DILLARD EXPANDS

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Dillard Department Stores Inc. has entered into an agreement to purchase seven West Florida department stores from Maison Blanche Department Stores in a deal valued at $68 million.

The agreement includes the purchase of store properties, leases and inventory and the assumption of mortgages.

The purchase will bring the number of stores operated by the Little Rock, Ark.-based department store retailer to 194 in 18 states. Dillard had sales of $3.61 billion for its fiscal year ending Feb. 2, up from the $3.05 billion of a year ago.

Dillard will provide one of the anchor stores in the new Illinois Center Mall, which will open later this year at Marion, Ill.