Winn-Dixie

[store215]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., once among the most profitable of U.S. grocers, on Tuesday said it filed for bankruptcy protection, succumbing to stiff competition from giant discounter Wal-Mart Stores Inc..

The grocer, founded in 1925, said it had already lined up an $800 million debtor-in-possession financing from Wachovia Bank, which replaces its previous $600 million credit line.

It filed its petitions to restructure under Chapter 11 of the U.S. bankruptcy code late on Monday in New York, according to a company statement.

Winn-Dixie said the bankruptcy petition covered itself and 23 U.S. subsidiaries. It said its 920 Winn-Dixie stores remained open, but analysts said the number of outlets would probably be trimmed because it now would be able to ditch leases it did not want.

In its bankruptcy petition, the Jacksonville, Florida, company listed total assets of $2.23 billion and total debts of $1.87 billion. It listed as its biggest creditor Kraft Foods Inc. and affiliates, owed $15.1 million.

Winn-Dixie said that as part of its Chapter 11 restructuring, it would seek additional asset sales and wanted to terminate leases of about 150 stores that had previously been closed.

Winn-Dixie, which analysts say has been out of touch with customers and burdened by dilapidated stores, was widely expected to slide into bankruptcy after posting a larger-than-expected quarterly loss earlier this month.

That loss capped more than four years of market share slippage to rivals, including Publix Super Markets, Inc.

For many years following its founding, Winn-Dixie held an unrivaled grip on markets across the U.S. South and in the Bahamas.

But much of its success came well before Wal-Mart drove into its home turf, selling food at rock-bottom prices which Winn-Dixie found hard to match as its costs spiraled out of control.

Despite a 10-month restructuring and a push to improve store operations and cut costs, Winn-Dixie had continued to struggle, in the end leaving vendors no other option but to tighten supply terms in the past two weeks
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=businessNews&storyID=7703627

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This chain used to be very strong, one of the top in the South, but Publix, Florida Albertsons, W-M, and others beat them out.

[C. Fontaine]

Yeah, whenever I'm in Florida I see Publix everywhere.

[Zayre88]

I went to a Winn-Dixie that was located in a "U" shaped plaza in Daytona Beach back in 1992.  If i remember right, there was a Publix in that same plaza and a Woolworth's in the middle.

[truviking05]

Originally posted by Zayre88
I went to a Winn-Dixie that was located in a "U" shaped plaza in Daytona Beach back in 1992.  If i remember right, there was a Publix in that same plaza and a Woolworth's in the middle.

Wow...interesting plaza!

[amesman]

There's a Winn Dixie in Crawfordville, Florida(Talahassee). I went there when I was 8(Which was the only time. I haven't been back to Florida since). My uncle, and one cousin works there. There's a Publix down the road, and plans for a future Wal Mart Supercenter as well(which my Grandmother is not happy about).

[Zayre88]

BREAKING NEWS !
Winn-Dixie to close 326 stores in turnaround effort

DSN Retailing Today

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - June 21
Winn-Dixie announced that in an effort to enhance the company's financial performance and position it for profitability in the long term, it will reduce its store count from 913 total stores to 587 stores.

[truviking05]

Winn-Dixie is closing 3 stores in my area, but not my town's. I was in the just last night--the store was built and opened in 1992-1993 but has the feel and look of an 80s store.

[LazarusFan]

Yeah I read it in the news today.  How ironic that the same day, Kroger's profits went up and someone that it can take on Wal-Mart.  I wonder if Kroger will take a shot at buying up stores of former Winn-Dixie stores that will soon close.  That's what Kroger did when Winn-Dixie(Thriftway) left the Cincinnati area last year.

Winn-Dixie just can't compete with increasing competition of out-performing Publix, Food Lion, and Kroger.

[dooneyt63]

That plaza in Daytona Beach, FL also boasted a G.C. Murphy, a Belk department store, and a Three Sisters.  It also had an in-line Walgreens.  For years, it seemed almost untouched by time.

[storehistoryguy]

Winn-Dixie needs a pic.

[HoJofan206]

It is sad, but I dont think the W-D chain will last another 10 years.

[ameskmart1]

Dalton, GA

[ameskmart1]

Dalton, GA Inside

[dayville81]

Winn-Dixie plastic bags can be readily found at many Ocean State Job Lots in Connecticut

[ameskmart1]

Store

[d_fife]

how big is winn dixie? how big is their store size? how many more stores have dwindled since the first wave of closings. Will they make it? Why do they hurt. supermarkets are needed.

[d_fife]

here is winne-dixie in sunrise fl

from http://www.urbanretail.com/urpweb.nsf/fsProperties?OpenFrameSet

[ameskmart1]

Maitland, FL

[ameskmart1]

Old Store

[ameskmart1]

Store

[dmx10101]

I worked for Winn-Dixie for 5 yrs. I just left the company back in June. The store I was working at when I quit just went out of business a couple weeks ago. The company is still in business with about 530 stores left. They are coming out of bankruptcy by years end. Its a far cry from the  nearly 1,100 stores they had before bankruptcy. W/D is a good company though, I enjoyed working for them.

[Kmart4life]

My supermarket of choice. Although I do occasionally shop at Publix, Winn Dixie is still my store with the customer rewards card you really do save money. I have saved as much as $50.00 on groceries. Winn Dixie is really good.

[HoJofan206]

Winn Dixie coin bank.

[Kmart4life]

That is a nice one.;)

[dmx10101]

I worked for Winn-Dixie for over 5 years up until last year. I quit when I moved up here to Georgia. So I collected quite a bit of W/D stuff, here's some of it-

This picture is of various W/D items and all the different name badges I've had.



Various W/D booklets- top right is info for Marketplace bank, W/D's long defunct in store bank.



WINNing Spirit magazine- W/D's associate magazine,issues  from through the years. The bottom left issue I'm in the picture on the front cover!



Some W/D grand reopening circulars.



Internal W/D info, I saved it because it shows my progress in a dept. sales contest which I won $500 for.



Some GOB ads for a couple of W/D's. Funny thing is the ad on the far left is for the same store I have a grand reopening ad for a couple pictures up. The store did a complete remodel a couple years before it closed. It was also the W/D I was working at when I quit W/D.



Hope you enjoyed!

[dmx10101]

I'm visiting Jacksonville this weekend and I thought I'd take a few pictures of some of the places here. This is the Winn-Dixie I worked  at before I moved to GA. As you can see from the pics it went out of business only a couple of months after I quit and moved.  

[GothicPrincess]

I worked at both Stuart, FL Winn-Dixie stores when I lived in Florida for a year from November 1995-November 1996. My ex--step-father still lives down there but I rarely get a chance to speak with him. The one store I was at the most was red/white in colors, and the other one was teal/pink in colors. I would transfer between stores 3-5 times a week. I enjoyed most of my time there, but the heat with unloading trucks by myself with only a manual pallet jack for help just killed me. Thanks for the photos of all the badges and such that you posted. I enjoyed seeing some old ads and things. It reminded me of the short time that I was with the company. I also would like to say that while I was there I was treated very well by the higher-ups within the company. It was a pleasure working for them for that year.

[Kmart4life]

Winn-Dixie  RULES:cool::cool::bounce:

[dmx10101]

I drove by th closed W/D I used to work at again, it's still empty, they cleaned up the windows and took off the W/D Liquor store signage that was on the doors.

Taken 1/11/08

[dmx10101]

W/D has just recently finished remodeling a couple of stores in Jacksonville.FL into their new store concept and look.

Here's one of them taken 1/11/08