SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         Washington, D.C. 20594


                              SCHEDULE 13G

               Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                           (Amendment No. )*



                            Venator Group Inc.

                             (Name of Issuer)

                               Common Stock

                      (Title of Class of Securities)

                                922944103

                              (CUSIP Number)


Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [ ].
(A fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous
statement on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five
percent of the class of securities described in Item 1: and (2) has
filed no amendment subsequent thereto reporting beneficial ownership of
five percent or less of such class.) (See Rule 13d-7).

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class
of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information
which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of
that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of
the Act (however, see the Notes).




























 1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
     S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
     Capital Research and Management Company
     95-1411037

 2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                    (a)   

                                                                    (b)   

 3   SEC USE ONLY




 4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     Delaware


              5   SOLE VOTING POWER

                  NONE


              6   SHARED VOTING POWER
 NUMBER OF
   SHARES
                  NONE
BENEFICIALL
 Y OWNED BY
              7   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    EACH
 REPORTING
                  10,543,300
PERSON WITH


              8   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                  NONE


 9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     10,543,300   Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4


 10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*




 11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

     7.8%


 12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

     IA


                  *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT!












                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                          Washington, DC 20549

                              Schedule 13G
               Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Amendment No.

Item 1(a)   Name of Issuer:
       Venator Group Inc.

Item 1(b)   Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
       233 Broadway
       New York, NY  10279-0003

Item 2(a)   Name of Person(s) Filing:
       Capital Research and Management Company

Item 2(b)   Address of Principal Business Office:
       333 South Hope Street
       Los Angeles, CA  90071

Item 2(c)   Citizenship:   N/A

Item 2(d)   Title of Class of Securities:
       Common Stock

Item 2(e)   CUSIP Number:
       922944103

Item 3   The person(s) filing is(are):

       (e)    [X]   Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of
            the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Item 4   Ownership

       Capital Research and Management Company, an investment adviser
       registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of
       1940 is deemed to be the beneficial owner of 10,543,300 shares or
       7.8% of the 135,615,000 shares of Common Stock believed to be
       outstanding as a result of acting as investment adviser to
       various investment companies registered under Section 8 of the
       Investment Company Act of 1940.

Item 5   Ownership of 5% or Less of a Class: [ ]

Item 6   Ownership of More than 5% on Behalf of Another Person: N/A

Item 7   Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
       Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
       Company: N/A

Item 8   Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:  N/A

Item 9   Notice of Dissolution of the Group:  N/A

Item 10   Certification






       belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in the
       ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the purpose
       of and do not have the effect of changing or influencing the
       control of the issuer of such securities and were not acquired in
       connection with or as a participant in any transaction having
       such purpose or effect.

   Signature

       After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
       belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
       statement is true, complete and correct.



        Date:          February 8, 1999 (For the period ended
                       December 31, 1998)


        Signature:     *Paul G. Haaga, Jr.

        Name/Title:    Paul G. Haaga, Jr., Executive Vice
                       President

                       Capital Research and Management Company




        *By

               James P. Ryan
               Attorney-in-fact

               Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 29,
               1999 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with
               the Securities and Exchange Commission by Capital
               Research and Management Company on February 8, 1999 with
               respect to ABR Information Services, Inc.