Exhibit 99


                                      Contact: N. Gregory Petrick
                                               Executive Vice President and CFO
                                               477 East Beaver Avenue
                                               State College, PA 16801-5690
                                               (814) 234-6000



PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
- ---------------------

                         UNI-MARTS ANNOUNCES ADOPTION OF
                             SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS PLAN


         STATE COLLEGE, PENNSYLVANIA, February 6, 2002 - Uni-Marts Inc.
(AMEX: UNI) announced that its Board of Directors adopted today a Shareholder
Rights Plan and declared a dividend distribution of one Common Stock Purchase
Right on each outstanding share of its common stock. Henry D. Sahakian, Chairman
of the Board, stated, "The rights provide protection for the Company's
shareholders against coercive or unfair takeover tactics which may arise due to
what the Board believes to be the current undervalued price of our stock.
Moreover, the plan should encourage anyone seeking to discuss a potential
transaction with Uni-Marts to negotiate an equitable price and terms fair to all
shareholders with the Company's Board of Directors. The Board is prepared, at
all times, to consider a variety of strategic alternatives in the best interests
of the Company and its shareholders, including a merger, combination or outright
purchase of the Company that maximizes both the long and short term value for
all of the Company's shareholders." The rights plan is similar to plans in place
at more than 2,000 public companies.


         Pursuant to the rights plan, Uni-Marts will distribute to all
shareholders of record on February 19, 2002, as a dividend on each outstanding
share of common stock, a right to purchase two-thirds of a share of common stock
for a purchase price of $10.67. The rights, however, are exercisable (subject to
limited grandfathering provisions for certain shareholders who currently
beneficially own more than 15% of the Company's stock) only if: (1) a person or
group acquires 15% or more of the Company's common stock, other than through an
offer for all shares of the common stock at a price and on terms determined by
the Board of Directors to be fair to all shareholders, or (2) a person or group
commences a tender or exchange offer for 15% or more of the Company's common
stock.




         If the rights become exercisable, the rights will be modified
automatically to entitle the rightholders (other than the acquiring person or
group) to purchase shares of Uni-Marts common stock at a 50% discount from the
then market value. In addition, if Uni-Marts is acquired in a merger or other
transaction after such person or group has acquired a 15% common stock interest,
the rightholders (other than such person or group) will be entitled to purchase
shares of common stock of the surviving Company at the same discount from market
value.


         Initially, the rights will be represented by existing Uni-Marts stock
certificates. Should the rights become exercisable, the Company will issue
separate rights certificates to all holders.


         Uni-Marts can redeem the rights at any time before (but not after) a
person or group has acquired 15% or more of the Company's common stock as
described above. If not redeemed prior to January 31, 2012, the rights will
expire on that date.


         Uni-Marts will file with the Securities and Exchange Commission a
Registration Statement on Form 8-A registering the rights. The Form 8-A will
include a copy of the Rights Agreement containing the full terms of the plan as
an exhibit. A detailed summary of the terms of the plan will be mailed to each
shareholder of record on February 19, 2002.


         At February 6, 2002, Uni-Marts operated 301 convenience stores and
Choice Cigarette Discount Outlets in Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Maryland
and Virginia. Self-service gasoline was sold at 238 of these locations.




Certain statements contained in this release are forward looking. Although
Uni-Marts, Inc. believes that its expectations are based on reasonable
assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations,
there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from
its expectations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ from
expectations include general economic, business and market conditions,
volatility of gasoline prices, merchandise margins, customer traffic, weather
conditions, labor costs and the level of capital expenditures. For other
important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from
expectations and underlying assumptions, see reports by Uni-Marts, Inc. filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.