POWER OF ATTORNEY


            Know all by these presents, that, for good and
valuable consideration, the sufficiency and receipt of which are
hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints each of D. Hunt Hawkins, Gregory W. Kleffner and Chris
Himebauch, or any of them signing singly, and with full power of
substitution, the undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact
to:

            1. execute for and on behalf of the undersigned (in
accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, and the rules thereunder (the "Exchange
Act")), in the undersigned's capacity as an officer and/or
director of Stein Mart, Inc. (the "Company"), any and all Forms
3, 4 and 5, and any amendments thereto, that are necessary or
advisable for the undersigned to file under Section 16(a)
(collectively, "Documents");

            2. do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf
of the undersigned that may be necessary or desirable to
complete and execute any such Documents and timely file such
Documents 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 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 such
attorney-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of
the undersigned, is not assuming, nor is such attorney-in-fact's
substitute or substitutes assuming, any of the undersigned's
responsibilities to comply with the Exchange Act.  The
undersigned agrees to defend and hold harmless such attorney-in-
fact (and such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes)
from and against any and all loss, damage or liability that such
attorney-in-fact may sustain as a result of any action taken in
good faith hereunder.

            This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force
and effect until the undersigned is no longer required to file
Documents 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 attorney-in-fact.  This Power of Attorney shall be
construed under the laws of the state of Florida, without regard
to conflict of law principles.

            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this
Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 10th day of January,
2017.


/S/ THOMAS L. COLE
Signature
Name: Thomas L. Cole