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f.y.e., Sam Goody and Suncoast Added to American Express Incentive Services Entertainment Merchant Roster

ST. LOUIS, March 1, 2007 – American Express Incentive Services (AEIS), an incentive industry leader, announces the addition of three entertainment merchants, f.y.e., Sam Goody and Suncoast Motion Picture Co., to its DirectSpendSM programs. DirectSpend is a patented prepaid card acceptance process that allows clients to strategically direct cardholder spend to a specific merchant or group of merchants (U.S. Patents 5,689,100 and 5,956,695). AEIS leverages this process for businesses to use in employee programs and consumer promotions to create indulgent reward experiences at a selection of top retail, travel and entertainment establishments.

 

"With the addition of f.y.e., Sam Goody and Suncoast, reward earners in search of the latest entertainment offerings now have coast-to-coast shopping locations," said Tracy McFadden, AEIS vice president of DirectSpend marketing and merchant partnerships. "Music lovers, gamers and movie buffs can add to their collections using their DirectSpend card for in-store or online purchases."

 

f.y.e. owner, Trans World Entertainment Corporation, acquired Sam Goody and Suncoast stores in March 2006. All Sam Goody stores will be converted to f.y.e. for your entertainment, the Trans World's signature retail store by September 2007. The Suncoast name will remain on about 135 stores.

 

About AEIS

AEIS, a joint venture between American Express Travel Related Services Company Inc. and Maritz Inc., provides business-to-business reward solutions including stored-value cards, American Express® Gift Cheques and a Web-based reward management tool. Its products address a broad array of applications such as employee reward and recognition, sales incentives and consumer promotions while helping clients drive consumer and employee behaviors, build loyalty and increase brand awareness. AEIS is headquartered in Fenton, Mo. and is a licensee of U.S. Patents 5,689,100 and 5,956,695. For more information, please contact prmanager@aeis.com.

 

About Trans World Entertainment Corporation

Trans World Entertainment Corporation is one of the largest specialty music and video retailers in the United States. Founded in 1972, the Company currently operates over 900 stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and operates retail Web sites at www.fye.com, www.suncoast.com and www.samgoody.com. Its stores are divided into two categories: mall-based and freestanding. Trans World's national mall-based portfolio is now united under the brand name f.y.e., for your entertainment; the portfolio also includes select Suncoast & Saturday Matinee movie stores. Freestanding stores include Sam Goody, Wherehouse Music, Coconuts Music & Movies, Strawberries, Spec's, CD World, Streetside Records and Planet Music. Trans World Entertainment, which established itself as a public company in 1986, is traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol "TWMC".