(SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 UPDATE: Southeastern Grocers has announced the sale of 23 more BI-LO and Harveys stores: 15 BI-LO stores will become KJ’s Market IGA, five will become Lowes, and two BI-LO stores and one Harveys will be sold to B&T Foods. The full list of affected stores is below.)
It’s not the most storied or beloved grocery chain around, but BI-LO has been a survivor for the past six decades, living through two bankruptcies and persevering through at least two attempts by its owner to sell off the entire chain. But now, the owner of the southern grocer says it’s finally time to say an official goodbye to BI-LO.
Owner Southeastern Grocers announced yesterday a “strategic decision to no longer operate stores under the BI-LO banner,” as part of “a series of transactions that will ensure the company continues to thrive and support the long-term growth of its core banners,” namely its other holdings Winn-Dixie, Harveys Supermarket and the Hispanic-focused South Florida chain Fresco y Más.
The company’s first move was to sell 46 BI-LO stores – nearly half of the roughly 100-store chain – to rival Food Lion, along with 16 Harveys locations. All of the affected stores will be converted to Food Lions beginning early next year. The remaining BI-LO stores in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia are likely to be sold or closed, as the company “explores strategic options… including other potential transactions.”
In a separate transaction announced at the same time, Southeastern Grocers is also transferring all in-store pharmacy operations at BI-LO and Harveys stores to CVS and Walgreens.
“The successful execution of our long-term transformation strategy may at times require difficult decisions,” SEG President and CEO Anthony Hucker said in a statement. “Today’s transactions are a critical strategic move and an important next step for our continued growth and broader evolution as a business.”
BI-LO’s story is filled with ups and downs, ownership changes and bankruptcy filings since its 1961 founding in Greenville, South Carolina. The BI-LO name came along two years later, based on a suggestion by the owner’s secretary. Ahold – which, incidentally, now owns Food Lion – bought BI-LO in the 1970’s and owned it for nearly 30 years, before selling it to private equity firm Lone Star Funds. By that time, BI-LO was South Carolina’s second-largest grocery chain, trailing only Walmart.
But its fortunes began to shift. Lone Star tried to sell BI-LO in 2007, before the company ultimately filed for bankruptcy a couple of years later. It emerged from bankruptcy and was put up for sale again – but instead, the company ended up acquiring Winn-Dixie in 2011, and Harveys in 2013. Shortly thereafter, Southeastern Grocers was created as a new parent company to the growing collection of grocery chains. And then the company went bankrupt again, closing more than 100 stores before emerging from bankruptcy just two months later.
By this time, BI-LO was no longer the name of the company, it was just one of many grocery chains owned by the new parent company. And the new parent company had begun to favor BI-LO’s siblings over the company’s onetime namesake. Winn-Dixie is by far Southeastern Grocers’ largest chain, with about 500 stores in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. Harveys has its own niche, serving smaller communities with smaller stores. And the newest chain, Fresco y Más, has a unique focus of its own, and continues to grow.
So BI-LO, a middle-of-the-road grocery chain without the scale of a Winn-Dixie or the specific niche of its other corporate siblings, found itself the odd one out. And while there are plenty of coupons-and-deals sites that follow Winn-Dixie and Southeastern competitors like Publix, Harris Teeter and Food Lion, BI-LO typically doesn’t earn the same level of attention or affection from deal-seekers. There was once a website called “I Heart BI-LO,” but that folded several years ago. Other couponers drifted away after BI-LO updated its coupon policy last year to eliminate the stacking of store and manufacturer’s coupons.
On the other hand, BI-LO is one of the few regional chains that still doubles coupons. BI-LO shoppers whose stores have been sold to Food Lion won’t be able to enjoy that perk for much longer.
“These actions will facilitate greater investment in our remaining footprint so we can continue to provide an exceptional shopping experience our customers can always count on,” Hucker said. The company says proceeds from the store sales will be used to continue refreshing and modernizing existing stores, and expanding them into new areas.
What follows is a list of the stores that have been sold. If your store isn’t on the list, its ultimate fate is still up in the air. Either way, if you’re a BI-LO fan, it will soon be time to wave goodbye to your local BI-LO – for good.
NEW: BI-LO STORES SOLD TO ALEX LEE, INC. (TO BECOME KJ’s MARKET IGA):
| Address | City | State |
| 1256 Highway 9 Bypass | West Lancaster | SC |
| 1401 East Main Street | Rock Hill | SC |
| 110 South Highway 52 | Moncks Corner | SC |
| 12189 Greenville Highway | Lyman | SC |
| 1021 South Pendleton Street | Easley | SC |
| 1048 York Street Northeast | Aiken | SC |
| 4435 Jefferson Davis Highway #11 | Clearwater | SC |
| 3353 Highway 72 221 East | Greenwood | SC |
| 3575 Maybank Highway | Johns Island | SC |
| 603 Main Street North | New Ellenton | SC |
| 501 South Pearl Street | Pageland | SC |
| 55 Carolina Square | Edgefield | SC |
| 249 West Columbia Avenue | Batesburg | SC |
| 3457 Peach Orchard Road | Augusta | GA |
| 2512 Tobacco Road | Hephzibah | GA |
BI-LO STORES SOLD TO ALEX LEE, INC. (TO BECOME LOWES):
| Address | City | State |
| 3619 Pelham Road | Greeneville | SC |
| 120 Forum Drive | Columbia | SC |
| 1419 Chapin Road | Chapin | SC |
| 3125 Bees Ferry Road | Charleston | SC |
| 1000 Tanner Ford Boulevard | Hanahan | SC |
BI-LO STORES SOLD TO B&T FOODS:
| Address | City | State |
| 312 S. Main St. | Glennville | GA |
| 120 East Winthrope Ave. | Millen | GA |
HARVEYS STORE SOLD TO B&T FOODS:
| Address | City | State |
| 8205 E. Main St. | Ridgeland | SC |
BI-LO STORES SOLD TO FOOD LION:
| Address | City | State |
| 2803 Wrightsboro Rd. | Augusta | GA |
| 155 S. Leroy St. | Metter | GA |
| 1041 Franklin Springs St. | Royston | GA |
| 325 Northside Dr. E. Ste. 1 | Statesboro | GA |
| 1109 W. Ogeechee St. | Sylvania | GA |
| 1101 E. 1st St. | Vidalia | GA |
| 2601 S. New Hope Rd. | Gastonia | NC |
| 742 W. Highway 27 | Lincolnton | NC |
| 2901 S. Main St. | Anderson | SC |
| 860 Parris Island Gtwy. Ste. N | Beaufort | SC |
| 2453 Charleston Hwy. | Cayce | SC |
| 300 Knox Abbott Dr. | Cayce | SC |
| 712 S. Alabama Ave. | Chesnee | SC |
| 1436 J A Cochran Byp. | Chester | SC |
| 4464 Devine St. | Columbia | SC |
| 6021 Saint Andrews Rd. | Columbia | SC |
| 104 Jungle Rd. | Edisto Island | SC |
| 1103 N. Main St. | Fountain Inn | SC |
| 6 K Mart Plz. | Greenville | SC |
| 15 Farrs Bridge Rd. | Greenville | SC |
| 101 Verdae Blvd. Ste. 1200 | Greenville | SC |
| 2010 Montague Avenue Ext. | Greenwood | SC |
| 1365 W. Wade Hampton Blvd. | Greer | SC |
| 2460 Hudson Rd. | Greer | SC |
| 819 W. Carolina Ave. | Hartsville | SC |
| 500 E. Greer St. | Honea Path | SC |
| 11153 Asheville Hwy. | Inman | SC |
| 3924 Highway 17 S. | North Myrtle Beach | SC |
| 1370 Chestnut NE | Orangeburg | SC |
| 115 Willbrook Blvd. | Pawleys Island | SC |
| 330 Lebby St. | Pelzer | SC |
| 7709 Highway 76 | Pendleton | SC |
| 518 N. Wheeler Ave. | Prosperity | SC |
| 5982 W. Jim Bilton Blvd. | Saint George | SC |
| 605 Travis Ave. | Saluda | SC |
| 191 Bilo Plz. | Seneca | SC |
| 2607 Woodruff Rd. | Simpsonville | SC |
| 699 Fairview Rd. | Simpsonville | SC |
| 2401 Reidville Rd. | Spartanburg | SC |
| 975 Bacons Bridge Rd. Unit 117 | Summerville | SC |
| 1625 N. Main St. Ste. 108 | Summerville | SC |
| 2055 Wedgefield Rd. | Sumter | SC |
| 550 Robertson Blvd. | Walterboro | SC |
| 1126 US Highway 321 Bus S | Winnsboro | SC |
| 717 E. Liberty St. Unit D | York | SC |
| 1095 Filbert Hwy. | York | SC |
HARVEYS STORES SOLD TO FOOD LION:
| Address | City | State |
| 2310 N. Slappey St. | Albany | GA |
| 1511 S. Radium Springs Rd. | Albany | GA |
| 2800 Old Dawson Rd. | Albany | GA |
| 1108 S. Pierce St. | Alma | GA |
| 12246 Columbia St. Ste. F | Blakely | GA |
| 775 Ga. Highway 122 W | Hahira | GA |
| 42 Surrey Plz. | Hawkinsville | GA |
| 955 S. 1st St. | Jesup | GA |
| 207 Mcpherson St. | Nashville | GA |
| 540 W. Bacon St. | Pembroke | GA |
| 1207 W. Screven St. | Quitman | GA |
| 246 S. Main St. | Reidsville | GA |
| 1451 Ga. Highway 21 S | Springfield | GA |
| 1404 E. Jackson St. | Thomasville | GA |
| 2201 US Highway 41 N | Tifton | GA |
| 1312 Plant Ave. | Waycross | GA |
Image source: BI-LO
I’m a little late posting about BI LO. My wife worked at the one in myrtle beach off 707 for a number of months. She left about two years before it closed. She also shopped there at times and continued just to see some employees she worked with. We found that southeastern grocers private label brands were always good. We kept trying different items and were never disappointed. usually their brands of course were lower cost but never lacked on quality. That is something we will miss here. My wife is not very easy on any products she thinks are not good but Southeastern grocers got good reviews from her. Now her and I both work for a public on opposite end of town off 707 in myrtle beach.
I’ve never been a big fan of Food Lion but I appreciate the fact that we have a grocery store available in the neighborhood. BI-LO was leaving anyway. I’m amazed at the fact that the store is set up pretty much the same that BI-LO was which is making the transition easier. I almost can’t tell that it’s a different store. Thank you Food Lion!!! I wish you much success!
Do we know what the BI-Lo in Franklin will become?
i will miss my bilo in myrtle beach so sad. I loved shopping there
I live in Brevard NC and just this last month all of the sudden we noticed this last week displays being taken down so we ask Cashier and they said closing around April 11th I wanted to shop this week but heard Meat Counter and possibly vegetables were not available. This store was the go to during the Pandemic. Have a wide assortment of items have known the employees for years and some had worked since Graduating High School till now for a long time. I loved the deli and their sales. It was right at the opening of Pisgah National Forest. Now all the visitors will have to travel a few miles to buy their groceries like the rest of us who live close enough to shop at Bilo. A part of our History is now going to close down They are making a big mistake when they close this store down for sure
I hate to see Bi-lo go- I worked for them 17 years.
Will miss the double up to 60 cents coupons and the senior discount if Food Lion comes in! Will definitely NOT shop there.
I hate that my bi-lo is closing in seneca sc i have been going there most of my life and i have good friends that work there now i probably won’t ever see them again and im going to miss that store a lot it has been a good store
Was just told my employee at BiLo in Pelzer that they are closing and not opening up as a Food Lion or any other grocery store. Is this true? Williamston and Pelzer doesn’t have a grocery store except for the bargain stores.
possibly
Read the article?
I live in Winnsboro, S.C. and the Bi*Lo here is changing to Food Lion. This town only has two grocery stores and KJ’s is the other one.
Next April I will have lived here for two years and have shopped primarily at Bi*Lo but I won’t shop there any more. Not because the store is closing but because this store allows a certain cashier to work with the public without a mask on. This is outrageous and dangerous. The employee claims to have a medical ‘exemption’ letter from her doctor but I seriously doubt she does. No doctor in their right mind would give anyone an exemption letter like that.
My own doctor doesn’t write them and her colleagues don’t either.
Not only is the cashier putting the public in danger, she’s putting herself in danger of getting infected with Covid. How ridiculous. If this woman is so ill she can’t wear a mask then she doesn’t need to be working with the public.
I hope that Food Lion’s Covid safety guidelines are more strict and their website claims it is. Time will tell.
I don’t particularly like shopping at KJ’s and the only reason is, they don’t carry all the items I usually buy. The store here looks clean, the aisles are wide and everyone is friendly. They need to carry more non-store brand items. So many of their items are their own brand. Nothing wrong with that of course but there’s just not much of a selection.
Don’t believe everything you hear without checking the real facts. There are hardly NO flu cases, no other normal causes of death, etc 2020-21. Everything is coded covid19. If you don’t agree with her medical exemption (your choice) just go to another checker’s lane. Or just drive elsewhere where you don’t feel as foolish wearing your mask because everyone else has one on too.
Please leave the store in Forest City, NC. I don’t shop anywhere else.
Going, March 1st!
What about the BiLo in Stanley, NC?
No mention of the Bi-lo in Woodruff, SC ???
Please let Travelers Rest SC stay open !! Been shopping there since around 1962-63. It is a vital part of our community. We need this store so desperately!!!
I agree where would we shop other than walmart?