Food Lion Works to Reopen 50 Stores

MARK HAMSTRA

SALISBURY, N.C. — Food Lion here said it still had about 50 locations that were closed as of late Monday, mostly due to power outages, and mostly in the Richmond, Va., market, and in coastal areas in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene.

"We're working as quickly as possible to get those stores back up and running," said Christy Phillips-Brown, a Food Lion spokeswoman, noting that more stores were expected to reopen on Tuesday.

She said the chain had closed as many as 350 locations during the storm. Millions of people were left without power in parts of North Carolina and Virginia, according to reports.

Phillips-Brown said the chain was able to open a store in Avon, N.C., on the state's Outer Banks barrier islands, and noted it was the only supermarket operating on that island as of Monday.

Food Lion also donated cleaning supplies and other product to the American Red Cross for its relief efforts, and is distributing water in some communities.