BI-LO in West Columbia will become a KJ’s Market grocery store

The BI-LO grocery store in Westside Plaza in West Columbia will turn into a KJ’s Market grocery store at the beginning of the year.

A store manager, Danielle Rodgers, confirmed that the grocery store will change hands officially on Jan. 15 to become KJ’s Market IGA.

Rodgers said that employees are currently interviewing to stay on at the store, located at 2349 Augusta Road, after it transitions.

Southeastern Grocers sold 20 BI-LO stores to Alex Lee, the owner of W. Lee Flowers Co. In 2019, Alex Lee acquired W. Lee Flowers Co., the Scranton, S.C.-based grocery wholesaler and retailer for KJ’s Market and IGA stores, according to a press release from the company.

In June, Food Lion bought 62 BI-LO and Harveys Supermarket stores across South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, including five Columbia BI-LOs. The BI-LO at Parkland Plaza in Cayce will become a Food Lion, according to the plaza’s management.

Alex Lee also owns Lowes Foods and bought the BI-LO stores on 120 Forum Drive in Columbia and 1419 Chapin Road in Chapin to transition to Lowes Foods stores.

Southeastern Grocers said in June it would sell all South Carolina BI-LO stores in a move to focus on its Winn-Dixie branded stores after emerging from bankruptcy, according to a news release.

This story was originally published December 15, 2020 at 11:14 AM.