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Colonel's Acquires Interest in St. Louis Distributor for Truck Accessories

28 April 1998

Colonel's Acquires Interest in St. Louis Distributor for Truck Accessories

    MILAN, Mich., April 28 -- The Colonel's International, Inc.
, a manufacturer, distributor and retailer of automotive and
light truck parts and accessories, disclosed today that it had entered the
greater St. Louis market through the purchase of 66 percent of the stock of
privately held Dealer's Choice Distribution, Inc.  Terms were not disclosed.
    Dealer's Choice warehouses and distributes truck accessories to the
wholesale and retail truck accessories market.  This includes such products as
bedliners, bug shields, mats, running boards, lights, caps and tonneau covers.
    With headquarters in Collinsville, Ill., a half hour's drive from downtown
St. Louis, Dealer's Choice was a primary distributor of Duraliner products
such as light truck bedliners and other light truck accessories.  As a result
of this transaction, the Duraliner products will be replaced by those
manufactured by The Colonel's.
    The Colonel's manufactures, distributes and retails truck accessories
through 29 facilities in 14 states to its own stores as well as other truck
accessory retail outlets.
    According to published sources, the light truck/sports utility vehicle
sector of the market today accounts for more vehicles on the road than
passenger cars.  The Colonel's is focused on serving the needs of this market
nationwide.
    In a period of two years, the Colonel's has become the nation's third
largest manufacturer of bedliners.  Within recent months it has acquired
retail/wholesale outlets in California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Tennessee,
Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Michigan.
    The Colonel's International, Inc. is a holding company for three wholly
owned subsidiaries:  The Colonel's, Inc. based in Milan, Michigan,
manufactures and distributes plastic bumpers and facias to the aftermarket
industry; The Colonel's Truck Accessories, Inc., based in Owosso, Michigan,
manufactures bedliners, caps, tonneau covers and other truck accessory
products; and Brainerd International Raceway, Inc. which owns and operates a
multi-purpose motor sports facility located in Brainerd, Minnesota.
    This news release includes certain statements that may be considered
forward looking under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These statements are subject to a number of important risks and uncertainties
that could cause the contemplated transactions not to occur.

SOURCE  Colonel's International, Inc.