Spartan (SPTN) Stores Declares Quarterly Dividend

Oct. 14, 2010 (Business Wire) — Spartan Stores, Inc., (Nasdaq:SPTN) today announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share. The dividend is payable on December 15, 2010 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 1, 2010. As of September 30, 2010, there were approximately 22,625,197 common shares outstanding.

About Spartan Stores

Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Spartan Stores, Inc., (Nasdaq:SPTN) is the nation’s eleventh largest grocery distributor with 1.4 million square feet of warehouse, distribution, and office space located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Company distributes more than 40,000 corporate and national brand products to approximately 370 independent grocery stores in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio. Spartan Stores also owns and operates 97 retail supermarkets in Michigan, including Family Fare Supermarkets, Glen’s Markets, D&W Fresh Markets, Felpausch Food Centers and VG’s Food and Pharmacy.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially. The Company’s adoption of a dividend policy does not commit the board of directors to declare future dividends. Each future dividend will be considered and declared by the board of directors in its discretion. The ability of the board of directors to continue to declare dividends will depend on a number of factors, including the Company’s future financial condition and profitability and compliance with the terms of its credit facilities.

Additional information about the factors that may adversely affect these forward-looking statements is contained in Spartan Stores’ reports and filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Other risk factors exist and new risk factors may emerge at any time. Given these risks and uncertainties, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as predictions of future results. Spartan Stores undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect developments or information obtained after the date of this press release.

Spartan Stores, Inc.

Investor Contact:

Dave Staples

Executive Vice President & CFO

(616) 878-8793

Media Contact:

Jeanne Norcross

Vice President Corporate Affairs

(616) 878-2830