Still, not everyone is convinced that the "superstore" concept makes economic sense.

Staples, which is credited with introducing the office-supply superstore concept in 1986, is one of several major national advertisers that have coincidentally decided to switch slogans since the start of the year.

The market leaders - Office Depot Inc., Staples Inc. and Officemax - have established multibillion-dollar businesses in the last decade with the superstore concept.

Other superstore concepts are planned in areas like automotive products and apparel.

Meijer is generally credited with pioneering the superstore concept in the United States.

"It's not totally beyond the superstore concept to have multistory stores," he said.

Harry Hoffman, the chief executive of Waldenbooks, predicted that "our thrust in the future will be more toward the superstore concept."

Real book people or not, the company thinks it has found a winner with the superstore concept.

Previous to her executive positions, Currence worked for Barnes & Noble from 1973 to 1990, playing an instrumental role in their move from small-format stores to the superstore concept.

Mr. Feld, 47, is a pioneer of the superstore concept, which has become the retailing rage of the 90's.