Form 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, DC 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL
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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* Christy, William O.	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol 99 Cents Only Stores (NDN)		6. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _X_ Director ___ 10% Owner ___ Officer (give title below) ___ Other (specify below)
(Last) (First) (Middle) c/o 99¢ Only Stores 4000 Union Pacific Avenue	3. I.R.S. Identification Number of Reporting Person, if an entity (voluntary)	4. Statement for Month/Day/Year 04/24/2003
(Street) City of Commerce, California 90023		5. If Amendment, Date of Original (Month/Day/Year)	7. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City) (State) (Zip)	Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transactions (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price		6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
Common Stock (acquisition from options exercised)	04/24/2003		M		7,000	A	$2.64
Common Stock (sale of stock received upon exercise of option)	04/24/2003		S		7,000	D	$28.35	0

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. * If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instructions 4(b)(v).
	Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.	(Over) SEC 1474 (9-02)

FORM 4 (continued)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1.
Title of Derivative Security
(Instr.3)

2.
Conversion or
Exercise
Price of
Derivative
Security

3.
Transaction
Date
(Month/
Day/Year)

3A.
Deemed Execution
Date, if any
(Month/
Day/Year)

4.
Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)

5.
Number of Derivative
Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr.3,4 and 5)

6.
Date Exercisable
and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)

7.
Title and Amount of
Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)

8.
Price of
Derivative
Security
(Instr. 5)

9.
Number of
Derivative
Securities
Beneficially
Owned Following
Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)

10.
Ownership
Form of
Derivative
Security:
Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)

11.
Nature of
Indirect
Beneficial
Ownership
(Instr. 4)

Code

(A)

(D)

Date
Exercisable

Expiration
Date

Title

Amount
or
Number
of Shares

Stock Option Exercised (right to

$2.64

04/24/2003

7,000

(1)

05/01/2006

Common Stock

7,000

5,333(2)

Explanation of Responses:

(1) Options granted on May 1, 1996 vested in three equal annual installments beginning on May 1, 1997.

(2) The total number of derivative securities reported herein as beneficially owned only represents this specific class of derivative securities and does not include other classes of derivative securities previously granted to the Reporting Person.

**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).	/s/ William O. Christy **Signature of Reporting Person	04/25/2003 Date
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not
required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.

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CHRISTY WILLIAM 4