EXHIBIT 32.1

                            CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO
                             18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002


     I, Byron L. Bergren, President and Chief Executive Officer of The
Elder-Beerman Stores Corp., (the "Company"), do hereby certify in accordance
with 18 U.S.C. 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, that:

     1. The amended Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the year
ended May 3, 2003 (the "Periodic Report") fully complies with the requirements
of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m
or 78o(d)) and

     2. The information contained in the Periodic Report fairly presents, in all
material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the
Company.



Date: October 15, 2003      By:  /s/  Byron L. Bergren
                                 ---------------------


                            Name:     Byron L. Bergren
                            Title:    President and Chief Executive Officer