8-K

UNITED STATESSECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSIONWASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



FORM 8-K


CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THESECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported):November 18, 2008

THE BON-TON STORES, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant Specified in Charter)

Pennsylvania	0-19517	23-2835229
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)	(Commission File Number)	(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

2801 E. Market Street York, Pennsylvania	17402
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)	(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:   717-757-7660

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

⃞ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

⃞ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

⃞ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

⃞ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01.     Other Events.

On November 18, 2008, The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing the declaration of a cash dividend on the Class A Common Stock and Common Stock of the Company.  The full text of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01.    Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c)   Exhibits

99.1     Press Release issued November 18, 2008 regarding declaration of a cash dividend on the Class A Common Stock and Common Stock of the Company.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

		The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.
		By:	/s/ Keith E. Plowman
			Keith E. Plowman
			Executive Vice President, Chief Financial
			Officer and Principal Accounting Officer
Dated:	November 18, 2008

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. Announces Quarterly Cash Dividend

YORK, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 18, 2008--The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq: BONT) today announced the Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of five cents per share on the Class A Common Stock and Common Stock of the Company payable February 2, 2009 to shareholders of record as of January 15, 2009.

The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. operates 281 stores, including twelve furniture galleries, in 23 states in the Northeast, Midwest and upper Great Plains under the Bon-Ton, Bergner’s, Boston Store, Carson Pirie Scott, Elder-Beerman, Herberger’s and Younkers nameplates and, under the Parisian nameplate, stores in the Detroit, Michigan area. The stores offer a broad assortment of brand-name fashion apparel and accessories for women, men and children, as well as cosmetics and home furnishings. For further information, please visit the investor relations section of the Company’s website at htpp://investors.bonton.com.

Statements made in this press release, other than statements of historical information, are forward-looking and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause results to differ materially from those set forth in these statements. Factors that could cause such differences include, but are not limited to, risks related to retail businesses generally; a significant and prolonged deterioration of general economic conditions which could negatively impact the Company, including the potential write-down of the current valuation of intangible assets and deferred taxes; consumer spending patterns and debt levels; additional competition from existing and new competitors; inflation; changes in the costs of fuel and other energy and transportation costs; weather conditions that could negatively impact sales; uncertainties associated with opening new stores or expanding or remodeling existing stores; the ability to attract and retain qualified management; the dependence upon vendor relationships; the ability to reduce SG&A expenses and the ability to obtain financing for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes. Additional factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from those contained in these forward-looking statements are discussed in greater detail under Item 1A of the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

CONTACT:
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc.
Mary Kerr, 717-751-3071
Vice President
Investor & Public Relations
mkerr@bonton.com