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Piggly Wiggly owners to buy pair of Bi-Lo stores

C&S Wholesale Grocers-supplied operators expand in South Carolina, Georgia

Russell Redman

December 21, 2020

2 Min Read
Piggly Wiggly-Columbus GA.jpeg
Two independent Piggly Wiggly owners have agreed to acquire one store in Pooler, Ga., and another in Lexington, S.C.Piggly Wiggly

Supported by C&S Wholesale Grocers, two independent Piggly Wiggly owners plan to acquire one Bi-Lo supermarket in South Carolina and another in Georgia from Southeastern Grocers.

C&S said Monday the Bi-Lo at 1042 US-80 West in Pooler, Ga., is being purchased by Ashley and Missy Thompson, who own four Piggly Wiggly supermarkets in southeastern Georgia. Charles Starbuck, a new owner for Piggly Wiggly stores in the Southeast, is buying the Bi-Lo store at 760 US-378 in Lexington, S.C.

Plans call for the acquired Bi-Lo stores to be remodeled to Piggly Wiggly locations upon the completion of the transactions, expected in mid-January pending customary closing conditions, Keene, N.H.-based C&S said. Including the two new stores, C&S will support and supply 55 Piggly Wiggly locations in South Carolina and southeastern Georgia, served through the distributor’s Mauldin, S.C., warehouse.

“Our independent owners are excited to grow their existing store footprint and expand the Piggly Wiggly brand in the Southeast,” John Owens, vice president and Southeast general manager for C&S Wholesale Grocers, said in a statement. “We look forward to serving our new customers with the high-quality products and exceptional service that Piggly Wiggly stores are known for.”

Related:Piggly Wiggly Midwest re-ups e-commerce partnership with Mercatus

Overall, the Piggly Wiggly banner encompasses more than 600 independently owned and operated supermarkets in 17 states, including 53 in South Carolina and coastal Georgia. Sheboygan, Wis.-based Piggly Wiggly Midwest operates and services 96 Piggly Wiggly stores in Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

The transactions with Southeastern Grocers mark the latest Bi-Lo stores sold by the Jacksonville, Fla.-based retailer. 

In June, Southeastern Grocers announced the sale of 62 Bi-Lo and Harveys Supermarket stores in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia and a distribution center in Mauldin, S.C. to Ahold Delhaize USA’s Food Lion chain. Then in September, Southeastern Grocers agreed to sell 23 Bi-Lo and Harveys stores in South Carolina and Georgia to grocery wholesaler and retailer Alex Lee and independent operator B&T Foods. The phaseout of Bi-Lo is part of a five-year business transformation strategy since Southeastern Grocers emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy in mid-2018.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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