GTB Area Retail Blog

Publix #1670 5655 Circa Fishhawk Blvd, Lithia, FL - Alafia Commons Publix #1670 opened on July 18, 2019 as a part of the new Alafia Commons shopping center. The store includes a drive thru pharmacy and a liquor store. In late June 2019 when I was going to the Lithia Winn-Dixie, I saw this new Publix building with all of the signs facing Fishhawk Boulevard. This photo was taken on June 22, 2019 as if the store were ready for business. About 4 weeks later, Publix #1670 officially opened to the public! The rest of these photos during the post are from August 9th and August 26th of this year. Before moving on with the rest of the photos, here is one taken during the store's grand opening, along with Now Open signs and a Publix display of food items. Now that we have the grand opening stuff out of the way, let's move on to post-grand opening photos with the exterior of the store! After seeing the exterior of the store, let's off...

All photos, including the one above are courtesy of Google Maps. Winn-Dixie #141 11701 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville, FL - Medical and Merchants Center of Mandarin This Winn-Dixie opened in 1995 as store #141. 141 is probably a reused store number, because new stores in the mid to late 1990's would have been in the 6xx to 7xx range. Stepping inside, here we are with: "Is this a real Winn-Dixie interior?" Because this store was remodeled in 2015, this is a probably a prototype version of the Down Down interior that was designed by Ian McLeod or a third-party company. McLeod was CEO for Winn-Dixie from 2015 to 2017. Signage for the bakery and other departments as seen from produce. If I am correct, packaged deli is another word for lunch meats. From the looks of this section, it is seen after the deli, but I am not sure. A mix of prototype (aisle markers) and regular Down Down (wine/beer) signs appear here. This is looking fr...

Question 1: Did Publix open first, followed by Kash N' Karry, and then Sweetbay? (2519 McMullen Booth, 1984 opening date) Question 2: When did the former Winn-Dixie on McMullen Booth close? (Now Publix #1117) Question 3: At the Walmart on West Kennedy, what were the opening and closing dates for the Winn-Dixie and SaveRite? (Neighborhood Market opened in 2008) Also include the store numbers if needed. UPDATE 1: Winn-Dixie #603 at 2514 McMullen Booth Rd closed in 2005 and later became Publix #1117 in 2007. UPDATE 2: SaveRite #2661 at 1601 W. Kennedy Blvd closed in 2005, and originally opened as a Winn-Dixie (store #675) in 1996, and converted to SaveRite in 2001.

After taking a nearly 2 month blog break, posting is back on GTB Retail! This time, we are covering one of the former Sweetbay stores located near Westchase. Sweetbay Supermarket #1930/Winn-Dixie #2517 13016 Race Track Rd, Tampa, FL Originally opened in 2005 as Sweetbay Supermarket #1930, and was a ground-up location (not those Food Lion or Kash n' Karry buildings). Sweetbay lasted until the 2014 purchase by BI-LO Holdings (now Southeastern Grocers) and later converted this store to Winn-Dixie, and reopened as store #2517. This can also be "Kevin's Store", because the Sweetbay Supermarket advertisements were filmed here. Kevin comes from the "Meatbay Butcher". Now entering the store from the main entrance. The 13016 the store's address, and is 2005 original. Sweetbay put in a lot of natural light in this building, but we still haven't fully entered the store yet. Are there any Sweetbay decor relics? Let's find o...