ROSS STORES, INC.
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby
authorizes Mark Askanas, General Counsel, and John Call, Chief
Financial Officer, and their designees, Mary Tanner, Vice
President of Human Resources, and Chuck Kurth, Vice President of
Finance and Treasurer, of Ross Stores, Inc. (the "Company"), to
execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
undersigned's capacity as an officer or director of the Company,
Forms 3, 4 and 5, and any amendments thereto, and cause such
form(s) to be filed with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities
Act of 1934, relating to the undersigned's beneficial ownership
of securities in the Company.  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, nor is the
Company assuming, any of the undersigned's responsibilities to
comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
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, securities issued by the Company, unless earlier
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
foregoing attorneys-in-fact.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has cause this Power of
Attorney to be executed as of this 1 day of August, 2003.
/s/ Carl J. Matte



 SV\340998.1