EXHIBIT 23(a)

   INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the incorporation by reference in (i) the Registration  Statements
No. 2-96961 and No. 33-28095 on Form S-8 and related Prospectus of Heilig-Meyers
Company relating to Common Stock issued and issuable under the 1983 Stock Option
Plan of the Company, (ii) the Registration Statements No. 33-35263, No. 33-50086
and No.  33-64616 on Form S-8 and related  Prospectus of  Heilig-Meyers  Company
relating to Common Stock issued and issuable under the 1990 Stock Option Plan of
the  Company and  related  Prospectus  of the  Company,  (iii) the  Registration
Statement  No.  33-43791  on Form  S-8  relating  to the  Heilig-Meyers  Company
Employee  Stock  Purchase  Plan and  related  Prospectus  of the  Company,  (iv)
Registration  Statement  No.  33-54261  on Form S-8 and  related  Prospectus  of
Heilig-Meyers  Company  relating to Common Stock  issued and issuable  under the
1994 Stock Option Plan of the Company,  and (v) the  Registration  Statement No.
333-07753  on Form S-3 of  Heilig-Meyers  Company of our report  dated March 25,
1997 on the  consolidated  financial  statements  and schedule of  Heilig-Meyers
Company  and  subsidiaries,  as  listed  under  Items  14(a)  (1) and (2),  both
appearing  in the Annual  Report on Form 10-K of  Heilig-Meyers  Company for the
year ended February 28, 1997.


   /s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP

   Richmond, Virginia
   May 27, 1997

(page 143)