Marion City Square, Marion, North Carolina (Hickory: 2015, lease, transfer)

[Carolina Knight]

Marion City Square is a 155,186-square-foot retail center located at 500 North Main Street, Marion, North Carolina 28752-3113, in the City of Marion in McDowell County, North Carolina. It opened in 1987 and has been anchored by the 40,051-square-foot supermarket BI-LO #5211 and the 54,000-square-foot discount department store Rose's.

Rose's relocated from Lady Marian Plaza. It leased 7,000 square feet to Astro Furniture in 2017.

BI-LO #5211 opened as BI-LO #211. BI-LO #211 expanded in 2000 to add a pharmacy. It became BI-LO #5211 in 2012 after BI-LO acquired Winn-Dixie, and all BI-LO stores were renumbered into the 5### range.

I have heard speculation BI-LO #5211 may close. BI-LO #5211 was not among the ninety-four BI-LO, Fresco y Más, Harvey's Supermarket, and Winn-Dixie stores Southeastern Grocers announced to close in its Thursday, 15 March 2018, restructuring announcement. ("Restructuring." Southeastern Grocers.) BI-LO Pharmacy #5211 closed Friday, 16 March, and its prescriptions were acquired by CVS Pharmacy #3534, 555 North Main Street, Marion, North Carolina 28752-3356.

Further reading

• Conley, Mike. "Pierce Bradley has shaped Marion." The McDowell News. 2013-12-07.
• Conley, Mike. "Coming up Roses: Store with long local history to hold grand reopening." The McDowell News. 2017-10-28.
• Conley, Mike. "Marion Bi-Lo pharmacy closing, store remains open." The McDowell News. 2018-03-16.

[armourereric]

I am the manager of the Astro leased Furniture department at the Marion Roses. Just passing my second year with the company since moving from San Diego, rather happy with the job.

The locals tell me that when the plaza opened, that there was an unleased big box building next to Burke's Outlets that was torn down since it never became occupied, maybe it was to be a Belk?

[Carolina Knight]

Belk had a store in Marion. The store, Belk-Broome, was at 40 South Main Street, Marion, North Carolina 28752-3584. It is now known as the Suttles Building.

I have not heard of Belk being considered for Marion City Square.

Further reading

• Conley, Mike. "What's on Main?: Former Belk's store now hosts offices." The McDowell News. 2015-08-03.

[Carolina Knight]

I heard speculation BI-LO #5211 will close in August. BI-LO #5211's lease is expiring, and Southeastern Grocers is not renewing it.

An initial step in closing a supermarket would be closing service departments (i.e. grocery, meat, pharmacy, produce, seafood, etc).

[armourereric]

I had the opportunity at work today to speak with a retired assistant manager who was part of the opening team for the Marion City Roses location. She told me that indeed there was an anchor structure of about 45,000 sq ft built as part of the original plaza adjacent to Burke's Outlet and it was to be a new location of the downtown Belk's. Belk never occupied the space and it was torn down after 10 years, having never been leased.

[Carolina Knight]

BI-LO #5211 is speculated to close in January.

[armourereric]

The Subway and Chinese restaurant closed about 2 months ago. I have been transferred back to our Hickory location as of yesterday but may still do one day a week in Marion.