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 *   HUNTER STEVEN L 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 03/01/2010 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol STAGE STORES INC [SSI] (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) EVP, Chief Information Officer 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 5,000 (1) D Â

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	06/02/2009	06/02/2015	Common Stock	15,000 (2)	$ 13.26	D	Â
Stock Appreciation Rights	03/27/2010	03/27/2016	Common Stock	15,000 (3)	$ 9.77	D	Â

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
HUNTER STEVEN L 10201 MAIN STREET HOUSTON, TX 77025	Â	Â	  EVP, Chief Information Officer	Â

Signatures

/s/ R.E. Stasyszen, Attorney in Fact for Steven L. Hunter		03/10/2010
**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)	On June 2, 2008, the reporting person was granted 5,000 shares of restricted common stock. The shares will vest, on a three-year cliff basis, on June 2, 2011.
(2)	On June 2, 2008, the reporting person was granted Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) with respect to a total of 15,000 shares of common stock. The grant price for the SARs is $13.26 per share of common stock, which was the closing price of the issuer's common stock on the grant date. The SARs will vest 25% per year on the first four anniversary dates from the date of grant. They will expire on the earlier of (i) sixty days after termination of employment (one year if termination is due to death, disability or retirement), or (ii) seven years from the date of grant.
(3)	On March 27, 2009, the reporting person was granted Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) with respect to a total of 15,000 shares of common stock. The grant price for the SARs is $9.77 per share of common stock, which was the closing price of the issuer's common stock on the grant date. The SARs will vest 25% per year on the first four anniversary dates from the date of grant. They will expire on the earlier of (i) sixty days after termination of employment (one year if termination is due to death, disability or retirement), or (ii) seven years from the date of grant.

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