Exhibit 99.9

                          Summary of Severance Arrangements
                          ---------------------------------

The Company has severance arrangements with the following four executives (the
"Executives") of the Company and its subsidiary, Frank's Nursery & Crafts, Inc.
(the "Subsidiary"):

    Robert M. Lovejoy, Jr. -
         Vice President and Treasurer of the Company and the Subsidiary;

    James R. Simpson -
         Vice President and Controller of the Company and Vice President
         Finance of the Subsidiary;

    J. Theodore Everingham -
         Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Company and Vice
         President and General Counsel of the Subsidiary; and

    Ernest W. Townsend -
         Executive Vice President of the Company and President and Chief
         Operating Officer of the Subsidiary.

    The primary provisions of the severance arrangements are as follows:

1.  Severance benefits are payable only in the event of a qualifying
    termination of employment which occurs between the date of the execution of
    the Merger Agreement and the first anniversary of the Effective Time (as
    defined in the Merger Agreement).

2.  Qualifying terminations of employment will consist only of either
    termination by the Company without "Cause" (as defined below) or
    termination by the Executive with "Good Reason" (as defined below).

3.  Within five days after a qualifying termination of an Executive's
    employment, the Company will pay the Executive a lump sum, based on the
    Executive's "Salary" (defined as the higher of the Executive's base salary
    immediately prior to the execution of the Merger Agreement or the
    Executive's base salary 





    immediately prior to his termination of employment).  In the case of Mr.
    Lovejoy, the lump sum will equal one year's Salary.  In the case of Messrs.
    Simpson, Everingham and Townsend, the lump sum will equal six months'
    Salary.

4.  The Company will also pay all COBRA premiums for and provide to each
    Executive who has a qualifying termination of employment continuing medical
    insurance benefits which are substantially similar to the benefits provided
    him immediately prior to the date of execution of the Merger Agreement
    (including any coverage for spouse and dependents) for a period of one
    year.

5.  "Cause" shall mean (i) the willful and continued failure by the Executive
    to substantially perform his duties after a specific written demand for
    substantial performance is delivered to the Executive by the Board of
    Directors, or (ii) the willful engaging by the Executive in conduct which
    is demonstrably injurious to the Company, the Surviving Corporation or its
    subsidiaries.

6.  "Good Reason" shall mean any of the following: (i) a reduction in the
    Executive's base salary; (ii) the assignment of any duties inconsistent
    with the Executive's position (as described above) or a substantial adverse
    alteration in the nature or status of the Executive's responsibilities, or
    (iii) relocation of the Executive's primary place of employment to a
    location more than twenty-five miles from the Executive's principal place
    of employment immediately prior to the date of execution of the Merger
    Agreement.










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