Winn-Dixie Stores Sold to Bi-Lo for $560M

[dixiegrrrrl]

See, Southerners will know why this is an important story.
Tell me, do you think it will be a good or bad change for Winn Dixie?
Anyone had experience with HI-LO?

The supermarket chain Winn-Dixie is being sold in a deal valued at $560 million to Bi-Lo LLC, the companies said Monday, creating a huge grocery operator in the South.

Shares of Winn-Dixie, which has more than twice the number of stores of its buyer, jumped over 70 percent Monday. The company had struggled in the past, entering into bankruptcy protection in 2005, but has been revamping operations in recent years.

The combined company will have about 690 stores and 63,000 workers in eight states in the southern U.S. Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. will become a privately held subsidiary and its ticker will be removed from the Nasdaq. Bi-Lo is a private company.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/winn-dixie-stores-sold-bi-lo-560m-15194841

cross posted in Alabama group

[OriginalGeek]

1. I hated shopping at WD

In every case where I had a choice of WD or Publix I always went to Publix and the single most important reason (to me) was that Publix was always cleaner.

I was ecstatic when a Publix opened up across the street from my neighborhood Winn-Dixie so I didn't have to shop on those dirty WD floors any more. A couple years after Publix opened up, Winn-Dixie moved out of their store and built a brand new one on the opposite corner. I had to go in there literally less than 2 weeks after it opened ( i needed something and they were open late and Publix was already closed for the evening) and the floors were already filthy.

5 years later the new WD closed but the Publix is still there, thriving, clean and bright and shiny almost as the day it was new. It has 2 closed WD carcasses on opposite corners of it and I don't miss them a bit.

I can't help but think that if Bi-Lo makes a manager at WD pick up a broom or a mop it will be a huge improvement.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. I lived in Mobile for several years

'87 to '93.
While city living is not my happy place, I DID love that there was a choice of grocery stores, including Public...and Brunos, at that time,
plus WDixie, plus local produce.
Out here in the sticks, 90 miles from any city, the prices are very high, and we only have WDixie, Wal-mart ( Food World closed a couple years ago, went bankrupt, after Brunos bought them.) and dollar type stores in town.

[OriginalGeek]

3. Well Winn-Dixe is certainly better than wallyworld

so I sincerely hope the buy-out works out for you. Does yours at least have a liquor store? Liquor can help.

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Oh my, I gotta tell ya..

This county went wet in 2004.
There are people here who are STILL pissed about that. Seriously pissed.
And no hard liquor..just beer and wine ( not on Sunday of course).

Last year one of the 3 restaurants in town applied for a license to serve wine.

The local newspaper was filled with hell and damnation letters..
" We told you so, once the country allowed beer, booze is taking over everything!!!!!" etc

Reminded me of a DU conniption fit.