New grocery store replaces shuttered Bi-Lo in Lexington County
An old grocery store that closed more than a year ago has new life as another supermarket has moved into the Lexington County building.
A Food Lion has opened in a former Bi-Lo at 2916 Emanuel Church Rd. in West Columbia, according to a news release from the grocery chain. That’s near the intersection with Old Barnwell Road, and about three miles from Columbia Metropolitan Airport.
The Bi-Lo that previously occupied the building closed in March 2019. It was one of 10 Bi-Lo’s in South Carolina to be closed around that time by parent company Southeastern Grocers, including one on Columbia Avenue in Lexington.
In June, Food Lion announced it acquired more than five dozen Bi-Lo and Harveys supermarkets across South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. That includes several in Columbia, Lexington, and across the Midlands.
The new Food Lion in West Columbia is a fresh start, according to store manager Brandon Miles.
“I’m extremely excited to open this new location in the community I call home,” said Mills, who is a Midlands native and White Knoll alum, according to the release. “I’m proud to welcome my neighbors and my family to shop with us and experience our expanded assortment and variety throughout our new store. I look forward to seeing new faces, welcoming old friends and serving my community at our new location.”
In addition to Food Lion’s Nature’s Promise-brand beef, pork, poultry, milk, eggs, bottled water, cereal, coffee and other items, the store will also offer local products, officials said. That includes items from W.P. Rawl Farms in Pelion, Cromer’s Popcorn in Columbia, and Iron City Coffee roasted in Blythewood, according to the release.
To help introduce the new store, Miles delivered lunch bags filled with snacks and gift cards to Lexington County Fire Station 19, staff at White Knoll elementary and middle schools, in addition to several local businesses, Food Lion officials said.
Food Lion is donating a commercial refrigerator to Crossroads Worldwide Outreach Center to help during the coronavirus pandemic. Once installed, Food Lion officials said employees will fill the refrigerator with fresh produce for local families looking for grocery options while demand has increased.
The new store is open daily from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. The grocery store will also offer Food Lion To-Go, a service for customers to order items for pickup or delivery.
Based out of Salisbury, North Carolina, Food Lion has more than 1,000 stores, and currently operates 100-plus supermarkets in South Carolina, according to the company.
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