SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                          ----------------------------

                                    Form 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT
                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 8, 2004


                              99(CENT) ONLY STORES
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)



           California                  1-11735                 95-2411605
  (State or Other Jurisdiction       (Commission             (IRS Employer
       of Incorporation)             File Number)         Identification No.)


4000 East Union Pacific Avenue
City of Commerce, California                                    90023
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                      (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (323) 980-8145



ITEM 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial Information and Exhibits.

     (c)  Exhibits

          Exhibit No.   Description

          99.1          Press release dated January 8, 2004

ITEM 12.  Results of Operations and Financial Condition

     On January 8, 2004, 99 Cents Only Stores (the "Company") issued a press
release announcing its sales results for the quarter ended December 31, 2003. A
copy of the January 8, 2004 press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 and
incorporated herein by reference. The information in this Current Report on Form
8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section
18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") or
otherwise subject to the liabilities of that Section, nor shall it be deemed
incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language
in such a filing.

                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                           99(cent)ONLY STORES




Date:  January 8, 2004                     By:  /S/ ANDREW FARINA


                                           ---------------------------------
                                           Andrew Farina
                                           Chief Financial Officer




                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.    Description

99.1           Press release dated January 8, 2004