Southeastern converting Charlotte Bi-Lo to Harveys

In yet another overnight store conversion undertaken by Southeastern Grocers, a Bi-Lo store in Charlotte, N.C., opened Wednesday under the Harveys Supermarkets banner.

The Bi-Lo store was converted to a Harveys overnight in time for a ribbon-cutting Wednesday morning.

The store becomes the first Harveys location in North Carolina and features the brand's newly hatched discount profile, which Southeastern debuted earlier this year at a converted Winn-Dixie store in Jacksonville, Fla. The conversion — Southeastern's third overnight banner change in recent months — provides further indication that the Jacksonville-based parent of Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie is adopting a multi-format approach with Harveys as a means to convert conventional stores into a discount format where warranted.

In addition to the Jacksonville Harveys conversion in May, Southeastern recently introduced a Hispanic concept, Fresco y Mas, at a Winn-Dixie site in Florida, also flipping that store overnight.

“Charlotte is a vibrant city that is growing and changing quickly, and we recognized an opportunity to provide a fresh store for this community," Ian McLeod, CEO of Southeastern, said in a statement. "While our store is undergoing dramatic changes and improvements, our commitment to providing great value and service to our customers will remain our top priority, as we continue to invest in lower prices and new jobs for Charlotte.”

The store's nearest competitors are also discounters — a Save-A-Lot and an Aldi just minutes away.

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As it did in Jacksonville, Southeastern accompanied the banner change with bright yellow decor, the introduction of additional Southern Home private brand products, and an extended discount program known as "Low and Staying Low," similar to the "Down Down" program introduced at Bi-Lo earlier this year, only with additional products. The store also adds a $1 Zone with 650 items, a revamped meat department with larger pack sizes, and a "Pick 5" program offering more than 75 items including fresh and frozen meat, for $19.95, a 25% average discount.

The store also includes a new wing bar, and expanded selection in health and beauty, and a refreshed produce section, Southeastern said.

Southeastern said the Bi-Lo Bonuscard rewards program is still valid for all participating customers, and that shoppers can still earn rewards by shopping at the store and won’t see any changes in the fuelperks! gas-discount reward. All of the current Bi-Lo associates are remaining at the store.