Ownership Submission
FORM 3
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

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
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Hall Andrew T
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
02/20/2006
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
STAGE STORES INC [STGS]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
10201 MAIN STREET
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Pres. & COO
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

HOUSTON, TX 77025
6. 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 Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)
3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 30,000 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)
4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)
6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) 02/20/2007(2) 02/20/2013 Common stock 100,000 (2) $ 28.11 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Hall Andrew T
10201 MAIN STREET
HOUSTON, TX 77025
      Pres. & COO  

Signatures

Andrew T. Hall 03/01/2006
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The 30,000 shares of restricted common stock were granted on February 20, 2006. They will vest as follows: 10,000 shares on December 31, 2006, 10,000 shares on December 31, 2007, and the final 10,000 shares on December 31, 2008.
(2) On February 20 , 2006, Mr. Hall was granted Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) with respect to a total of 100,000 shares of common stock. The grant price for the SARs is $28.11 per share of common stock. The SARs will vest at the rate of 25% per year on each of the first four anniversary dates from the date of grant. They will expire on the earlier of (i) sixty days after Mr. Hall is no longer an officer of Stage Stores, Inc., or (ii) seven years from the date of grant.

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