Bi-Lo reportedly working IPO deal

[thelakelander]

Looks like Bi-Lo is ready to go public:

http://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2013/08/20/bi-lo-reportedly-working-ipo-deal.html

[ProjectMaximus]

Sweet! So we will presumably get our Fortune 500 back. 

[FSBA]

Hope it goes well. They need a strong showing to alleviate concerns over further Wal-Mart expansion and Kroger's potential entry to the Florida market

[I-10east]

That's what I'm talking about, good stuff! I'm gonna go on a limb, and say that the US stock symbol will simply be 'BILO'.

[I-10east]

Hope it goes well. They need a strong showing to alleviate concerns over further Wal-Mart expansion and Kroger's potential entry to the Florida market

Ironic that you didn't mention Publix, which IMO is biggest threat to most FL supermarkets outside of Walmart, which is everywhere in the US anyway.

[Captain Zissou]

Wal Mart neighborhood markets are the biggest threat to Florida right now. Public is a big competitor, but their market strategy is different and they have a different customer base. Both WD and Publix are cautiously waiting to see how the wal mart stores play out.

[I-10east]

^^^I think that Publix and WD has more of a similar custom customer base, in many areas than people think. Everyone wants to play this simple "socio-economic" game between Publix and WD, "Publix = rich and WD = poor" well look at a place like San Jose WD; I don't think that there's alot of EBT going through there. Publix has physically closed down WD's (like the one that used to be on Baymeadows) I can't think of a correlation were a Jax Walmart closed down a Jax WD. That's why I think that Publix will continue to be the biggest threat to WD. Don't get me wrong, an over-saturation (like Publix is in Jax IMO) of Walmart Neighborhood Markets would be a serious threat. There's no secret why even the big juggernaut Walmart does competitor ads against Publix in FL.   

[Ocklawaha]

Wal Mart neighborhood markets are the biggest threat to Florida right now. Public is a big competitor, but their market strategy is different and they have a different customer base. Both WD and Publix are cautiously waiting to see how the wal mart stores play out.

Wal-Mart can expand to their hearts content, sooner or later they'll discover there are only so many trailer parks!

[I-10east]

^^^There must be alot of trailer parks deep inside many city's cores, like Chicago etc....

[Captain Zissou]

WD aims for the middle area between Publix, who prides themselves on service and customer experience, and WalMart, who goes for EDL (Everyday Low Prices). What the Wal Mart neighborhood markets are doing is going for that same middle ground. Jax already has 2 or 3 and they ate making some waves. High growth areas (St John's county) are where you'll see the WD vs Publix battles play out. In established areas, the stores are pretty well established. WD bet too big too soon on that Baymeadows store. There will be a large enough customer base in the next year or so to warrant a second look.

All this IPO talk is conjecture and not based on any serious plans. BL is just doing some exploratory research.

[I-10east]

^^^Fair enough Capt'n.

[fsquid]

I went into one of those Wal-Mart Neighborhood Stores in Fruit Cove to get some beer and was surprised at how nice it was.  Guess I was thinking with my stereotypical Wal-Mart idea.

[Garden guy]

Personally i think wd and publix are way far apart...the whole experience at a publix is nicer..the people..the space..cleaner..brighter..better organized..lower priced ...i wont shop at any walmart no matter the size..BiLow is jacksonville though..cheap.

[Captain Zissou]

Bi-Lo is from Greenville, SC. Lone Star Funds, who owns both brNds, is from Texas, and very little of the current WD brNd of stores originated in Jax.  The brand now has 850 stores in 12 states. Lower overhead to provide cheaper groceries isn't a uniquely Jackaonville thing, GG, but you rarely say anything factual.

[JayBird]

Personally i think wd and publix are way far apart...the whole experience at a publix is nicer..the people..the space..cleaner..brighter..better organized..lower priced ...i wont shop at any walmart no matter the size..BiLow is jacksonville though..cheap.

W-D got much better about the appearance of their stores and brands they carried around 2010, and I shop at both W-D and Publix equally. If you think they are cheap or dirty you obviously have never walked through one of the old Food Lions we had in town or a Save A Lot (which I think is/was a W-D company)