AMENDMENT TO EXECUTIVE
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

                             DATED JANUARY 19, 1999

     Reference is made to the Executive Employment Agreement dated as of January
19, 1999 (the  "Agreement") by and between J. Baker, Inc. and Thomas J. Konecki.
Pursuant to paragraph 19 of the  Agreement and in order to further amend certain
provisions of the Agreement, the Agreement is hereby amended as follows:

     1. Paragraph 1 of the Agreement is hereby  amended by deleting  Senior Vice
President and General Merchandise Manager of the Company's WGS Corp.  subsidiary
in the third and fourth lines thereof and inserting  Executive Vice President of
the Company and President of the Company's WGS Corp. subsidiary.

     2. Paragraph 3 of the Agreement is hereby  amended by deleting  $175,000 in
the second line thereof and inserting in its place $210,000.

     3.  Paragraph 6 of the  Agreement is hereby  amended by deleting the phrase
"ending on January  19,  2001" in the fifth line  thereof and  inserting  in its
place "ending on April 30, 2001."

     4. All other terms of the Agreement shall remain  unchanged and continue in
full force and effect.



J. BAKER, INC.




By: /s/ Alan I. Weinstein                           12/27/99
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         Alan I. Weinstein                          Date
         President and
         Chief Executive Officer




  /s/ Thomas Konecki                                1/10/00
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         Thomas Konecki                             Date