SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
                Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                                (Amendment No. 1)

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[ ]  Soliciting Material Pursuant to Section 240.14a-11(c) or Section 240.14a-12

                              Retail Ventures, Inc.
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                (Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

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    (Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

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                              RETAIL VENTURES, INC.
                              3241 Westerville Road
                              Columbus, Ohio 43224
                                 (614) 478-2208


May 18, 2004


Dear Shareholders:

            A proxy statement, dated May 10, 2004 (the "Proxy Statement"), was
mailed to you recently in connection with the Annual Meeting of Shareholders of
Retail Ventures, Inc. to be held on June 9, 2004 (the "Annual Meeting"). The
following is a supplement to the Proxy Statement which should be read in
conjunction with the Proxy Statement.

            You may vote or change your vote as described on page 1 of the Proxy
Statement. You may obtain a new proxy card free of charge by contacting us at
the telephone number noted above. If you intend to request and submit a new
proxy card, please do so as soon as possible to ensure that your vote is
received in time to be counted at the Annual Meeting.

                           Sincerely,


                           James A. McGrady
                           Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer






                SUPPLEMENT TO PROXY STATEMENT DATED MAY 10, 2004

            The Proxy Statement includes a table under the caption "Security
Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners" that contains incorrect information
under the column entitled the "Percent of class." The correct percentages are
set forth in the table below, which replaces the table on page 2 of the Proxy
Statement mailed to you on May 10, 2004.



                                                                                   AMOUNT AND
           TITLE OF                            NAME AND                       NATURE OF BENEFICIAL
            CLASS                     ADDRESS OF BENEFICIAL OWNER                   OWNERSHIP              PERCENT OF CLASS
          ----------                 -----------------------------           --------------------          ----------------
                                                                                                    
       (All of these are          Schottenstein Stores Corporation (1)              28,928,851(2)                      66.5%
        common shares)            1800 Moler Road
                                  Columbus, Ohio 43207

                                  Cerberus Partner, L.P.                             9,722,085(3)                      22.3%
                                  450 Park Avenue
                                  28th Floor
                                  New York, New York 10022

                                  Dimensional Fund Advisors Inc.                    1,943,500 (4)                      5.7%
                                  1299 Ocean Avenue,
                                  11th Floor,
                                  Santa Monica, CA 90401


               ---------------
         (1)   Prior to the completion of our initial public offering on June
               18, 1991, the Company was operated as the Department Store
               Division of Schottenstein Stores Corporation ("SSC"). On that
               date, SSC transferred substantially all of the net assets of the
               Division to the Company in exchange for common shares. SSC is a
               closely-held Ohio corporation. SSC common stock is beneficially
               owned by certain of our directors and other Schottenstein family
               members, as follows, as of May 3, 2004:



                                                   SHARES OF
         NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER               SSC COMMON STOCK        PERCENT OF CLASS
         -----------------------------          ----------------        ----------------
                                                                   
         Jay L. Schottenstein                   299.38139 (a)              78.4%
         Geraldine Schottenstein                 27.41707 (b)               7.2%
         Ari Deshe                               27.41707 (c)               7.2%
         Jon P. Diamond                          27.41707 (d)               7.2%

                    Total                       381.63260                 100.0%


                         ---------------
                    (a)  Represents sole voting and investment power over
                         299.38139 shares held in irrevocable trusts for family
                         members as to which Jay L. Schottenstein is trustee and
                         as to which shares Mr. Schottenstein may be deemed to
                         be the beneficial owner.

                    (b)  Represents sole voting and investment power over
                         27.41707 shares held by Geraldine Schottenstein as
                         trustee of an irrevocable trust for family members as
                         to which shares Geraldine Schottenstein may be deemed
                         to be the beneficial owner.

                    (c)  Represents sole voting and investment power over
                         27.41707 shares held by Ari Deshe, as trustee of
                         irrevocable trusts for family members, as to which
                         shares Mr. Deshe may be deemed to be the beneficial
                         owner.

                    (d)  Represents sole voting and investment power over
                         27.41707 shares held by Jon Diamond and his wife, Susan
                         Schottenstein Diamond, as trustees of



                         irrevocable trusts for family members, as to which
                         shares Mr. Diamond may be deemed to be the beneficial
                         owner.

         (2)   Includes:
               (a)       19,206,766 common shares owned of record and
                         beneficially by SSC.
               (b)       8,333,333 common shares issuable upon conversion of
                         Senior Subordinated Convertible Loans in the principal
                         amount of $37,500,000 (the "Convertible Loan"). The
                         Convertible Loan is convertible at any time to the
                         extent any portion of the loan remains outstanding at
                         the option of the holder thereof into common shares.
                         The conversion price of the Convertible Loan is $4.50
                         per share, subject to conversion price adjustments.
               (c)       1,388,752 common shares (subject to certain conversion
                         price adjustments) issuable pursuant to a warrant
                         received by SSC in connection with an additional loan
                         made to the Company. Based on information contained in
                         a Schedule 13D filed by SSC on October 15, 2003.

               Does not include 67,944 shares held by the Ann and Ari Deshe
               Foundation and 67,944 shares held by the Jon and Susan Diamond
               Family Foundation, all being private charitable foundations. The
               foundations' trustees and officers consist of at least one of the
               following persons: Geraldine Schottenstein, Jay Schottenstein,
               Jon Diamond and/or Ari Deshe, in conjunction with other
               Schottenstein family members.

         (3)   Cerberus Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
               ("Cerberus"), is the holder of Senior Subordinated Convertible
               Loans in the principal amount of $37,500,000 (the "Convertible
               Loan"). The Convertible Loan is convertible at any time to the
               extent any portion of the loan remains outstanding at the option
               of the holder thereof into common shares of the Company. The
               conversion price of the Convertible Loan is $4.50 per share,
               subject to conversion price adjustments. Further, Cerberus is the
               holder of a warrant to purchase 1,388,752 Shares (subject to
               certain conversion price adjustments) in connection with an
               additional loan made to the Company. Stephen Feinberg possesses
               sole power to vote and direct the disposition of all of the
               Company securities held by Cerberus. Based on information
               contained in a Schedule 13D/A filed by Stephen Feinberg on
               October 9, 2002 and a Form 4 filed by Stephen Feinberg October
               10, 2002.

         (4)   Dimensional Fund Advisors Inc. ("Dimensional"), an investment
               advisor registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisors
               Act of 1940, furnishes investment advice to four investment
               companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940,
               and serves as investment manager to certain other commingled
               group trusts and separate accounts. These investment companies,
               trusts and accounts are the "funds." In its role as investment
               adviser or manager, Dimensional possesses voting and/or
               investment power over the Company securities described in this
               schedule that are owned by the funds and may be deemed to be the
               beneficial owner of the shares of the issuer held by the Funds.
               Dimensional disclaims beneficial ownership of such securities.
               Based on information contained in a Schedule 13G/A filed by
               Dimensional on February 6, 2004.





            In addition, the Proxy Statement includes a table under the caption
"Security Ownership of Management" that contains incorrect information under the
column entitled the "Percent of class." The correct information is set forth in
the table and the footnotes below, which replaces the table and the footnotes on
page 4 of the Proxy Statement mailed to you on May 10, 2004.




                                                                                      AMOUNT AND
            TITLE OF                                                             NATURE OF BENEFICIAL
             CLASS             NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER                               OWNERSHIP(1)            PERCENT OF CLASS(2)
         ------------          ------------------------                               ------------            -------------------
                                                                                                       
       (All of these are       Henry L. Aaron                                               16,000                     *
       common shares)          Julia A. Davis                                                8,000                     *
                               Ari Deshe (4)(6)(8)                                          24,972                     *
                               Jon P. Diamond (4)(6)                                        11,700                     *
                               Elizabeth M. Eveillard                                       10,000                     *
                               Edwin J. Kozlowski (3)                                      316,000                     *
                               James A. McGrady                                            245,000                     *
                               John C. Rossler (3)                                         466,000                  1.4%
                               Jay L. Schottenstein (4)(5)(6)(7)                           282,500                     *
                               Harvey L. Sonnenberg (8)                                     30,000                     *
                               James L. Weisman (8)                                         11,300                     *
                               All directors and executive officers as a
                               group (12 persons) (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)                     1,435,472                  4.1%


               ----------------
               *    Represents less than 1% of outstanding common shares, net of
                    treasury shares.

               (1)  Except as otherwise noted, the persons named in this table
                    have sole power to vote and dispose of the shares listed.

                    Includes the following number common shares as to which the
                    named person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership
                    upon the exercise of stock options within 60 days of May 3,
                    2004: Mr. Aaron, 10,000; Ms. Davis, 8,000; Mr. Deshe,
                    10,000; Mr. Diamond, 10,000; Ms. Eveillard, 10,000 shares;
                    Mr. Kozlowski, 236,000; Mr. McGrady, 239,000; Mr. Rossler,
                    351,000; Mr. J. Schottenstein, 56,000; Mr. Sonnenberg,
                    10,000; Mr. Weisman, 10,000 and all directors and executive
                    officers as a group, 962,000.

               (2)  The percent is based upon the 33,804,713 common shares
                    outstanding, net of treasury shares, plus the number of
                    shares a person has the right to acquire within 60 days of
                    May 3, 2004.

               (3)  Includes 110,000 shares for Mr. Rossler and 80,000 shares
                    for Mr. Kozlowski and 190,000 shares for all directors and
                    executive officers as a group, which are owned subject to a
                    risk of forfeiture on termination of employment with vesting
                    over a period of years pursuant to the terms of Restricted
                    Stock Agreements.

               (4)  Does not include 19,206,766 common shares owned of record
                    and beneficially by SSC; 8,333,333 common shares issuable
                    upon conversion of Senior Subordinated Convertible Loans in
                    the principal amount of $37,500,000, which is convertible at
                    any time to the extent any portion of the loan remains
                    outstanding at the option of SSC into common shares of the
                    Company; and a warrant to purchase 1,388,752 common shares
                    (subject to certain conversion price adjustments) held by
                    SSC in connection with an additional loan made to the
                    Company. Jay L. Schottenstein is the Chairman and Chief
                    Executive Officer of SSC. Jay L. Schottenstein, Ari Deshe
                    and Jon P. Diamond are members of the Board of Directors of
                    SSC. See Note 2 to preceding table.

               (5)  Includes 52,500 common shares owned by Glosser Brothers
                    Acquisition, Inc. Mr. Schottenstein is Chairman of the
                    Board, President and a director of Glosser



                    Brothers Acquisition, Inc. and a trustee or co-trustee of
                    family trusts that own 100% of the stock of Glosser Brothers
                    Acquisition, Inc. Mr. Schottenstein disclaims beneficial
                    ownership of the common shares owned by Glosser Brothers
                    Acquisition, Inc.

               (6)  Does not include 67,944 shares held by the Ann and Ari Deshe
                    Foundation and 67,944 shares held by the Jon and Susan
                    Diamond Family Foundation, all being private charitable
                    foundations. The foundations' trustees and officers consist
                    of at least one of the following persons: Geraldine
                    Schottenstein, Jay Schottenstein, Jon Diamond and/or Ari
                    Deshe; in conjunction with other Schottenstein family
                    members.

               (7)  Includes 30,000 shares as to which Jay L. Schottenstein
                    shares voting and investment power as trustee of a trust
                    which owns the shares.

               (8)  Includes 10,000 shares held for the benefit of Mr. Deshe's
                    minor children; 15,000 shares held by Mr. Sonnenberg's
                    spouse and 500 shares held by Mr. Weisman's spouse.