A grocery store chain based in Hickory, N.C., is continuing to make a push into South Carolina by buying 20 Bi-Lo branded stores.
Alex Lee Inc. signed a purchase agreement Tuesday to purchase 18 Bi-Lo stores in South Carolina and two in the Augusta market from Southeastern Grocers Inc.
The company owns Lowes Foods stores, which has locations in Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Myrtle Beach.
“We are excited to add these new locations to our retail store portfolio,” Alex Lee President and CEO Brian George said in a statement. “We have an opportunity to accelerate our growth in these markets while continuing to provide shoppers with a unique grocery shopping experience in their local communities.”
Alex Lee Inc. said the company plans to employ more than 2,000 people where the 20 Bi-Lo stores are located, and that number could include existing Bi-Lo employees. The locations will stay under the Bi-Lo brand for the time being. Alex Lee said the sales will be closed over a three-month period beginning in September.
After the sales close, 15 of the the Bi-Lo stores will be rebranded under the KJ’s Market IGA brand. Five will be converted to Lowes Foods Brand. Alex Lee also owns the W. Lee Flowers IGA distribution company in Florence County.
Bi-Lo stores affected under the Alex Lee Inc. purchase:
Locations to be converted to Lowes Foods:
- 3619 Pelham Road, Greenville
- 120 Forum Drive, Columbia
- 1419 Chapin Road, Chapin
- 3125 Bees Ferry Road, Charleston
- 1000 Tanner Ford Blvd., Hanahan
Locations to be converted to KJ’s Market IGA:
- 1256 S.C. Highway 9 Bypass, Lancaster
- 1401 E. Main St., Rock Hill
- 110 U.S. Highway 52 S., Suite B, Moncks Corner
- 12189 Greenville Highway, Lyman
- 1021 S. Pendleton St., Easley
- 1048 York St. N.E., Aiken
- 4435 Jefferson Davis Highway, No. 11, Clearwater
- 3353 S.C. Highway 72 U.S. Highway 221 E., Greenwood
- 3575 Maybank Highway, Unit L, Johns Island
- 603 Main St. N., New Ellenton
- 501 S. Pearl St., Pageland
- 155 Carolina Square, Edgefield
- 249 W. Columbia Ave. , Batesburg
- 3457 Peach Orchard Road, Augusta
- 2512 Tobacco Road, Hephzibah, Ga.