By CAROL WERSICH
Evansville Courier & Press staff writer
JASPER, Ind. - Buehler Foods is in negotiations to acquire 16 Winn Dixie Stores.
The stores include15 in Louisville and surrounding Kentucky communities and one at Jeffersonville, Ind.
A closing date on the sale is expected Oct. 18, according to the Jasper-based Buehler company.
The sale price was not disclosed.
Dave Buehler, chief executive officer, said he viewed the forthcoming acquisition from Jacksonville, Fla.-based Winn Dixie as "a natural progression of growth for our company and all our associates."
Kathy Lussier, a spokeswoman for Winn Dixie, said the sale is part of a plan by the company to sell 156 of its more than 1,000 stores by April 2005.
She said the stores being sold aren't considered core stores, and Winn Dixie wants to get rid of them in an effort to improve the company's competitiveness in the market.
"We hate to close any store and it was a very difficult decision," she said.
Buehler officials said they plan to interview and hire existing Winn Dixie employees and new applicants.
Buehler's corporate office in Jasper also will hire additional administrative staff to support the company's new growth, company officials said.
Buehler Foods group will operate the new locations under the Buehler's Market banner.
Buehler Foods group currently owns and operates 49 retail food stores, including 28 full-variety fresh food stores under the BUY-LOW banner in Evansville and other Southern Indiana locations and in Kentucky and Illinois.
Buehler also owns and operates 21 SAVE A LOT stores in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, North Carolina and Virginia.
Buehler Foods group and its related companies employs more than 2,700 associates.
Buehler's operation was started 64 years ago by Gabe and Marge Buehler - Dave's parents - in a small 20-foot by 30-foot store on Jasper's Main Street.
The son joined the business in 1957 and a new store was opened on the north side of Jasper.
The company's first venture outside Jasper came in 1962 when the Buehlers opened a store in Huntingburg, Ind.
© 2004 The E.W. Scripps Co.