City’s only Bi-Lo to close by Nov. 11
By Bobby Bryant, Editor, editor@newsandpress.net
Darlington’s only Bi-Lo grocery store is being closed because it’s “underperforming,” parent company Southeastern Grocers said last week.
The store, at 508 Lamar Highway, will close “on or before” Nov. 11, the company said in a statement Oct. 10.
“We realize that the closure of an underperforming store in your community can be challenging,” Southeastern Grocers said. “We do not take these decisions lightly, and only make this tough choice after careful consideration of its impact on our associates and our customers has been made.”
Employees at the store “were the first to know of this decision and have our dedicated support during this transition,” the Florida-based company said. However, when the News & Press called the store shortly after receiving the company’s statement, employees said they had not been told the store was to be closed.
The Bi-Lo is in a small shopping plaza that also includes a CitiTrends store, a Rent-A-Center and a Dollar Tree.
Built about 20 years ago, this Bi-Lo replaced a much smaller Bi-Lo nearby. At the time, officials said that this new store would be roughly twice the size, might employ twice as many people and might cost nearly $5 million to complete.
Southeastern Grocers said it will be offering more information about any “mark-down discounts” on remaining merchandise. Southeastern Grocers also owns Winn-Dixie grocery stores. In South Carolina, it operates about 123 Bi-Lo stores.