FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO

 
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.27

                            FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT TO

                   AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

                   ----------------------------------------- 

     THIS AGREEMENT, entered into as of the 31st day of August, 1997, between JG
INDUSTRIES, INC.("JG"), an Illinois corporation, XXXXXXXXX'X DEPARTMENT STORES,
INC. ("Xxxxxxxxx'x"), an Illinois corporation (collectively, the "Employer"),
and XXXXXXX XXXXXXX (the "Employee").

     WHEREAS, Employee has been employed by Employer in an executive capacity
pursuant to an Amended and Restated Employment Agreement dated as of the first
day of June, 1983, as amended (the "Employment Agreement"); and

     WHEREAS, Employer and Employee desire to further amend the Employment
Agreement in certain respects as hereinafter stated; 

     ACCORDINGLY, the Employment Agreement is hereby amended and restated in the
following respect;

     1.   New Termination Date. The Employment Period shall terminate on August
31, 1998.

     2.   Base Compensation. Paragraph 3(a) is deleted in its entirety and the
following is substituted in its place and stead:

     "(a) Base Compensation. He shall receive a salary for the Employment Period
     based upon an annual salary of $250,000 ("Base Compensation") payable in
     monthly or more frequent installments in accordance with Employer's
     remuneration policy respecting executives."

 
     3.   Annuity Contracts. The provisions respecting Annuity Contracts set
forth in paragraph 3 of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Employment Agreement
shall be modified to provide that the monthly annuity payment shall be increased
to $18,583.

     4.   Effect of Amendment. All other paragraphs of the Employment Agreement,
as heretofore amended, shall remain unchanged and shall continue in full force
and effect.


     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Employee and the Employer have executed this
Fourteenth Amendment to Amended and Restated Employment Agreement as of the date
first above written.


                               /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
                               -------------------
                                   Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx

                               JG INDUSTRIES, INC.

                               By:  /s/ Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
                                    -------------------
                               Its: President


                               XXXXXXXXX'X DEPARTMENT STORES, INC.

                               By:  /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
                                    --------------------
                               Its:  Chairman