s).    Yes    No

          The  Registrant filed its 10-K for the year  ended
          January 29, 2000, 132 days after the close of  the
          registrant's  fiscal year.  The  registrant  filed
          Form  12b-25  to  extend the filing  period.   The
          filing  was delayed as a result of recent  changes
          in   its  company  officers  and  financial  staff
          personnel,  and  the  lack of certain  information
          related   to  subsequent  events,  including   the
          previously   referenced   bankruptcy   proceedings
          instituted by the registrant.


(3)  Is  it anticipated that any significant change in results of
     operations from the corresponding period for the last fiscal
     year  will  be  reflected by the earnings statements  to  be
     included in the subject report or portion thereof?       Yes
     No

     If so, attach an explanation of the anticipated change, both
     narratively  and quantitatively, and, if appropriate,  state
     the  reasons why a reasonable estimate of the results cannot
     be made.

          On  June  1, 2000, Stage Stores, Inc., and certain
          of   its  wholly-owned  subsidiaries,  filed   for
          protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code
          in  the  United  States Bankruptcy Court  for  the
          Southern  District of Texas.  It has not yet  been
          fully   determined  what  effect  the   bankruptcy
          proceeding  will have on the results of operations
          of the registrant as compared to the corresponding
          period of the last fiscal year.


                                    Stage Stores, Inc.

          (Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

has caused this notification to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date    June 29, 2000              By     /s/ Charles M. Sledge
                                        Charles M. Sledge, Senior
                                        VP Finance, Treasurer and
                                        Corporate Secretary