Southeastern Grocers Closing Stores for Thanksgiving Day

Following the lead of Target and Walmart, Southeastern Grocers has made the decision to close all of its stores on Thanksgiving Day, according to a letter President and CEO Anthony Hucker sent to company associates.

“With our heartfelt gratitude, we have made the decision to not open our Bi-Lo, Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores on Thanksgiving Day (Thursday, Nov. 26) to provide you – our dedicated and heroic associates – with a day to rest with your family and make memories around your holiday tables at home,” Hucker wrote in his letter, which described Southeastern Grocers as “a people-first organization … dedicated to being there for our associates, customers and communities when they need us most.”

Hucker also lauded the company’s front-line employees in the following terms: “You have worked diligently and with extraordinary kindness to provide our customers with a safe and friendly place to shop in this time of great need and adversity.” He went on to acknowledge the sacrifices made by associates’ loved ones during an uncertain time that has often resulted in employees working long hours.

Earlier this year, several food retailers, including Southeastern Grocers, closed on Easter Sunday to provide a much-need respite for workers in the thick of the pandemic. 

Jacksonville, Florida-based Southeastern Grocers is one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the United States, with grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serving communities throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and South Carolina. The company is No. 34 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America, while Walmart U.S. and Target are Nos. 1 and 7, respectively, on the list.