EXHIBIT 31.2


                                CERTIFICATION OF
                             CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                             OF 99 CENTS ONLY STORES

I,  Andrew  Farina,  certify  that:

1.   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of 99 Cents Only Stores;

2.   Based  on  my  knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue
     statement  of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to
     make  the  statements  made, in light of the circumstances under which such
     statements  were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
     this  quarterly  report;

3.   Based  on  my  knowledge,  the  financial  statements,  and other financial
     information  included  in  this  quarterly  report,  fairly  present in all
     material  respects  the financial condition, results of operations and cash
     flows  of  the  registrant  as  of,  and for, the periods presented in this
     quarterly  report;

4.   The  registrant's  other  certifying  officer  and  I  are  responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in  Exchange  Act Rules 13a-15e and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and have:

     a.   Designed  such  disclosure  controls  and  procedures,  or caused such
          disclosure  controls  and  procedures  to  be  designed  under  our
          supervision,  to  ensure  that  material  information  relating to the
          registrant,  including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to
          us  by others within those entities, particularly during the period in
          which  this  report  is  being  prepared;

     d.   Evaluated  the  effectiveness  of the registrant's disclosure controls
          and  procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the
          effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end
          of  the  period  covered  by this report based on such evaluation; and

     e.   Disclosed  in  this  report  any  change  in the registrant's internal
          control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant's
          most  recent  fiscal  quarter  that  has  materially  affected,  or is
          reasonably  likely  to  materially  affect,  the registrant's internal
          control  over  financial  reporting;

5.   The  registrant's  other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on
     our  most  recent  evaluation,  to  the registrant's auditors and the audit
     committee  of  registrant's  board  of directors (or persons performing the
     equivalent  functions):

     a.   All  significant  deficiencies  in the design or operation of internal
          controls  which  are  reasonably  likely  to  adversely  affect  the
          registrant's  ability  to  record,  process,  summarize  and  report
          financial  information  and

     b.   Any  fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
          employees  who  have  a  significant role in the registrant's internal
          control  over  financial  reporting.

Date:  August  14,  2003
By:   /s/  Andrew  Farina
      -------------------
     Andrew  Farina,  Chief  Financial  Officer


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