87 years of Publix
(https://photos.smugmug.com/History/Publix-State-Archives-of-Florida/i-F2hWrS9/0/54b176be/L/P1700538-X2-L.jpg)
A look at the architectural evolution of one of the largest grocery chains in the United States.
Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2017-nov-87-years-of-publix
The first "modern" Publix in Jacksonville opened at the site of LA Fitness at University Blvd. W & St. Augustine Road circa 1972 (and is now located diagonally across the intersection, ironically replacing a structure originally built as a Skaggs Albertsons store, a joint venture between Albertsons grocery and Skaggs drugstore. Before that, the current site was a dairy farm and Times Square Hardware store).
I believe the next Publix stores opened at Roosevelt Mall (since relocated on the property to the current store) and on Atlantic Blvd. near University Blvd. At the time, like Chic-fil-a today, Publix never opened on Sundays. Also, the bakery was branded as the Danish Bakery and had counters with dual facings, one to the street with its own entrance and one to the inside of the main grocery store. This allowed the bakery to have extended hours beyond the grocery store.
Publix coming to Jacksonville was like a cross between Whole Foods and Ikea coming today: Long anticipated and a sign of Jacksonville moving uptown. On Saturdays, people were lined up at the doors and the parking lot was overflowing. It was the place to see and be seen :).
Little remembered is that Publix first opened in Gateway Mall on the northside circa 1960 and soon closed. That store eventually became a Winn Dixie. At that time, Publix was probably more like the Whole Foods of its day, an upscale grocer. It took some 10 years for Publix to return to Jacksonville.
One of their largest divisions is headquartered in Jacksonville off Beaver Street along I-10.
The store in the warehouse building in Colombia, SC, is a famous and fabulous example of what can be done to re-purpose old buildings when the community is determined to salvage its architectural history. Jacksonville should take a cue from this!