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They get to collect unemployment

Unemployment is not nearly what their salary was while they are working. Sad that tax dollars are going to assist in unemployment and all those people will be out of jobs--especially during the holidays. I hate to see anything close--always think of the people behind the building.

Why do companies always lay off around the holiday's? M

The article said the company is being sold to Bi-Lo Holdings (Winn Dixie), thus the closing of the corporate office in Tampa and the layoffs at the distribution center in Plant City.

The name sweetbay will be taken off all their stores and Winn-Dixie will replace it. I don't know if all the hanniford and bare essential items will be taken off the shelves and replaced by Winn-Dixie store brands.

For year-end accounting statistics?

In this case, because the sale is effective January 1, 2014 or shortly thereafter. The newspaper article said these laid-off employees may get jobs at the Winn-Dixie distribution center in Jacksonville, if they relocate. For those that don't want to relocate, Amazon is opening two distribution centers in that neck of the woods in 2014, each employing 500 people, that they could apply.