Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN 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
OMB APPROVAL
OMB Number: 3235-0287
Expires: January 31, 2005
Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5

(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
BOXER SHELLEY
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC [MSM]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Vice President of Finance
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
C/O MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC, 75 MAXESS RD
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
01/10/2005
(Street)

MLEVILLE, NY 11747
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
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 Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   M   9,000 A $ 14.25 16,651 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   M   7,000 A $ 14.5 23,651 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   M   4,000 A $ 13.9375 27,651 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   300 D $ 33.09 27,351 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   4,300 D $ 33.1 23,051 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   500 D $ 33.11 22,551 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   400 D $ 33.12 22,151 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   100 D $ 33.14 22,051 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   200 D $ 33.15 21,851 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   400 D $ 33.2 21,451 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   100 D $ 33.23 21,351 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   200 D $ 33.24 21,151 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   400 D $ 33.25 20,751 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   100 D $ 33.32 20,651 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   100 D $ 33.33 20,551 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   700 D $ 33.34 19,851 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   2,400 D $ 33.35 17,451 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   2,500 D $ 33.36 14,951 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   600 D $ 33.37 14,351 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   6,600 D $ 33.38 7,751 D  
Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 01/10/2005   S   100 D $ 33.39 7,651 D  

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number. SEC 1474 (9-02)

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Options (right to buy) (1) $ 14.25 01/10/2005   M     9,000   (2) 10/14/2008 See Footnote (5) 9,000 $ 0 0 D  
Options (right to buy) (1) $ 14.5 01/10/2005   M     7,000   (3) 09/21/2011 See Footnote (5) 7,000 $ 0 13,000 D  
Options (right to buy) (1) $ 13.9375 01/10/2005   M     4,000   (4) 11/09/2010 See Footnote (5) 4,000 $ 0 4,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
BOXER SHELLEY
C/O MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC
75 MAXESS RD
MLEVILLE, NY 11747
      Vice President of Finance  

Signatures

 /s/ Shelley M. Boxer   01/12/2005
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(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) Options to Purchase Issuer's Class A common stock, $.001 par value
(2) An option to purchase 75,000 shares of the Issuer's common stock, par value $.001 per share, was issued to the Reporting person under the Issuer's 1998 Stock Option Plan. One-fifth of such option became exercisable on each of October 14, 1999, October 14, 2000, October 14, 2001, October 14, 2002 and October 14, 2003.
(3) An option to purchase 20,000 shares of the Issuer's common stock, par value $.001 per share, was issued to the Reporting person under the Issuer's 2001 Stock Option Plan. One-fifth of such option became exercisable on each of September 21, 2002, September 21, 2003 and September 21, 2004. The balance of such option becomes exercisable in one-fifth on each of September 21, 2005 and September 21, 2006.
(4) An option to purchase 20,000 shares of the Issuer's common stock, par value $.001 per share, was issued to the Reporting person under the Issuer's 1998 Stock Option Plan. One-fifth of such option became exercisable on each of November 9, 2001, November 9, 2002, November 9, 2003 and November 9, 2004. The balance of such option becomes exercisable in one-fifth on November 9, 2005.
(5) Class A common stock, $.001 par value

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Potential persons who are to respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB number.