Food Lion Revealed as New Grocery Store Coming to Festival Centre in North Charleston
October 22, 2026 Update: The mystery surrounding Festival Centre’s incoming grocery store is over. Food Lion has been identified as the retailer planning to open at the North Charleston shopping center in 2027.
According to reporting from The Post and Courier, Festival Centre owner Woodlock Capital has revealed Food Lion as the shopping center’s new grocery anchor.
The announcement answers the biggest question left unanswered when What’s Going On In Charleston first reported the grocery deal in September.
A Grocery Store Returns After More Than a Decade
Festival Centre, located at 5101 Ashley Phosphate Road, has operated without a traditional grocery anchor since Piggly Wiggly departed in 2013.
In September 2026, Woodlock Capital’s Patrick Nealon announced that a deal had been finalized to bring a grocery store back to the property, but the retailer’s identity had not yet been disclosed.
Now, that missing piece has been filled in: Food Lion.
The anticipated 2027 opening would mark the return of a grocery anchor to Festival Centre roughly 14 years after Piggly Wiggly’s departure.
Part of Festival Centre’s Larger Redevelopment
Food Lion’s planned arrival is another step in Woodlock Capital’s effort to reposition the shopping center.
The Charleston-based firm acquired Festival Centre in September 2024 for approximately $22 million.
Other elements of the redevelopment include PickleRage and plans for ParTee Shack, an indoor entertainment destination featuring activities such as miniature golf, go-karts, and arcade games.
A grocery store would add a different kind of traffic to the shopping center: customers shopping for everyday necessities.
When Will Food Lion Open?
Current commercial leasing information continues to identify 2027 as the expected opening year for the new grocery anchor.
However, a specific opening date, final store layout, and exact suite have not yet been publicly confirmed in the materials reviewed by WGOIC.
We’ll continue monitoring those details as the project progresses.
What We Know
- Retailer: Food Lion
- Shopping center: Festival Centre
- Location: 5101 Ashley Phosphate Road, North Charleston, SC
- Expected opening: 2027
- Exact opening date: Not yet announced
- Property owner: Woodlock Capital
Food Lion’s arrival represents another milestone for a shopping center undergoing a substantial transformation.
North Charleston, are you excited to see Food Lion join Festival Centre?
Sources: Reporting by The Post and Courier; Woodlock Capital property information; current Festival Centre leasing materials; previous What’s Going On In Charleston coverage.
