TARRYTOWN, N.Y., Feb. 23, 2003 -SPAR's "Mobile Project Headquarters" accelerates retail merchandising for new-store openings and major store remodelings. Just commissioned by SPAR Group, America's leading retail merchandising company, it brings advanced technologies and up to six experienced retail merchandisers to any job site in America for rapid professional work.

SPAR's Mobile Project Headquarters has the complete technological capability to assign projects, resolve issues and report progress via real-time Internet communications. It speeds retail merchandising of a store and helps chains make more money because of faster openings. The first of several planned vehicles was just launched by SPAR and is now setting-up major new retail stores across the country.

This mobile operations center is built from a 32' Holiday Rambler recreational vehicle. It weighs 16,000 pounds and has a Ford chassis and 460 CID engine. There's a kitchen, shower and bath, two television sets with VCR and Direct TV, a propane heater, air conditioner and 5,000-watt back-up generator.

High-tech devices support the fastest and most accurate retail merchandising possible. A wireless desktop computer inside the vehicle and wireless notebook computers for store use enable instant project communication. A wireless camera photographs store build-outs and remodelings in real time, and sends images to retail chain and SPAR headquarters. Connecting all is a wireless local area network (LAN) that provides Internet access within 300 feet of the vehicle, so merchandising specialists can view instructions and plan-o-grams on-line, resolve any issues in real time and upload completion reports and photos as they happen. Satellite Internet access connects to anywhere in North America. A global positioning satellite (GPS) system allows SPAR management to track the vehicle at any time. A flat-panel monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse complete the technology.

Real-world merchandising tools on-board include screwdrivers, electric and battery drills, razor blades, saws, ladders and more.

Resolving issues in real time energizes the process. The retail merchandising specialist, retail chain and SPAR Group can instantly address a myriad of real-world problems that delay traditional merchandising. They include electrical power issues, phone line issues, fire and building inspector challenges, missing inventory, fixtures not compatible with plan-o-grams and more.

This first-of-its-kind vehicle makes retail merchandising faster and more effective. It makes the best merchandising system even better by delivering trained merchandisers directly to the job site, increasing their performance, improving their communication and reducing their cost.

This is central to SPAR's "Great Openings" program, as emblazoned on the vehicle side. Here, SPAR is opening or fully remodeling hundreds of stores per year for leading national chains. The current program calls for nine days on site with dedicated merchandising specialists supplemented by local SPAR specialists. They open new stores faster than normal and increase chain revenues and profits each time. All efficiencies are maximized and issues are resolved quickly because all suppliers and vendors operate in real time.

SPAR's Mobile Project Headquarters and its technologies and systems are intended for drug, supermarket and mass merchant stores. SPAR envisions "Great Openings" programs to set-up and remodel hundreds of chain stores in these channels.

It's simple math, says Pat Franco, SPAR's senior vice president - information technology. Opening a store early can bring $250,000 or more sales to a retailer. We do it without dependence on store electricity, phone lines and Internet connections which are frequently not yet installed.

SPAR's Mobile Project Headquarters brings its dedicated teams and comprehensive technology to the job site. It speeds national store set-up and remodeling programs, and controls costs. This is a dramatic advance in retail merchandising.

To learn more about SPAR and its unmatched retail merchandising programs, call 914-332-4100,email servingyou@sparinc.com or check www.sparinc.com.