Winn-Dixie Sells Leases for 102 Stores

Jacksonville, Fla., Winn-Dixie Stores has sold leases to 102 of its stores to 30 purchasers for $45.6 million. Most of the buyers plan to use them as grocery and liquor stores. According to Peter Lynch, Winn-Dixie president and CEO, many of the purchasing stores agreed to offer Winn-Dixie employees jobs. The company said 22,500 employees would lose their jobs after Winn-Dixie closed or sold 326 stores.

Winn-Dixie had filed for bankruptcy in February. It hopes to begin the sales on Aug. 1 and have them finalized by mid-September. After the closings, the company will still own and operate 587 stores in the southeastern United States and the Bahamas.