As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 16, 2003


                                                       Registration No. 33-50198

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



                         POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1
                                       TO
                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933



                              RETAIL VENTURES, INC.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


                                                       
                       Ohio                                   20-0090238
             (State or other jurisdiction                  (I.R.S. Employer
         of incorporation or organization)                Identification No.)


                              3241 Westerville Road
                              Columbus, Ohio 43224
              (Address of Registrant's principal executive offices)


                              RETAIL VENTURES, INC.
                   1992 OFFICER/KEY EMPLOYEE STOCK BONUS PLAN

                            (Full Title of the Plan)


                                James A. McGrady
   Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary
                              Retail Ventures, Inc.
                              3241 Westerville Road
                              Columbus, Ohio 43224
                                 (614) 471-4722
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)


                          Copies of Correspondence to:
                             Robert J. Tannous, Esq.
                       Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur LLP
                              41 South High Street
                              Columbus, Ohio 43215






                   POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO FORM S-8

         This post-effective amendment is being filed pursuant to Rule 414 under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), to reflect the
adoption by Value City Department Stores, Inc., an Ohio corporation ("Value
City"), of a holding company form of organizational structure. The holding
company organizational structure was effected pursuant to an Agreement and Plan
of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") among Value City, Retail Ventures, Inc., an
Ohio corporation (the "Registrant"), and Value City Merger Sub, Inc., an Ohio
corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of the Registrant ("Merger
Corporation"). The Merger Agreement provides for, among other things, the merger
(the "Merger") of Merger Corporation with and into Value City, with Value City
as the surviving corporation. The Merger was approved by the shareholders of
Value City at a meeting for which proxies were solicited pursuant to Section
14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),
which was held on September 26, 2002.

         As a result of the Merger, which was consummated at 12:01 a.m. on
October 8, 2003, Value City became a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the
Registrant. Each share of common stock, without par value, of Value City issued
and outstanding was converted into and exchanged for one share of common stock,
without par value, of the Registrant. Immediately prior to the consummation of
the Merger, the Registrant had nominal assets and liabilities.

         In accordance with Rule 414 under the Securities Act, the Registrant,
as successor issuer to Value City, hereby expressly adopts this registration
statement as its own for all purposes of the Securities Act and the Exchange
Act. The Value City Department Stores, Inc. 1992 Officer/Key Employee Stock
Bonus Plan to which this registration statement relates (the "Plan") shall be
known as the Retail Ventures, Inc. Amended and Restated 1992 Officer/Key
Employee Stock bonus Plan. Subsequent to the holding company reorganization, the
Plan will continue to cover employees of Value City. However, shares of stock
issued in accordance with the Plan shall be shares of stock of the Registrant
rather than shares of Value City.

         The applicable registration fees were paid at the time of the original
filing of this registration statement.



                                      -1-



                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned,
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Columbus, State of Ohio, on October
15, 2003.

                       RETAIL VENTURES, INC.

                       By: * John C. Rossler
                       ------------------------------------------------------
                       John C. Rossler, President and Chief Executive Officer


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:



              SIGNATURE                                   TITLE                                      DATE
              ---------                                   -----                                      ----
                                                                                      
         *Jay L. Schottenstein               Chairman of the Board                      )      October 15, 2003
---------------------------------------                                                 )
          Jay L. Schottenstein                                                          )
                                                                                        )
                                                                                        )
         *John C. Rossler                    President and Chief Executive Officer      )      October 15, 2003
---------------------------------------      (Principal Executive Officer)              )
          John C. Rossler                                                               )
                                                                                        )
                                                                                        )
         /s/ James A. McGrady                Executive Vice President, Chief            )      October 15, 2003
---------------------------------------      Financial Officer, Treasurer, and          )
         James A. McGrady                    Secretary (Principal Financial Officer)    )
                                                                                        )
                                                                                        )
         *Henry L. Aaron                     Director                                   )      October 15, 2003
---------------------------------------                                                 )
          Henry L. Aaron                                                                )
                                                                                        )
                                                                                        )
         *Ari Deshe                          Director                                   )      October 15, 2003
---------------------------------------                                                 )
          Ari Deshe                                                                     )
                                                                                        )
                                                                                        )
         *Jon P. Diamond                     Director                                   )      October 15, 2003
----------------------------------------                                                )
          Jon P. Diamond                                                                )
                                                                                        )
                                                                                        )
         *Elizabeth M. Eveillard             Director                                   )      October 15, 2003
----------------------------------------                                                )
          Elizabeth M. Eveillard                                                        )
                                                                                        )
                                                                                        )
         *Harvey L. Sonnenberg               Director                                   )      October 15, 2003
---------------------------------------                                                 )
          Harvey L. Sonnenberg                                                          )
                                                                                        )
                                                                                        )



                                      -2-



                                                                                      
         *James L. Weisman                   Director                                   )      October 15, 2003
---------------------------------------                                                 )
          James L. Weisman



*By:    /s/ James A. McGrady
      -----------------------------------------------
        James A. McGrady, attorney-in-fact
        for each of the persons indicated




                                      -3-







                            Registration No. 33-50198




                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                         POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 1

                                       TO

                                    FORM S-8

                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT

                                      UNDER

                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933




                              RETAIL VENTURES, INC.



                                    EXHIBITS







                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



    Exhibit                                            Exhibit
    Number                                           Description
    -------                                          -----------

                    
     4(a)       *         Value City Department  Stores,  Inc. Board of Directors  Resolution dated
                          as of July 6,  1992,  adopting  the  terms of the Value  City  Department
                          Stores, Inc. 1992 Officer/Key Employee Stock Bonus Plan

     4(b)       *         Form of 1992 Bonus Share agreement

     4(c)       *         Form of Depository Agreement

     4(d)                 Amended and Restated  Articles of Incorporation of Retail Ventures,  Inc.
                          (Previously  filed as Exhibit 3(a) to Form 8-K (file No. 001-10767) filed
                          October 8, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference).

     4(e)                 Amended  and  Restated  Code of  Regulations  of  Retail  Ventures,  Inc.
                          (Previously  filed as Exhibit 3(b) to Form 8-K (file No. 001-10767) filed
                          October 8, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference).

     5          *         Opinion of Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur LLP regarding legality.

     23(a)                Consent of Porter,  Wright,  Morris & Arthur LLP  (included  in Exhibit 5
                          filed herewith).

     23(b)      *         Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.

     24         *         Powers of Attorney.




     * Filed with this Registration Statement