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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">As filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on January 21, 2005</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Registration No. 33-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">WASHINGTON, D.C.&#160; 20549</font></b></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">FORM S-8</font></b></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="3" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;">REGISTRATION
STATEMENT<br>
UNDER<br>
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></b></p>

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</font></div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="5" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-weight:bold;">FAMILY DOLLAR STORES, INC.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)</font></p>

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 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Delaware</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">56-0942963</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(State or other jurisdiction of</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(I.R.S. Employer</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">incorporation or organization)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Identification No.)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">10401 Monroe Road<br>
P. O. Box 1017<br>
Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-1017</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Address of Principal Executive Offices)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;(Zip
Code)</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Family
Dollar<br>
2000 Outside Directors Plan<br>
</font></b>(Full Title of the
Plan)</p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">GEORGE R. MAHONEY, JR.</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Executive Vice President-General Counsel and
Secretary<br>
Family Dollar Stores, Inc.<br>
P.O. Box 1017<br>
Charlotte, NC&#160; 28201-1017</font></b><br>
(Name and address of agent for service)</p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Telephone number, including area code, of
agent for service <b><font style="font-weight:bold;">(704) 814-3252</font></b></font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE</font></b></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="21%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:21.5%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title of
  Securities<br>
  to be Registered</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.26%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="16%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:16.02%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount
  to<br>
  be Registered (1)</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.26%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.18%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed<br>
  Maximum<br>
  Offering Price<br>
  Per Share (2)</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.32%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="19%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:19.62%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Proposed<br>
  Maximum<br>
  Aggregate<br>
  Offering Price (2)</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.56%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="14%" colspan="2" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:14.28%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Amount
  of<br>
  Registration<br>
  Fee</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="21%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:21.5%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="16%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:16.02%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.26%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:17.88%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.32%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.34%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.26%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.56%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.48%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-top:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.8%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="21%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:21.5%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Common Stock</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.26%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="16%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:16.02%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">85,000 shares</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.26%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.3%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="17%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:17.88%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">32.45</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.32%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.34%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="18%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:18.26%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2,758,250</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.56%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="1%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:1.48%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">$</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.8%;">
  <p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">324.65</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="left">

</font></div>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>This
registration statement also covers any additional shares that may hereafter
become issuable as a result of the adjustment and anti-dilution provisions of
the Registrant&#146;s 2000 Outside Directors Stock Plan.</p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Estimated
solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and computed
according to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based on
the average of the high and low sales prices of the Registrant&#146;s Common Stock,
as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on January 18, 2005.</p>

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<p align="center" style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

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<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART I.&nbsp;&nbsp;INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Item
1.</font></b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font><font size="2" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Plan Information.</font></p>

<p style="font-weight:bold;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The documents
constituting Part I of this Registration Statement will be sent or given to
participants in the Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item
2.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Registrant
Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.</b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Upon written
or oral request, Family Dollar Stores, Inc. (the &#147;Registrant&#148;) will provide,
without charge, the documents incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of
this Registration Statement.&#160; The
documents are incorporated by reference in the Section 10(a) prospectus.&#160; The Registrant will also provide, without
charge, upon written or oral request, other documents required to be delivered
to plan participants pursuant to Rule 428(b).&#160;
Requests for the above-mentioned documents should be directed to the Corporate Secretary, Family Dollar Stores,
Inc., P. O. Box 1017, Charlotte, North Carolina&#160;
28201-1017.&#160; Telephone requests
may be directed to (704) 814-3276.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">PART II.&nbsp;&nbsp;INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 3.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Incorporation
of Documents by Reference.</b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the &#147;Commission&#148;) are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement:</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(a)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160; </font>The Registrant&#146;s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended August 28, 2004;</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(b)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160; </font>The Registrant&#146;s Current Reports on Form 8-K dated December 2
and December 17, 2004, January 6 and January 21, 2005;</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(c)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160; </font>All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant
to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the &#147;Exchange Act&#148;) since August 28, 2004;</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(d)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160; </font>The description of the Registrant&#146;s Common Stock contained
in its Registration Statement on Form 8-A, dated June 19, 1979, filed by the
Registrant in connection with the listing of 4,430,000 of such shares on the
New York Stock Exchange.</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">All documents
filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, subsequent to the effectiveness of this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
hereto which either indicates that all securities offered hereto have been sold
or deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.&#160; Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed
to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
modifies or supersedes such statement.&#160;
Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except
as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Registration Statement.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 4.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Description
of Securities.</b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not Applicable.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 5.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Interests
of Named Experts and Counsel.</b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not Applicable</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 6.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Indemnification
of Directors and Officers.</b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides for the
indemnification of officers and directors of the Registrant in certain
circumstances.&#160; The circumstances under
which and the persons for whose benefit indemnification shall or may be made
are set forth in such statute.&#160; The
indemnification provided for by the statute is not exclusive of any other
rights of indemnification.&#160; Article XIII
of the Registrant&#146;s By-Laws provides for indemnification to the fullest extent
permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware.&#160;
Pursuant to such By-Laws and as authorized by such statute, the
Registrant maintains insurance for directors and officers of the Registrant
against liability asserted against such persons in such capacity whether or not
the Registrant would have the power to indemnify such officer or director
against such liability under the By-Laws or statute.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant
to Delaware law, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant provides
that a director of the Registrant shall not be personally liable to the
Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary
duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director&#146;s
duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or
omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a
knowing violation of law, (iii) for the unlawful payment of dividends or
unlawful stock purchases under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived any improper
personal benefit.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 7.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Exemption
From Registration Claimed.</b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Not applicable.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 8.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Exhibits.</b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The following exhibits are filed with or incorporated by reference in
this Registration Statement.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="90%" style="border-collapse:collapse;margin-left:.6in;width:90.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Exhibit No.</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:5.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.5%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Description
  of Exhibit</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:5.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.5%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 20.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;23.2</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:5.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.5%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public
  accounting firm</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:5.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.5%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.28%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 20.0pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;&nbsp;99.1</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="5%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:5.22%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="85%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:85.5%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Family Dollar 2000 Outside Directors Plan</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">No opinion
of counsel is being filed because the Common Stock to be distributed in
connection with the Plan will consist exclusively of previously issued shares
that are presently held by the Registrant as treasury shares and will not constitute
original issuance shares.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Item 9.</font></b><b><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Undertakings.</b></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(a)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt .5in;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(1)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>To file, during any period in which offers or
sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
Statement:</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(i)&#160; To include any prospectus
required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(ii)&#160; To reflect in the
prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the
Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof)
which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in the Registration Statement.&#160; Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase
or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may
be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no
more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth
in the &#147;Calculation of Registration Fee&#148; table in the effective Registration
Statement;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(iii)&#160; To include any material
information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed
in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the
Registration Statement;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:1.0in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Provided</font></u>, <u>however</u>, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply
if the Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(2)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>That, for the purpose of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be
deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(3)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>To remove
from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities
being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(b)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes
that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each
filing of the Registrant&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee
benefit plan&#146;s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act)
that is incorporated by</p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">3</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">reference
in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration
Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(c)</font><font size="1" style="font-size:8.5pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; </font>Insofar as indemnification for liabilities
arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and
controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.&#160; In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.</p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">4</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<div style="font-family:Times New Roman;">

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">SIGNATURES</font></u></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="font-size:10.0pt;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><u><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">The Registrant</font></u>.&#160;
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all the requirements for filing on Form S-8, and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the Town of Matthews and State of North Carolina on the
20th day of January 2005.</p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="54%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:54.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="45%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:45.38%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">FAMILY DOLLAR STORES, INC.</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="54%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:54.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="45%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:45.38%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="54%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:54.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="45%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:45.38%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="54%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:54.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">By:</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="42%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:42.34%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Howard
  R. Levine</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="54%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:54.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="42%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:42.34%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Howard R. Levine</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="54%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:54.62%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="3%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:3.04%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="42%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:42.34%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chairman of the Board</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:243.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed on the 20<sup>th</sup> day of January
2005, by the following persons in the capacities indicated.</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="90%" style="border-collapse:collapse;margin-left:.5in;width:90.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="36%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:36.84%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Signatures</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.06%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Title</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Howard
  R. Levine</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Chairman of
  the Board,</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Howard R.
  Levine</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Principal
  Executive</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Officer) and
  Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ R. James
  Kelly</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Vice Chairman
  and Chief</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">R. James
  Kelly</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Financial
  Officer</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ George
  R. Mahoney, Jr.</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Executive
  Vice President and</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">George R.
  Mahoney, Jr.</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ C.
  Martin Sowers</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Senior Vice
  President-Finance</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">C. Martin
  Sowers</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Principal
  Accounting Officer)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Mark R.
  Bernstein</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Mark R.
  Bernstein</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Sharon
  Allred Decker</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Sharon
  Allred Decker</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Edward
  C. Dolby</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Edward C.
  Dolby</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ Glenn A.
  Eisenberg</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Glenn A.
  Eisenberg</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.46%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">/s/ James G.
  Martin</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="12%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:12.44%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="34%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:34.96%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Director</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="26%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:26.14%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="38%" colspan="3" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:38.9%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">James G.
  Martin</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="61%" colspan="2" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:61.1%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr height="0">
  <td width="178" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="70" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="14" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="235" style="border:none;"></td>
  <td width="176" style="border:none;"></td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">5</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<br clear="all" style="page-break-before:always;">


<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Registration No. 33-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="right" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:right;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="border:none;border-top:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:1.0pt 0in 0in 0in;">

<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

</div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Washington, D.C.&#160; 20549</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="center">

</font></div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">EXHIBITS</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Filed With</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">FORM S-8</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">REGISTRATION STATEMENT</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">UNDER</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="1" width="25%" noshade color="black" align="center">

</font></div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">FAMILY DOLLAR STORES, INC.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">10401 Monroe Road</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">P. O. Box 1017</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Charlotte, North Carolina</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">28201-1017</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Address of Principal Executive Offices)</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="2%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:2.0%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="49%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:49.0%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">(Zip Code)</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="border:none;border-bottom:double windowtext 2.25pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in;">

<p style="border:none;margin:0in 0in .0001pt;padding:0in;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

</div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

</div>
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<div>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">INDEX TO EXHIBITS</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="92%" style="border-collapse:collapse;margin-left:.6in;width:92.0%;">
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.76%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><a name="TableHead"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Exhibit No.</font></b></a></p>
  </td>
  <td width="6%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.18%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;font-weight:bold;">&nbsp;</font></b></p>
  </td>
  <td width="84%" valign="bottom" style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:84.06%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><b><font size="1" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:8.0pt;font-weight:bold;">Description of Exhibit</font></b></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.76%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="6%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.18%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="84%" valign="top" style="border:none;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:84.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.76%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt 10.0pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;text-indent:-10.0pt;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">23.2</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="6%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.18%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="84%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:84.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public
  accounting firm</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.76%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="6%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.18%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="84%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:84.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
  <td width="9%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:9.76%;">
  <p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">99.1</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="6%" valign="bottom" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:6.18%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:1.0pt;">&nbsp;</font></p>
  </td>
  <td width="84%" valign="top" style="padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;width:84.06%;">
  <p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">Family Dollar 2000 Outside Directors Plan</font></p>
  </td>
 </tr>
</table>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;text-indent:.5in;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">No opinion of
counsel is being filed because the Common Stock to be distributed in connection
with the Plan will consist exclusively of previously issued shares that are
presently held by the Registrant as treasury shares and will not constitute
original issuance shares.</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman">&nbsp;</font></p>

<p align="center" style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-align:center;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">2</font></p>

<div style="margin:0in 0in .0001pt;text-autospace:none;"><font size="2" face="Times New Roman" style="font-size:10.0pt;">

<hr size="2" width="100%" noshade color="gray" align="left">

</font></div>

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[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "a05-1577_1s8.htm", "description": "S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 91745}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "FAMILY DOLLAR STORES INC", "cik": "0000034408", "assigned-sic": "5331", "irs-number": "560942963", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0829"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-122201", "film-number": "05541248"}, "business-address": {"street1": "P O BOX 1017", "street2": "10401 OLD MONROE RD", "city": "CHARLOTTE", "state": "NC", "zip": "28201-1017", "phone": "7048476961"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on January 21, 2005
Registration No. 33-
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION
STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
FAMILY DOLLAR STORES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
Delaware
56-0942963
(State or other jurisdiction of
(I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)
Identification No.)
10401 Monroe Road
P. O. Box 1017
Charlotte, North Carolina 28201-1017
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)   (Zip
Code)
Family
Dollar
2000 Outside Directors Plan
(Full Title of the
Plan)
GEORGE R. MAHONEY, JR.
Executive Vice President-General Counsel and
Secretary
Family Dollar Stores, Inc.
P.O. Box 1017
Charlotte, NC  28201-1017
(Name and address of agent for service)
Telephone number, including area code, of
agent for service
(704) 814-3252
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Title of
  Securities
to be Registered
Amount
  to
be Registered (1)
Proposed
Maximum
Offering Price
Per Share (2)
Proposed
Maximum
Aggregate
Offering Price (2)
Amount
  of
Registration
Fee
Common Stock
85,000 shares
$
32.45
$
2,758,250
$
324.65
(1)
This
registration statement also covers any additional shares that may hereafter
become issuable as a result of the adjustment and anti-dilution provisions of
the Registrant's 2000 Outside Directors Stock Plan.
(2)
Estimated
solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee and computed
according to Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based on
the average of the high and low sales prices of the Registrant's Common Stock,
as reported by the New York Stock Exchange on January 18, 2005.
PART I.  INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS
Item
1.
Plan Information.
The documents
constituting Part I of this Registration Statement will be sent or given to
participants in the Plan as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended.
Item
2.
Registrant
Information and Employee Plan Annual Information.
Upon written
or oral request, Family Dollar Stores, Inc. (the "Registrant") will provide,
without charge, the documents incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of
this Registration Statement.  The
documents are incorporated by reference in the Section 10(a) prospectus.  The Registrant will also provide, without
charge, upon written or oral request, other documents required to be delivered
to plan participants pursuant to Rule 428(b). 
Requests for the above-mentioned documents should be directed to the Corporate Secretary, Family Dollar Stores,
Inc., P. O. Box 1017, Charlotte, North Carolina 
28201-1017.  Telephone requests
may be directed to (704) 814-3276.
PART II.  INFORMATION
REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Item 3.
Incorporation
of Documents by Reference.
The following documents filed by the Registrant with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement:
(a)
The Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
ended August 28, 2004;
(b)
The Registrant's Current Reports on Form 8-K dated December 2
and December 17, 2004, January 6 and January 21, 2005;
(c)
All other reports filed by the Registrant pursuant
to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the "Exchange Act") since August 28, 2004;
(d)
The description of the Registrant's Common Stock contained
in its Registration Statement on Form 8-A, dated June 19, 1979, filed by the
Registrant in connection with the listing of 4,430,000 of such shares on the
New York Stock Exchange.
All documents
filed by the Registrant with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c),
14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, subsequent to the effectiveness of this
Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment
hereto which either indicates that all securities offered hereto have been sold
or deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.  Any statement contained in a document
incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed
to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the
extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed
document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein
modifies or supersedes such statement. 
Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except
as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this
Registration Statement.
Item 4.
Description
of Securities.
Not Applicable.
Item 5.
Interests
of Named Experts and Counsel.
Not Applicable
Item 6.
Indemnification
of Directors and Officers.
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides for the
indemnification of officers and directors of the Registrant in certain
circumstances.  The circumstances under
which and the persons for whose benefit indemnification shall or may be made
are set forth in such statute.  The
indemnification provided for by the statute is not exclusive of any other
rights of indemnification.  Article XIII
of the Registrant's By-Laws provides for indemnification to the fullest extent
permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware. 
Pursuant to such By-Laws and as authorized by such statute, the
Registrant maintains insurance for directors and officers of the Registrant
against liability asserted against such persons in such capacity whether or not
the Registrant would have the power to indemnify such officer or director
against such liability under the By-Laws or statute.
Pursuant
to Delaware law, the Certificate of Incorporation of the Registrant provides
that a director of the Registrant shall not be personally liable to the
Registrant or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary
duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's
duty of loyalty to the Registrant or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or
omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a
knowing violation of law, (iii) for the unlawful payment of dividends or
unlawful stock purchases under Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived any improper
personal benefit.
Item 7.
Exemption
From Registration Claimed.
Not applicable.
Item 8.
Exhibits.
The following exhibits are filed with or incorporated by reference in
this Registration Statement.
Exhibit No.
Description
  of Exhibit
23.2
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public
  accounting firm
99.1
Family Dollar 2000 Outside Directors Plan
2
No opinion
of counsel is being filed because the Common Stock to be distributed in
connection with the Plan will consist exclusively of previously issued shares
that are presently held by the Registrant as treasury shares and will not constitute
original issuance shares.
Item 9.
Undertakings.
(a)
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:
(1)
To file, during any period in which offers or
sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
Statement:
(i)  To include any prospectus
required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii)  To reflect in the
prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the
Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof)
which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
information set forth in the Registration Statement.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase
or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of
securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any
deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may
be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to
Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no
more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth
in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective Registration
Statement;
(iii)  To include any material
information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed
in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the
Registration Statement;
Provided
,
however
, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply
if the Registration Statement is on Form S-3 or Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement.
(2)
That, for the purpose of determining any
liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be
deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered
therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be
the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3)
To remove
from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities
being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(b)
The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes
that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each
filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section
15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee
benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act)
that is incorporated by
3
reference
in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration
Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
thereof.
(c)
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities
arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and
controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or
otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant
in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by
such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities
being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the
matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of
appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is
against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final
adjudication of such issue.
4
SIGNATURES
The Registrant
. 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all the requirements for filing on Form S-8, and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the Town of Matthews and State of North Carolina on the
20th day of January 2005.
FAMILY DOLLAR STORES, INC.
By:
/s/ Howard
  R. Levine
Howard R. Levine
Chairman of the Board
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed on the 20
th
day of January
2005, by the following persons in the capacities indicated.
Signatures
Title
/s/ Howard
  R. Levine
Chairman of
  the Board,
Howard R.
  Levine
(Principal
  Executive
Officer) and
  Director
/s/ R. James
  Kelly
Vice Chairman
  and Chief
R. James
  Kelly
Financial
  Officer
/s/ George
  R. Mahoney, Jr.
Executive
  Vice President and
George R.
  Mahoney, Jr.
Director
/s/ C.
  Martin Sowers
Senior Vice
  President-Finance
C. Martin
  Sowers
(Principal
  Accounting Officer)
/s/ Mark R.
  Bernstein
Director
Mark R.
  Bernstein
/s/ Sharon
  Allred Decker
Director
Sharon
  Allred Decker
/s/ Edward
  C. Dolby
Director
Edward C.
  Dolby
/s/ Glenn A.
  Eisenberg
Director
Glenn A.
  Eisenberg
/s/ James G.
  Martin
Director
James G.
  Martin
5
Registration No. 33-
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549
EXHIBITS
Filed With
FORM S-8
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
FAMILY DOLLAR STORES, INC.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
10401 Monroe Road
P. O. Box 1017
Charlotte, North Carolina
28201-1017
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Zip Code)
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
Exhibit No.
Description of Exhibit
23.2
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, independent registered public
  accounting firm
99.1
Family Dollar 2000 Outside Directors Plan
No opinion of
counsel is being filed because the Common Stock to be distributed in connection
with the Plan will consist exclusively of previously issued shares that are
presently held by the Registrant as treasury shares and will not constitute
original issuance shares.
2