Winn-Dixie, Hitchcock's Get In on Lucky's Bidding

Lucky’s Market, which had trouble selling itself as a unit, is having better luck selling itself for parts.

Winn-Dixie has bid to buy leases for five sites in Florida, and Hitchcock’s Markets has bid for a site in Fort Lauderdale, according to filings in Lucky’s ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. Combined with previously reported bids from Publix, Aldi, Seabra Foods and a group headed by Lucky’s Markets founders, the defunct natural foods chain now has bids for 24 of its 39 units.

The Winn-Dixie bid will take away one store, in West Melbourne, Fla., that was initially to be acquired by Lucky’s founders. That store is now a part of a $2.8 million offer from Winn-Dixie that also includes leases for units in Gainesville, Fort Meyers, Naples and Lake Mary, Fla.

Winn-Dixie is operated by Jacksonville, Fla.-based Southeastern Grocers. It was not immediately clear whether Winn-Dixie would reopen all of the units or use some as replacement sites.

Carlos Alvarez, owner of the Florida independent Hitchcock’s Markets, has bid $275,000 for Lucky’s Fort Lauderdale store. Hitchcock’s, founded in 1945, operates 10 stores primarily in central Florida.

The purchase agreements are subject to court approval and an overbidding process. Investment banker PJ Solomon continues to assist Lucky’s in its sales of these and other company assets, and it continues to be in active dialogue with various additional potential buyers, Lucky’s said.