Drinks retailer Thresher has put 45 of its stores up for sale.
The company, which trades under the names The Local, Haddows, Wine Rack and Bottoms Up, will sell stores in England, Scotland and North Wales but most of the sales are concentrated around Birmingham and London.
The sales come a month after Thresher announced it planned to convert more than 600 of its Local stores to "micro convenience" stores by the end of 2008, selling chilled food, newspapers, snacks and confectionery as well as alcohol.
The sale is being overseen by agents Christie + Co.