[The Andersons Letterhead]



                                      February 26, 1996



Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549

                Re:     The Andersons, Inc.
                        Registration Statement on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                I am general counsel to The Andersons, Inc., an Ohio
corporation (the "Corporation"), and have advised the Corporation in
connection with the proposed registration by the Corporation of 500,000 of its
common shares,  no par value (the "Shares"), pursuant to a Registration
Statement on Form S-8, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"Commission") on February 26, 1996 under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended (the "Act") (such Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented,
is hereinafter referred to as the "Registration Statement").  The Shares are
to be issued and sold by the Corporation to certain employees of the
Corporation pursuant to The Andersons, Inc. Long Term Performance Compensation
Plan (the "Plan").

                For purposes of the opinions contained in this letter, I have
examined and relied upon such corporate proceedings, documents, records and
matters of law as I have deemed necessary or appropriate for the expression of
the opinions cont ained herein.  In addition, for purposes hereof, I have
assumed with your permission and without independent investigation that all
factual information supplied to me for the purpose hereof is complete and
accurate and that no changes will be made in the definitive form of the
documents I have reviewed in draft form which would impact my opinions.

                Based upon and subject to the foregoing, I hereby advise you
that in my opinion:

         1.      The Corporation is a corporation validly existing and in good
                 standing under the General Corporation Law of the State of
                 Ohio.

         2.      The Shares are duly authorized, and, when (i) the Registration
                 Statement becomes effective under the Act and (ii) the Shares
                 have been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the
                 Corporation and issued in accordance with the terms of the
                 Plan upon receipt of the consideration to be paid therefor,
                 the Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and
                 nonassessable.

                I am qualified to practice law in the State of Ohio and do not
herein express any opinion as to any laws other than the laws of the State of
Ohio, as such laws are constituted on the date of this opinion.

                I do not find it necessary for the purposes of this opinion,
and accordingly I do not purport to cover herein, the application of the
securities or "Blue Sky" laws of the various states to the issuance and sale of
the Shares.

                I hereby consent to the filing of this letter as an exhibit to
the Registration Statement.  In giving this consent, I do not admit that I come
within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the
'33 Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission
thereunder.

                                      Very truly yours,

                                      \s\Beverly J. McBride

                                      Beverly J. McBride